JAC Hunter vs Peugeot Expert

What's the difference?

The JAC Hunter is not yet perfected, but it’s a big step up from its diesel-powered sibling, the T9. The plug-in hybrid driveline not only has the potential to reduce running costs (provided its tech is used intelligently) but also provides an alternative to owners who are still gun-shy about the perceived problems of modern turbo-diesel engines.

The big improvements have been wrought in the chassis department, where thousands of kilometres of local testing and validation have achieved a much better car to drive than previously.

We still have our reservations about the calibration of some of the safety systems, and some of the ergonomics involved, however.

Of course, in the end, the success or otherwise of many brands like JAC and vehicles like the Hunter will come down to how the market reacts to the sudden influx of new names and badges. And in that context, purchase price will surely be a major factor. At which point the sub-$50,000 Hunter starts to shine a little brighter.

Positives are higher payload and tow ratings than the Toyota HiAce along with superior fuel economy. Negatives are inferior safety, evidence of questionable build quality and a list price more than $3000 above a HiAce equivalent. So, whether the positives outweigh the negatives to justify its higher price, only a potential buyer can decide.

That’s nothing terribly subtle about the JAC’s appearance. The big, bold grille and front graphics are sure to remind you of the full-sized US-built pick-ups, and in the hero colour of Ochre, our test car never failed to make an impression.

It’s big, it’s impressive and JAC has made a deliberate effort not to simply churn out another obviously Chinese dual-cab. That said, it doesn’t really break new design ground, either, but that won’t bother too many ute buyers who have already shown their preference for convention over novelty (Kia Tasman, anyone?).

But there’s another side to the Hunter’s design story and that’s a degree of local input from a dedicated engineering team that knows local conditions and how to tame them. Plenty of time went into the suspension and steering tune (mainly through careful damper specification and validation) to make the vehicle work better in tough Aussie conditions. At least two other countries (one being New Zealand) have already picked up `our’ suspension tune for their own markets.

Our 'Long' example rides on a 3275mm wheelbase with 5309mm overall length, 1920mm width and 1948mm height, so compared to the HiAce it's slightly longer in wheelbase and overall length but narrower and not as tall. It’s also significantly lighter with a kerb weight that’s almost 500kg (or half a tonne) less than the Toyota; a big factor in its spirited performance and superior payload rating.

The Peugeot’s front-wheel drive underpinnings include MacPherson strut front suspension, coil spring semi-trailing arm rear suspension, rack and pinion steering and four-wheel disc brakes. Its 12.4-metre turning circle is also more than a metre larger than the HiAce.

The Pro’s work focus can be seen in its black plastic front and rear bumpers and side mouldings where most scrapes and dents occur in hard-working vans. There’s matching black on other high-wear surfaces like the door mirrors, door handles, hubcaps, rear wipers and rego plate shroud.

The cabin has seating for three with a driver’s bucket seat and separate two-passenger bench seat. Although all occupants have ample headroom, the dashboard’s protruding centre console leaves little legroom. In fact, the centre passenger must travel with both knees skewed to the left of this extension, which then encroaches on the outer passenger’s legroom. So, for a crew of three we’d recommend short trips. Our only other criticism was the lower dash panel on the passenger’s side, which kept popping loose despite repeated attempts to click it back into place.

As a dual-cab ute, the JAC seems to work pretty well. The tub is about line ball with its competitors in size terms and will accept a standard pallet between the wheel arches. The tray features a spray-on tub liner which means water can’t get underneath it and start the rusting process, but the edges of the spray pattern are a bit rough and ready where it meets the painted tub sides.

There’s a light for the cargo area and four tie-down points that would be more effective if they were mounted closer to the floor instead of half way up the tub side. And since the JAC has a smaller EV battery than a full electric vehicle, there’s room under the tray floor to mount a full-sized spare tyre.

Payload for the Hunter is 915kg, and despite the hybrid driveline, the JAC can haul the full 3500kg towed (braked) load that has become the industry standard.

