(WATCH) Jetour G700 makes waves at Yanqi Lake in Beijing

The Jetour G700 during a fording demonstration at Yanqi Lake in Beijing. Picture: Jetour International Jetour international hosted its annual media conference as part of the Beijing Motor Show last month. Media partners of Jetour had the opportunity to test drive some of its latest hybrid models such as the G700 that will be coming to South Africa in the second quarter of 2027, and the plugin hybrid (PHEV) T2 i-DM launched in April.

We also drove the Soueast S08 DM-i, is another subsidiary of Chery and the company that owns the factory where Jetours are built. Soueast will also be entering the South African market in 2027, but the company did not confirm which models it plans to launch. These three vehicles were very different although they fall under the same group, with the G700, a large SUV, being the more premium of the three.

Of the three vehicles, theT2 i-DMwas my favourite SUV to drive. Although it is smaller than the G700, the handling and the performance resonates with me. I also like the styling of the T2, being a smaller, more compact SUV.

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But that doesn’t take away from the more premium feel of the G700 that has the ability to compete with larger premium SUVs on the market. In South Africa we have a huge outdoor/camping culture and many South Africans modify their vehicles to take on the rough terrain. In the past it has always been about who has the biggest bakkie with the most torque. But since the fuel price increase over the last two months, diesel has become extremely expensive and this has caused a change in the mindset of people internationally, forcing us to look for ways to save every penny we can.

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