What makes the 2024 Jetour T2 stand out?

The premiumness of the Land Rover Defender and the boxy design of the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado sure are certainly appealing. However, their equally premium price tags might be a deterrent for those whose budget is a tad constrained. This is where the 2024 Jetour T2 should stand out, offering an upscale but rugged design with grounded pricing.

The new Jetour T2 had its UAE launch at the picturesque Terra Solis resort in Dubai on January 27, 2024. It is a unibody SUV based on the Chinese brand’s Kunlun Architecture and is available for sale through The Elite Cars network in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The 2024 Jetour T2 is priced at AED 146,000 in the UAE.

Standout features

The Jetour T2 comes with a vast array of advanced features that make this an attractive proposition for many buyers. These consider equipment that can also be found in other cars in the segment – automatic wipers, adaptive cruise control, multi-zone climate control, powered front seats with memory, wireless charging, surround-view cameras, and ventilated front seats.

However, the T2 also boasts some features that could be considered unique and might be unavailable in similar cars. The full LED headlights are square, but what lies inside is a bit more interesting. The DRL is comprised of four LED bars arranged to form a square, whilst the twin-stacked LEDs in between are the primary headlight elements.

The front grille of the Jetour T2 has a distinctly characteristic design with six segregated blocks in the middle. These blocks incorporate the letters that spell out ‘JETOUR’ and are one of the easiest ways to recognize this car. The T2 can be had in one of seven colours – all sporting lime green highlights in select spots.

These locations are the front tow hooks, alloy wheels, and roof rails. The Jetour T2’s squircle steering wheel looks fancy and is rare amongst SUVs with a dedicated 4WD system. Given its sub-150,000-dirham price tag, the T2’s dual digital screens are quite the add-on as well. The 10.25-inch instrument cluster packs a ton of information.

The 15.6-inch infotainment display is even bigger than the unit found in the Land Rover Defender, which costs twice as much. Powered by a Snapdragon 8155 SoC, it is the gateway to much of the car’s functionalities and settings. The sheer size makes finding things on this screen easy, though it is brimming with options and menus (and sub-menus).

Jetour has equipped the T2 with Active Noise Reduction which, in theory, should help keep the cabin quiet from intrusive external noises. The system would use the 12-speaker Sony premium audio rig to play opposing soundwaves, thus canceling existing ambient noise. Features like power-folding rear seats are also quite nice to have in a car at this price point.

Finally, the 2024 Jetour T2 sold in the UAE is offered with a 10-year/1-million-kilometer manufacturer warranty. For some perspective, the new Toyota Land Cruiser Prado comes with a 6-year/200,000-kilometer warranty.

Performance insights

The Jetour T2 uses a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine for propulsion. The four-popper is mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic and develops 250 hp and 390 Nm of maximum torque. The SUV gets a proper four-wheel-drive system produced by BorgWarner, which is further assisted by a centre-locking differential and an electronic limited-slip differential at the back.

The Jetour T2 should be able to tackle fairly challenging terrain sans much hardships. Apart from the short overhangs, the T2 has an approach angle of 39 degrees, a departure angle of 33 degrees, and a ramp breakover angle of 25 degrees. Meanwhile, the ground clearance is also pretty impressive, at 220 mm.

These figures are impressive in a vacuum, but even more so when because they are superior to that of the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado! The Jetour T2 has an estimated top speed of about 180 kmph, which is decent for a tall, heavy, and boxy SUV.

Design excellence

Speaking of which, it is this boxy and old-school design of the 2024 Jetour T2 that will bring plenty of interested customers to the showroom. While that is certainly not unique to the T2, the attractive price tag matched with the styling makes this quite the convincing deal.

Standing over 1.8 meters tall at the roof and being over 2 meters wide, the T2 will grab attention easily. The muscular wheel arches house 20-inch alloy wheels, while the LED tail lights have an interesting design of their own. The tailgate-mounted spare wheel is neatly hidden by a squared-off plastic cover painted in the same shade as the rest of the car.

It is impossible to miss the design theme that has pretty obviously been ‘inspired’ by the Land Rover Defender and Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. The front half and ORVMs will remind you of the latter, while hints of the former can be seen when viewing the Jetour T2 from the rear three-quarters.

This carries onto the inside of the Jetour T2 as well, where the dashboard design is reminiscent of the Defender’s. However, the aircraft-style throttle design of the gear selector, oversized front speaker covers, and the squircle steering wheel are distinct but nice deviations. Moreover, it is difficult to dismiss the T2 as simply a knock-off of its design role models.

Conclusion

As explained earlier, there are just enough differences that make the 2024 Jetour T2 stand out. Available in striking Lime Green and Sun Orange colors, this is an SUV that is not intended to be missed. Similarly, the interior is finished in an eye-catching shade of green with contrast stitching and metallic trim.

If you are expecting Defender levels of material quality and Prado levels of unbreakable reliability, this may not be it. As with any new car, teething issues are to be expected – the Jetour T2 will not be an exception. On the other hand, at less than AED 150,000, many prospective buyers would be focused more on the car’s features and design.

On both these fronts, as we saw, the Jetour T2 fares well. Even for those worried about long-term reliability, the impressive OEM warranty brings some solace. Head over to one of two The Elite Cars dealerships located closest to you for a test drive.

Also read: 2025 Toyota Camry: First impression