First Drive: JAC T9 Super Lux 4x4

First Drive: JAC T9 Super Lux 4x4

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JAC is a Chinese manufacturer that introduced itself into our South African market in 2017, tackling the commercial sector with their lineup of trucks. Over the last few years, JAC has added affordable workhorse bakkies to their fleet year after year, and now they have introduced a flagship to their T-series range to make their mark in our market.

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JAC's intended big seller, the T9 bakkie, arrived in South Africa in February, and we recently had the opportunity to do a quick sample on a short route around the Cradle of Humankind as part of JAC's 60th birthday celebrations. The T9 is entering a competitive space within the South African market with the intent to bridge the affordability gap due to the ever-rising prices of vehicles in South Africa. Like the other Chinese manufacturers, the T9 is equipped to be premium with features galore, just in a double-cab format. 

The interior bits and bobs

At first glance, the interior is quite an appealing space to find yourself in, with many traits of the Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok notable, including the overall layout of the infotainment system and air vents. It isn’t by any means a direct copy, but you can’t help but notice the similarities once seated in the cabin. It's not a bad thing, though. Beyond the general layout, the seats are leatherette-wrapped and complemented by a black headliner, which is a plus because those are the basic ingredients for creating the atmosphere of a premium vehicle. The JAC T9 Super Lux, which is the unit we sampled, gets a small list of additional features, such as a 360-degree camera setup, and it is also equipped with a sunroof. Quite abnormal for a bakkie, but if it tickles the fancy, it's there for the taking. 

The drive

The drive we had with the JAC T9 was quite short-lived, but it was enough to impart some first impressions. The throttle is quite responsive, and power delivery is quick upon an initial press of the accelerator; however, keeping on the throttle is where the power figures do show. With 125kW and 410Nm produced by the T9’s 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine, the initial jolt of acceleration becomes quite underwhelming as you ascend the rev counter. That being said, the T9 is neither powerless nor slow; it is simply not balanced, in my opinion. The power delivery could be more linear, leading to an overall better driving experience. 

Upon first impressions, the suspension was firm, as expected in a bakkie, but not overly so. The drive is still comfortable and enjoyable from what we could tell in our short roundabout. However, the most noticeable aspect is the body roll. After navigating the first speed bump, we noticed a slight sway, prompting me to enthusiastically steer left to right in short strides to determine whether it was a coincidence or not. This manoeuvre revealed that the T9 exhibits some body roll, which I found to be somewhat excessive and contradictory to the stiff suspension. Though excessive, I would not penalise the T9 on this just yet; we would have to do some 4x4 testing to truly see if there is a reason behind it with a little give-and-take.

Based on our brief experience with the JAC T9 bakkie, and even though there are certain areas that need improvement, the T9 is reasonably priced, well-equipped, and should be a strong competitor in South Africa. I personally found it to be more enjoyable than some of its rivals, but a thorough test drive will ultimately determine its true worth.

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Pricing

T9 2.0L CTi 4x2 Lux: R549,900

T9 2.0L CTi 4x4 Lux: R609,900

T9 2.0L CTi 4x2 Super Lux: R599,900

T9 2.0L CTi 4x4 Super Lux: R659,900

The JAC T9 comes with a 5-year/100,000-kilometre warranty, a 5-year/100,000-kilometre service plan, and 24-hour roadside assistance for added peace of mind.

Words: Niki Louw

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