Jetour VT9

The sporty and bold appeal of the Jetour VT9 is evident in its cabin too, with the all-black leather-wrapped cabin of the SUV having contrast red accents on the seats, dashboard, steering wheel and door pad inserts. The modern-looking cabin of the VT9 has a wide rectangular cockpit with 10.25-inch full-TFT screens for the instrument console and touchscreen infotainment system. The instrument panel has a soft-touch leather finish, which further extends to the dashboard’s middle layer. 

The centre console of the Jetour VT9’s dashboard also has a touch-controlled panel for automatic climate control, with the SUV further getting tilt and telescopic adjustable multi-functional steering wheel, paddle shifters, front centre armrest with cooled storage compartment, cabin air filter and a 6-speaker audio system. The VT9 also gets a 6-way powered driver’s seat with memory function, a wireless charger, 60:40 split-folding second-row seats, Type-A USB charging ports, ambient lighting, a panoramic sunroof and a powered tailgate. 

At first glance, the Jetour VT9 looks like a redesigned and more modern version of the brand’s X70 Plus SUV. This handsome-looking SUV has an imposing front fascia, which includes a bold V-shaped feature-inspired grille with studded chrome inserts, along with sleek L-shaped all-LED headlamps with LED DRLs placed beside the grille’s upper edges. The vertically aligned LED fog lamps placed on the outer corners of the triangular inserts on the corners of the front bumper also have contrast red accents on the outer edges. 

The red accents are further visible in the side and rear body mouldings of the Jetour VT9, giving it a sporty touch. In its side profile, the VT9 has multi-spoke 19-inch gunmetal grey alloy wheels, with the SUV getting chrome-garnished front fender garnish and chrome-finished window surrounds. At the back, the Jetour VT9 has wraparound connected LED tail lamps with vertical slat-shaped LED inserts on the main tail lamps and sequential LED turn indicators. 

The three-row Jetour VT9 has been designed and engineered keeping comfort in mind, an essence further enhanced by the comfort-oriented suspension setup of Macpherson struts at the front and multi-link at the rear. The two drive modes – Eco and Sport – also deliver a fine-tuned drive experience, though we would have loved to see more involving feedback from the steering setup. 

A 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine powers both the variants of the Jetour VT9. Paired with a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission as standard, this engine delivers a maximum power output of 156 PS and a maximum torque output of 230 Nm. While this engine offers good performance once the turbo opens up and has impressive refinement levels, it does feel sluggish at lower RPMs. 

For its price, the Jetour VT9 is decently loaded with safety features like ABS with EBD and brake assist, traction control system, electronic stability program, hill hold control, hill descent control, rear ISOFIX mounts for child seats, reverse parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring system and front, side and curtain airbags. This SUV also gets adaptive cruise control, 360-degree parking camera, blind spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, door open warning and lane change warning. 

Jetour is gradually making a mark in the Asian car markets with its advanced range of SUVs and crossovers, and the VT9 joins the mission being one of the newest, largest and most-equipped models from the Chinese carmaker. Though it still has some areas to sort, like the performance at lower RPMs and handling at higher speeds, the Jetour VT9 covers most of the ground with ease and composure, making it a true value-for-money offering.