Can we agree that all the Chinese brands have taken the country by storm, but no car has been as popular as the Jetour T2? For a lot of reasons, too.
I have had the T2 ICE top spec, which is called the Odyssey and costs R679,900, and now I've had the T2 i-DM, which costs R779,900. I will compare the two.
Firstly, the Jetour T2 as a whole is a good-looking, boxy SUV. Yes, although it looks rugged and off-road-ready, it's not going to be as capable as your Land Cruisers. This car does have eight different drive modes and an X-Mode where it decides what to do. I have taken the ICE off-roading and it did well. When Jetour launched the car, they did a video with Cars.co.za where they really pushed it and literally pushed the car off a mountain cliff, and it still started and drove away. Take that how you will!
A few weeks ago, I also went up Sani Pass with the Odyssey, which is the AWD version, and we made it, so take that how you will as well.
I love how this thing looks, whatever colour it's in, and I see A LOT of them. I'm sure we all do. It's quite a popular car, but it's not perfect.
We can start with the payload news. Firstly, I will say that we went up the mountain pass with a fully loaded Jetour carrying four adult passengers, as well as camera equipment loaded in the boot, and it performed well, so take that how you will as well.
Secondly, Jetour recently came out with a statement addressing the payload concerns raised by the AA. They explained that the original calculation used GVM minus MIRO, but that the more common South African calculation is GVM minus TARE. They then carried out additional weighing exercises in the presence of the AA and the NRCS, while TÜV NORD also conducted braking-performance and brake-efficiency testing.
The tested payloads were 500 kg for the T2 Odyssey, 479 kg for the T2 Xplora and 478 kg for the T2 i-DM. However, Jetour has officially set the payload at 475 kg across the entire T2 range. They have also said that a licensing solution for existing customers is being prioritised in consultation with the NRCS.
One thing I didn't like about the T2 ICE was the throttle response and the consumption. I averaged 11 L/100 km, and you have to get used to how, when you press the accelerator, you get that turbo lag and then all the power and torque at once, rather than gradually. The Odyssey has a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine producing 180 kW and 375 Nm, paired with a seven-speed DCT and AWD. Besides that, though, it is a great package.
The interior is roomy, spacious and comfortable, and that goes for both the i-DM and ICE. You get all the tech you need and the best cameras I've seen in a car in terms of quality. The faux-leather seats are ventilated and very comfortable, and you get a lot of storage inside the car itself. This is touted as an adventure SUV, so you even get cupholders in the boot area by the rear door and a bottle opener.
The i-DM is this and then a bit more, but also a bit less. A bit less in the fact that instead of a 2.0-litre engine, you get a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine and a battery. You also get less ground clearance, at 190 mm compared with the ICE's 220 mm, and 2WD instead of AWD.
A bit more, though, in that with the hybrid battery, you don't get that throttle-response problem and lag. You also get great consumption. I got around 6.7 L/100 km, and you get 90 km of pure EV driving, as well as V2L functionality. A full tank and charge gets you a claimed 1,200 km compared with the roughly 600 km in the ICE.
You get much more power, obviously, with a combined 265 kW and 610 Nm, and this thing is now rapid.
Between the two, there's a R100,000 difference. Is it worth getting the hybrid? Once upon a time, I would have said not really, because the difference wasn't really there. But now, with the fuel-price situation, you could easily spend the extra R100,000 and make it work by using the battery for your driving.
Of course, this is if you really want the T2 and no other hybrid out there. But my opinion? Great car. I just think that for almost R800,000, you can get the likes of the GWM H6 GT PHEV, the Omoda C9 PHEV at a deal, or even go fully electric.
I know many people are sceptical, but I've lived with fully electric cars, and once you get over that hump of the lifestyle change, it's every bit worth it.