JAC T9 Haven 2025 Review

Before on-road costs (ORCs), the reviewed JAC Haven is listed at $45,630. Adding on-road costs partly closes the gap to the drive-away prices quoted for two significant Chinese ute competitors: the GWM Cannon XSR at $50,990 and the LDV T60 Max Plus at $52,095.

The base-level JAC T9 Oasis, which misses out on a number of desirables including seat heating and a powered passenger’s seat, and very little else, is listed at $42,662 plus ORCs.

Although it’s among the cheapest 4x4 workhorse utes on the market, the JAC T9 Haven and Oasis both impress at showroom floor level with standard equipment levels that can only be described as generous.

Although the cheaper Oasis version is not quite as favoured as the nearly $3000 dearer Haven, both variants make an immediately favourable impression. Part-leather contrast-stitched trim and single-zone climate control is standard, and the Haven also benefits from dual power-adjusted and heated front seats. Apart from its powered driver’s seat, the Oasis misses out on both.

The T9 Haven also gets a glitzier but same-size set of alloy wheels, privacy glass, puddle lamps, auto-folding side mirrors, a rear 220-volt power socket and roof rails. Both models share a rear sailplane-roll bar and rock-slider-look running boards.

There’s a long list of T9 accessories that includes a $1284 front nudge bar, an $802 light bar, a $4571 electronic roll-top for the tub, or a soft tonneau at $804 (all fitted prices).

The warranty is a confidence-inspiring seven-year/unlimited-kilometre deal, with a maximum seven years of roadside assist available provided the vehicle is serviced at an authorised JAC dealer (as per the capped-price service program).

Servicing schedules are set at 12 months or 15,000km and there’s a seven-year/105,000km capped-price servicing plan that totals up to $3069 for the full period. Individual services range in price from $269 to $651 for an average of a bit more than $400 per service. Reasonable, but not best-in-class.

Not unexpectedly – and with some justification – JAC makes no secret of the T9’s five-star ANCAP safety rating.

Both versions of the T9 come with extensive safety tech including low-speed-only autonomous emergency braking in forward and reverse, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, driver-attention detection and road-sign recognition. Only the Haven model gets front parking sensors (rear only for the Oasis) and 360-degree parking cameras. Both JAC T9s have self-dipping LED headlights.

There are seven airbags in all, including a front centre bag.

In ANCAP testing the JAC T9 performed well. The assessment scores for adult and child occupant protection were 85 per cent and 87 per cent respectively, while vulnerable road user protection and safety-assist technology scored 87 per cent and 89 per cent respectively.

It should be noted though that the T9 rated as only “adequate” for driver protection in oblique pole and frontal offset tests and was rated “marginal” for rear passengers in full-width frontal tests. The vehicle “showed room for improvement for its crash compatibility” in over-lapping deformable barrier testing.

Overall the JAC T9 was commended for its “strong results” in its first ANCAP appearance.

There aren’t many gaps in the JAC T9’s list of in-cabin technology.

The 10.4-inch touchscreen is impressively large and there’s a clearly laid-out digital screen ahead of the driver that contrasts hugely with some recent miniscule and difficult-to-decipher dash displays, with its bar-graph-style fuel gauge that could be the world’s largest.

Wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity in both the front and rear of the cabin, as well as a phone-charging pad, are provided. The Haven version of the T9 also comes with a 220V power socket in the rear.

The T9 Oasis is denied the Haven’s configurable three-camera 360-degree parking monitor while neither variant comes with a head-up display.

The T9’s 120kW 2.0-litre direct-injection turbo-diesel is no powerhouse, although it does produce an off-road-friendly 410Nm of torque that’s available between 1500 and 2500rpm.

An eight-speed automatic German ZF gearbox delivers power to a conventional on-demand dual-range 4x4 system, with a rear differential lock to extend capabilities in the rough. Four-wheel drive can be activated on the run at speeds up to 80km/h, while Eco, Normal, Sport and Snow modes help set up the driveline appropriately depending on the terrain.

Officially the JAC Haven claims a combined average economy figure of 7.6L/100km, which is better than the 2.4-litre GWM Cannon’s 8.4L/100km and on par with the muscular 2.0-litre LDV T60 Max Plus, which is quoted at 7.9L/100km. But it’s not as thrifty as the Ford Ranger’s 2.0-litre bi-turbo XLS, at 7.2L/100km. Our review T9 Haven averaged 9.3L/100km over a week of on-road-only testing.

