2026 JAC Hunter PHEV ute review: Australian first drive
You’re looking at what is now Australia’s cheapest plug-in hybrid ute, which arrives in Australia while diesel prices are still volatile. Does it stack up as a solid option?
2026 JAC Hunter
It’s fair to say that hybrid utes have arrived in Australia with their fair share of compromises.
The BYD Shark 6 – which has shot the lights out with rampant sales in Australia – isn’t much chop from a towing or off-road point of view.
The GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV is better in that regard, but is more expensive, has a middling payload, and needs to keep the spare wheel in the tub.
The Ford Ranger PHEV does well in this regard, but is the most expensive of all and has a significantly smaller electric-only driving range.
This trio is set to grow into a quartet, however, with the introduction of the JAC Hunter into the Australian market. And along with a low price, this ute promises to manage those compromises a lot better.
We get behind the wheel of some pre-production examples to see if it can meet those promises at a competitive price.
How much is the JAC Hunter PHEV?
The one big advantage of the JAC Hunter is price. While we don’t have all of the details on this front yet, we do know that the JAC Hunter will have a retail price of under $50,000 before on-road costs. Starting with a four means we have Australia’s cheapest plug-in hybrid ute.
On one hand, there isn’t much of a jump in price compared to a regular turbo-diesel JAC T9. While there is a more basic Tradepro cab-chassis for less than $40,000 plus on-roads, more regular trim levels are $42,662 plus on-roads for the Oasis trim, while the Haven goes up to $45,630 pls ORCs.
In the worst-case scenario of a $49,999 asking price plus ORCs, it’s not as significant a jump to plug-in hybrid tech as what we have seen elsewhere. The BYD Shark 6 – which is hybrid only – is $57,900 plus on-road costs. There’s a cab-chassis model for $2000 less, but it’s worth pointing out that the BYD Shark 6 is a larger vehicle overall.
The GWM Cannon Alpha has an asking price of up to $66,990 plus on-road costs, but it has been regularly listed at either $54,490 (Lux) or $57,990 (Ultra) drive-away in specials.
Our test examples of the Hunter were pre-production examples of a higher trim level variant, which comes with things like locking differentials front and rear, an optional sunroof in some cases, and a more upmarket interior: fake leather seats, a big portrait-style infotainment display, some nice materials throughout the cabin, and more features than you would probably expect at this price point.
Full specs and standard kit are yet to be confirmed, but things like plenty of power outlets (USB-A, USB-C, 12V, wireless charging and a 220V household plug) are good to see. Mostly, it’s the same as the T9, save for the rotary gear selector and a few different buttons.
There are air vents in the second row, a fold-down armrest with cupholders, a decent-sized centre console and a good sense of build quality.
Compared to other utes in the segment (more expensive, admittedly), this Hunter does feel a little small and cramped on the inside. Adding reach adjustment is good (the diesel T9 only has tilt), but seat comfort and adjustment aren’t as good as what we’ve come to expect from a ute in this day and age. It’s not bad here, but it’s also not good.
The second-row seating position is a bit old-school too. Fine in isolation, but a more vertical backrest and shallow squab mean it is not as comfortable and accommodating as others out there.
The overall dimensions of the T9 makes it smaller than most other utes in this day and age. It’s the kind of size that a ute used to be around a decade ago in Australia, but no longer. All of the hybrid utes are significantly larger, and most diesel-powered options are bigger as well.
JAC Hunter PHEV specifications
Along with the price, a lot of the good news around the JAC Hunter comes from the retention of proper ute-like credentials. We’ve got a 3500kg braked towing capacity here, which is better than a 1.5-litre BYD Shark 6. We’ve also got a 915kg payload, which is better than a Shark 6 and GWM Cannon Alpha.
The Ford Ranger PHEV has a 900kg-plus payload in some trim levels, but that’s mainly due to its relatively small battery, which is around one-third the size of the Hunter’s battery.
JAC has managed to squeeze a 77-litre fuel tank in here, as well as an underslung spare wheel. This is all impressive considering that this vehicle is relatively small.
Combine the full petrol and electric range, and you’re looking at what JAC says is a ‘target’ of 1000km of combined range. On electric only, JAC claims 100km according to the more lenient NEDC testing cycle. We reckon somewhere between 70–80km in the real world might be more accurate.
