DASHING is a word that is more suggestive of moving about in haste or charming good looks for a suave male.
It took us a while for the word to sink in as the name of a sports utility vehicle (SUV) in the Jetour range.
Then again, Jetour is equally an unusual name for an automotive company and the first impression many might get is that of a holiday tour entity.
Thirdly, we are still trying to figure out how Jetour fits in the grand scheme of brand positioning in the Chery Group.
While Jaecoo is acknowledged as the premium brand in the Chery Group and the Chery range is for the general buyers, could Jetour be seen as a transition between them?
Whatever the case might be, our first impression of Jetour’s Dashing tells us this SUV is more Chery than Jaecoo.
When we got into the Dashing, the first sight that we were immediately familiar with was the combined information panel on the dashboard.
This has the 10.25-inch multi-info display with touchscreen convenience and the 10.25-inch driver instrument cluster housed in a single unit.
As we had just driven the Chery Tiggo Cross, we found this combined dashboard design exactly the same, although the Dashing is a bigger SUV.
So was the provision of control access; there is a panel below the central air-conditioner vents that has the respective control for the air-conditioner functions and that does away with the need to access them via the multi-info display.
A wireless charger is provided on the central console and red elements in seat stitching and touches here and there adds a somewhat sporty ambience to complement the flat-bottom steering wheel.
The Dashing that was loaned to us was the higher-spec Prime variant that comes with a wide-angle panoramic sunroof.
As a bigger SUV over the Tiggo Cross, there is clearly a roomier layout that would benefit the rear seat passengers with better legroom to make their travel more comfortable.
The luggage area is noticeably bigger too and the rear seatrest is split 60:40 that is easily folded away to increase space to accommodate long or sizeable items.
In model positioning, the Dashing is thrown in the ring with fancied rivals such as Proton X70, Mazda CX-5, Honda CR-V, to name a few.
Dimensionally, the Dashing is well within expectations for its market status with a 4,590mm long body that is 1,900mm wide and 1,685mm tall.
Its wheelbase is also in the same league at 2,720mm and the ground clearance of 160mm, might give one the confidence to ford flash-flooded roads.
This mid-size SUV is made available with a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine that delivers pretty good output at 156PS (114kW) and 230Nm of torque, which is higher than that from the Tiggo Cross Turbo’s (147PS/108kW and 210Nm).
The higher engine output is necessary to handle the higher kerb weight of 1,553kg against the Tiggo Cross Turbo’s 1,468kg.
We did feel a slight lack of initial pace as the mild turbo lag was more evident in the Dashing than in the Tiggo Cross Turbo.
Once the turbocharger was on song, we enjoyed a good turn of speed and had to temper our exuberance by easing off the accelerator after a quick getaway from the traffic lights.
The turbo lag wasn’t so obvious when it came to executing quick overtaking as the Dashing picked up the speed strongly for us to make fast passes.
Unlike the Tiggo Cross, the Dashing has a multi-link rear (Tiggo Cross gets torsion beam) to complement the front MacPherson strut suspension.
It provided a more comfortable ride over the many speedbumps, potholes and rumble strips that we drive over often, but at moderate speeds.
We noted a similarity in the hard damping when going over these uneven surfaces faster than necessary; again, not jolting but the firmness was unmistakeable.
The Dashing also seemed dynamically sound when we drove it through our favourite winding stretches, corners and sweepers.
Steering response was within expectations and that gave us the confidence to take to the bends with some abandon.
For a tall vehicle, body lean was nicely checked and that encouraged us to explore its dynamic quality further.
The front styling of the Dashing reminded us of the Peugeot range more than 20 years ago, in which the headlamp sections tapered towards the centre engine bonnet.
The contemporary part are the slit-eye daytime running lights that sit atop the headlamp cluster flanking a rather glittery nose panel, which gives the Dashing its distinct presence.
From a driver’s perspective, we found the tapering bonnet design distorting our estimation of the vehicle dimensions in front.
In negotiating tight ramps, such as those in our condo and some mall basement carparks, we had to be more careful when driving the Dashing between “menacing” concrete walls.
Other than this little glitch, the Dashing was right at home pandering to our motoring needs in the urban scenario and the occasional highway runs.
We learnt that the typeface used for the Jetour’s name is similar to that for Jaecoo; as such, confusion is said to arise with the respective customer going to the wrong showroom to check out the vehicles.
With a price (on the road without insurance) of RM116,800, the Dashing is very competitively priced being locally assembled at Berjaya Assembly (it used to be Oriental Assembly) in Johor.
More than 2,000 orders were received and above 1,000 customers have already received their Dashing dream; apparently, the Prime variant is the more popular one with its higher specification level.
SPECIFICATIONS
Jetour Dashing Prime
Engine: 1,498cc, turbocharged
Maximum power: 156PS/114kW at 5,500rpm
Maximum torque: 230Nm from 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed Double Clutch Transmission (DCT), wet clutch
Features: Frameless wiper blades, concealed door handles, LED sequential rear turn signals, electric powered tailgate, Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), 360-degree Surround-view Parking Assistance, 180-degree Transparent Underbody View, Blind Spot Detection (BSD), Rear Collision Traffic Alert (RCTA), Door Open Warning (DOW), Lane Change Warning (LCW), remote engine start, panoramic sunroof, LED welcome light from the door mirrors, 4-way lumbar support for driver, car ambient light
Price: RM116,800 (on the road without insurance)
