Chinese JAC T9 ute score five stars

The new JAC T9 dual cab ute range has scored an all-important five-star ANCAP safety rating.?

The maximum score opens up potential fleet sales opportunities that would have been denied if the latest cut-priced ute to come out of China had scored four stars or less.

The five-star score applies to the entire T9 line-up of 2.0-litre turbo-diesel dual cab 4x4 utes from a January build date onwards, in both the $42,662 Oasis and $45,630 Haven specifications (pricing before on-road costs).

The T9 is only the second ute after the new Mitsubishi Triton to achieve its five-star rating based on the latest 2023-2025 ANCAP protocols.

The current Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max, Mazda BT-50, Volkswagen Amarok (all tested in 2022), GWM ute (2021), Toyota HiLux (2019) and LDV T60 (2017) are all dual cabs with five stars based on earlier protocols.

The Jeep Gladiator has three stars based on 2019 testing. Some other utes such as the Nissan Navara have either lapsed ratings or have not been tested.

Across the four test categories, the T9 scored 85 per cent for adult occupant protection, 87 per cent for child occupant protection, 87 per cent for vulnerable road user protection and 89 per cent for safety assist.

That was well ahead of the Triton overall, which scored 86, 89, 74 and 70 per cent across the four categories.

The Triton has since had aspects of its safety assist package updated but without any impact on its ANCAP score.?

In physical crash tests ANCAP reported the T9 scored full points for protection of the driver in the full-width frontal, side impact, far side impact, and whiplash tests.

Full points were also awarded for its protection of child occupants in the frontal offset and side-impact tests. However, as is normal in utes, no middle-rear top tether is fitted for a child seat.

Only adequate results were recorded for the protection of the driver’s chest in the oblique pole and frontal offset (MPDB) tests. Protection of the driver and front passenger’s lower legs was also assessed as adequate in the MPDB test.

The T9 copped a relatively high 6.22-point penalty out of 8.00 points recorded for crash compatibility in the MPDB test. By comparison, the Triton recorded a lower 3.16-point penalty.

In the full-width frontal test, which focuses on the effectiveness of seatbelt and airbag restraints, protection of the rear passenger’s chest was assessed as marginal

ANCAP praised the T9’s broad suite of active safety features, which are capable of detecting and reacting to other vehicles, motorbikes, pedestrians and cyclists.

Full points were achieved by the T9 in autonomous emergency braking (AEB) tests with a motorcycle; adult and child pedestrians when reversing (AEB Backover); and AEB Head-On tests with an oncoming vehicle.

Full points were also scored in the lane support system tests, including overtaking scenarios with a motorcycle.

“JAC has clearly committed to bring high levels of safety performance to the Australian market with the T9 and are to be commended for achieving these strong results with their first offering,” said ANCAP Chief Executive Officer, Carla Hoorweg.

ANCAP also noted the T9 is fitted with an anti-dooring system which warns the driver of a cyclist approaching from behind when it is stopped. However, this system does not actively prevent the doors from opening as other, more sophisticated systems can.

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