JAC T9 range

JAC T9 RANGE

A 2024 newcomer from a Chinese truck maker with great safety credentials.

 

This Chinese ute entry was another reason for established brands to take a hard look at themselves. OTA’s testing showed that the bargain-priced JAC T9 gave little away to its much higher-priced competitors. A PHEV is due in 2026.

 

 

 

The JAC Motors T9 Ute was the first small commercial vehicle from this Chinese corporation to come Down Under. Thankfully, build quality and safety were much better than in the case of the first JAC trucks that came Down Under in 2011 and the new Australian distributor has no connection with the previous mob.

JAC Motors sold a claimed 592,000 vehicles in 2023, across 132 countries and has the Australian market firmly in its sights.

 

 

JAC has been building trucks in China since 1964, making 2024 its 60th anniversary year. Given that most rural trucks we’ve seen in China were obviously overloaded and operating on less than optimal roads, the JAC heritage surely put strength and reliability at the top of the company’s priorities.

This was reflected in the 2025 JAC T9 ute’s powertrain that was headed by an in-house, two-litre turbo-intercooled diesel with outputs of 120kW at 3600rpm and peak torque of 410Nm in the 1500-2500rpm band. The engine was bolted to a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and Borg-Warner two-speed transfer case. The rear axle had a standard locking diff centre and four-wheel disc brakes were fitted.

 

 

Front suspension was by double wishbones and coils, and the rear was semi-elliptic leaf springs with helper leaves. Standard were 18-inch alloy wheels with 265/60R18 110H tyres.

Towing capacity was 3200kg, with a ball-weight rating of 320kg.

Wading depth was a claimed 650mm, payload 1045kg and the spray-lined ute tub could accept an Aussie pallet between the wheel arches. Rock-rail side steps were standard, as was a sports bar.

 

 

The engine bay was bush-suitable, we reckoned, because the air cleaner breathed through the inner mudguard – not through a water-splash-vulnerable forward facing scoop – and the fuel filter, serpentine drive belt and electric fan were easy accessible. The bonnet lifted on gas struts, not the cheap props that many ‘top-shelf’ wagons and utes still use.

Both T9 versions had high levels of standard safety equipment that helped them qualify for an ANCAP five-star safety level. Standard were: Autonomous Emergency Braking; Blind Spot Detection; Rear Cross Traffic Alert; Adaptive Cruise Control; Hill Hold; Hill Descent Control; Traction Control; Stability Control; Lane Keeping; Forward and Rearward Collision Control; Traffic Sign Recognition; TPMS; Curtain Airbags; Rear Parking Sensors and Rear Vision Camera.

 

 

The $42,662 RRP Oasis had 10.4-inch touch screen infotainment system, complete with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, LED headlamps with daytime running lights and a black leather-accented interior.

The $45,630 RRP T9 Haven added front parking sensors; 360° view camera; privacy glass; puddle lamps; auto-folding side mirrors; black or brown leather-accented interior; heated front seats and a rear 220V power socket.

The T9 had a GVM of 3100kg, claimed tare of only 2055kg and 3.2t braked towing capacity. Its practical tub was capable of handling a full-size pallet.

The JAC T9 was made available through a network of 62 dealerships across Australia, with vehicles now available for customers to driveaway. 

Both models came with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty and the promise of loan utes in the event of downtime due to warranty work being carried out. There was also seven-year roadside assistance and capped price servicing.

 

Safety credentials

 

The JAC T9 was claimed to be Australia’s safest ute and the fourth-safest vehicle overall in late 2024. Each of the top performers achieved five-star ANCAP safety ratings, in which emphasis is given to physical crash protection of occupants other road users.

The T9’s four assessment scores were: 85 percent for Adult Occupation Protection, 87 percent for Child Occupant Protection, 87 percent for Vulnerable Road User Protection and 89 percent for Safety Assist.

Safety features included lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist and blindspot detection. Front, centre, rear and curtain airbags were fitted.

