JAC T9 Hunter Special Edition inbound for SA
As far as Chinese bakkies go, the JAC T9 remains one of the more compelling offerings on the rise in South Africa. It impressed us with its fuel economy, competitive pricing, bold styling, and a punchy engine that holds its own against some serious contenders in the segment.
Since its local debut in 2024, the T9 has been quietly gaining traction. From January to May 2025, the T9 recorded a year-on-year sales increase of nearly 28%. While that figure shows growing interest, particularly among value-conscious buyers, it’s still far from shaking up the Hilux and Ranger stronghold in terms of volume.
Building on the momentum of its record-breaking 24-hour endurance challenge, JAC has now unveiled the T9 Hunter 4×4 Special Edition model. This comes after the T9 fitted with a 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine shattered a 15-year-old record for commercial vehicles, clocking 4,084km in 24 hours at an average pace of 170km/h at the Gerotek Testing Facilities oval track. Only 24 units of the T9 Hunter 4×4 with exclusive comfort features will be built to commemorate the milestone, and each unit will be independently numbered from one to 24.
Powering the new T9 Hunter is the same 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel engine that has been tweaked to deliver 144kW and 487Nm – 19kW and 77Nm more than the regular model. Like the standard T9 variant, the Hunter uses an 8-speed ZF automatic gearbox plus a 4×4 system. The setup already works well, and with the added power, it promises an even more capable drive.
While JAC promises to share more details in the coming months, aesthetically, the T9 Hunter adopts an aggressive front end, courtesy of a large chrome ‘JAC’ nameplate, a nudge bar finished in a dark shade and featuring red ‘Hunter’ lettering, a different front grille and what looks like off-road tyres.
Details remain under wraps, but what we do know is that the T9 Hunter will launch with a handful of exclusive features, expected before year-end. According to JAC, the second half of 2025 is set to be a busy one, with the T9 PHEV scheduled to arrive in July, followed by the T6 single cab and updated engine options for both the T8 and X200 models.
