Rolls-Royce Cullinan vs Jetour T2

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Rolls-Royce Cullinan in South Africa

Rolls-Royce Cullinan

Cullinan Series II Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
Price on request
⚡ 420 kW 🔧 850 Nm ⛽ 5.95 km/l
VS
Jetour T2 in South Africa

Jetour T2

Odyssey 2.0TD+7DCT 4WD Petrol 7-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 679,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 180 kW 🔧 375 Nm ⛽ 10.8 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Cullinan
Fuel Economy T2
🛡 Safety Cullinan
📦 Practicality Cullinan
🔑 Ownership T2

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec Cullinan T2
Maximum Power 420 kW @ 5000-6000 rpm 180 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque 850 Nm @ 1600-4250 rpm 375 Nm
Engine Size 6749 cc 1998 cc
Claimed Mileage 5.95 km/l 10.8 km/l
Ground Clearance 173 mm 220 mm
Boot / Load Bay 612 l 580 l
Airbags 8 Front, front side, and curtain airbags
Kerb Weight 2725 kg -
Seating Capacity - -
Warranty 4 years; regional conditions apply 10-year/1,000,000 km engine warranty

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Both Cullinan and T2 are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Cullinan +22 pts
Efficiency T2 +15 pts
Safety Cullinan +5 pts
Practicality Cullinan +1 pts
Ownership T2 +33 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Cullinan

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage
🏆 Overall Winner

T2

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Cullinan

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

T2

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Cullinan T2
Model Introduced Year 2018 2026
Generation Cullinan Series II, the current evolution of the marque's five-door super-luxury SUV Current local listing
Facelift History Cullinan was introduced in South Africa in 2018 and received its most extensive evolution as Cullinan Series II in May 2024 Not listed by current South African source page.
Facelift Launched Since 2024 2026
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Five-door luxury SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 Current
Production Status active Active
Segment Full-size super-luxury SUV SUV
Vehicle Type Internal-combustion sport utility vehicle SUV
Gross Combined Mass Kg - 3885 kg
Tare Mass Kg - 1700-1934 kg
Spec Cullinan T2
Drivetrain Layout All-wheel drive with all-wheel steering 4WD
Transfer Case ATC 13 transfer case Not Applicable
Differential Lock No lockable differential Rear Electronic Limited-Slip Differential
Paddle Shifters No Not Applicable
Gearbox 8-speed ZF automatic Automatic
Final Drive Ratio 2.81:1 Not Applicable
Number of Gears 8 7
Transmission Type 8-speed ZF automatic 7DCT
Clutch Type Torque converter Not Applicable
Drivetrain All-wheel drive 4WD
4WD Engagement Everywhere off-road capability engaged by one button Not Applicable
4WD Hi Range Not Applicable Not Applicable
4WD Lo Range Not Applicable Not Applicable
4WD Selector Everywhere button Not Applicable
Automatic Shift Paddles No Not Applicable
Front Differential Lock Not Applicable Not Applicable
Gearbox Type 8-speed ZF automatic 7DCT
Low Range Ratio Not Applicable Not Applicable
Low Range Not Applicable Not Applicable
Axle Layout All-wheel-drive power delivery with active rear-axle steering 2WD
Rear Differential Lock Not Applicable Not Applicable
Transmission Speeds 8 7
Gear Shift Type Satellite Aided automatic gear selection Not Applicable
LSD Available - Multi-Plate Clutch Limited-Slip Differential
Gear Shift Indicator - Not Applicable

Overall Verdict Score

Decision-grade view of the winner, score gap and category strengths.

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

T2 leads by 1 points

Both Cullinan and T2 are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 74 /100
Lead 1 points
Data 78% confidence
74
#1 Winner

T2

78% data confidence 4 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Efficiency 43
Performance 77
Efficiency 43
Safety 94
Practicality 74
Ownership 77
Leads by 1 points
73
#2

Cullinan

94% data confidence 3 strong categories
Best at Performance 99 Check Efficiency 28
Performance 99
Efficiency 28
Safety 99
Practicality 75
Ownership 44
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Cullinan +22 Efficiency T2 +15 Safety Cullinan +5 Practicality Cullinan +1 Ownership T2 +33

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

T2

Performance 77/100
Efficiency 43/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 74/100
Ownership 77/100

Cullinan

Performance 99/100
Efficiency 28/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 75/100
Ownership 44/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Jetour T2 wins with 74 pts vs 73 pts for Cullinan

In structured scoring, T2 emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Cullinan may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the T2 edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Cullinan 28 vs T2 43. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Cullinan 99, T2 94. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Cullinan 44, T2 77. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Cullinan 75, T2 74. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Cullinan 99, T2 77. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The T2 edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The T2 scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Cullinan and T2 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Cullinan scores 99 vs 77.

Efficiency: Cullinan scores 28 vs 43.

Safety: Cullinan scores 99 vs 94.

Practicality: Cullinan scores 75 vs 74.

Ownership: Cullinan scores 44 vs 77.

Final structured scoring gives T2 the advantage in this comparison.