Opening up the Jetour range is the coupe-styled Dashing. Images: Charl Bosch
Its entry into the South African market announced back in July, Chery-owned Jetour officially launched its operations at a gala event in Sandton City on Friday evening, 20 September.
Debuting an initial line-up of two SUVs, the marque will operate separately from its parent similar to Omoda & Jaecoo by having its own dealership network, aftersales service and parts department.
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Accordingly, Jetour’s part inventory, housed in a 4 000 square metre facility in Kyalami, has been stocked with a reported 82 000 parts, while its dealer network currently comprises 40 showrooms of which 14 become operational in less than three months.
Created in 2018, and therefore one of China’s newest automotive brands, the Jetour range starts off with the Dashing that debuted in China two years ago.
Set to be Jetour’s volume seller, the coupe-styled Dashing incorporates styling from the Lamborghini Urus, Lexus NX and Lotus Eletre with dimensions of 4 590 mm long in overall length, a width of 1 900 mm, height of 1 685 mm and wheelbase of 2 720 mm.
Offering 160 mm of ground clearance with a claimed boot capacity of 977-litres with the 60/40 split rear seat folded down, the five-seat Dashing will derive motivation from the same 1.5 T-GDI engine as in the Omoda C5.
While outputting an identical 115kW/230Nm, a six-speed dual-clutch replaces the latter’s CVT as the sole method of sending the amount of twist to the front axle.
According to Jetour, the Dashing will max-out at 180 km/h and consume unleaded at 7.8 L/100 km. No 0-100 km/h acceleration time was revealed.
For South Africa, the Dashing range comprises two trim levels; Momentum and Deluxe with both riding on 19-inch alloy wheels as standard.
Included on the former are auto on/off LED headlights, a dual 10.25-inch infotainment system and instrument cluster, a four-speaker sound system, red stitched imitation leather seats with electric adjustability for the driver’s chair, a wireless smartphone charger and a drive mode selector with two settings; Eco and Sport.
Adding further to the Momentum is;
Building on the Momentum, the Deluxe gains a Jetour animation projected onto the ground, rain sense wipers, folding electric mirrors, a six-speaker sound system, panoramic sunroof, ambient lighting and an electric front passenger’s seat.
Included on the safety side are six airbags, a 360-degree surround-view camera system, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Monitoring, Door Open Alert and Lange Change Assist.
As for colours, a total of seven hues have been selected; Glacier White, Ash Grey, Onyx Black, Slate Grey, Crimson Red, Arctic Blue and Forest Green.
Introduced four years ago, the X70 Plus sports a profile similar to the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro, but with Jetour bespoke front and rear facias as well as different alloy wheel designs.
A more upscale version of the standard X70 that went on-sale in China six years ago as one of the first Jetour badged model, the South African-spec X70 Plus uses the same frontal appearance as the now pre-facelift model – a facelift having premiered in the People’s Republic earlier this year.
Measuring 4 724 mm long, 1 900 mm wide and 1 720 mm tall with a wheelbase of 2 745 mm, the X70 Plus, similar to the Tiggo 8 Pro, comes standard with seven-seats and a claimed 1 680-litres of boot space with the second and third rows folded down.
As with the Dashing, and most likely not to clash with the Tiggo 8 Pro, the X70 Plus eschews both the 1.6 T-GDI and 2.0 T-GDI engines for the same 1.5 T-GDI developing 115kW/230Nm.
Drive is again sent to the front wheels only via a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox. As with the Dashing, the X70 Plus will do 180 km/h and drink 7.8-litres of 95 per 100 km.
Brandishing the same trim level denominators as the Dashing, the X70 Plus Momentum’s spec sheet comprises 19-inch alloy wheels, auto on/off LED headlights, folding electric mirrors, keyless entry and push-button start, a four-speaker sound system and the dual 10.25-inch infotainment system and instrument cluster.
Also standard is the following;
Reserved for the Deluxe is a six-speaker sound system, illuminated door sills, rain sense wipers, the Jetour puddle lamp animation, an electric passenger’s seat and a panoramic sunroof.
Added safety and driver assistance systems is six airbags, the 360-degree camera system, Blind Spot Monitoring, Door Open Alert, Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.
On the colour front, Jetour has made six choices available; Glacier White, Onyx Black, Ash Grey, Serene Silver, Slate Grey and Forest Green.
Officially on-sale from today (21 September), both the Dashing and X70 Plus’ sticker prices include a five-year/150 000 km warranty, a five-year/60 000 km service plan and the first-owner only 10-year/1 000 000 km engine warranty.
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