If you're towing heavy, the T9 PHEV is the pick. It's rated to tow 3.5T braked and has 674Nm of combined torque, with a combined range of up to 1,005km (NEDC^). Towing uses more energy, so expect the electric range to drop and the petrol engine to do more of the work. If you'd rather keep it simple at the pump, the T9 Diesel is a proven workhorse and a solid piece of kit, towing 3.2T braked with 410Nm, a ZF 8-speed auto and a 76L tank. Both are rated to 750kg unbraked.

The T9 Diesel runs a 2.0L turbo diesel (125kW, 410Nm) with a ZF 8-speed auto and 4WD with high and low range. The T9 PHEV pairs a 2.0L turbo petrol engine with two electric motors for 360kW and 674Nm combined, up to 100km on electric and up to 1,005km on hybrid (NEDC^), 3.5T braked towing, front and rear diff locks, and vehicle to load. Same size, same 5-star ANCAP rating, same pie warmer.

Same engine, same towing and the same safety kit. The Black Out Edition adds a motorised sunroof (exclusive to Black Out), blacked out logos and trim, Black Out 18" alloys and Black Out roof rails. It's $3,000 more at $49,990 +ORC, and payload is 980kg compared with 1,045kg on the Standard.

The T9 Diesel Cab Chassis. It has the biggest payload in the range at 1,165kg (before the body goes on), the same 3.2T braked towing, and your JAC team can fit it out with a flat deck, work body or something custom. It's also the most affordable T9 at $44,990 +ORC.

The Cab Chassis carries the most at 1,165kg before a body is fitted. Next is the T9 Diesel Standard at 1,045kg, then the Black Out Edition at 980kg and the T9 PHEV at 915kg.

The T9 comes in one fully loaded spec, so there's no base model to step up from. Every T9 gets 5-star ANCAP safety, 7 airbags, adaptive cruise, a 10.4" touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated front seats, climate control with rear vents, a 220V socket and a 5 year / 200,000km warranty. The T9 Diesel starts from $44,990 +ORC and the T9 PHEV is $59,990 +ORC. We reckon that's a dang good lot of kit for your money.

The T9 Diesel Standard and Black Out are double cabs built for both. You get up to 1,045kg of payload and 3.2T of braked towing for the work week, plus 5-star ANCAP safety, a front centre airbag, a 360 degree camera, heated seats and rear air vents for the weekend. The T9 PHEV works just as hard, with 3.5T braked towing and 915kg of payload, and it's made for family life too: up to 100km on electric for the school run and up to 1,005km on hybrid (NEDC^) for the holiday road trip.

It's built for it. The T9 PHEV tows 3.5T braked, carries 915kg and comes with vehicle to load (up to 3.3kW) and a 220V socket to run or charge tools on site. It also has external workspace LED lights and a spray-on tub liner as standard. With up to 100km on electric and up to 1,005km on hybrid (NEDC^), it can knock out local jobs without burning fuel and still handle the long hauls.

Every T9 is 5-star ANCAP rated. The T9 PHEV is NZ's safest PHEV ute and the T9 Diesel is NZ's second safest diesel ute. Standard kit includes 7 airbags, front and rear autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise with traffic jam assist, lane keeping, blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert, driver monitoring and a 360 degree camera (reverse camera on the Cab Chassis), plus wireless charging and a 10.4" touchscreen.

JAC has been building trucks for over 60 years, and the T9 uses proven parts like a ZF 8-speed auto and BorgWarner transfer case in the diesel, on a galvanised chassis with internal wax injection for corrosion protection. Every T9 is backed by a 5 year / 200,000km warranty and 24/7 roadside assist, and the PHEV battery has its own 8 year / 200,000km warranty. JAC is brought into NZ by a Kiwi-owned company, with JAC dealers around the country.

Yes, and we've tested it here in NZ to prove it (see how we tested the T9). The T9 Diesel has 4WD with high and low range, a diff lock, 210mm ground clearance and 650mm wading depth. The T9 PHEV has electric AWD with Snow, Mud, Sand, Rock and Crawl modes, front and rear diff locks, 200mm ground clearance and 550mm wading depth.

Yep. A portable AC charger comes with it, so you can plug into a standard power socket at home. For faster charging, you can have a wallbox installed at home. It's a home charger supplied through your JAC dealership. With a wallbox, the 11kW onboard charger takes it from 15 to 100% in about 3.5 hours, and you can schedule charging for off-peak power. On a DC fast charger, 15 to 80% takes about 30 minutes.

Every single one. The hot / cool box in the console keeps your pie warm or your drink cold, powered by the air con. Some things don't need reinventing.