Volkswagen Transporter vs JAC Hunter

What's the difference?

Although closely related to Ford’s E-Transit Custom, the e-Transporter has carved its own niche in appealing to VW Transporter loyalists and businesses wanting to project a chic Euro image. For tradies and other service providers its driving range is best suited to metro duties, which if combined with the convenience of daily back-to-base charging could make it a practical solution for many working roles.

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.

Although based on the E-Transit Custom, the e-Transporter (like the Amarok) does a commendable job in establishing its own identity, with noticeable differences in styling and a spacious and functional cabin design with a distinct VW commercial vehicle look and feel.

Its dash design is free of protrusions, leaving enough floor space between it and the seats to allow drivers convenient ‘walk-through’ access from one side of the cab to the other.

Our LWB example is clearly designed with hard work in mind, armed with 16-inch steel wheels and unpainted dark grey plastic evident in areas most vulnerable to wear and tear including the bumpers, hubcaps, door handles and mirror shells.

It rides on a sprawling 3500mm wheelbase with MacPherson strut front and coil-spring rear suspension. Key body dimensions of 5450mm length and 2032mm width are combined with a practical 1978mm height, the latter allowing access to low clearance loading zones and multi-storey carparks. The long wheelbase contributes to its largish 13-metre turning circle.

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.

The heavy propulsion battery mounted beneath the load floor is largely responsible for the e-Transporter’s sizeable 2540kg kerb weight, which when deducted from its 3225kg GVM leaves a payload of 685kg.

However, Volkswagen’s published rating is higher at 760kg, as European payload measurement typically allows for a 75kg driver. Even so, that’s still a modest payload compared to numerous mid-size diesel rivals (including its TDI Transporter equivalent) offering up to one tonne or more.

About 150kg of the e-Transporter’s payload can be carried on the clever trio of folding roof racks courtesy of its Ford donor, which lie flush with the roof when not in use but can quickly be locked in vertical positions to carry loads as needed.

Our test vehicle is also rated to tow up to 2300kg of braked trailer but Volkswagen does not publish a GCM figure (how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) so we don’t know if it can tow its maximum trailer weight while carrying its maximum payload.

The cargo bay, which offers up to 6.8 cubic metres of load volume, is accessed through a standard passenger-side sliding door with 1030mm opening width or the swing-up tailgate.

The load floor, which comes standard with a protective liner, is 3002mm long and 1777mm wide with 1392mm between the rear wheel housings. This means it can carry two standard Aussie pallets or three Euro pallets secured by a choice of eight load anchorage points.

A section of load floor length can also be extended to 3450mm by opening a hinged hatch on the lower left of the cabin bulkhead, which can be handy for carrying long lengths of timber, pipe, conduit, carpet rolls etc. The walls are also neatly lined to mid-height and there’s a 12V socket.

There’s also ample cabin storage with three tiers of storage (including large-bottle holders) in each front door plus cupholders on each side of the dash-pad, which also has a large open tray in the centre with a pair of USB ports.

The lower dash includes a large glove box, driver’s pop-out cupholder, wireless phone charging pad, 12V socket and more USB ports, while the centre seat backrest folds forward to serve as a mobile work desk.

Beneath the hinged base cushions on the passenger bench seat is a cavernous hidden storage area which is ideal for the five metre long charging cable.

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.

At $49,988 plus on-road costs, the entry-level Hunter Pro is instantly making waves. Aside from the hardware that makes it an off-roader and a PHEV, the Pro gets nice additions like:

• Leather-accented trim
• Leather steering wheel
• Reading lights
• Multi-function steering wheel
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Six-way powered driver’s seat
• 10.25-inch driver display
• Digital radio
• Wireless connectivity
• 10.4-inch central touchscreen
• Wireless charging
• LED lighting.

There are also neat touches like a tilt and reach adjustable steering column (something that’s by no means a given in dual-cab utes) and a 64-colour ambient lighting system in the cabin.

The version we’ve tested here is the top-shelf variant, the Hunter X. At $54,844 pus on-road costs, it undercuts entry-level versions of the BYD Shark 6 Dynamic ($55,900) and the Cannon Alpha PHEV Lux ($57,490).

On top of the Pro’s standard equipment, the X gains:

• Automatic anti-glare interior mirror
• Power adjustment (four-way) for the passenger’s seat
• Heated front seats
• A second USB-C port (rear)
• A 220-volt accessory socket
• JAC-monogrammed puddle lights.

