We like
Appealing price and specifications; generous warranty and aftersales support; strong amenity levels; decent materials fit and finish; balanced braking action; spacious cabin and cargo bed; safety rating

Room for improvement
Nomadic handling; numb steering; evident mechanical, road and wind noise; rattly engine; tardy throttle response; intrusive ADAS technologies; sub-par infotainment and connectivity quality; fuel consumption

Overview

 

STATE-OWNED Chinese manufacturer JAC has offered its T9 (or Hunter as it is known in some markets) dual-cab utility in its home market since early 2021, releasing the model to Australian motoring media in facelifted form from this month.

 

Powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder diesel unit making a claimed 120kW of power at 3600rpm and 410Nm of torque between 1500-2500rpm, the T9 is paired exclusively with an eight-speed automatic transmission and part-time four-wheel drive.

 

Combined cycle fuel consumption is listed at 7.6 litres per 100km and CO2 emissions at 202 grams per kilometre. Spoiler alert, we couldn’t get within a bull’s roar of that number on test.

 

Both the Oasis (from $42,662) and Haven (from $45,630, as tested) grades are suspended by a double wishbone front and leaf rear arrangement and are arrested by four-wheel disc brakes.

 

The T9 measures 5330mm in length, 1965mm in width, 1920mm in height, and rides on a 3110mm wheelbase. It offers a turning circle of 12.4m and ground clearance of 210mm. Kerb weight is listed at 2055kg, payload of up to 1045kg (!), and braked towing capacity 3200kg (with 320kg tow ball down weight) – 300kg short of the segment standard.

 

The model is one of few on the market that can accommodate a standard Aussie pallet between the wheel arches. The tray also offers a spray-in bed liner and four anchor points. It measures 1520mm in length, 1590mm in total width, and 470mm in height.

 

Important off-road geometry figures see the T9 offer 27 degrees of approach angle and 23 degrees departure. A break-over figure is not available. Water wading is listed at 650mm.

 

The numbers place the T9 in step with similarly priced rivals including the GWM Cannon, KGM-SsangYong Musso, and LDV T60; which means there’s a significant amount of change to pocket when compared with a similarly specified Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max, Mitsubishi Triton, Toyota HiLux, or Volkswagen Amarok.

 

The JAC T9 arrives as standard with inclusions such as a sports bar and rock-rail side steps, tailgate lock, LED lighting, rear differential lock and 18-inch titanium-finished alloy wheels (including matching spare).

 

Paint colours include Stratus (White), Karak (Black), Hammerhead (Dark Grey), Salt Bush (Silver), Wren (Blue), Red Belly (Red), and Huntsman (Light Grey).

 

Moving inside we find a 10.4-inch infotainment array, leather-accented upholstery, front seat heating, USB-A, USB-C and wireless device charging, a 220-volt power outlet in the rear, and rear-seat air vents.

 

An extensive array of factory-fitted accessories is also available.

 

ANCAP Safety awarded the JAC T9 a five-star rating in August of 2024, the model including as standard adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking (front and rear), blind spot detection, driver attention monitoring, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, speed limit assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and more.

 

Dual ISOFIX child seat anchorages and three top-tether points are also included across the rear seat.

 

The JAC T9 is backed by a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with included roadside servicing and capped-price servicing bundle. Service intervals are set at 12 months or 15,000km (whichever comes first), with pricing totalling $3069 for the period.

 

Driving Impressions

 

Anyone familiar with the “Jack of all trades” idiom adopted as JAC’s Australian sales slogan is almost certainly aware the remainder of that saying is “and master of none”.

 

Perhaps there is truth in advertising after all…

 

Of course, we must keep the price of the JAC T9 in mind when viewing its abilities against that of its competition; and on paper at least, this $40K ute comes with a good set of specs, an impressive safety rating, spacious cabin, and a solid equipment list.

 

But it’s also a dual-cab ute that is a long way behind its contemporaries in almost every other respect – feeling very much like it could have benefitted from an Australian engineering program before it entered the market.

 

The questionable dynamics of the JAC T9 are abetted by mechanical, road, and wind noise reminiscent of a Y61-series Nissan Patrol or 70-Series LandCruiser. It is incredibly susceptible to bump steer and can easily become unsteady on loose or challenging surfaces, an issue further exacerbated by budget brand tyres and numb front-end feedback.

 

Moderate-sized potholes and undulations crash and thump through the body, the dampers seemingly unable to suppress the repeated rise and fall of low-quality surfaces. We hit the bump stops regularly – and without a load on board – prompting us to question just how the vehicle would feel with a tonne in the tray.

 

JAC’s 2.0-litre engine is a vocal unit, especially at lower revolutions, and one that is unwilling to rev much beyond 3800rpm. Paired with a smooth shifting eight-speed automatic, it does however provide ample performance in most scenarios, albeit with significant throttle lag.

 

Sport mode really doesn’t seem to provide a whole lot more response, or additional performance. It’s a vehicle whose power delivery simply requires a little anticipation to get the best out of, throttle up before grades and in step with fast-moving traffic.

 

Running in urban, highway, and rural settings, we returned a fuel consumption average of 10.0 litres per 100km. It’s a figure well above the quoted figure, but one that is realistic in view of the smaller engine / larger vehicle formula the T9 presents.

 

In keeping with the T9’s strong safety score we were pleased to find a balanced braking action backed by the reassurance of four-wheel discs. Even on loose surfaces (and with those dreadful Giti tyres), the 2055kg (kerb) dual-cab pulled up rather well, the ABS seemingly well calibrated to sealed and unsealed roads alike.

 

Of course, the JAC T9 also offers a long list of safety bells and whistles – almost literally. Like many Chinese brands, the ADAS technologies in the T9 are overly reactive, chiming in at the mildest infraction. The driver monitoring system is of particular annoyance, alerting of distraction when making a head check or using the far-side mirror. It’s a ridiculous scenario that conspires with nervous lane keeping prompting drivers to pull over and switch the systems off.

 

How this correlates to a “safer” driving experience we’re yet to ascertain…

 

We also experienced issues with smart phone connectivity, both via wired and wireless means. Apple CarPlay worked briefly before being lost for the duration of our loan, the Bluetooth connection better, but with very poor audio quality when making or receiving phone calls.

 

On balance, it’s fair to say the JAC T9 is about delivering on value for money. If you’re moving up from a faithful older model the T9 will certainly feel like a space-age rocket ship replete with a roomy cab and an abundance of tech.

 

But for those who have driven a D-Max, HiLux or Ranger in recent years, we’d wager it the T9 will feel underwhelming – just as it did for us. It is a vehicle that needs a serious amount of suspension calibration to level even its nearest rivals; and like GWM and Mitsubishi (as just two recent examples) would definitely benefit from a reworking of its ADAS calibration.