Jetour VT9

Expanding its line-up with a second offering, Jetour Malaysia’s (Chery sub-brand) all-new Jetour VT9, officially launched.

A D-segment SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle), the seven-seater (three rows) was previously known as Jetour X70 Plus.

Fully imported (CBU – China), available via Jetour Auto Malaysia are two variants (Comfort – MYR 119,350, Prime – MYR 124,350).

Prices (OTR, w/o insurance) cover a vehicle warranty (seven years/150,000 KM), an engine warranty (10 years/1,000,000 KM) and a free service package (five times – labour, parts). 

Early bird package (first 800 units – MYR 2,000 rebate).

Five exterior colours (single-tone – Tech Grey, Phantom Grey, Aurora Green, Star Black, Khaki White). One interior colour (single-tone: Black – contrast trims: Red).

The new VT9 has a symmetrically tiered dashboard, linked to a high-rising centre console (cooler/heater armrest storage, rotary screen control, wireless charger).

Soft-touched (dash, centre console, steering wheel, doors), it sees a single-tone scheme (Black) with contrast trims (Red, Silver).

Equipped are a floating ‘Smart Twin Screen’ display (instrument cluster, infotainment), air conditioning vents (full-width) and ambient lights (single-colour – Blue).

Inclusively, the layout is neatly designed with accessibilities ergonomically arranged (driver-centric, passenger-oriented). 

Equipped is a floating ‘Smart Twin Screen’ display (instrument cluster, infotainment), featuring a 10.25-Inch LCD fully digital driver display (instrument cluster).

Sportily comfortable, the interior sees leatherette upholstery (perforated) in a single-tone (Black) with contrast stitching (Red) colour scheme.

The first row gets electric-powered (Comfort: driver-six-way-adjust – Prime: driver-six-way-adjust, driver-memory) and manual-operated (Comfort/Prime: passenger-four-way-adjust) bucket-contoured seats.

The second row gets a manual-operated (recline-adjust, 60:40 split-flat-fold) bolstered bench (three-seater). The third row gets a manual-operated (50:50 split-flat-fold) bolstered bench (two-seater).

Included are a centre console heater/cooler box, armrests (first row – centre console, second row – centre seat fold-out, third row – side panels), headrests (first, second, third rows) and a wide-angle (62-Inch) panoramic glass sunroof (tilt/slide, sunshade – Prime).

A seven-seater SUV (three rows – 2-3-2), the cabin offers generous space, providing the occupants (front, rear) with ample interior mobility. 

Sufficient head, shoulder and leg rooms.

Practical storage areas. E.g., side door/seat back pockets, centre console partitioned/caverned/cooler-heater compartments and glove box.

Mounted is a three-spoke-flat-bottom steering wheel. Single-tone (Black) leatherette with contrast trims (Silver).

Features are multi-switches (Bluetooth, media, voice command, vehicle settings), paddle shifters and column adjustments (tilt, telescopic).

Drive is aided by an Electric Power Steering (EPS) system.

Provided are four cup holders (two – first, second rows) and six bottle holders (two front doors, two rear doors, two rear panels).

Installed are four USB ports (two-first row, two-second row), two 12 V sockets (first row, boot) and one wireless charger (first row).

Accessing its electric-powered (button, remote/key fob, height-adjust) tailgate, opens to 89-Litres (second, third row seats up) and 1,680-Litres (second, third row seats down) of load capacities.

Weighing in at 1,551 KG (Comfort) and 1,576 KG (Prime), the new VT9 measures at 4,724 MM long, 1,900 MM wide, 1,720 MM tall and with a wheelbase spanning 2,720 MM.

Athletically tapered, it parades a long and high-riding exterior, emphasised by angularly sculpted and flowing contours.

The front-end sees a smoothly formed bonnet, sculpted quarter panels and a sharply upright bumper (V-shaped-feather-insert grille, lower-centre air-intake, corner cutouts, Jetour script).

Accentuations, body claddings (Black: bumper, fenders, side sills), body trimmings (Black: grille inserts, air-intake, side mirror arms – Red: bumper corner slits, side sills – Chrome: grille inserts, window surrounds, Jetour Script) and roof rails (Silver).

Solidly toned, the silhouette continues the long and high-riding design, emphasised by sharply sculpted and horizontally cut creases.

The rear-end sees a straight-cut roofline (roof-edge spoiler), flared quarter panels, a sculpted tailgate (centre bar, Jetour script) and a covered bumper (diffuser: dual-twin exhausts).

Accentuations, body claddings (Black: diffuser, fenders, side sills), body trimmings (Black: tailgate centre bar – Red: diffuser slit, side sills – Chrome: window surrounds, Jetour Script), shark fin antenna (body-colour) and roof rails (Silver).

Traditional Chinese architecture inspired, the headlamps are housed sleek and sharply rounded. Installed are full LED units.

Features are automatic On/Off/high-beam/height-adjust, Daytime Running Lights (DRL – LED), sequential turn signals (LED) and welcome lights.

