Jetour Auto Philippines, Inc. (JAPI) invited us last week to the launch of their new 7-seater SUV, the Jetour X-70 Lightning i-DM, at the new Jetour showroom and headquarters along Quezon Avenue in Quezon City.
JAPI managing director Miguelito Jose and marketing director May Moreno-de los Santos led the simple unveiling of the new SUV.
Lito said the X-70 i-DM is one of the plug-in hybrid vehicles JAPI is introducing at the Manila International Auto Show on April 10- 13.
It is a full hybrid vehicle that is fuel efficient with a range of 1,200 kilometers on a full tank and charge. It is also full of amenities like full leather on the seven seats, android and apple car play, a 24-inch video monitor, and the ADAS or Advanced Driver AssistanceSystem.
One thing I liked about the launch was the test drive that followed immediately. We had 13 test units from Quezon Avenue, then ramped up on the Skyway en route to NLEX, SCTEX, and the Acea Beach Hotel and Resort in Subic.
Andy Sevilla of Market Monitor and Manila Standard took the first driving chores. He said the steering was very light, and he enjoyed driving the very responsive setup of the i-DM. It has a 1.5 L turbo gasoline engine and two electric motors giving the vehicle sufficient torque and excellent handling on the highway. It was my turn to drive at the Shell station along NLEX but Andy volunteered to drive all the way to Subic. I was seated at the rear and liked the SUVs roominess and the relaxing middle armrest. It was one of the few occasions that I was in the rear passenger seat and had a chance to fully appreciate the X-70’s leg and headroom, the comfort of the rear aircon vent, and the convenience of the rear charging ports. We had cold drinks in a personalized cooler, plus snacks, so it was an ideal seat location.
It was time for lunch at the Acea Resort, and after checking in and a two-hour respite, we returned to our vehicles for drives around Subic. Subic has good twisty roads and some straights to further test the car’s acceleration and smooth performance. My turn to drive simply confirmed what Andy had been raving about, and I looked forward to my turn to drive the X-70 on our way back to Quezon City the following day.
We spent the rest of the afternoon in video and photo shoot for content creation at the beautiful and scenic ground of Acea.
We appreciated the fact that our schedule was just right and that we had enough time for rest and recreation. Some of our colleagues went swimming and jogging, while this writer played table tennis with our cameraman, Davein Madrid, and Inquirer photographer, Tope Crisostomo. Andy and I even sneaked in time in the bay’s clear waters.
The drive from Subic to Quezon City via NLEX was smooth except for two traffic situations approaching San Fernando, Pampanga, and Guiginto, Bulacan. As I have not done a fuel economy run for quite some time, I am looking forward to one day driving the Jetour X-70 Lightning i-DM, which balances fuel-powered range with electric efficiency and hopefully surpasses the 1,200-kilometer long drive record set earlier.
The X-70 i-DM and other Jetour models will be available for viewing and test drive at MIAS.
