JETOUR has launched a new platform called Shanhai, which I really like the name of. It fits perfectly with JETOUR’s travel positioning, meaning “towards the mountains, towards the sea, towards happiness.” The first model to be launched under the Shanhai platform is the Shanhai L9, with future models including urban off-road SUVs, hardcore SUVs, and pickup trucks. Today, we will test drive the Shanhai L9 and see how it performs.
The positioning of the TSN L9 is a plug-in hybrid mid-to-large SUV, with dimensions of 4862*1925*1784mm and a wheelbase of 2850mm, the same as the TSN X90 PLUS. It will be available in two versions, a 5-seater and a 7-seater.
First of all, in terms of appearance, JETOUR has never disappointed us. From X70 PLUS, DASAI, Traveler to the current SHANHAI L9, every car has a high level of attractiveness, always catching the audience’s eye at first sight.
The Mountain and Sea L9 has six exterior colors: Salt Lake White, Polar Night Black, Distant Mountain Gray, Light Mist Gray, Aurora Green, and Sky Blue. The test drive car this time is Distant Mountain Gray. There are two interior colors, Spring Green, which reflects home, freshness, and elegance, while Jet Black gives a sense of luxury, quality, and technology.
The front end creates a powerful first impression, especially the large hexagonal grid, which looks like a starry sky from a distance. Above the grid is a long LED strip, and below is a U-shaped LED strip that wraps around the grid. The headlights on both sides are very recognizable at night, making it easy to identify the Shanhai L9.
Now let’s take a look at its body side. The side profile of the Shanhai L9 is simple and powerful, with a segmented waistline that is clear and angular. The car has added a lot of chrome decorations on the body side, such as the roof, window frames, door handles, rearview mirrors, and side skirts, making it look more fashionable.
When it comes to fashion, I think the hub is also a bonus. The hub is a dense strip design, and the tire size is 255 45R20. Moving back, there is a chrome badge on the D-pillar with the words “lifetime quality assurance” given to you by Jetour. Jetour provides lifetime quality assurance for the whole vehicle and the three electric systems to reassure users. This generous approach deserves praise!
The Jietu Shanhail L9 uses the Kunlun off-road platform, the Kunpeng C-DM technology, and the Xiongshi intelligent cabin. The Kunlun off-road platform is highly versatile and compatible with advanced driving control technologies such as active suspension, XWD intelligent four-wheel drive, and four-wheel steering. The engine is equipped with Chery’s fifth-generation 1.5T hybrid engine, with a thermal efficiency of 44.5%. The transmission is a hybrid-specific 2-speed DHT gearbox, and the vehicle adopts a P2+P3 dual-motor drive architecture, with a pure electric drive power of 199kW and a maximum drive power of 314KW in HEV mode. This results in impressive acceleration, with 0-50m acceleration in 3.4 seconds and 0-100m acceleration in 7.8 seconds. As a city SUV, this speed is sufficient.
In terms of pure electric driving range, the CLTC pure electric range of Shanhai L9 is 108 kilometers, with a maximum comprehensive range of 1100 kilometers. Also, Shanhai L9 supports 6.6 kilowatt external discharge, which is nice for having hot pot and taking a hot bath outdoors.
Entering the car, the most eye-catching feature is a 15.6-inch floating central control screen, which is one of the largest in the same market segment. The crystal gearshift feels very comfortable, and the lift cup holder adds to the sense of ceremony.
The JETOUR SHANHAI L9 uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chip in its car machine, which is currently a mainstream configuration level. With the support of this chip, the operation of the entire car machine system is smooth enough, and the screen is very sensitive to finger touch feedback.
On the main menu page of the car system, there are quick function displays on the left, a large map display on the right, and quick buttons for things like air conditioning and submenus below.
Currently, the test drive car has been equipped with popular apps such as Huoshan Entertainment, iQIYI, Cloud Listen, Netease Cloud Music, Alipay mini program, as well as weather and Jietu Roadbook functions in the car entertainment system.