First experiences with the JAC T9 reveal there is work to do on the driving dynamics and – in the front seats at least – passenger comfort.

Although the T9’s jacked-up appearance suggests good ground clearance and maybe decent suspension travel, the specifications tell us the former, at 210mm, is actually not quite up to scratch compared to many of its competitors.

As for the latter, the JAC T9 is notable neither for its ride quality nor its ability to cope with grievous dirt roads.

Given that all our driving was payload free, the T9’s ride, albeit quite abrupt, was not harsh, although the live, leaf-spring rear axle was easily upset on rough gravel surfaces. Begin taking up some of the (impressive) 1045kg payload and the ride and handling would undoubtedly be calmed.

On sealed roads the standard 265/60R18 multi-purpose tyres, once again providing the surface is not heavily corrugated, grip the bitumen well enough so the T9 feels quite predictable in the bends. All-disc brakes are also a reassuring factor.

The steering – although the wheel only adjusts vertically, not for reach – is light rather than heavy and geared at 3.2 turns from lock to lock to minimise wheel-twirling, although the turning circle somehow feels wider than the quoted 12.4 metres.

The JAC T9 is virtually free of the poorly calibrated driver-assist systems that dog many other recently released Chinese vehicles. Only a tendency of the reverse autonomous emergency braking to react violently and unexpectedly when backing up marred the otherwise trouble-free operation of safety-related systems. Lane-keeping steering interventions were only minimally intrusive.

Small-capacity turbodiesels are not rare in the 4x4 ute segment and some, like the 154kW/500Nm Ford Ranger and 160kW/500Nm LDV T60 Max, fight well above their weight. The JAC T9, though adequate in most situations, doesn’t. The T9 is sluggish on step-off and, although helped a lot by the eight-speed auto, is very dependent under way where only continual gear-hunting enables it to maintain pace on undulating roads.

The JAC T9’s cabin, maybe surprisingly, is pretty quiet in terms of road noise, or other extraneous audible intrusions, including from the diesel engine.

Although the front seats suggest cosy comfort, they turn out be too soft, too lacking in support. They create driver discomfort after even a short spell at the wheel. There’s no adjustable lumbar support and, even if there was, effective ergonomic padding is largely absent. And the height-only steering column adjustment, for most, defies attempts at finding a comfortable driving position.

Niggles included the reflective silver coating on the multifunction steering wheel which made it at times impossible to set the cruise control because the markings simply could not be deciphered because of the glare.

The J9’s tub is sizable and competitively dimensioned, able to tote a full-size Australian pallet and, as already mentioned, the payload exceeds that of many competitors at 1045kg.

This review didn’t include tow testing but the JAC T9, at 3200kg, is rated below the 3500kg benchmark set by the bulk of 4x4 ute manufacturers.

The T9’s cabin, with its artful, portrait-oriented big-screen instrument display, frequent use of soft-touch materials and plenty of incidental storage spaces, looks inviting and generously sized.

Leg, head and shoulder room (the T9 quotes wider body dimensions than the bulk of its competitors) is generous everywhere except the rear, where taller passengers might experience some knee contact with the front seats.

Otherwise there are plenty of amenities including rear air vents with USB-A and USB-C points and a 220V outlet located underneath, door bins and a fold-up centre armrest complete with cup holders in the rear seat.

Whether you should buy a JAC T9 Haven or not depends on what you’re actually expecting.

Against the unquestioned advantages of low pricing, extended warranties and ever-improving quality and dynamic capabilities, the decision of whether or not to buy what is essentially an unproven product comes down to actual experience in the field and the intended term of ownership. And resale value.

The JAC T9 Haven comes with lots of immediate appeal, including value for money – although with its plus-ORCs pricing it’s not really super cheap.

Unlike a growing number of ever-more-refined compatriots, it’s capable overall, but there’s nothing in particular here that stands out.

2025 JAC T9 Haven at a glance:
Price: $45,630 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 120kW/410Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.6L/100km (ADR Combined or WLTP if overseas model)
CO2: 202g/km (ADR Combined or WLTP if overseas model)
Safety rating: Five stars (2024)

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