Jetour T2

Design and Quality

When I got into the Jetour T2, I found that the cabin is a remarkable combination of functionality and luxury. The interior design is industrial-themed, inspired by visible bolts and rivets, enhancing the adventure-ready nature of the vehicle. The theme is mainly dark, particularly black, army green, or brown, with glittering silver accents that reflect light and appear modern. The doors have soft padding with the leatherette fitting on the window crank. The dashboard is padded on the top with a soft material (mimics leather), but the lower sections are made of harder plastic, although everything is solid and well assembled. On the other hand, high-quality leather upholstery and soft-touch materials add to the experience of the passengers. The controls, buttons, and steering wheel are all smooth and of high quality.

Front Seats

The Jetour T2 front seats are designed to be both adventure-ready and comfortable in everyday use: each one-piece seat has robust side bolstering to keep occupants secure on rough roads, while plush leatherette with suede inserts adds a luxurious touch. Both driver and passenger seats are power-adjustable (driver: 6-way plus 4-way lumbar, passenger: 4-way), have heated and ventilated seats, a relaxing massage function, and even have two-position memory presets. 

The generous legroom, headroom, and shoulder room ensure comfort to even 6-footers. The high seating position gives a commanding view of the road to make every journey better. 

Rear Seats

The rear seat is also very roomy, thanks to the plentiful 2,800mm wheelbase. It can easily fit 3 average-sized adults with sufficient knee room, legroom, and headroom for passengers up to 5'8" tall. The seats have reclining backrests and separate headrests to make them more comfortable.

The rear seat passengers can enjoy the dedicated AC vents, USB-C charging ports, and storage pockets to make long journeys more comfortable. The rear seats are 60:40 split-folding to allow flexibility in cargo requirements.

Practicality

Cabin storage is well planned. Both the front and the rear doors have large bottle holders (typically for 1-litre) and the center console has several storage compartments with a wireless charging pad. The chilled glovebox is a nice addition to the UAE weather. The rear passengers have cup holders at the central armrest and a special phone storage space below the AC vents.

Boot Space

The T2 has a boot capacity of 752 liters, which is comparable to the existing competitors. It can fit up to 4 mid-size trolley bags along with 2-3 small handbags. The loading aperture is large, and the floor is fairly flat with the rear seats folded down 60:40. The tailgate is expandable, which makes it more accessible and gives more flexibility to the cargo.

The loading lip is, however, very high due to the high ground clearance, and thus loading heavy items will take some effort. The spare tire is fitted outside, leaving the cargo space intact, but increasing the overall length of the vehicle.

Safety is well-taken care off with the T2 SUV as Jetour has made safety a priority for all occupants. The T2 is equipped with:

• 6 airbags, including driver, front passenger and side curtains
• 360-degree camera
• Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
• Electronic brake-force distribution (EBD)

• Electronic stability

• Traction control

• Hill start assist and hill descent control

• Tire pressure monitoring system
• ISOFIX anchors to safely mount child seats

In addition to the standards, the T2 is equipped with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). 

• Adaptive cruise control
• Lane departure warning
• Lane keeping assist 
• Blind spot detection
• Forward collision warning
• Autonomous emergency braking 

Although the T2 has yet to be crash-tested by independent organisations such as Global NCAP, its extensive safety features and robust construction indicate a robust, family-friendly degree of protection. 

The design of the Jetour T2 immediately caught my attention due to its boxy shape and bold design that is obviously inspired by the Land Rover Defender.

Front

The front fascia features a large black grille with illuminative Jetour badging, projector headlamps, and DRLs that also function as turn indicators, giving it an aggressive but elegant look. The Chinese 4x4 SUV features the bold, sharp edges (curved around the wheels) that give it an off-road-ready appearance. It sits 220mm above the ground and has thick plastic protection strips on the sides, indicating its serious off-roading capabilities. 

Side

The profile view demonstrates the T2’s bulkiness with its 4,785mm length and muscular posture. The arches are well filled with 20-inch alloy wheels that match the rest of the design language. Roof rails, side steps and the unique Magic Electric Door system provide functionality and appearance.

Rear

The T2 also retains its bold aesthetic at the rear with its full-width spare tire carrier and expandable tailgate, which increases functionality.

