The JAC (“Jack”) T9's position as a reliable workhorse for Kiwi tradies has been further reinforced by the remarkable achievement of its South African stablemate, which recently shattered the country’s 24-hour Endurance Record for commercial vehicles.
What began as a casual braai-side (aka a BBQ) challenge between a few mates filming content for South Africa’s motoring channel, turned into a serious headline-grabber for JAC. The brand’s flagship ute (or in South Africa a ‘bakkie’), the JAC T9, officially broke the South African 24-hour Endurance Record for commercial vehicles – clocking up an impressive 4,084 kilometres at an average speed of 170.1 km/h at the Gerotek Testing Facility just outside Pretoria.
Four seasoned racing drivers took shifts behind the wheel, completing more than 1,350 laps of the Gerotek track with a clear mission: to surpass the existing record set by Isuzu in 2010, which itself had bettered the Toyota Hilux benchmark from 2003.
The JAC team did more than just beat the record – they shattered it. Finishing over 20km ahead of Isuzu’s record, the T9 ran for 24 hours straight with an average fuel use of just 16.5L/100km.
Andrew Craw, JAC NZ General Manager, believes this achievement carries significant weight for prospective ute buyers in New Zealand – especially for those working in trades.
“Kiwis want to know if Chinese utes are up to the task. Is it reliable? Can you get parts? Will it hold its value? Well, the T9’s proven resilience in one of South Africa’s most extreme motoring tests, combined with our growing support here in New Zealand, answers those questions. It’s a true ‘JAC’ of all trades.”

The 24-hour challenge, held last month, was more grassroots than glitz. The T9 blazed through with no fancy equipment or race-spec tools at pit stops. And what the JAC crew lacked in high-tech gear, they made up for in determination.
“This record is about more than speed – it shows the T9 can handle the hard yards, take the heat, and still be ready for more. That’s what Kiwi tradies need, and that’s what this ute delivers.”
Note: The South African JAC T9 2.0L CTi has some differences, but is very similar to the NZ JAC T9 top-of-the-line 4WD Auto ute.