Not long after our test of the smaller T1, Jetour brought us this bigger T2 model for a bout of déjà vu…
You should know: The Jetour T2 can easily be confused with its smaller sibling, the T1, because they not only look pretty similar but share a lot of components too. Chief among which, in their identical Odyssey XWD trim level, is the 2-litre four cylinder turbo-petrol engine sending up to 180kW or 375Nm to all four wheels via a 7-speed DCT.
More info: Jetour claims average fuel use of 9.3L/100km (and 9.0 for the slightly lighter T1) from the 70L tank. Kerb weight is 1,900kg, ground clearance about 220mm, and the currently debated payload is 475kg. Cargo capacity is a generous 580L, extendable to almost 1,500L when the rear furniture is folded flat; although this is a two-step process.
What else? Driving the T2 2.0T is a fairly easy and relaxing process as there are plenty of automatic, automated, active and passive driver aids to, um, aid the driver. Steering and handling lean more towards 4×4 territory, with a spongy ride and quite a bit of body roll. Our test car was shod with fairly knobbly Giti4x4 AT71 tyres of the dimension 255/60R19.
Why you shouldn’t: Because of the usual problems we experience with almost every new vehicle: slightly compromised visibility, less than linear start-stop behaviour from the drive train, a big infotainment display with a steep learning curve, bizarre digital gauges, and the obligatory missing volume knob but a large knob for adjusting… something.
Why you should: Because everybody went a bit googley-eyed around this press vehicle. It turns out that every single person we visited was severely interested and, in a few heated instances, genuinely considering the purchase of one. Almost all of them ignored my complaints from the previous paragraph.
Conclusion: Why does everyone want a Jetour T2, especially with all-wheel drive and luxurious “Odyssey” trim? Because it looks good, behaves fairly well, and costs a fraction of what established brands want for their fancy city 4×4’s.
On top of that, you get a massive 7-year/200,000km warranty, even more massive 10-year/1-million kilometre engine warranty, and not-so-massive 7-year/75,000km service plan with each new T2.
FULL SPEC LIST
| Engine: | 1, 998cc turbo-petrol i-4 |
| Transmission: | 7-speed DCT, AWD |
| Max. Power: | 180kW @ 5,500rpm |
| Max. Torque: | 375Nm @ 1,750rpm |
| Avg. cons.: | 9.3L/100km (claimed) |
| 0-100km/h: | No claim |
| Top Speed: | 180km/h (claimed) |
| List Price: | R679,900 |