JAC S3

JAC S3 generations: what changed for a buyer

Net for the buyer: the restyles change the generation label and the dates. They do not change the measured hardware table.

1 generation (2014-01-01 to 2016-11-30). Four versions, all Hatchback 5-door, all FWD, all Gasoline, all Euro 5, all 45 L tank, all 200 mm ground clearance, all 180 km/h top speed, all 146 Nm at 3500–4500 rpm, all 4 cylinders Inline, 4 valves per cylinder, boost No, fuel 95, multi-point injection. This is the only generation where a version-to-version comparison is possible.

1 generation, restyling 1 (2016-12-01 to 2019-02-28). Same Hatchback 5-door body class. Version count: 0. No hp, no kerb weight, no gearbox. A 2018 or 2019 JAC S3 search does not get extra engine rows from this restyle in these data.

1 generation, restyling 2 (2019-03-01, stop not measured). Again Hatchback 5-door, again 0 versions. Specs labelled 2023 / 2024 / 2025 engine size are not in this file. Restyle 2 does not, on these numbers, buy more power or a different drive layout.

Net for the buyer: the restyles change the generation label and the dates. They do not change the measured hardware table.

JAC S3 engine specs: four versions, two displacements

The 1.5-litre pair is 91 cc smaller than the 1.6-litre pair (1590 − 1499) and 4 hp / 3 kW stronger (113 vs 109; 83 vs 80). Peak torque is identical: 146 Nm in the same 3500–4500 rpm band on all four. Specific output:

• 1.5 MT / 1.5 CVT: 113 hp ÷ 1.499 L ≈ 75.4 hp/L
• 1.6 MT / 1.6 CVT: 109 hp ÷ 1.590 L ≈ 68.6 hp/L

The smaller engine is about 6.8 hp/L denser. That is the opposite of “bigger displacement always buys more power” on this table.

Engine position is measured only on 1.5 MT and 1.5 CVT: Front, transverse. On 1.6 MT and 1.6 CVT engine position is not measured. Oil capacity, oil grade, and engine-oil service volumes are not measured on any version.

JAC S3 specs: what the extra gearbox and extra 4 hp buy

Same peak torque, same top speed, same fuel type. The buyer is paying (in the abstract — price is not measured) for three real differences: displacement/power, gearbox, and a few kilograms plus rear-suspension wording.

Manual vs Variable. 1.6 MT and 1.5 MT are Manual with 6 gears. 1.6 CVT and 1.5 CVT are Variable; gear count not measured. Drive stays FWD. If the choice is “I want a clutch and six ratios,” the shortlist is 1.5 MT or 1.6 MT. If the choice is “I want Variable,” it is 1.5 CVT or 1.6 CVT.

1.5 vs 1.6 inside the same gearbox.

• Manual: 1.5 MT is 113 hp and 1210 kg kerb; 1.6 MT is 109 hp and 1220 kg. The 1.5 manual is +4 hp and −10 kg.
• Variable: 1.5 CVT is 113 hp and 1220 kg; 1.6 CVT is 109 hp and 1220 kg. Same kerb weight, +4 hp on the 1.5.

Power-to-weight (kg per hp, lower is denser):

• 1.5 MT: 1210 ÷ 113 ≈ 10.71 kg/hp
• 1.5 CVT: 1220 ÷ 113 ≈ 10.80 kg/hp
• 1.6 MT: 1220 ÷ 109 ≈ 11.19 kg/hp
• 1.6 CVT: 1220 ÷ 109 ≈ 11.19 kg/hp

1.5 MT is the lightest per horsepower. 1.6 MT and 1.6 CVT share the heaviest figure. The gap 1.6 vs 1.5 MT is about 0.48 kg/hp.

Chassis wording that actually differs. Front suspension is Independent, spring on all four. Front and rear brakes are Ventilated disc / Disc ventilated on all four. Rear suspension is not the same:

• 1.6 MT and 1.6 CVT: Semi-independent, torsion
• 1.5 MT and 1.5 CVT: Semi-independent, spring (English label in the source is the long string stored as `Semi-independent, springorts hélicoïdaux, sem`)

If the buyer cares about rear spring vs torsion, that split follows the 1.5 / 1.6 engines, not the gearbox.

