The Changan CS75 Pro CE is is part of a new range of Changan models that were introduced to South Africa late last year. We spent the summer break in the company of this family SUV to bring you this review.
Close observers of the SA car market may recall a brand called Chana. The Chinese automaker had a foray into the local space about twenty years ago. There was a little hatch, called the Benni, and small pick-up, whose name escapes us now. The automaker, which was then imported by a local distributor, left the SA space. However, it has now made a fully fledged return to Msanzi.
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The company has made a re-entry with four distinct models. A small sedan called the Alsvin. A double-cab pick-up called the Hunter, which is available in hybrid and turbodiesel form, and a range-leading all-electric SUV called the Deepal S07. We got our hands on, what we expect to be, the top seller of the range: the Changan CS75 Pro. It seems that SA buyers are quite open to the idea of trying new brands in the SUV segment. Whereas bakkie buyers may need a tad more convincing, which is why we think the family wagon will be a top-seller.
Plenty of Options
The Changan CS75 Pro is a family SUV. Changan Motors SA is offering the model in two trim levels; CS and CE, which has more standard kit. In addition to the standard five-seaters, both are offered in seven-seat guise as well. This makes for a four-derivative line-up. Prices range from a competitive R429 900 for the CS five-seat to R499 900 for the fully laden CE seven seater. That’s a pretty small price band. It was the high-spec CE five-seater that we had in our care during the summer break.
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Handsome Fella
The Changan CS75 Pro is a good-looking vehicle. The prominent grille and slim headlamps give the CS75 a crisp, modern appearance. The same can be said for the interesting crease lines down the flanks. The body-wide taillamp seems to be standard fare with SUVs from China, in this case making the CS75 appear like a Mercedes.
The fetching, sky blue paint work is a nice change from the sea of greys and silvers on our roads. Many onlookers wondered what were driving as ‘ours’ seemed to be the only CS75 in the greater Cape area. Thanks to the novelty of the badge, people guessed it was a Volvo or a Honda. Few, if any, knew what a Changan is.
Modern, Sumptuous Cabin
The sense of modernity created by the exterior styling continues into the cabin. A 10,25-inch digital instrument cluster is neatly fared into an binnacle, unlike some other brands that have screens which appear like an afterthought. The same, neat integration applies to the touchscreen infotainment screen. It’s worth noting that, while it offers mobile phone mirroring, one does need a third-party app to do so. There’s no Android Auto or Apple CarPlay as standard.
Thankfully Changan’s designers have not relegated the HVAC controls within the infotainment system. There is a full set of controls on a ledge just below the screen. Incidentally, the aircon is extremely effective, which was much appreciated during the sweltering Cape summer. In addition, there are seat heaters and, more importantly, seat cooling options. Weirdly, the controls for the passenger side are next to the gear lever and the driver’s seat temp is controlled by buttons above their right knee.
Niceties in the cabin of the CE variant are plentiful. There’s the aforementioned climate control system, keyless entry with proximity sensor and button start, leather upholstery and electrically adjustable front seats. In addition there is a full length panoramic roof with front opening section, a dashcam, and voice control of the infotainment system. Oh, we forgot to mention. There are handy settings within the system with one-touch keys. For example, lowering or raising all windows at once (handy on hot days), a window drop-down feature that opens all windows about 50 mm and a few others.
Roomier than Expected
We mentioned earlier than the CS75 is available with five- or seven seats. As a result, the five seater version tends to feel quite roomy. It was a sentiment that we heard while shuttling friends and family between lunch outings and visits to wine farms. It seems that Changan does not foresee producing an all-wheel-drive variant. As a result it has done away with the transmission hump that middle passengers on the rear bench have to contend with.
The boot, too, is voluminous. We had to play airport shuttle to three adult guests. Their luggage, as well as our own, was swallowed up by the boot. Oddly, there was no rear parcel shelf in our test unit. This was a bit inconvenient as we had to plan carefully what could remain in the car when we stopped at a mall or parked in a public space for a long period. Representatives from Changan Motors SA tell us that all future models will be fitted with a cover as standard.
One Powertrain
The CS75 range has just a single powertrain option. More specifically, a 1,5-litre turbocharged engine that is mated with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The petrol unit develops 138 kW and a healthy 300 N.m of torque. The engine proved smooth and responsive with enough torque on tap to shift along nicely even with a full passenger count. Changan claims a fuel consumption figure of 7,5L/100 km. Over 1 100 km of travel, much of it in CT summer traffic, we managed to average 8,3L/100 km, just 11 per cent more than the claim.
If there is one gripe about the powertrain it’s that the transmission is fractionally slow off the mark. It feels as though the clutches rub a little too much before engaging. As a result it isn’t quite a snappy as similar units from the likes of Volkswagen, etc. There is an option for a manual override on the transmission, but not in the shape of steering wheel-mounted paddles. It is a bit more old school with the gear lever having to a side slot, sorta like an old C-class Merc.
Fidgety at First
From a ride and comfort perspective we were initially unimpressed by the Changan CS75 Pro. We found the ride quality rather fidgety, too firm for our like, especially on a vehicle without any sporting pretense. The car wears 19-inch alloys, but the tyre profile isn’t that low. We fetched the CS75 straight off car carrier as it landed and suspected the tyre pressures weren’t quite right. We whipped out the old pressure gauge and found the pressures about half a bar too high. Once reset to the recommended levels the ride improved appreciably.
Summary
We were impressed by the CS75. For a return to SA the Changan brand has chosen well. The CS75 is a more than capable family SUV with more than enough standard equipment to satisfy most owners. It also rides well, has plenty of space and enough power for daily duties. We were even more surprised when we looked at the price and realised that you get all this for the price that is less than a Volkswagen Polo hatch 1,0TSI R-Line. At a smidge under R475k (or GBP20k, as one British friend pointed out), the CS75 makes a pretty darn compelling case for itself. Pitched squarely against the likes of the Toyota Corolla Cross, and a dozen or so rivals from its home country the CS75 Pro does have stiff competition. However, we do expect to many more of these on the roads in the months to come.
Model: Changan CS75 Pro CE
Price: R474 900
Engine: 1,5-litre four-cylinder turbopetrol
Transmission: DCT, FWD
Max power: 138 kW
Max torque: 300 N.m
0-100 km/h: 8,5 sec
Top speed: 190 km/h
Fuel consumption: 7,5 L/100 km (8,3 during review period)
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