Features / 30 March 2021 / Albert du Toit

Top-end JAC T8 double-cab – What R435,000 will get you from this Chinese brand

JAC is a Chinese brand that released their top-end bakkie, the T8 Double Cab, right before the commencement of the first lockdown in 2020.

The T8, according to JAC, is their most advanced bakkie yet, is available in both 4×2 and 4×4, and is exported to over 40 countries.

Below, we will find out what it offers.

Features

The T8 is advertised as the most premium vehicle that this brand sells.

As such, it gets features that aim to compete against established players like the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger.

The cabin has a modern look and is fitted with shiny silver plastics and chrome details; while the steering wheel, seats, gear lever, and handbrake have all been wrapped in leather.

Buttons on the steering wheel continue the aesthetic, and the trendy instrument cluster with a decent sized multi-information display will give the competition a run for their money.

In addition, a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system is fitted in the centre control stack, which enables Bluetooth connectivity and allows space for USB and SD cards.

This screen also displays a feed from the standard reverse camera, while below it sits the manual air-conditioning system.

Safety was not forgotten, either, and this bakkie boasts a 4-star C-NCAP collision rating – according to JAC.

To achieve this, the company constructed the body of the T8 using a “bird-net structure” with lightweight and high-tensile steels.

They also placed secure bars inside the doors to increase side collision impact safety, and designed the steering system to be collapsible in the event of a head-on accident.

After the body was finished, active safety systems were placed.

This includes airbags, electronic stability control, rear park distance sensors, tyre pressure monitors, and a brake override system which decreases power when the vehicle realises that both the brake and accelerator pedals are being pressed at the same time.

The system does not switch off the vehicle, however, and immediately lets you continue as normal once one of the pedals are released.

Dynamics

JAC states that this bakkie is “the same size as the 8th-generation Hilux.”

It stands at 1,830mm tall, 1,880mm wide, and 5,325mm long – and has a 450mm-deep load box that is completely square.

To further improve its abilities, it gets a rear axle load capacity of 1.8 tonnes, a minimum ground clearance of 210mm, and 18-inch aluminium alloy wheels.

An approach angle of 29.6 degrees, a breakover angle of 23.5 degrees, and a departure angle of 22.4 degrees – coupled with a four-wheel-drive system – also makes the T8 quite nimble off-road.

Visibility is then taken care of by xenon headlamps and LED tail lights; while an optimised body structure along with a “streamlined lifestyle design” provides a “quiet relaxing ride”.

To provide power to their bakkie, JAC looked towards FEV Europe – an international developer of gasoline, diesel, and hybrid powertrains and vehicle systems.

FEV provided the T8 with a 1.9-litre, four cylinder, turbodiesel engine – mated to a 6-speed manual transmission.

The combination generates 100kW of power and 320Nm of torque, and a diff lock is installed in order to use the 4×4 powertrain to the best of its abilities.

Due to the more sophisticated drive method, this variant has a higher average fuel consumption than the 4×2 specification – coming in at 9.0l/100km.