New arrival claims Australia's Safest Ute title.
ANCAP has unveiled the top overall safety performers for 2024, and there’s a name on the list that many Australians might not have heard of.The JAC T9 has been named Australia’s safest Ute and the fourth safest vehicle overall for 2024.
Each of the top performers achieved five-star ANCAP safety ratings assessed against current 2023-2025 test and rating protocols, with the top performers determined using an overall weighting calculation. Emphasis is given to physical crash protection with 40% of the overall weighting calculation applied to Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) and, respectively, 20% applied to the remaining three assessment areas - Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road User Protection and Safety Assist.
JAC Motors Australia Managing Director Ahmed Mahmoud said: “When our world-class engineering team set out to build the JAC T9 dual-cab diesel Ute for Australian drivers, they had one clear mission: build an exceptionally safe vehicle without compromising on value. Their dedication paid off – JAC now proudly stands as the safest Ute in Australia based on ANCAP’s 2024 calculations. While JAC may be new to many Australians, we're quickly making our mark through our unwavering commitment to safety, cutting-edge technology, quality, and industry-leading customer care."
The JAC T9's exceptional safety credentials are underpinned by several key engineering features:
- 18 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems+
- Enhanced pedestrian protection through improved leg energy-absorbing beam design
- Innovative rear-facing Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) functionality
- Superior braking performance delivered by a two-box (EHB + ESC) system
ANCAP Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg said: “JAC has clearly committed to bringing high levels of safety performance to the Australian market with the T9, and are to be commended for achieving these strong results with their first offering”.
The JAC T9 lineup features two dual-cab 4x4 diesel variants - the Oasis and Haven - with prices starting from $45,670 drive away*. Powered by a 2.0-Litre Turbo Diesel engine delivering maximum 125kW of power and 410Nm of torque, the T9 comes equipped with a refined ZF 8-speed automatic transmission.
| 2024 RANKING | Vehicle Type | Make | Model | ANCAP SAFETY RATING |
OVERALL WEIGHTED SCORE |
| 1 | Medium Car | Toyota | Camry | 5 stars | 88.4% |
| 2 | Large SUV | Mazda | CX-80 | 5 stars | 87.6% |
| 3 | Small SUV | Zeekr | X | 5 stars | 87.4% |
| 4 | Utility | JAC | T9 | 5 stars | 86.6% |
JAC has over 60-years experience building tough vehicles, and now they’re bringing their world-class engineering to Australia. The JAC T9 is now available through a network of 62 dealerships across Australia, with vehicles now available for customers to driveaway.
Read full the JAC T9 ANCAP report here
+Driver assistance systems work only within system limits and are intended to assist the driver. The driver remains responsible for driving the vehicle and is required to remain attentive at all times.
* Note to Journalists: The price stated above is the drive away price including on-road costs in Victoria. For drive away prices relevant to other states, please see the price calculator on the JAC website here.
JAC T9 Ute is Australia’s safest Ute. The JAC T9 was tested in August 2024 to ANCAP’s most stringent protocols and was awarded five stars. The JAC T9 Ute’s safety scores across the four assessment categories produce the highest combined overall score by a Ute tested to these stringent protocols. The T9’s four assessment scores were: 85% for Adult Occupation Protection, 87% for Child Occupant Protection, 87% for Vulnerable Road User Protection, and 89% for Safety Assist.
ABOUT JAC
JAC may be a new name to Australian Ute buyers, but it’s a brand that brings more than 60 years of automotive excellence and global experience to Australia. JAC has been designing and producing commercial vehicles since 1964, and the JAC T9 Ute embodies everything JAC knows about building vehicles that professionals can rely on.
JAC has Research & Development facilities in three countries – Italy, Japan and China – and, in 2018, its relentless drive for improvement and innovation saw JAC become the first Chinese automotive brand to exceed 10,000 patents, including more than 1,750 invention patents. JAC currently holds more than 12,500 patents.
JAC’s commitment to reducing whole of life carbon emissions saw it recognised as a leader among all Chinese car brands in December 2024. The company's "1+2+6+N" dual-carbon framework is designed to guide its journey toward achieving carbon neutrality, addressing both organisational and product-level goals.