The Hunter also features vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality, too, allowing it to power worksite tools and camping gear.

The rear seat is, again, pretty typical of this type of vehicle. There’s good foot room under the front seats, but knee room is a fraction tight and headroom ditto. The seat cushion is also pretty flat and the backrest angle won’t suit bigger folk. But you do get a set of air vents in the rear, reading lights, grab handles and a pair of USB charge points. On the more expensive Hunter X grade we’ve yested here, there’s also a 220-volt power socket in the rear.

The front of the cabin is also home to charge points and grab handles, but from there it falls away a bit in practicality terms. That’s largely due to the way the interior and the vehicle’s functions are centred around the centre info screen with its menu-driven approach. Even re-setting the trip meter is a multi-toggle process and relies on buttons with no clear explanation of their function.

Some of the advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are a bit sketchy, too, with lots of bells and flashing lights to warn you (mainly) of your incorrect lane position and a perceived lack of driver attention and concentration. The JAC is not the worst we’ve experienced in this department, but it’s far from good enough.

The other hassle is the actual driving position. Although the Hunter has both tilt and reach adjustment for its steering column, the relatively high floor of the cabin mans you sit flat on your backside with your legs sticking straight out ahead of you. In a sports car, this is fine. In a dual-cab ute… not so much.

The high floor even makes getting in and out of the car more difficult than it should be, as you can’t just step inside. Instead, you need to dive in head first, swivel around and hope the side steps (that are also in the wrong location for a taller person) haven’t plastered mud all over your Hard Yakkas.

Its relatively light 1743kg kerb weight combined with a 3100kg GVM allows for a sizeable 1357kg payload that’s almost 300kg more than the HiAce. It’s rated to tow up to 1800kg of braked trailer, which is also 300kg more than the Toyota. And with its 4900kg GCM, the Expert can legally tow its maximum trailer weight while carrying its maximum payload. These are excellent numbers for a multitude of working roles.

The cargo bay and cabin are separated by a stout steel bulkhead, which insulates the cabin from tyre noise emanating from the rear wheel housings and doubles as a cargo barrier. Its central window provides vision for the rear-view mirror and the ability to check on loads.

Lined to mid-height, the Expert’s cargo bay is accessed through large sliding doors on each side with handy 935mm-wide openings, while rear access is through glazed barn-doors which open to 180-degrees to aid forklift access. Each is equipped with its own windscreen wiper and demister.

The load floor is 2780mm long and 1628mm wide with 1258mm between the wheel housings, so it can carry up to three 1200 x 800mm Euro pallets or two 1165mm-square Aussie pallets, held in place by a total of eight floor-mounted load anchorage points. The 6.1 cubic metres of load volume splits hairs with the HiAce’s 6.2 cubic metres.

Cabin storage starts with a cavernous bin in the base of each front door that can easily hold a big 1.5-litre bottle and lots more. Each door also has two other compartments for smaller items. The dash-pad has a cup holder at each end and there’s a shrouded storage compartment in the centre. There are also two small storage nooks near the gearshift dial, plus on the passenger side is a glovebox and additional storage compartment (with 12V accessory plug inside).

The bench seat’s hinged base cushion also tilts forward to reveal two large storage bins below, with one thoughtfully lined with polystyrene foam to keep items either hot or cold.

Our test vehicle is the Pro Long Auto variant. ‘Pro’ means it’s the lower-priced and more work-focused of two Expert model grades. ‘Long’ means it has the longer of two wheelbases and ‘Auto’ denotes auto transmission as opposed to the manual alternative.

Powered by the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel shared by all Experts, it has a list price of $50,075 plus ORCs which is significantly more than its LWB HiAce auto equivalent at $46,760. And our example is finished in Artense Grey metallic, which is one of several premium colours available at extra cost.