 

 

PHEV preview

 

In a global premiere, JAC previewed the Hunter plug-in hybrid Dual-Cab 4X4 Ute at the April 2025 Melbourne Motor Show.

Scheduled to arrive in Australian showrooms in 2026, the JAC Hunter plug-in hybrid petrol-electric utility combines a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with front and rear electric motors to deliver a whopping 385kW of power and 1000Nm of torque.

The Hunter’s petrol-electric hybrid system features an energy recovery system that is said to optimise efficiency across various driving conditions.

Subject to local testing, JAC is targeting an electric-only driving range of at least 100km from Hunter’s state-of-the-art lithium-iron phosphate battery pack – enough to cover most daily commutes without using any petrol at all.

The JAC Hunter has a Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) system that allows owners to power tools, appliances and deliver emergency backup power from the vehicle’s battery.

This powerhouse positions the JAC Hunter at the forefront of the rapidly evolving electrified-ute segment, outstripping its plug-in hybrid rivals for real-world performance and efficiency.

 

 

“The global premiere of the JAC Hunter marks a pivotal moment in JAC Motors’ 61-year history of innovation,” said Ahmed Mahmoud, managing director of JAC Motors Australian importer, LTS Auto.

“Australian drivers demand vehicles that offer both capability and sustainability, and the JAC Hunter delivers this without compromise.”

“We are thrilled to host this Global Premiere for JAC Motors, and we are even more thrilled to confirm that the JAC Hunter will arrive in JAC dealerships across Australia in early 2026.”

The JAC Hunter shares T9 features, including a 10.4-inch portrait touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, beside a digital 10.25-inch instrument cluster.

The JAC Hunter also features JAC’s driver assistance suite, which includes enhanced autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality and 360-degree camera system.

JAC has not yet disclosed the Hunter’s payload and towing capabilities, but we know that it’s scheduled to arrive in Australian showrooms in the first quarter of 2026. 

Australian pricing and specifications will be announced closer to that time. Interested customers can register for updates at jacute.com.au or at any of JAC’s more than 60 dealers across Australia.

 

 

On and off-road in the 2025 T9

 

 

Our test vehicle was a Haven version, with optional towbar and electric brake controller.  Fit and finish was top class, despite its very attractive RRP.

We drove the T9 on a variety of road surfaces, from freeways to low-range, rocky tracks, with loads ranging from empty to a half-tonne and we also towed a 2.5-tonnes caravan, with 220kg of ball weight.

Economy worked out at 8.5L/100km over the entirety of our test, with best figures in the high-7s on highways. 

The T9 behaved much, much better than we expected from what was a lower-powered and bargain-priced ute. Despite being down on peak torque compared with the grunt of most of its competitors, the JAC ute towed a Jayco van very well over our test route of varying roads and gradients. Towing economy averaged 11.0L/100km, which was very good, we felt.

 

 

However, fuel tank capacity was only 78 litres, making remote-area trips marginal.

The only towing downside was compressed rear springs, resulting in over-firm ride from the standard rear leaves and dampers, but the after-market already has solutions for that (see below).

Our test ute was fitted with Giti highway-pattern and highway-casing tyres, so we weren’t surprised when our stony road test section saw one of them succumb to a centre-tread sharp-stone cut. We took the wheel and tyre off and fitted a plug in the cut, so the tyre could serve as an emergency-only spare, if necessary. It was recycled after our test.

OTA understands that JAC is offering an A/T tyre option for those who want stony-road and off-road reliability.

Like most new machines the JAC had electric steering and it had very good road and track ‘feel’.

Ride and handling were generally very good, with some rear-end over-reaction to harsh bumps on rutted tracks – as happens with nearly all standard utes. As we’ve reported below, off-road regulars can upgrade the suspension quite easily.

 

 

In severe off-road conditions, the JAC T9 behaved very well, thanks to adequate suspension travel, effective traction control and an accelerator pedal that was stable, even when the vehicle was reacting to very rough ground. Pedal movement resulted in instant engine response that was never ‘jerky’, making progress on tricky ground smooth and gentle.