In terms of voice interaction, the car’s natural language recognition rate is quite high due to the use of iFlytek’s voice recognition software. The system’s response is almost instantaneous after I give a command, just like having a conversation with a person. On the center console, below the central touch screen, there is a separate air conditioning touch panel. The front of the armrest box also has a 50-watt wireless charging panel, which charges the phone quickly. It also has an air conditioning vent to solve the problem of overheating during charging.
In terms of the cabin atmosphere, the texture of the Jetour X70L9 is also good. First, the car I am sitting in today is still a trial installation model, but the craftsmanship of the entire interior, I think it still meets my expectations. The soft parts are soft enough, and the installation of the various panels is delicate enough, with very small gaps and tight joints.
Furthermore, when I sat in this car, there was no odor, which is quite satisfying. In terms of other features, this car also comes with a 256-color ambient light and a sound system with 8 speakers tuned by Sony engineers.
The Shanhai L9 has reached the level of L2 in intelligent driving assistance, with common features such as adaptive cruise control (ACC), lane-keeping, and blind spot monitoring. The 540-degree panoramic imaging system is standard on all models.
The wheelbase of the JETOUR SHANHAI L9 is 2850 millimeters, so it still has a bright spot in space performance. There are a total of 41 storage spaces in the car. When I sit in the rear seat, there is at least a distance of two fists from the front seat, and the head space is also very ample, without any feeling of oppression. Of course, it also has a panoramic sunroof, which increases the transparency of the cabin. The softness of this seat is relatively soft, giving a feeling of a large sofa. Sitting on it, even for long-distance driving, is comfortable enough, and the seat back can also be manually adjusted.
The rear seats have a separate air conditioning control panel, in a touch form, full of technology. The right rear seat also has a boss button, which can conveniently adjust the position of the front passenger seat to obtain better seating space.
The Jietu Shanhai L9 has three driving modes: economy, standard, and sport. I started with the standard mode, which already had strong power. When I switched to sport mode, the engine response was even more direct. The steering wheel also offers three different levels of steering force: light, comfortable, and sport. To be honest, during the 3-hour test drive, I was waiting for a jolt to appear. I wanted to know if this hybrid system has any jolting feeling, because it is a P2 + P3 dual-motor drive, EM1 and the engine have two gears, and EM2 has one gear, providing the best power.
For example: Engine P2 gear, engine P2 gear, … and P2 P3 two gear pure electric drive, etc., require flexible switching between multiple modes and immediate response to different driving needs, which puts high demands on SOC software programs. If not done well, it is easy to have jerks. During actual driving, to my surprise, no matter how I step on the accelerator, the entire driving experience always feels like an electric car, smooth and smooth. No matter what speed you are at, as long as you step on the accelerator, the power comes, and the ability to accelerate during driving is very strong, making overtaking very comfortable.
In daily use, the P2 and P3 motors take priority in output. The engine only intervenes when the motor power is insufficient or when there is a power deficit. The engine’s operation is displayed on the car’s monitor, allowing the user to see when the engine intervenes. However, in reality, it is impossible to tell if the engine has intervened, as the transition is smooth. To be honest, as long as the hybrid system solves the drawbacks of jerking, the dual-clutch system will have more advantages in terms of power and high-speed fuel consumption performance compared to the single-clutch system.
Finally, let’s talk about the brakes of the L9. First, the brake pedal is very sensitive, a light press will immediately respond, which is different from American and German cars. So, it takes some time to get used to it. Once you master it, you will find that the brake system is very linear, with no jerks when starting and stopping. It’s not an exaggeration to say that a skilled driver can experience the comfort of a million-dollar business car.
In terms of product strength, the Jetour X70 L9 is a relatively balanced plug-in hybrid mid-size SUV. Compared to its competitors, it has a major advantage, which is the 7-seater plug-in hybrid SUV and a lower price. Simply put, those more expensive than it don’t have 7 seats, and those with 7 seats aren’t as affordable. According to the official information, the Mountain and Sea platform will give birth to a very rich variety of models. In addition to the urban SUV we test drove today, there will also be rugged off-road SUVs in the future, and even pickup truck models. Let’s wait and see.