Less than a week after its launch in Malaysia, Jetour Auto Malaysia organized a short drive for its first offering in the country – the 2025 Jetour Dashing.
Overview – What is the 2025 Jetour Dashing?
For the Malaysian market, two variants are offered at the initial stage, namely the Comfort and Prime, with prices starting from RM 109,800. The one we sampled is the Prime variant, priced from RM 116,800.
Both variants are powered by a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that does 156 PS and 230 Nm, paired to a wet-type six-speed dual-clutch automatic (DCT), driving the front wheels. No AWD option for the Dashing.
Right now, the Jetour Dashing is fully imported (CBU) from China, though there are plans to locally assemble (CKD) the model at Berjaya Assemblers Sdn Bhd in Johor by late-May.
Measuring 4,590 mm in length, 1,900 mm in width, and 1,685 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,720 mm, the Jetour Dashing’s dimensions are right smack within segment rivals. That said, its 2,720 mm wheelbase is among the longest, allowing for more legroom for the rear passengers. We will get to that later.
Exterior – There’s no mistaking the Ironman-inspired looks
The front-end of the Jetour Dashing is a polarizing one – you may like it, or you may not. But there’s definitely no denying that there’s nothing as attention-grabbing as the Dashing. The slim LED daytime running lights (DRLs) reside at the very top, while the actual headlights are nestled at each corner of the front fascia.
Thankfully the rear-end of the Jetour Dashing is more traditional, with a pair of slim LED tail lights flanking the prominent JETOUR wording. Where it stands out is towards the sides, as Jetour has given the Dashing a pair of what they call “Trident Tailights”, which are essentially tail lights that split at the ends.
Towards the bottom half of the Dashing’s rear-end, there’s a massive diffuser that gives this C-segment SUV a sportier look.
Our review sample here is the Prime variant, which gets larger 19-inch wheels wrapped in 235/55R19 tyres all round. The Prime variant also adds heated side mirrors, panoramic sunroof, and rain-sensing wipers.
Interior – Well put together with some surprises
While the exterior of the 2025 Jetour Dashing is as stylish as it is, the interior is a bit more laid back. Typical of most modern-day Chinese models, the Dashing gets two 10.25-inch displays, one that serves as the infotainment display, while the other serves as the digital instrument cluster.
At a glance, one may notice that the design of some of the switchgear is reminiscent of a certain Stuttgart-based luxury car marque. Not entirely a bad thing as it does give the Dashing a bit more upmarket appeal.
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity is present. While getting started with either telematics system is straightforward, we noticed some stuttering when using Apple CarPlay wirelessly.
Interestingly, the Dashing gets a two-layer carpet design – there’s the usual mat as the top layer, but beneath that there’s a removable layer, presumably easy to remove and clean when the interior gets dirty over time. Might even be good news for those who enjoy weekend camping trips.Thanks to the 2,720 mm wheelbase, rear legroom is nothing short of generous. Couple that with the two-step rear seat and the Dashing’s rear is perhaps one of the more comfortable SUVs to be in.
Driving Experience – Easy like Sunday Morning
Behind the wheel of the 2025 Jetour Dashing, the first thing that comes to mind is – is the DCT jerky? Given our brief time with the SUV, the dreaded DCT jerking behaviour wasn’t really noticeable, though a more in-depth review of the Dashing will come in due time.
All-round visibility is decent and coupled with the light steering and 540-degree camera, maneuverability is generally fuss-free. There’s no faffling around necessary to get used to the Dashing.
Jetour has done a decent job with the Dashing’s suspension set up, as this SUV provides decent levels pliancy over bumpy roads. We’d wager that the Dashing’s suspension is tuned for more comfort than outright handling.
Working hand-in-hand with the aforementioned generous rear legroom, and the rear seats are perhaps the best place to be in.
Furthermore, the 2025 Jetour Dashing is also properly refined – noise, harshness, and vibration (NVH) levels are kept in check, regardless of road surface conditions. Tyre and wind noises are also properly insulated from the cabin, further adding to the Dashing’s overall refinement levels.
Long distance journeys, at least based on our initial impressions, should be a fuss-free experience in the 2025 Jetour Dashing.
Conclusion
The Malaysian C-segment SUV market is a hotly-contested one – there are multiple rivals from across the globe – Japan (Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Subaru Forester), South Korea (Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson), Europe (Volkswagen Tiguan, Peugeot 3008), and more recently, China (Haval H6, Jaecoo J7, GWM Tank 300, Chery Tiggo 7 Pro).
Now with the 2025 Jetour Dashing in the picture, buyers are spoilt for choices. While the Dashing still has plenty of room for improvement (lane change warning and blind spot monitoring just aren’t enough in 2025), but given its starting price of RM 109,800, we do understand that some compromises must be made to achieve such a price point.
With the introduction of the locally-assembled (CKD) models in the near future, hopefully Jetour can bump up the spec sheet with some much needed ADAS kit to sweeten the deal.
At current time, we reckon that the Jetour Dashing is still a viable option for folks shopping for a C-segment SUV, especially if they value a refined and comfortable ride.