Packaging is helped by the lack of a low-range transfer case and propshaft connecting front and rear. From that point of view, the Hunter is more like a BYD Shark. A Ranger and Cannon Alpha have a more traditional four-wheel-drive layout, with a gearbox, transfer case, low-range transfer case and a mechanically connected front and rear end.
The JAC Hunter has a four-speed dedicated hybrid transmission, which only powers the front wheels. Unlike the BYD Shark 6, this can spin the wheels at all speeds. There is one electric motor in this transmission for the front wheels, while the live rear axle has an electric motor bolted onto the pinion area of the differential housing.
That live rear axle has gone to a coil-sprung setup with a panhard rod rear suspension, which is different to the diesel T9. Why? Mostly for packaging advantages and fitting all of the hybrid stuff into the chassis.
| Key details | 2026 JAC Hunter PHEV |
| Engine | 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol Dual electric motors |
| Battery pack | 31.2kWh LFP |
| Driving range | 100km electric-only (claimed) 1000km combined (claimed) |
| Power | 160kW @ 5000rpm (petrol) 130kW (front electric motor) 150kW (rear electric motor) |
| Torque | 370Nm @ 2000–4000rpm 300Nm (front electric motor) 340Nm (rear electric motor) |
| Drive type | Four-wheel drive |
| Transmission | Four-speed dedicated hybrid transmission |
What is the JAC Hunter like to drive?
While the outputs on paper look quite impressive for the JAC Hunter, it doesn’t feel so muscular in the real world. Initial acceleration – with around two-thirds of battery capacity available – feels more regular than wrenching, building pace in a steady surge.
It certainly doesn’t feel like 360kW, which is what JAC quotes.
And on investigation here, there could be a little bit of rubberiness in those figures. Some figures quoted by JAC in South Africa for the same vehicle state combined outputs of 290kW and 670Nm, which are still big. It looks like the 360kW figure quoted for Australia comes from a peak output from the electric motors and petrol engine, which could be throttled by the battery output capacity or other driveline limitations.
But in the real world, straight-line performance feels more linear and solid, rather that being particularly perky. A BYD Shark 6 feels significantly faster, for example, from its 321kW.
Once rolling, and when you’re in a situation where you can keep the foot buried for an extended period, the Hunter feels more muscular. You do need patience here, though, as performance does feel a bit dependent on the petrol engine turning on, increasing revs and being in the right gear to come on song. For towing, this might work well. But for responsiveness, it’s not so great.
In terms of ride quality and other driving impressions, there is room for improvement. It’s a bit stiff and jiggly on some surfaces, but also starts to wallow and oscillate in other situations.
But the good news here is that what we drove isn’t the final story. There have been three weeks of suspension development completed on the damper tune for the JAC Hunter at Lang Lang (Holden’s old proving ground) in Australia by Michael Barber from Multimatic. This was followed by a week in China to lock everything in.
The electric power-steering tune is set to be updated as well, which feels a bit slow and cumbersome despite the lightweight feeling.
In terms of off-road capability, our test vehicles were fitted with non-standard Pirelli all-terrain tyres, which helped the case of the Hunter. Giti highway terrains are standard fare, and would likely not offer the same kind of grip as what we had here.
Otherwise, off-road impressions are okay. We weren’t able to push the Hunter too hard and lean on the capability of the locking differentials and range of off-road traction-control modes.
Having locking differentials is a definite advantage in this Hunter over something like a Shark 6 off-road. But the lack of proper reduction gearing could hold this ute back when the going gets tough. Stay tuned on this front, as we plan to properly test this ute thoroughly when we get the opportunity.
Suspension articulation is only minimal here despite the adoption of a coil-sprung rear end. Clearance is par for the course for a ute, with the sturdy-feeling steel side steps and bendy plastic bumpers getting a bit of a workout in our test.
Should I buy a JAC Hunter?
In most ways, it’s a little too early to say one way or the other. The quality of the final suspension and steering tune – and how that influences the driving experience – will be key here.
And while the JAC Hunter hits the right notes in terms of on-paper payload and towing capabilities, we are keen to explore these more thoroughly in the future.
The price is right, though, and being the cheapest hybrid ute for the Australian market puts the Hunter in the box seat for some sales success in Australia. It feels like it’s a more cohesive overall offering than the diesel-powered T9, and could provide some clear cost-of-running benefits to Aussies buyers who need (or want) a ute.
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