JAC S3 performance, mpg, and what is not measured

0–100 km/h is measured on one version: 1.5 CVT at 11.5 s. For 1.6 MT, 1.6 CVT, and 1.5 MT, 0–100 is not measured. Do not treat 11.5 s as the family figure; it is the Variable 1.5 only.

Top speed is 180 km/h on all four. The 4 hp gap does not show up as a higher listed maximum.

Fuel consumption (mpg / L/100 km): city not measured, highway not measured, combined not measured on every version. A JAC S3 mpg comparison between 1.5 MT and 1.6 CVT cannot be scored from these data. CO2 is not measured.

Euro 5 and 95 Gasoline are shared. There is no economy number that rewards one version over another.

JAC S3 dimensions, weight, and clearance

Length, width, height, wheelbase, and wheel sizes are not measured on any version. Ground clearance is 200 mm on all four. Tank is 45 L on all four.

Kerb weight:

• 1.5 MT: 1210 kg (lightest)
• 1.6 MT, 1.6 CVT, 1.5 CVT: 1220 kg

Gross weight:

• 1.5 MT and 1.5 CVT: 1585 kg
• 1.6 MT and 1.6 CVT: not measured

Payload where both masses exist:

• 1.5 MT: 1585 − 1210 = 375 kg
• 1.5 CVT: 1585 − 1220 = 365 kg

1.5 MT carries 10 kg more payload than 1.5 CVT on these two figures. You cannot compute payload for the 1.6 pair because gross mass is not measured.

JAC S3 problems, reliability, and reviews

Problems, reliability scores, and review ratings are not measured. Engine-oil capacity is not measured. Rival comparisons (MG ZS, Nissan Sunny, X33 Cross, Nissan Kicks) have no numbers in this file, so they are not scored here.

What is measured and shared: FWD, Gasoline 95, Euro 5, no boost, 146 Nm, 180 km/h, 200 mm clearance, 45 L tank, ventilated discs front and rear. Those do not separate a “problem” version from a “clean” one.

Which JAC S3 version to choose

Use the four names exactly.

Choose 1.5 MT if the numbers that matter are mass and specific power. 113 hp, 1499 cc, Manual 6, FWD, 1210 kg kerb, 1585 kg gross, 375 kg payload, ~10.71 kg/hp, ~75.4 hp/L. It is the only version that is both the strongest and the lightest. Rear suspension is the 1.5 spring label. 0–100 not measured. Engine Front, transverse.

Choose 1.5 CVT if you want Variable and the only timed sprint. Same 113 hp / 1499 cc / 75.4 hp/L as 1.5 MT, but 1220 kg kerb (~10.80 kg/hp), 365 kg payload, Variable gearbox, 11.5 s 0–100 — the sole acceleration figure in the catalogue. You give up 10 kg of kerb lightness and 10 kg of payload versus 1.5 MT and you give up the 6-speed Manual.

Choose 1.6 MT if you want Manual and the larger 1590 cc block, knowing it is weaker and heavier than 1.5 MT. 109 hp, 6-speed Manual, 1220 kg, ~11.19 kg/hp, ~68.6 hp/L, rear Semi-independent, torsion. Versus 1.5 MT: −4 hp, +10 kg, +91 cc, torsion rear instead of the 1.5 spring label. Gross weight not measured. Engine position not measured.

Choose 1.6 CVT only if Variable must be paired with 1590 cc. Same 109 hp and 1220 kg as 1.6 MT, same ~11.19 kg/hp. Versus 1.5 CVT: −4 hp, same 1220 kg, no 0–100 figure (not measured vs 11.5 s), torsion rear vs 1.5 spring label. There is no measured fuel or CO2 gain for the larger engine.

Do not choose a restyle by spec. 1 generation, restyling 1 and 1 generation, restyling 2 list 0 versions. A 2019 / 2023 / 2024 / 2025 JAC S3 in this catalogue does not come with a second engine table.

Arithmetic summary for a one-line decision. Strongest and lightest measured car: 1.5 MT. Only version with a 0–100 number: 1.5 CVT at 11.5 s. Larger engine that is 4 hp down and 10 kg up versus the lightest 1.5: 1.6 MT. Same mass as 1.5 CVT with 4 hp less and no timed sprint: 1.6 CVT. Price, mpg, oil capacity, and exterior dimensions: not measured — they cannot break a tie.