The Pro Long Auto is built for work with 16-inch steel wheels and 215/65 R16C Michelin tyres plus a full-size spare. Useful workhorse features include rear parking sensors, 12-volt accessory socket, automatic headlights and wipers, front fog lights, cruise control and a multimedia system with 7.0-inch colour touchscreen and multiple connectivity including Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.

Make no mistake, this is a complex vehicle under the skin. The driveline is made up of a 2.0-litre petrol engine with a turbocharger, feeding into an electric motor which drives the front wheels and a second electric motor between the rear wheels. This endows the Hunter with electric – rather than mechanical - four-wheel drive.

The transmission is a four-speed unit, but there’s no sense that there’s anything but a single ratio when driving the vehicle, nor is there any driver involvement in selecting what gear engages when.

The front electric motor acts as the transmission and there’s sufficient grunt on tap that JAC says the Hunter doesn’t need low ratios for off-road work. Traction, meanwhile, is taken care of by front and rear differential locks (optional in the Pro and standard in the X version) and there are five drive models including a rock-crawling function (as well as snow, mud and sand).

The battery pack is a Lithium-iron Phosphate unit with a capacity of 31.2kWh and is liquid cooled for efficiency and stability. The Hunter uses a Type 2 CCS charge plug and can charge on either AC or DC outlets.

The Hunter uses old-school body-on-frame construction and there are four-wheel disc brakes. Suspension is a little different for this type of vehicle with coils springs on an independent front end, but coil springs - rather than the more common leaf springs - supporting the live rear axle.

The Hunter is rated to tow the full 3500kg that has become the industry standard, while payload is a competitive 912kg, against a kerb mass of just over 2.5 tonnes. Which means that if you tow the full 3500kg, you have just 375kg of payload remaining which includes fuel, accessories and even the people on board. This is not unusual for this type of vehicle, but it needs to be pointed out in the interests of preventing dangerous overloading.

The Expert’s punchy 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel is one of its strengths. Turbocharged and intercooled, it has Euro 5 emissions compliance and produces 110kW at 4000rpm and 370Nm at 2000rpm. The eight-speed torque converter automatic has near-seamless shifting and offers the choice of sequential manual-shifting using steering wheel paddle-shifters.

The bald numbers on the brochure make some pretty amazing claims but, as usual, the real-world efficiency of the Hunter is less impressive. That said, it’s still a vehicle that’s capable of being charged for free off a solar array and then covering a few days’ worth of suburban running without ever starting its petrol engine.

The official numbers, meanwhile, are 100km of range from a single full charge and a combined fuel economy figure of 1.6 litres per 100km.

The reality? Closer to 80km of EV range and a fuel consumption number of closer to 9.5 litres per 100km, including a fair mix of suburban, freeway and EV-only running.

The Hunter has a 77-litre fuel tank, so the range (despite the brochure’s 1000-plus kilometre claim) is going to be closer to 800km if you start with a fully charged EV battery.

The JAC’s EV battery is a 31.2kWh unit and can be charged via either AC or DC with 11kW of AC charging possible, and 50kW of DC charging. That equates to a DC charge time from 15 to 80 per cent of about 30 minutes, and an AC charge on a wall box at home from 15 to 100 per cent in 3.5 hours.

Peugeot claims a combined average consumption of 6.3L/100km and the dash display was close to that at 7.6L after 386km of testing, which included about one third of that distance carrying a full payload. Our own figure calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings came in higher again at 8.3L/100km, which is still outstanding economy for a vehicle of this size. So, based on our numbers, you could expect an extensive driving range from its 70-litre tank of around 840km.

The Australian input into the JAC Hunter’s steering and ride can really be felt. While there will always be a ride compromise in any vehicle designed to operate anywhere from empty to having almost a tonne in its tray, in the JAC that compromise has been blurred a little.

What that means in this case is that the vehicle now feels as though the front and rear end are working together, and not out on their first date. The steering, too feels neutral and pretty natural - although there’s not a lot of feel or feedback - with no need to clarify your instructions mid-corner.

