New Chinese car brand confirms 4 SUVs for South Africa – Dates and details

Chinese automaker Jetour has confirmed that it will open its doors in South Africa in September 2024 with a portfolio of four vehicles in the pipeline.

The first of these are the Dashing and X70 Plus medium SUVs which are scheduled to launch alongside one another in September.

Come 2025, Jetour will introduce the T2 and T1 to our roads, however, it hasn’t provided the respective launch dates of these vehicles yet.

Who is Jetour?

For those unfamiliar, Jetour is a relatively new automotive brand existing under the Chery umbrella alongside other nameplates such as Omoda and Jaecoo, the so-called “O&J brands”.

Jetour was established in 2018 and has thus far sold over 1.2 million vehicles across the globe, earning it the accolade of China’s fastest-growing SUV brand.

However, unlike the O&J brands which essentially function as Chery’s extensions, Jetour operates largely independently from its parent company regarding vehicle development and market penetration.

Jetour is therefore entering South Africa on its own accord fully sponsored by a “holding group from China” with no ties to Chery, said a brand representative.

Additionally, Jetour vehicles share minimal technologies with Chery vehicles.

The brand said that only the engines and a few other small parts used in its SUVs are developed by Chery, whereas components such as the chassis and transmission are developed in-house by Jetour itself.

For the local market, the fresh-faced automaker has invested significantly in bolstering after-sales support to put early adopters at ease regarding parts availability and repair time.

It has already established a 4,000m² warehouse in Midrand, Gauteng scheduled to be stocked with over R100 million in parts well before the first Jetour vehicle touches down on local soil later this year.

Additionally, it said it is working with local body repair shops to form partnerships that will streamline the repair of Jetour vehicles.

The manufacturer will also set up 40 dealerships across South Africa by the time the Dashing and X70 Plus are officially launched in September, it said.

What to expect

The Jetour Dashing features a modern design aesthetic with radical angles, slim lights, and a large grille, with the SUV measuring 4,590mm long, 1,900mm wide, and 1,685mm tall.

Depending on the country, the sleek Dashing is equipped with either a 1.5-litre, turbo-petrol engine generating 115kW and 230Nm or a 1.6-litre mill churning out 145kW and 290Nm.

Both six-speed manual and automatic transmissions are available with the smaller power unit, while the bigger one is treated to a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic.

In global markets, the SUV is delivered with a variety of amenities encompassing intelligent LED lights, a panoramic sunroof, keyless entry and start, a 15.6-inch infotainment system, leather upholstery, heated and ventilated seats, 40W wireless chargers, and a comprehensive suite of driver assistance systems.

The X70 Plus is ostensibly pitched at family-focused buyers as it comes in a five and seven-seater configuration.

It is noticeably longer than its sibling at 4,749mm in length, exactly as wide at 1,900mm in width, and slightly taller at 1,720mm in height.

Powering the larger Jetour are the same 1.5-litre and 1.6-litre powertrains as the Dashing.

Inside, the X70 Plus boasts leather trimmings, heated and ventilated front seats with electric adjustability, a fully digital driver’s display, a 10.25-inch media hub, a digital climate control panel, a panoramic sunroof, seven-colour ambient lighting, and a wireless charger.

It also offers automatic LED lights, keyless entry and start, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, and front-collision warnings.

A departure from the Dashing and X70, the T2 is a more rugged option in the Jetour stable.

It has blockier proportions and spans dimensions of 4,785mm(L) by 2,006mm (W) by 1,870mm (H) with a formidable ground clearance of 220mm.

Propelling the T2 is a turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol block good for 135kW and 290Nm in partnership with a seven-speed, dual-clutch auto-box. It also has Standard, Eco, and Sport drive modes.

Standard luxuries in the T2 include Matrix LED lights, keyless entry and start, a 15.6-inch infotainment system, a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, heated seats, cruise control, and 360-degree cameras.

The Jetour T1 has yet to be officially launched and has thus far only been shown off at the Beijing Auto Show in April.

Slotting in below the T2, the T1 comes in at 4,706mm long, 1,967mm wide, and 1,845mm high.

The SUV is available as a hybrid which sees the aforementioned 1.5-litre engine paired with a large battery and electric motor for a maximum system output of 450kW, according to CarNewsChina.

Jetour confirmed that all vehicles inbound for South Africa will be similar to those in other countries except for a few unique tweaks.

These comprise the addition of “key features” to satisfy local buyer needs, fine-tuning of the engine control units to handle the higher altitude, and adjustments to the suspension to increase comfortability on our less-than-perfect roads.

The local pricing and line-up of the Dashing and X70 Plus will only be announced at launch in September, with those of the T2 and T1 to be made public closer to their respective introduction dates in 2025.