The JAC T9 gave nothing away to its competitors when low-range was called for, being able to match any other medium-sized ute in the rough stuff. 

We were particularly impressed with the way the vehicle could be switched from 2H to 4H on the run, without any delay and the ease with which it went into and out of 4L – no torque hang-ups and no ‘clunking’ – once ’N’ was engaged. Ditto the rear diff lock that could be engaged and disengaged in any mode – 2H, 4H or 4L – at low speeds, without any delay at all.

 

 

Most competitive 4WD utes require the vehicle to be in 4L before diff-lock section and, even then, engagement is often dependent on one rear wheel losing traction first. By then, you’re often well and truly bogged! (Toyota’s factory-fitted diff-locks are particularly bad in this respect, which is why I have an after-market diff-lock on my own 75 Series, not a factory lock.)

While most drivers should be instructed to operate the vehicle progressively in 2WD-4WD-4L then diff-lock, there are occasions when an experienced driver might want to select the diff-lock in 2WD and 4WD high-range operating modes.

For example, driving through Australia’s desert dune-fields typically involves transit across flat dune valleys (swales) in 4WD high-range, followed by a dune climb – dunes are typically only 10-15 metres high, but some are much higher. In these conditions it’s sometimes smoother to keep driving in 4WD high-range, slow down at the base of the dune, engage the rear diff-lock and then climb the dune, letting the main transmission select the appropriate ratio.

An instance of diff-lock use in 2WD mode is if a front axle CV joint or half-shaft has been accidentally broken while on a bush trip and the vehicle cannot be driven in 4WD. Being able to engage the rear axle diff-lock can mean the ability to drive out of the bush in 2WD. I simulated this condition on this test, deliberately bogging the vehicle in 2WD in a mud-hole and then engaging the diff-lock to extract it.

 

 

In all conditions the T9’s eight-speed main transmission and two-speed transfer case provided ideal gearing for every situation. On long descents the T9 exhibited a useful amount of engine braking, but that could also be enhanced by using the hill descent function. It was easy to adjust downhill speed in this mode.

The T9 felt stable and secure in side-slope manoeuvres, never lurching and felt reassuring even when side-sloped at around 30 degrees. (The passengers didn’t seem as confident as I was!)

The fitted side steps proved quite strong when scraped along a rocky bank and weren’t deformed.

What didn’t we like? Well, we’re no fans of all the electronic wizardry that’s necessary to achieve ANCAP five-star safety rating, but at least some of the T9 bells and notices could be muted, or toned down. JAC service people know some tricks to minimise driver irritation.

An alternative was to put AkkaDakka on CarPlay or Android Auto and blast the do-gooder system into oblivion!

The lane-keeping, self-steering system was not too intrusive and we reckoned it was acceptable.

 

In summary, the JAC T9 was judged a very capable rough-road and off-road machine that was at least as good as its competitors and better than most. The only unknown was its long-term durability, but, given JAC’s truck-making background, that should be OK. 

 

 

 

 

After-market suspension 

 

 

JAC Motors Australia didn’t have its head in the sand about satisfying varying customer needs, so it engaged after-market suppliers during the T9’s Australian-testing phase. In addition to typical accessories, JAC engaged Tough Dog to come up with suspension alternatives for T9 buyers.

The tested Tough Dog spring and damper components could satisfy the needs of JAC buyers who needed rear spring choices best suited for 0-300kg, 300kg or 500kg constant payloads. There were also two different front coil and damper choices, to suit steel bullbar fitments and steel bar plus winch fitments.

 

 

The shockers were 40mm, foam cells, with or without damping adjustment and rear airbags were also available.

The Tough Dog kits provided around 40mm of additional ride height clearance, so sway bar and centre bearing kits were also incorporated, to preserve factory geometry.

GVM-upgrade-suspension development for the T9 was in progress at Tough Dog in March 2025.