JAC of all trades – the ute that does it all

There is a reason why the roads are littered with dual-cab utes today. The modern crop of utes have evolved from their humble origins as hard-working hay haulers for farmers and tool carriers for tradies into genuinely three-dimensional vehicles that can do it all; from weekday workhorses to weekend playtoys and everyday suburban family cars.

The thing is, the full 3D experience comes at a price. A big one.

You see, it’s really only the range-topping models from mainstream brands that deliver on that promise, and they cost as much as a European luxury car these days.

However, there is an alternative that is a true jack of all trades without the big sticker price, the all-new JAC T9 ute.

While JAC may be a new name to some Aussies, they've got over 60 years of global automotive excellence under their belt. JAC's local Australia team are absolutely committed to doing what's right by their drivers. They've hired a team of industry giants to launch and make JAC a brand that’ll be in Australia for the long haul.

The T9 ute stands out not just for its impressive spec sheet but also for its industry-leading customer care program, 'JAC All Roads Assurance,' delivering exceptional value that lasts throughout the entire ownership experience from servicing to parts and even warranty, and true to JAC’s commitment to shake up the industry, they’ve launched an industry-first for ute drivers with JAC Warranty Loan Vehicles.

JAC Warranty Loan Vehicles ensures approved JAC customers never miss a beat. This program provides a complimentary JAC T9 loan vehicle during warranty work, keeping business owners and fleet operators moving even when their T9 requires attention.

It's this kind of thoughtful, customer-centric approach that demonstrates JAC's understanding of how critical vehicle uptime is for ute owners, setting a new benchmark for after-sales support in the competitive ute segment.

The good news is stock of the all-new T9 ute has arrived, so you can driveaway in December.

Here’s the kicker; the JAC T9 trumps its rivals when it comes to value for money as it offers exceptional bang for your buck against the ever-growing league of dual-cab four-wheel drive utes.

It is available in two model grades, the entry-level Oasis which starts from $45,670* driveaway and there’s the top-spec Haven from $48,737* driveaway. While that’s already a five-figure saving against some of its more popular rivals, the value equation blows out even further when you take into account the high level of standard equipment included in each model.

On top of that, the JAC T9 delivers additional peace of mind with a seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty built to be uncomplicated. The warranty covers bumper-to-bumper, and JAC has set up an industry-leading warranty loan car vehicle program, paid for by JAC, to keep you on the road, because JAC knows that your ute is important to your livelihood. On top of that, it comes with free roadside assistance over the same time frame when the vehicle is maintained within the 62-strong dealership network across Australia.

Both the Oasis and Haven models use the same mechanical set-up (which we’ll outline later) and come with an extremely premium-feeling interior and a generous level of standard equipment that includes climate control with a chilled centre console and rear air vents, 64-colour adjustable ambient interior lighting, keyless entry with push-button start, power windows, and leather-look interior trim.

They also have twin digital displays that pair a 7.0-inch instrument cluster with a 10.4-inch touchscreen for the infotainment, which has DAB+ digital radio, Bluetooth phone, Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™.

Both models also ride on 17-inch alloy wheels (each with unique designs) and feature a metal hoop bar and rear step bumper and side steps.

For the extra outlay, the Haven adds premium diamond stitching to the interior trim, heated front seats with six-way power adjustment for the driver and four-way for the passenger, roof trim, privacy glass, an electrochromatic rear view mirror and chrome, auto-folding side mirrors with puddle lamps.

The JAC T9 Ute is Australia’s safest Ute based on the aggregated scores across all four ANCAP 2024 protocols. Let that sink in – Australia's safest ute. Not just safe. Not just very safe. The safest.

The JAC T9 Ute has achieved what many thought impossible for a newcomer: outperforming every single established ute in the market under ANCAP's most demanding safety protocols to date.

That’s because both model grades are equipped with a comprehensive suite of advanced safety features that includes autonomous emergency braking (both forwards and in reverse), collision and lane departure warnings, lane keeping assistance, active cruise control, driver fatigue monitoring, blind spot monitoring, seven airbags, and more.

There’s a rear-view camera display in the centre screen, door open warning and two ISOFIX child restraints for the outboard rear seats, plus two top tether mounts in the outboard rear seats.

As we’ve mentioned previously, both model grades share the same mechanical configuration which teams a gutsy 2.0-litre turbo diesel four-cylinder engine with a top-quality ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox and a Borg Warner part-time four-wheel driving transfer case with low/high-range as well as parts from Honeywell.

The engine produces 125kW of power and 410Nm of torque and has a claimed combined fuel consumption of 7.6L/100km.

The JAC T9 is a JAC of all trades thanks to its hard-working credentials.

For starters, it is physically larger than many of its rivals – measuring 5330mm in overall length, 1965mm wide and riding on a 3110mm wheelbase – which means it also has a larger tray than some.

The rear tub, which is fitted with a durable spray-in liner as standard on both models, is 1520mm long, 1590mm wide and 470mm high, with enough space between the wheel arches to fit an Australian pallet.

And, thanks to its heavy-duty coil-spring front and leaf-spring rear suspension configuration, the JAC T9 has a maximum payload of 1045kg, and a braked-trailer towing capacity of 3200kg. The maximum towball load is 320kg and Gross Combination Mass (GCM) is 5630kg.

With a typical 20ft boat and trailer combo weighing around 2000kg and most camper trailers coming in under 2500kg, the T9's 3200kg capacity gives you plenty of headroom for your adventures.

Yep, the JAC T9 has 210mm of ground clearance, a 650mm wading depth and generous approach and departure angles of 27 degrees and 23 degrees, respectively. With its heavy-duty low-range gearbox linked to an electronically activated rear differential lock, the JAC T9 is built to handle Aussie off-road tracks.

Also, the JAC T9 has undergone an extensive engineering and durability program in Australia, ensuring the independent double-wishbone front and live rear axle with leaf spring rear suspension, electric power steering and all the electronic driver aids provide the perfect balance between on-road comfort and off-road capabilities.

On top of that, the JAC T9 is one of only a handful of vehicles in its class to be fitted with four-wheel disc brakes.

While there is plenty of choice when it comes to the burgeoning dual-cab ute market, there really is no match for the JAC T9.

It is genuinely a JAC of all trades that is built to handle whatever you throw at it – with a level of comfort, technology, safety and capability that will literally cost you tens of thousands of dollars more from any other brand.

Value for money aside, the JAC T9 is as tough as they come and a ute that truly does it all.

To discover more information and to build your own T9 ute head to the JAC Ute website.