Part of the JAC’s demeanour is to also exhibit fairly minimal body roll, which makes for a tidy response and a greater felling of control. The flip side is that, when unladen in particular, that roll stiffness translates into a tendency to lift its inside rear wheel in corners, allowing the tyre to spin and squeal earlier than you’d expect it to. Wet roads demand a little extra care. But the damping overall is actually very good, and there’s minimal road or suspension noise making it into the cabin.

The driveline seems less completely resolved. That starts with some vibration when the petrol engine kicks in and there’s a small degree of noise and hum, made all the more dramatic by the silence of the electrical running gear component.

But the real complaint lies with the throttle calibration. Despite all that alleged performance, the Hunter is a little tardy to get rolling from a green light. After a couple of seconds, the engine and motors seem to get the memo, and all chime in together to get things hauling.

But worse is the Hunter’s tendency in HEV mode to hang on to throttle input for a second or so after you’ve released the throttle pedal. It doesn’t actually continue to accelerate, but it doesn’t begin to slow down immediately either, holding what feels like a percentage of throttle opening, even though you’re already slowing down. To be fair, this is most noticeable during the process of full-bore acceleration and completely stepping off the throttle, but it remains an issue and is probably caused by the petrol engine taking its sweet time to kick in and out.

And then there’s the outright acceleration. Despite claiming 360kW of power and better than 1000Nm of torque, the Hunter never ever feels as though that’s the case. Its acceleration is most convincing when rolling on the power from about 70 to 100km/h when it hustles pretty hard, but below that, there never seems to be the performance such mighty numbers would suggest. It’s also true that you need to meet certain criteria to unleash that full potential, including being in both Sport and HEV modes as well as having lots of charge on board for the full wallop to be unleashed.

It has a comfortable driving position as the steering wheel is adjustable for height and reach, the bucket seat has a fold-down inboard armrest and there’s a prominent left footrest. Although the driver’s seat base has no rake adjustment, it’s long enough to provide good under-thigh support with enough rake to avoid sliding towards the front of it like some rivals.

The steering is responsive and nicely weighted, which combined with competent handling and braking makes the Expert feel sure-footed. The supple four-coil suspension provides a smooth unladen ride quality.

The energetic drivetrain with its 370Nm of torque has spirited acceleration and good agility in traffic. Although peak torque is at 2000rpm, the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel pulls cleanly from 1500rpm which showcases its flexibility.

The eight-speed automatic gets good results from this engine, but sequential manual-shifting using the paddle-shifters is handy when more driver input is required. The cabin is acceptably quiet at highway speeds, thanks to the cabin bulkhead and low tyre, engine and wind noise.

Our only major criticism is the absence of blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. In our opinion every van, particularly with solid side-walls and doors like this one, should at least have these active safety features as standard (like the HiAce which also has standard front parking sensors).

The Expert’s relatively small mirror on the passenger door is not sufficient in eliminating the large and potentially hazardous blind-spot over the driver’s left shoulder, particularly in heavy traffic and when reversing from driveways into busy streets.

No ANCAP rating and although it’s equipped with AEB, emergency brake assist and forward collision warning there are only front airbags for driver and passenger, which looks threadbare compared to the HiAce’s seven airbags. It also misses out on important active safety features previously mentioned.

The Hunter has a pretty strong story to tell here, with seven years of warranty cover with no kilometre limit and no caveats for vehicles used for commercial purposes. There’s also eight years or 150,000km (which ever comes first) cover on the EV battery.

Service intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km, and there’s capped-price servicing for the first seven years and free roadside assistance for the same period.

JAC is also offering a ute-for-ute deal on any Hunter ute that is sidelined for a warranty fix. Dealers will have loan vehicles in that case with the aim that no small (or large) business is negatively impacted through a warranty claim.

The Expert is covered by a five years/200,000km warranty. Scheduled servicing every 12 months/20,000km whichever occurs first. Five years of capped-price servicing totals $3049 or an average of $609.80 per year.