If that sounds like a lot of kit for the money, it is, and it’s hard to imagine a vehicle with more tech and a broader range of abilities for similar money. Which is exactly what JAC wants you to think, of course.

The sunroof is a $1500 option on either variant, and our test car also came with dealer-fitted Pirelli Scorpion off-road tyres at $1200.

The e-Transporter’s single electric motor, which produces 210kW of power and 415Nm of torque, drives the rear wheels through a single-speed automatic transmission. It offers numerous drive modes including 'Normal', 'Eco', 'Sport', 'Slippery' and 'Tow/Haul' plus there's a 'B' button on the gear selector which optimises regenerative braking for largely one-pedal driving and maximum energy harvesting.

The motor and transmission are neatly combined in a compact unit mounted beneath the load floor driving the rear wheels. This design has an inherent traction advantage over front-wheel drive rivals, particularly when towing and hauling heavy loads on low-grip surfaces.

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.

Volkswagen claims a combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle electric WLTP driving range of up to 330km from a single charge of its 64kWh lithium-ion propulsion battery, which can be charged from zero to 100 per cent in around seven hours and 30 minutes using a three-phase 11kW AC charger and 10-80 per cent in just 38 minutes using 125kW DC fast charging.

The dash display confirmed a 100 per cent charge and estimated driving range of up to 298km when we collected the test vehicle. After completing 103km of metropolitan driving there was 65 per cent charge and 186km range remaining, which was consistent with the original onboard estimate.

We plugged into a public AC station (the charging port is located behind a flap in the front bumper) and after three hours the battery charge had increased from 65 to 93 per cent, with the estimated driving range rising from 186km to 290km. The total test distance was 233km with average consumption of 20kWh/100km, so based on those figures a real-world driving range of around 300km from a full charge is credible.

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.

It has a big left footrest and ample steering wheel and seat adjustment, with the latter including a fold-down inboard armrest, power lumbar support and even manual extension of the base cushion to provide extra thigh support.

The large truck-style door mirrors feature a wide-angle view in their lower third which combined with blind-spot monitoring and other active features ensures commanding side and rear surveillance for the driver.

More than 400Nm of torque is ample for a mid-size van and with most of that delivered instantly from standing starts thanks to the electric motor, it has zippy acceleration that’s ideal for metro driving.

It’s also like riding in a tram at suburban speeds with its near-silent drivetrain although tyre noise increases and can become intrusive at highway speeds, even with a sealed bulkhead to largely insulate the cabin from most of the tyre noise emanating from the rear wheel housings.

To sample its load carrying ability we forklifted 325kg into the cargo bay which combined with our crew of two equalled a total payload of more than half a tonne. It coped comfortably with this task across a mix of city roads and highway hauling. Overall, we found it difficult to fault as a urban-based workhorse.

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.

The JAC Hunter’s standard safety package is a pretty compelling one. Inclusions even on the entry-level variant include:

• Autonomous emergency braking
• Hill start and descent control
• Stability control
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Isofix child-restraint mounting points
• Lane-keeping assistance
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Traffic-sign recognition
• Blind-spot monitoring.

The more expensive Hunter X also features front and rear parking sensors (rear only on the Pro) a 360-degree camera (rear only) and a dashcam.

But even better is the fitment of seven airbags to the Hunter in any of its forms. That includes side-curtain airbags for all outboard seating positions and a centre airbag to reduce head-clash injuries in a side impact.

The Hunter has been tested by ANCAP and scored the maximum five safety stars.

We will, however, take exception to the ADAS functions (some of them anyway) fitted to the Hunter. The speeding warning is not as annoying as some, but the lane-keeping warning and driver awareness monitor (including the hands-on-the-wheel reminder) are insistent and are – depending on how you look at it – their own form of driver distraction.

This van comes standard with a five-year/unlimited km warranty with roadside assist plus a separate eight-year/160,000km propulsion battery warranty.

Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/30,000km whichever occurs first. Volkswagen offers three-year and five-year prepaid service plans with average costs of around $400-$450 per service.

These terms are competitive with rivals like the LDV eDeliver 7 and Ford E-Transit Custom, with the LDV offering lower servicing costs and a longer battery warranty. The e-Transporter’s servicing is also considerably cheaper than its eVito German rival.

Volkswagen Group Australia is backed by a large national network of around 170-180 dealerships represented in all states and territories including many regional areas.

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.