Jetour has joined an ever-increasing number of Chinese brands within the local automotive market. I had a chance to drive the brand's Dashing recently, and here are my thoughts!
Related: Jetour X70 Plus 1.5T Deluxe (2025) Review
Pros:
-Exterior styling is a big plus
-Interior features impress at price point
-Practicality is impressive
Cons:
-Throttle and gearbox calibration is poor
-Fuel consumption is a major concern
What is Jetour?
Jetour was founded in 2018 as a sub-brand of Chery Automobile, one of China's largest and oldest automotive manufacturers. The brand produces SUVs and crossovers to cater to a growing demand for affordable mid-size vehicles. Jetour appears to target domestic Chinese consumers and international markets with its products.
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Styling
Its front end blends Lotus, Maserati, and Lamborghini styling cues with hints of the Eletre, Gracale, and Urus. The rear end has some Lexus-esque elements. These vehicles cost far more than the humble Jetour, so the styling department's liberal use of inspiration for the exterior design of the Dashing most certainly works!
Interior & Space
Like its exterior, the interior of the Dashing shows much promise. It looks modern and feels, for the most part, as if its fit and finish are good, given the asking price. As noted with many products emanating from the Chery stable, there's a lot of Mercedes-Benz influence here, with the infotainment set-up and steering wheel looking familiar to items seen in the German brand's models in recent years.
The flagship Dashing model features niceties such as a panoramic sunroof, 8-colour ambient lighting, extra speakers in the Sony sound system, rain-sensing wipers, electric seat adjustment, 360-degree parking assist, and various driver-assistance features. The standard features list is impressive for a car that costs less than R500 000 in 2025!
Drivetrain
The 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine produces 115kW and 230Nm of torque and is paired with a 6-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The engine code is E4G15C, produced and developed independently by Chery's in-house engine manufacturer ACTECO. The gearbox is a dry-clutch unit sourced from Getrag!
Related: What is covered under the Jetour Dashing manufacturer car warranty?
Driving impression
Heading onto the road, the Dashing's driving experience is where we hit the first snag. You see, the car's throttle and gearbox calibration are unacceptable for a vehicle of this type. The throttle response is either too dull, leading to an unpleasant shudder when pulling off, or too sharp, leading to an overly enthusiastic take-off. Combined with a gearbox that isn't refined or set up well for low-speed driving means that the Dashing is not pleasant to operate around town.
Things get better when on the go and approaching freeway speeds, with a decent ride quality, reasonable refinement and respectable mid-range torque. Handling is low on the list of priorities for buyers in this segment, but for those interested, the Dashing is prone to bouts of tremendous understeer. The light steering feel means that you're not really ever aware of what's going on underneath you, but on the plus side, that light steering comes in handy when manoeuvring through parking lots and tight urban spaces.
Related: Everything you need to know about Jetour
Fuel economy
Jetour claims a fuel consumption figure of 7.8 L/100km, but our real-world figure was 10.4 L/100km, which I found very disappointing, and should be the key consideration for those looking at buying one of these!
Safety
The Dashing has yet to be crash-tested formally. Still, it offers 6 airbags, ABS with Brake Assist, stability control, traction control, and a host of semi-autonomous driving aids.
Pricing*
The Deluxe model is very reasonably priced at R469 900. Its closest rivals include the Haval Jolion Pro 1.5T Ultra Luxury (R462 950), Chery Tiggo 7 Pro 1.5T Executive (R449 900) and the Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 XR (R 483 500)
*All models come with a 10-year/1.0-million km engine warranty, along with a 5-year/150 000 km vehicle warranty and a 5-year/60 000 km service plan
Related: Jetour Auto introduces the T1 and T2 models
Verdict
The Dashing has the potential to be a great product in one of the most congested segments of the market. However, its drivetrain is not up to scratch, and its fuel consumption negates its initial value proposition. I am looking forward to the brand's T1 and T2 models, which show great promise!
