Chinese cars, are they as bad as everyone thinks?

Is the new JMC Grand Avenue Mzansi’s best power-per-rand bakkie?

The JMC Grand Avenue bakkie brings a combination of power and features to the South African market at a nearly unbelievable price. But how does it really measure up to the class leaders from Ford and Toyota when evaluated on the numbers that matter?

JMC has a name that sounds awfully familiar to one of America’s biggest truck brands, GMC. Like GMC, the JMC business model is built on profiting from the seemingly endless global demand for double-cab bakkies.

Since its South African product relaunch, JMC has been bringing proper big-body bakkies to market. Its latest Grand Avenue double-cabs are larger than market-leading models from Toyota and Ford – a footprint that brings distinct advantages and disadvantages.

www.cars.co.za

JMC Grand Avenue bakkie tech comparison with Hilux and Ranger

The JMC Grand Avenue bakkie has more power than most Ford Rangers and the Toyota Hilux. Does that really matter for double-cab buyers?
www.cars.co.za www.cars.co.za

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Kolmogorov said:
I knew it was coming...but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet. Intend to keep the E5 for 3 years or so and then on to something on 800V architecture (e.g. Volvo EX60).
Click to expand...

Yeah especially if you were sitting on an older car right now it makes perfect sense.

As it stands my Haval is "too new" in my books so adding another year or even two to it would make far more sense.

But I've thrown the money I would have paid for the E5 upgrade into the debit order so long.
 
2026 JAC T9 Black Edition price & specs in South Africa

The JAC T9 Black Edition has launched in South Africa, with the Chinese automaker announcing local pricing and specs. See pricing below…

Adding to its existing T9 bakkie lineup, JAC has launched a duo of Black Edition models in South Africa. The ‘Black Edition’ treatment is available with Super Lux and Hunter spec.

The T9 Black Edition derivatives employ the same 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbodiesel engine. However, in the Super Lux the oil-burner is tuned to produce 125 kW and 444 N.m of torque, while the Hunter churns out a healthier 144 kW and 487 N.m. Power is delivered to a part time four-wheel-drive system via a ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission. A selection of drive modes – Sport, Normal, Eco, and Snow – are available. JAC claims a combined fuel consumption figure of 7.8 L/100 km for both derivatives.

2026 JAC T9 price in South Africa

Locally, the T9 Black Edition models are priced from R629 900 for the Super Lux and R689 900 for the Hunter. Included with the pricing as standard are a five-year/200 000 km warranty and a seven-year/100 000 km service plan.

JAC T9 2.0L CTi 4×2 Lux — R549,900
JAC T9 2.0L CTi 4×4 Lux — R609,900
JAC T9 2.0L CTi 4×2 Super Lux — R599,900
JAC T9 2.0L CTi 4×2 Hunter — R629,900
JAC T9 2.0L CTi 4×4 Super Lux Black Edition — R629 900
JAC T9 2.0L CTi 4×4 Hunter Black Edition — R689 900

www.carmag.co.za

2026 JAC T9 Black Edition price & specs in South Africa

The JAC T9 Black Edition has launched in South Africa, with the Chinese automaker announcing local pricing and specs. See pricing below…
www.carmag.co.za www.carmag.co.za

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JAC T9 PHEV coming for SA’s most powerful bakkie title in Q4 2026

JAC has announced when the T9 PHEV will make its official local debut, with the Chinese automaker confirming a South African launch date for its 360 kW plug-in hybrid double cab.

In August 2026, JAC announced the T9 PHEV is “coming soon” to South Africa. However, now, with the launch of the T9 Black Edition, the Chinese automaker’s local arm has confirmed when the plug-in hybrid double cab will arrive in our market.

The T9 PHEV’s powertrain comprises a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine coupled with two permanent magnet synchronous electric motors (sited front and rear, respectively). The internal combustion engine (ICE) produces 160 kW and 370 N.m of torque, with the fore and aft electric motors contributing up to 130 kW/300 N.m and 150 kW/340 N.m to the combined system output, respectively.

The T9 PHEV produces a combined power output of 360 kW, which, when it officially launches in South Africa, will place it at the top of the list comprising the nine most powerful bakkies in SA – the title currently held by the BYD Shark 6 Performance. However, the JAC isn’t as torquey as the BYD, at 674 N.m vs 700 N.m.

JAC T9 PHEV launch date in South Africa

JAC has confirmed the T9 PHEV will launch in South Africa in the fourth quarter of 2026.

www.carmag.co.za

JAC T9 PHEV coming for SA’s most powerful bakkie title in Q4 2026

Coming for the most powerful bakkie in South Africa crown, the JAC T9 PHEV is set to launch in our market in Q4 2026...
www.carmag.co.za www.carmag.co.za
 
JAC T9 PHEV (2026) Price & Specs

Scoop! We have local pricing for the new 360 kW JAC T9 PHEV, which looks set to grab the title of SA’s most powerful double-cab bakkie. Here’s what it will cost…

- Set to debut as SA’s most powerful double cab
- PHEV powertrain offers 360 kW and 674 Nm
- Will undercut Shark 6 Performance by R280k

Wondering what the JAC T9 PHEV will cost in South Africa? Well, wonder no more: after some extensive digging, Cars.co.za can finally confirm pricing for a long-awaited model that looks set to grab the title of SA’s most powerful double-cab bakkie.

Back in December 2022, the Chinese brand’s local division suggested the T9 PHEV would arrive “at the end of 2023”. The company later shifted this targeted launch date to the 2nd quarter of 2025. Then, in July 2026, we noticed the plug-in hybrid derivative was finally listed on JAC Motors SA’s website as “coming soon”.

Now, we can confirm what the plug-in version of the T9 will cost when it finally launches at some point in the 4th quarter of the year. According to our information, the new T9 Double Cab 2.0 PHEV Super Lux 4×4 will be priced from R869 900 at launch. For the record, that’s some R180 000 more than the erstwhile T9 flagship, the turbodiesel-powered 2.0CTI 4WD Hunter (R689 900).

That said, based on this pricing, the new T9 PHEV will undercut the 350 kW BYD Shark 6 Performance (R1 149 900) by a whopping R280 000, while also coming in a considerable R130 000 lower than the 321 kW Shark 6 Premium (R999 900).

What does the JAC T9 PHEV cost in South Africa?

DERIVATIVE PRICE

T9 Double Cab 2.0CTI Lux 4×2 R549 900
T9 Double Cab 2.0CTI Super Lux 4×2 R599 900
T9 Double Cab 2.0CTI Lux 4×4 R609 900
T9 Double Cab 2.0CTI Hunter 4×2 R629 900
T9 Double Cab 2.0CTI Black Edition 4×4 R629 900
T9 Double Cab 2.0CTI Super Lux 4×4 R659 900
T9 Double Cab 2.0CTI Hunter Black Edition 4×4 R689 900
T9 Double Cab 2.0CTI Hunter 4×4 R689 900
T9 Double Cab 2.0 PHEV Super Lux 4×4 R869 900

The prices above include JAC’s 5-year/200 000 km vehicle warranty (though the parameters of any battery-specific warranty for the PHEV are not yet clear) and the company’s newly launched 7-year/100 000 km service plan.

 
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