We’ve seen an avalanche of new SUVs hit the South African market in the past year or so, particularly from China, but not many of them actually stand out in a car park.

But the Jetour Dashing actually does have a distinctive edge, with some even comparing it to the Lamborghini Urus, with its sharply sculpted front end. Is there perhaps a bit of Lexus influence in the edgy rear end? Let’s not dwell on that any longer.

Jetour is a Chinese brand that falls under the Chery umbrella, but it is marketed separately and its local importer has certainly positioned it aggressively.

With a length of 4,590mm and width of 1,900mm, it’s slightly larger than a Kia Sportage but smaller than a Toyota Rav4, yet it’s significantly cheaper than both.

Jetour wants just R439,900 for the entry-level Dashing Momentum, while the Deluxe version that we had on test is yours for R469,900.

Hop inside and there’s no shortage of room, and rear seat occupants have sufficient leg-stretching space. The boot, with its 486 litre capacity, is also competitive within its price class.

Upfront, the body-hugging one-piece front seats add a sporty feel to the cabin and the the cockpit area imparts a good first impression too, with surfaces and materials that are as premium as you could possibly expect at the price point.

But the drawbacks become apparent when you start using the interface, which feels finicky with its small icons. You’ll have to use the screen for most climate functions too, which can be a distracting process. All in all, while the graphics appear suitably modern, this is not a very user-friendly infotainment system in the greater scheme of things.

The Jetour Dashing is loaded to the roof with features though, with the Deluxe model packing a panoramic glass sunroof, 360-degree parking assist system, electrically-operated front seats, phone charging pad, eight-colour ambient lighting system and much more.

Power comes from a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine that pushes out 115kW and 230Nm, pairing with a six-speed dual clutch transmission.

The Dashing feels relatively brisk at urban speeds and there’s enough oomph to overtake on the open road and to cruise comfortably and silently on the freeway.

It’s easy enough to drive and left us with few complaints from a driver’s perspective, but the throttle calibration could perhaps use a little fine tuning as it can be a little jerky when accelerating. Our car was also a little laggy on pull-off.

Jetour claims a combined fuel consumption figure of 7.8 litres per 100km, but in a real world mixture of urban and highway driving you can expect closer to 9.7 l/100km.

The ride quality proved comfortable, despite the vehicle’s massive 19-inch rims, which come standard on both derivatives. They certainly add purpose to the styling, but replacing tyres is going to be a costly affair.

The Jetour Dashing is sold alongside the more practical seven-seat X70 model, which costs between R454,900 and R484,900.

Both come with a five-year or 60,000km service plan and a general warranty spanning five years or 150,000km, and as with its Chery sister brand, there’s a 10-year or one-million-kilometre engine warranty for the first owner.

It might be a completely new brand to us, but Jetour - which sold an impressive 562 units in October, its first full month of operation - currently has 40 dealerships around the country, as well as a warehouse holding over R100 million worth of parts. The company also plans to expand its portfolio to include the more rugged-looking T1 and T2 models in 2025.

IOL

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REVIEW: Jetour Dashing is a striking SUV with a bargain price tag