A full-blown seven-seater from Changan is designed to rival the best and most affordable family SUVs on the market – but how good is it really?
In recent years, with the rise of Chinese vehicle brands, many car companies in China have launched flagship models, not only to increase sales, but also to maintain its market dominance. The CS95 launched by Changan Auto is one of the best flagship models in China, due to the increasingly younger consumer trends and diversified car demand, so Changan launched the new 2021 CS95.
There’s a more direct British link – the all-new Blue Core 233bhp 2.0-litre turbo direct-injection four-cylinder petrol engine that powers the CS95 was designed and developed in Birmingham at Changan’s UK engineering centre and a styling studio in Italy’s car design capital, Turin, helped create the CS95’s wholesome, Land Rover- influenced styling.
Exterior:
The CS95 is the largest SUV Changan Auto selling today. It received a rather large update after being on the market for only two years. It’s got new bumper designs, full LED headlamps and tail lamps, 19” two-toned wheels, elegant side skirts, a totally new and modern dash, and of course that new and daring giant shiny grille. It also got a new two-tone paint scheme with a black roof and a white C-pillar. (Which I think would look great if they left it gloss black)
From the outside, the CS95 is a good-looking car and I know some of you will be thinking, well that does look a little like a Range Rover. Some might say, well that does look a little like a Lincoln Navigator. And Some of you will realise, well that does look a little like a Toyota Land Cruiser, and you know what? You all are absolutely right!
While it does bear resemblance to many other cars, it still looks very good. The proportions are perfect. It doesn’t look too bulky or too tiny. It looks luxurious, it looks classy, and I have a very good feeling that is exactly what the designers were going for.
Interior:
It fits the bill as a comfy family hauler, with a well-planted cruise, good cabin refinement and a fair balance of body control and ride quality.
Chinese brands are also making progress in interior design quality in leaps and bounds. From the way it looks to the way it feels, the build quality and design are absolutely exceptional. There is brown leather on the seats, with contrasting black leather on the dashboard, door panels, and center console.
There are also piano black and brushed metal trims all around the cabin, but don’t be impressed so quickly because there is a lot more. The minimal design is complemented by a digital instrument cluster display that is extremely high-res and a 12.3-inch infotainment screen that is equally crisp and clear.
What I do love about the infotainment screen, however, is how well it has been integrated into the overall design of the dashboard. With the car switched off, the screen and the buttons around it all become invisible, making it seem like nothing more than a large glass panel.
Engine and Performance:
The British-designed 2.0-litre turbo with 233 HP and 360Nm of torque delivers a smooth and cultured accelerative push and part of what makes the drive so comfortable and enjoyable is the 6-speed automatic transmission that has been built by Japanese company AISIN. For some of you, that name may ring a bell that is because it is one of the world’s leading transmission manufacturers building gearboxes for cars like the Audi Q7, Lexus LS and Porsche Cayenne, amongst many many others.
It fits the bill as a comfy family hauler, with a well-planted cruise, good cabin refinement and a fair balance of body control and ride quality. Acceleration off the line is strangely muted, the calibration seemingly holding back the power delivery until the speed moves through the 60kph mark and the CS95 is a hefty lump to get up to speed, loading the scales to a two-tonne kerb weight.
Out on the road, it doesn’t take long to notice how well tuned the suspension on the CS95 is. It’s soft and comfortable but it isn’t floaty. What I mean by that is even though it is a big car, nearly as long as a Ford Explorer, the handling characteristics are a lot better though. In addition to a Sport, Eco, and Snow mode, the CS95 is also fitted with an Auto mode that analyzes road conditions and automatically sends power to all four wheels as it deems appropriate.
Space, Practicality and Features:
Space in the front is sublime and second row is better than expected with enough room to carry three adults comfortably. To make the trip as comfortable as possible, there is also a USB charger and separate AC controls from those in the front.
When it comes to features, the Changan CS95 is as well equipped as you would imagine. The seats are power-adjustable; they are also ventilated and massaged. There is a panoramic roof, a 10-speaker Pioneer audio system, a 360-degree camera system with one of the sharpest resolutions I’ve ever seen in a car, and a wireless phone charger that is beautifully integrated into the center armrest.
On the safety side of things, there are airbags, parking sensors, and all the usual safety aids you would want in a car, but also a brilliant adaptive cruise control system, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure alert, rear cross-traffic alert, and automated brake assist which work brilliantly together and make cruising down a highway effortless and comfortable.
Verdict:
I’ve been driving the CS95 for a few days but the first time you climb inside, it’s plusher and better equipped than you’d ever imagine a cheap Chinese SUV to be. The largest and most luxurious offering from China’s state-owned automotive Changan, the CS95 makes a clear and bold statement about the brand’s intentions and capabilities. Quite the impressively well-equipped, spacious and comfortable flagship effort, the CS95 is a competitively priced mid-size 7-seat crossover SUV with an up-market style and interior ambiance.
At just Php 2,178,000.00, you can drive home a brand new Changan CS95. The question is, should you? In my opinion, you definitely should because the CS95 offers phenomenal value for money and does so many things right that even far more expensive models from far more established manufacturers can take note a learn a few things from it.
Price: ₱2.178 Million
Photos by: Glover Reselosa
Comments