Jetour T2 shows why its runaway success is not all about price

Since its arrival in November last year, more than 2 000 T2s have been sold. Picture: Charl Bosch As in the United Arab Emirates, the Jetour T2 has been something short of a smash-hit success since going on sale locally last year. And for good reason.

Whereas the Chery-owned brand has been on a roll since entering South Africa in 2024 with the Dashing and X70 Plus, the T2, and by extension, the T1, have upped their profiles considerably. Although branded as the “Temu Defender” for resembling the Defender 110, it is not an illegal copy. Instead, the T2 is the result of Chery’s partnership with JLR, with assembly taking place in Fuzhou in a plant owned by former Mitsubishi China assembler, Soueast.

Having amassed sales of 2 270 units since sales started last November, the arrival of the T2, in Odyssey guise, for the weeklong stay came with a lot of promise. Althoughdriven in Fuzhou two years ago, the route was a purpose-built off-road course at a speed below 40 km/h. What’s more, it wasn’t laced with technical obstacles, most likely due to the T2 being a unibody SUV without a low-range transfer case.

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While the Odyssey is equipped with locking centre and rear differentials, its lack of a reduction gear puts it at a disadvantage when taking its “adventure vehicle” claims in mind. As such, the weeklong stint involved the urban jungle where the T2 will spend the majority of its life. Viewed on the first glance, the T2’s appeal is immediate and the reason for it selling over 2 000 units in four months obvious.

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