Jetour Auto Philippines Inc. (JAPI) recently launched the T1 compact SUV plug-in-hybrid (PHEV), their latest addition to their electrified line up. Their choice of powertrain for this latest offering is not a surprise, usually, brands would offer the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) options and then bring in the electrified. Jetour wasted no time and brought in the PHEV version, knowing that Filipinos know the full benefits of a hybrid these days.

We’ve said many times that nothing beats a drive out of town to get a good feel for any new vehicle. This “shakedown”, was a drive out to Subic, roughly 156-kilometers route we’ve driven many times. This just makes it easier for us to get to know the T1. These drives usually start early, and after getting our car groupings, we headed out from the Jetour Quezon Avenue dealership and made our way to Skyway 3.

The T1 has a similar boxy profile to the T2, and you might even mistake one for the other until you get up close. Built on a monocoque chassis, this ensures that the T1’s ride will be comfortable. As of launch, only offered in 4x2 and will most probably only be used by its customers on city streets, country roads and light unpaved roads, but it does have decent ground clearance of 200-mm which offers confidence when going off tarmac. We got into the tail end of rush hour traffic but squeezing from the outer lane to the inner lane skyway onramp wasn’t too difficult despite it’s size.

Up front is the distinct front grille light strip, and flanking this are the LED headlamps with the cloverleaf daytime running lights giving it a unique personality. Its tough look is due to its boxy profile, add to that the tough-looking bumpers and dark body claddings, the 19-inch alloy wheels and the 235/60 tires.

The cabin is spacious and while the exterior has a rugged look, the interior is elegant and quiet. It has rear privacy glass, seats five and has a panoramic sunroof. The front occupants seats are ventilated, the front seats are power adjustable, the driver’s seat has additional settings for height, lumbar support, and memory.

The four-way adjustable steering wheel is leather-wrapped and in front of the driver is a 10.25-inch full LCD instrument cluster, and the star of the cabin is the 1080P, 15.6-inch touchscreen infotainment with Bluetooth audio and mobile phone connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and features a nine-speaker Sony audio system. This is a big plus if you like your playlists. Its equipped with an automatic dual-zone air conditioning equipped with an Air Quality Management System (AQS) and a CN95 filter. There are rear air vents and center armrest console has a cooling box. Cargo/luggage space is pretty large at 574-liters and this grows to 1455-liters when the second row is folded forward. It easily fit the overnight luggage of three, myself and two other occupants.

Under the hood is a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine that generates 154-Hp with 220-Nm of torque, and a single permanent magnet synchronous motor that produces 201-Hp with 310-Nm of torque, powered by a 26.7-kWh battery. With a full battery charge, the T1 offers full electric range of 117-kilometers and with a full tank of fuel and full charge, has a combined range of about 1,300-kilometers.

Power is transferred to the front wheels are driven by a dedicated hybrid transmission (DHT). There are driver selectable drive modes are Eco, Sport, Normal, and Snow. I found myself satisfied with the Eco drive mode, it offered a good balance of acceleration and regenerative braking, to slow down the battery consumption as we stayed in 'hybrid' mode using both ICE and electric combined.

Jetour didn’t skimp on safety, the T1 features an Advanced Driver Assist System (ADAS) suite which includes Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Front Collision Warning (FCW), Active Braking (AEB), Adaptive high and low beam, Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind spot monitoring, Open Door Warning, Rear Collision Warning (RCW), and Rear Cross Traffic Alert System (RCTA).

It's also equipped with active safety features are Corner Brake Control (CBC), Antilock Braking System (ABS), Brake assist (EBD/CBC/EBA/BAS/BA), Traction control (ASR/TCS/TRC), Hill Assist, Hill Decent control (HDC), Stability Control (ESC/ESP/DSC), Front/Rear Parking Radar, tire pressure monitoring function, and Driver Assistance Image (540° panoramic image).

Standard safety features are the airbags (driver, passenger, front/rear, side, and curtain), seat belt reminder, child seat interface (ISOFIX/LATCH), mechanical child lock, and electronic engine immobilizer. Pretty much everything you need and more to keep you and your friends or family safe on the road.

The T1 is equipped with central locking, remote start, keyless entry, keyless start, electronic parking brake, rear wipers, and parking air conditioning. There is the front door multi-layer laminated glass with thermal and acoustic insulation, one-touch window open/close and anti-pinch function and an electric sunroof sunshade.

The cabin has four USB ports - 2 type-A and 2 type-C, a 12-volt power socket up front, a 12-volt socket in the cargo area, a wireless charging pad, map lights, ambient lighting, and trunk lighting.

The Jetour T1 Lightning i-DM has everything you’d want and more in a five-seater compact SUV, it’s easy to drive, spacious, comfortable and has the amenities the tech inclined would need these days. It offers a powertrain and gives you the option of full electric or hybrid, with a long range that can easily take you to any point of Luzon, making our drive to Subic a cakewalk. But even so, a taste of a fraction of its capabilities speaks volumes of what this vehicle is capable of.

The T1 Lightning i-DM is priced at ₱1,898,000 and offered at a special introductory price of only ₱1,798,000, it might be worth considering whether its your first vehicle or an addition to your garage. Its warranties make it even more compelling - 6-Year General Warranty or up to 1,000,000 km, 8-Year Battery Warranty and a 10-Year Engine Warranty.