Colours

The color choices are Matte Grey, Night Black, Misty Cyan, Silver Snow, Sand, and White. The general execution is high-quality and balanced, avoiding the excess styling that can afflict certain Chinese cars.

Off Roading 

What strikes me most about the exterior of the T2 is its genuinely functional design. The styling of the T2 is not like other vehicles that attempt to be rugged but lack substance. The 28° approach, 18° ramp, and 30° departure angles are not mere numbers on a spec sheet; they are supported by some careful design considerations to help you cope with all kinds of difficult terrain conditions.

The T2 is equipped with a single 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 251 hp and 390Nm of torque. This is combined with an 8-speed automatic transmission and the sixth-generation all-wheel-drive system of BorgWarner.

Engine

The 2.0L turbo engine is powerful and has good low-end torque to drive in the city. The maximum power is reached at 5,500 rpm, which gives sufficient highway overtaking capacity. I found the engine to be smooth and fairly quiet at a normal speed, but it can be vocal when pushed hard.

All-Wheel Drive System

The BorgWarner XWD system helps to conquer different tough terrain conditions. There are seven driving modes with specific off-road modes such as X-Mode and Crawl Mode to optimize the drivetrain to various terrain types.

Performance Figures

• 0-100 km/h: 6-6.7 seconds
  
  
• Top speed: 180 km/h
  
  
• Fuel economy: 9-13 km/L (city/highway)

The performance package is comfortable both in the city and for highway cruising. The T2 is not sports-car fast, but it has sufficient power to match its size and weight.

Ride Quality

The suspension system of the T2 is well-balanced between comfort and capability. The MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension is capable of dealing with the road conditions in the UAE as it takes potholes and speed bumps with a fair amount of composure.

The T2 is stable and comfortable on highway drives, but a little vertical movement is noticeable over bigger undulations. 

Handling

The T2 is predictable instead of enthusiastic in its handling due to its tall posture and off-road orientation. There is some body roll, which is well managed, and the steering provides sufficient feedback for confidence cornering. The broad 255/55 R20 HT tires have a good grip on tarmac.

The T2 proves itself off-roader. It has a sophisticated all-wheel-drive system, high ground clearance, and suitable approach/departure angles, which allow it to conquer difficult terrain without fear. The multiple drive modes are effective in optimizing traction and power delivery to different surfaces.

Steering Feel

The electric power steering is a bit light, which makes parking and low-speed handling a breeze. At highway speeds, it firms up properly, though feedback could be more communicative for the enthusiast driver. 

The Jetour T2 is very well-equipped as standard, making it one of the most feature-laden SUVs in its segment.

15.6-inch infotainment system with a Snapdragon 8155 smart chip that ensures blistering responsiveness and supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (using a cable connection). 

The 12-speaker Sony premium sound system will delight audiophiles. You can illuminate the cabin with mood-setting in 64-color ambient lighting, a panoramic sunroof that opens when you say ‘Hello Jetour, open the sunroof,’ adjustable steering wheel. All these features combine to make the cabin of the Jetour T2 a demonstration of contemporary SUV luxury and utility.

This Chinese SUV also offers 7 drive modes: Sand, Rock, Snow, Normal, Sports, ECO and MUD.

In the UAE, the Jetour T2 is sold in only one variant - Luxury, though there are two trim levels:

T2 Luxury (Standard)

Price: AED 146,000

• 2.0L turbocharged engine with 8-speed DCT
• Total system output: 251 hp / 390 Nm 
• All-wheel drive as standard
  

Zigwheels Recommends: The standard T2 Luxury provides outstanding value as it comes with a full feature package and true 4WD. The i-DM hybrid model offers good performance with improved economy to buyers who are more concerned with fuel economy and do not need serious off-road capability.

The Jetour T2 is a major leap in Chinese automotive production, offering a truly interesting package that puts the established rivals to the test in various aspects. Its rugged capability, modern technology, and extensive features make it offer great value at AED 146,000.

Although long-term reliability and resale value are understandable concerns with any newer brand, early owner reports indicate that the T2 is well constructed and competent. The full 10-year/1 million km engine warranty shows that the manufacturer is confident and gives the buyer peace of mind.

The T2 is the first Chinese car that is not a disappointment, as most of the earlier models were: it has real content behind the pretty looks and affordable price. Its off-road performance is real, its interior is truly high-end, and its list of features competes with cars that cost much more.

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