There’s a T2 auto in overseas markets – could Jetour bring it to South Africa?
Less than a year after its launch, the Jetour T2 remains the Chinese model that most people are talking about, even if they’re not in the market for it. It might be all the rage, but one change could see it win even more fans…
Despite its disappointingly low payload rating, there’s no arguing over the sales success of the Jetour T2. Or the appeal of its design. Some people criticise it for being too intentionally similar to the Defender, but most 2-box SUVs share a similar silhouette. Jetour’s designers deserve a lot of credit for at least giving the T2 an identity all its own.
Demand for the T2 isn’t fading. It’s experiencing the kind of strong buyer response last seen with something like the original Toyota Fortuner when it launched in 2006. For years, demand outstripped supply.
Chery will start building the T2 locally in 2027 at the recommissioned Rosslyn auto assembly line, formerly Nissan’s. We’ve explored what that could mean for a South African-spec T2.
Now, the next question is: Can one of the T2’s mechanical weaknesses be easily fixed?
Search for a Jetour T2 on Cars.co.za
Rethinking DCTs
Like nearly every other Chinese crossover or SUV on sale in South Africa, the Jetour uses a dual-clutch transmission (DCT). There are a few things worth noting about DCTs. The first is that Toyota does not use them. The other is that BMW has started phasing them out.
It’s worth revisiting why dual-clutch transmissions came into being. Porsche originally used DCTs in the 24 Hours of Le Mans to prevent fatigued drivers from incorrectly downshifting a manual ‘box at 3am and destroying the transmission.
DCTs worked great in a high-demand driving environment like Le Mans, where rapid up- and downshifting is the absolute priority. They also allow excellent manual control without requiring a driver to have highly advanced heel-and-toe double declutching skills.
Similarly, if you are driving your high-performance car on an empty Western Cape mountain pass, or attending your local car club’s Saturday morning track day event, DCTs are terrific.
But mountain passes and weekend racing circuit laps are not really what the daily driving reality is for most South Africans. Drivers spend most of their mornings and afternoons crawling through severe traffic.
How a DCT fares in congested traffic conditions
The problem is that DCTs are vulnerable to increased component wear in heavy traffic or when driving on sandy roads. And crawl-speed congestion is a daily reality in Cape Town or Gauteng.
Traditional automatic transmissions can creep along in traffic and up inclines without issue because they are fluid-driven. The torque converter allows almost infinite slippage without wear.
DCTs, however, essentially slip their clutches at crawl speeds. And that clutch slippage increases internal wear.
The advanced Chinese PHEV and hybrid models have a lower risk of DCT gearbox wear in traffic because they operate on battery power at very low speeds. That means there’s a direct drive from the electric motor in heavy, slow-moving traffic, without the DCT gearbox slipping its clutches. But not all Chinese vehicles sold in South Africa are PHEVs and hybrids.
Back to the T2. Some models don’t have hybrid setups. And, while the T2 isn’t a dedicated all-terrain vehicle, it has enough ground clearance and off-road modes for its clutch-pack-enabled all-wheel-drive system to explore some light-duty sand or mud tracks. And in sandy conditions, where momentum is everything, there’s a lot of simulated clutch slippage with a DCT, especially up inclines. And that’s not good for the longevity of a DCT.
Search for a Jetour T2 on Cars.co.za
An alternative to the T2’s DCT
Jetour has engineered a torque-converter 8-speed automatic transmission for the T2. This configuration is already in production and available on the T2 2.0T AWD in other global markets, most notably the Middle East.
This would be the ideal specification upgrade for South Africa. Technicians and aftermarket service specialists are familiar with torque-converter transmissions because they’ve been in use for decades across all vehicle types.
What’s more, a torque-converter automatic transmission is much less susceptible to crawl-speed-induced mechanical wear if you commute in severe Gauteng or City of Cape Town traffic than a DCT.
An automatic is also better for sand driving and launching/recovering a trailered watercraft on a slipway. This is why Jetour’s product planning team made it available for Middle Eastern-spec T2s. In those markets, T2 owners are likely to use their vehicles on sandy tracks and in low-gradient dune driving.
Could the T2 with the 8-speed auto transmission come here?
For many T2 owners, the easy driveability and long-term reliability of a torque-converter transmission would trump the DCT’s quick-shifting abilities.
Interestingly, it’s Australia, not the Middle East, which could help South African Jetour buyers get a better version of the T2 for local conditions. The Australian market has lagged behind South Africa with T2; the vehicle will be introduced there only later this year. However, the Aussie market wields great buying power when trying to persuade accountants and engineers to adapt a vehicle for right-hand-drive markets.
Dense traffic conditions across Australian cities like Sydney and Melbourne are similar to those in Gauteng or Cape Town. Knowing that an auto is more suited to stop-start traffic, Australia could persuade Jetour to offer the T2 auto in right-hand-drive spec. And we could stand to benefit too.
It’s also worth remembering Australians love sand driving. Taking your vehicle beach driving is still legal in many parts of Australia. And considering that a torque-converter is more durable on sandy tracks than a DCT, surely they’d want the auto instead?
Ultimately, the T2 is already a massive success story. But if Jetour manages to pair its rugged aesthetic with the traffic-friendly durability of that 8-speed auto, it won’t just win over more fans – it will completely dominate the local playground.
