22/05/2026
Love It or Hate It, Jetour South Africa's T-Series Just Got Even More Compelling
Jetour divides opinion in South Africa. Automotive purists roll their eyes at the brand name, the aggressive styling, and the unapologetically Chinese character of the whole thing.
Meanwhile, dealers are quietly running out of stock. The T-Series alone has shifted over 4,587 units in just six months since launch - numbers that most established brands would be delighted with. The public, it turns out, doesn't care much about what the internet thinks.
The and arrived as combustion-only models and found an immediate audience. Now Jetour is expanding the range with plug-in hybrid derivatives - the T1 i-DM and T2 i-DM, and the timing couldn't be more relevant. Fuel prices are punishing, and a claimed combined consumption figure of 1.1 L/100 km for the T1 i-DM is the kind of number that stops people mid-scroll.
Both models share a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 100 kW and 220 Nm, paired with an 18.4 kWh battery and Jetour's 1DHT Dedicated Hybrid Transmission. In the T1 i-DM, a single front-axle electric motor adds 150 kW and 310 Nm, bringing combined outputs to 250 kW and 530 Nm.
The T2 i-DM goes further with two electric motors - one per axle - pushing combined figures to 265 kW and 610 Nm. Both offer an electric-only range of around 90-100 km on the NEDC cycle and a combined range of up to 1,200 km from the 70-litre fuel tank. DC fast charging takes the battery from 30-80% in 27 minutes.
The T1 i-DM measures 4,705 mm in length on a 2,800 mm wheelbase, offers 574 litres of boot space expanding to 1,455 litres, and tows up to 1,600 kg. Inside, you get a 15.6-inch touchscreen, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, ventilated front seats, dual-zone climate control, and a nine-speaker Sony sound system.
The warranty package is remarkable - seven years or 200,000 km on the vehicle, a seven-year service plan, eight years on the battery, and a ten-year or one-million-kilometre engine warranty.
The T1 i-DM starts at R689,900. The T2 i-DM at R779,900. At these prices, with this warranty, and fuel consumption that makes a diesel look thirsty, the only real question is whether Jetour can ship them here fast enough.