Slim, the tail lamps are framed full-width (light bar) and wraparound with a ‘3D floating’ effect. Installed are full LED units.

Features are automatic On/Off, sequential turn signals (LED) and welcome lights. Paired to the set is a high-mounted stop light (spoiler-integrated – LED).

The side mirrors (dual-tone – Black-body-colour) are electric-powered (auto-fold, adjust), with turn signals (LED), blind-spot indicators (Blind Spot Detection – BSD – Prime), heating and welcome lights (Prime).

Equipped are ventilated (front) and solid (rear) disc brakes. Drive is aided by an Electric Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold system.

Sporty, it rides on a set of 19-Inch multi-spoke (single-tone – Black) alloy rims, wrapped in 235/55 R19 (front, rear) Sailun Terramax SV301 tyres.

The new VT9 features the following suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).

Grouped (Prime) are Blind Spot Detection (BSD), Rear Collision Traffic Alert (RCTA), Door Open Warning (DOW), Lane Change Warning (LCW) and Transparent Underbody View (180-degree camera – transparent chassis).

Standard (Comfort, Prime) systems include Cruise Control System (CCS), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Traction Control System (TCS), Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Hill-Hold Control (HHC), Hill-Descent Control (HDC), Roll Movement Intervention (RMI), Surround View Parking Assistance (SVPA – 360-degree camera), parking camera (rear – dynamic guidelines), Overspeed Alarm (adjustable) and Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).

Passive safety includes four/six airbags (Comfort: driver-passenger, front-sides/Prime: driver-passenger, front-sides, front-rear curtains), seatbelts (anchors, reminders, pre-tensioners), ISOFIX (two – second row outer seats), automatic door locks (speed-sensing, collision-sensing, central-locking), parking sensors (four – rear), parking cameras (rear – dynamic guidelines, 360-degree, 180-degree), rear view mirrors (Comfort: manual anti-glare – Prime: automatic-dimming), emergency brake signal, automatic wipers (rain-sensing – Prime), Electric Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold and security alarm (anti-theft, engine immobiliser).

Two selectable drive modes available (ECO, SPORT).

Equipped is a floating ‘Smart Twin Screen’ display (instrument cluster, infotainment), featuring a 10.25-Inch LCD touchscreen central display (infotainment).

The system supports Apple CarPlay/Android Auto (wired/wireless), media, navigation, voice assistant, USB and Bluetooth.

Entertainment is channelled via a standard setup (Comfort: four speakers – Prime: six speakers).

The new VT9 features an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) powertrain.

Harboured is a 1.5-Litre inline four-cylinder 16-valve turbocharged DOHC petrol engine, producing 154 HP (115 KW) and 230 NM.

Fitted is a six-speed DCT (Dual-Clutch Transmission) automatic transmission.

Power is transmitted to the front wheels, via a Two-Wheel Drive (2WD) system.

Fuel tank capacity is 57-Litres.

The new VT9 features these conveniences.

E.g., Smart Entry system (keyless entry, engine Start/Stop button), remote engine ignition (key fob – cabin cooling), walk-away-auto-lock, electric-powered (button, remote/key fob, height-adjust) tailgate, automatic headlamps (On/Off/high-beam/height-adjust), automatic wipers (rain-sensing, intermittent), automatic door locks (speed-sensing, collision-sensing, central-locking), steering wheel (multi-function, column adjustments, paddle shifters, EPS), rear-view mirrors (exterior – BDS, heating/interior – manual-anti-glare, automatic-dimming), electric-powered (Comfort: driver-six-way-adjust – Prime: driver-six-way-adjust, driver-memory) and manual-operated (Comfort/Prime: passenger-four-way-adjust) bucket-contoured seats (first row), centre console heater/cooler box, armrests (first row – centre console, second row – centre seat fold-out, third row – side panels), headrests (first, second, third rows), wide-angle (62-Inch) panoramic glass sunroof (tilt/slide, sunshade – Prime), infotainment (voice assistant, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto,) wireless charger, single-zone automatic air-conditioning (second row, third row air-vents, CN95 air-filter), interior lighting (ambient, cabin, boot), parking sensors (four – rear), parking cameras (rear – dynamic guidelines, 360-degree, 180-degree), Electric Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold and Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).

Installed is a single-zone automatic air-conditioning (second row, third row air-vents, CN95 air-filter) system.

Propping-up the chassis is a setup of MacPherson strut (front) and multi-link (rear) suspensions.

The SUV is comfortably spacious, safe and suitable as a daily driver. The ride quality is firm and well-balanced, with a smooth engine power and transmission delivery. 

Good sound insulation, covering all the NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) aspects. The cabin experience is refined, alienated from most of the outside noises.

The new Jetour VT9 is a great daily driver with an all-around appeal, offering space and style in one solid build.

Solidly postured, its shell envelopes a sportily refined interior, ranging from many advanced connectivity and safety systems.

Ultimately, its build quality is satisfactory, bargaining good looks and mechanics. The new VT9 is surely a head turner on Malaysian roads.