2026 Jetour X70 Lightning i-DM: Hidden gem
Even amid the bustle of the modern marketplace, it’s fairly easy to find the products and services that capture our imaginations.
For instance, there is a seemingly endless number of coffee shops that cater to the seemingly ceaseless demand for caffeinated beverages (something I find rather bemusing because I don’t drink coffee). But it’s quite clear, to paraphrase George Orwell, that some paper cups are more equal than the others.
Indeed, the BYD Sealion 6 DM-i compact crossover has become a market darling almost overnight because it redefined what is possible for around P1.5 million. This is especially because, at this price range, stalwart Japanese brands can only offer smaller crossovers that may or may not have electrified powerplants.
As exemplary as the BYD is, Filipinos who need to carry seven passengers either have to revert to internal-combustion-engine multi-purpose vehicles (MPV) or need to fork out more money for a larger plug-in crossover like the BYD Tang DM-i or Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV.
But there is one electrified compact crossover that has been able to do the job this whole time – the Jetour X70 Lightning i-DM.
Color and lights
Color can really make or break a car’s design – and the Jade Green paint on our test unit really makes this seven-seater stand out.
The X70 Lightning i-DM’s face is dominated by the gloss-black grill, which includes an LED light surround that complements the LED daytime running lights nestled in the lower bumper. Meanwhile, the powerful LED headlights help define the muscular hoodline.
Down the side, this green machine has a high beltline and strong character lines that run through the door handles and lower flanks, while the matte-black fender surrounds are crisply executed to highlight the two-tone, 19-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 235/55-series tires. Finally, the formal rear end features full-width LED taillights and a subtle tailgate spoiler.
Overall, the X70 Lightning i-DM’s handsome appearance has mass appeal, but some of the stylistic drama of its cousin, the Jetour Dashing, would have been welcome.
Posh 7-seater
Step inside this electrified crossover and you are greeted by a sea of soft crimson leather on the seats, dashboard and door cards (a treatment typically seen from luxury marques like Porsche and Rolls-Royce).
Happily, Jetour has provided adequate contrast with black soft-touch materials and matte-silver trim on the air-conditioning vents and the tweeters for the Sony surround-sound system. The dual 10.25-inch displays for the gauges and the touchscreen infotainment system are clear, but the latter’s lack of native Apple CarPlay and Android Auto highlights the model’s age.
But in spite of the throwback smartphone integration, I thoroughly appreciated the simple controls (a seemingly antiquated trend that is way overdue for revival), particularly for the frigid dual-zone climate-control system. You also get premium goodies like a panoramic moonroof, wireless charging pad and electrically adjustable, ventilated seats.
And so, we arrive at the part that you’ve all been waiting for – much like the majority of small MPVs, the sought-after third-row seats are only really suitable for kids, along with not having their own air-conditioning vents. As such, it’s more reasonable to treat the X70 Lightning i-DM as a 5+2 (something that even the all-conquering Sealion 6 DM-i can’t do).
In addition, having the third row up results in a tiny cargo area that, sadly, doesn’t include a proper spare wheel. But once those perches are folded away, there is much more space behind the second row than in five-seat, plug-in crossovers like the BYD.
Quick efficiency
The X70 Lightning i-DM is also more engaging to drive than the Sealion 6 DM-i.
This is largely thanks to the supple suspension that offers greater composure over bumps, while exhibiting less body lean in spirited driving. The accurate steering and immensely powerful brakes inspire much confidence, although some more weight in both would result in a truly slam-dunk driving experience.
This seven-seater can also hustle, courtesy of its turbocharged 1.5-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve inline-4 gasoline engine mated to an electric motor and a 19.43-kWh battery pack. Although combined output is not officially stated, the X70 Lightning i-DM has comparable performance to the punchy Sealion 6 DM-i.
But one thing I greatly liked with the Jetour is that you can charge the battery even when you’re just idling, thus giving you far more control over when and how to charge. And unsurprisingly, fuel consumption is stellar – it does 16 to 19 kilometers per liter wherever you go, while the battery-only range is competitive at around 80 kilometers on a full charge.
The X70 Lightning i-DM likewise gets full adaptive driver assistance systems for greater safety and convenience, especially on long journeys. These include adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane-keeping assist and rear cross-traffic alert.
Worthy of emulation
In summary, the 2026 Jetour X70 Lightning i-DM proves that electrified mobility can fit into traditional Filipino family lifestyles.
At P1,578,000, it is priced competitively against five-seat, plug-in crossovers like the P1,549,000 BYD Sealion 6 DM-i. The Jetour’s closest rival is arguably the electrified Toyota Zenix HEV, which not only costs a whopping P1,991,000, but also doesn’t have plug-in capability.
Much like the T2 Lightning i-DM that we reviewed recently, the X70 Lightning i-DM offers many lessons to other brands on offering a truly forward-thinking vehicle (along with its record-setting 6-year/1,000,000-kilometer warranty). It just needs some updating to put it to the same standard as newer Jetour models like the impressive T1 Lightning i-DM.
But given how rapidly Jetour has developed this critical model (especially when compared to the shiversome previous-generation X70), expect this gem to be front-and-center, sooner than later.
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