kathryn, Author at JAC New Zealand

From South Africa: JAC T9 smashes 24-hour endurance record

kathryn — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 01:07:39 +0000

A braai, a bet, and a beast of a bakkie: JAC T9 smashes 24-hour endurance record – 4,084km at full throttle

The JAC (“Jack”) T9’s position as a reliable workhorse for Kiwi tradies has been further reinforced by the remarkable achievement of its South African stablemate, which recently shattered the country’s 24-hour Endurance Record for commercial vehicles.

What began as a casual braai-side (aka a BBQ) challenge between a few mates filming content for South Africa’s motoring channel, turned into a serious headline-grabber for JAC. The brand’s flagship ute (or in South Africa a ‘bakkie’), the JAC T9, officially broke the South African 24-hour Endurance Record for commercial vehicles – clocking up an impressive 4,084 kilometres at an average speed of 170.1 km/h at the Gerotek Testing Facility just outside Pretoria.

Four seasoned racing drivers took shifts behind the wheel, completing more than 1,350 laps of the Gerotek track with a clear mission: to surpass the existing record set by Isuzu in 2010, which itself had bettered the Toyota Hilux benchmark from 2003.

The JAC team did more than just beat the record – they shattered it. Finishing over 20km ahead of Isuzu’s record, the T9 ran for 24 hours straight with an average fuel use of just 16.5L/100km.

Note: The South African JAC T9 2.0L CTi has some differences, but is very similar to the NZ JAC T9 top-of-the-like 4WD Auto ute.

The post From South Africa: JAC T9 smashes 24-hour endurance record appeared first on JAC New Zealand.

Watch: JAC T9 – Can this be the best value 4×4 UTE out there?

kathryn — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 00:57:26 +0000

Jerry Pan and CARS took the JAC T9 for a drive and shared his impressions.

Watch the video below:

The post Watch: JAC T9 – Can this be the best value 4×4 UTE out there? appeared first on JAC New Zealand.

TarmacLife: T9 Ute NZ Launch and First Drive

kathryn — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 21:33:07 +0000

“The T9’s unit, refined over four generations, is backed by reputable components like a ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox, Bosch electronics, a BorgWarner transfer case, Garrett turbocharger, and more.

All of this ensures buyers are getting tried-and-true durability and performance that inspires confidence.“

Check out the full review from Tarmac Life below.

Note: This article was written with a previous tow rating, the tow rating of the JAC T9 is 3.2T

The post TarmacLife: T9 Ute NZ Launch and First Drive appeared first on JAC New Zealand.

Watch: JAC EV Truck reviewed

kathryn — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 22:42:48 +0000

The team at Ecotricity wanted to see how the JAC EV Truck would perform doing the run of a Diesel Truck, so they sent Gav on an all important mission.

(Note: Both AC and DC capable EV Trucks are available in NZ now)

Take a look for yourself at the results:

The JAC EV Truck is most at home for urban and last-mile driving. It has an NZ-City tested range of 200km+ fully loaded.

Range will vary depending on use and factors such as highway driving, weather conditions, load etc.

SEE EV TRUCKS

The post Watch: JAC EV Truck reviewed appeared first on JAC New Zealand.

T9 Tow Review: Deals on Wheels

kathryn — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 03:26:33 +0000

“For someone wanting a well-priced, brand-new 4×4 ute with all the luxuries and a 200,000k/five-year warranty, a trip down to the local JAC dealer would be worthwhile

From pulling heavy trailers making site deliveries, to driving the rugged potholed streets of Auckland, I managed to give the JAC a good well-rounded workout to see how it compared to my normal daily drive.”

Check out the full review from Deals on Wheels below.

Note: This article was written with a previous tow rating, the tow rating of the JAC T9 is 3.2T

The post T9 Tow Review: Deals on Wheels appeared first on JAC New Zealand.

Stuff Road test: JAC T9, the best value ute on the market?

kathryn — Sun, 17 Aug 2025 21:42:39 +0000

“Late last year JAC revealed its new entrant into the competitive but lucrative ute market, the T9. Instead of coming in guns blazing with some crazy range-topper boasting big power or massive suspension travel, it has attacked the other end of the market, the affordable workhorse, with a sticker price of $49,990 before on-roads.

We get one variant here in New Zealand, simply called T9. No ‘Premium’ or ‘Luxury’ grades or any references to famous off-road trails. It’s well specified though, with faux-leather seats (electrically adjustable up front), ambient lighting, a large portrait screen, two wireless charging ports, wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a 360-degree camera and a hot/cold box in the centre console to keep those pies warm or your drinks cold.”

The post Stuff Road test: JAC T9, the best value ute on the market? appeared first on JAC New Zealand.