Unexpectedly, unexpectedly: a new premium hybrid crossover from China has appeared in Russia

Against the background of a sharp increase in the rates of duty on hybrids and electric cars, many automakers, if not refused to bring such models to the Russian market, then at least took a time-out in this matter. Wey brand still presented in our country its premium hybrid crossover - Wey 07. The Izvestia correspondent checked how this car proved itself on the mountain roads of the North Caucasus.

Simple, but with taste

Usually premium cars of Asian automakers are sinful with abundance of chrome, massive forms and various design refinements. Wey 07 is different: its appearance is conservative and austere, but at the same time it does not lack a touch of refinement. The footrests, which are conveniently extended when the doors are opened, emphasize the status of the car and its owner.

Photo: Wey

The interior of the car also unambiguously testifies that you are not a budget small car. Abundance of nappa leather, inserts from real metal, and not plastic with chrome coating unambiguously speaks about what segment this model belongs to.

Wide and not Chinese comfortable driver's seat with heating, ventilation, several types of massage and a lot of electric adjustments allows to find a comfortable position behind the wheel for a person of any complexion. Against this background, one essential ergonomic puncture is upsetting: the display of the instrument panel is small, and its part is overlapped by a steering rim. And digital indicators of speed and other parameters of movement could be bigger. However, it is partially compensated by projection of speedometer data on the windshield. There is also information about the work of electronic driver's assistants like the selected limit for cruise control, activation of the system of keeping in the lane and so on.

Six to a bench

Usually large SUVs and crossovers (the length of the novelty is almost 5.2 meters, and the wheelbase is just over 3 meters) are offered either in five- or seven-seat versions. In this sense, Wey 07 is unique in its own way, as it is designed for six seats, including the driver. On the second row there are two separate armchairs, equipped with ottoman, ventilation, heating and massage. At the disposal of the passenger, who sat behind the driver, there is also an impressive table tilting from the back of the driver's seat, which can easily accommodate a medium-sized laptop.

For convenience of the second row seats there is a touchscreen microclimate control unit, which allows to choose the desired temperature in the rear part of the cabin, as well as the direction and intensity of air blowing. And, of course, separate sockets for connecting gadgets in two USB formats.

The access of passengers "to the galley" is unusually solved. If usually the seats of the second row are slid forward and reclined, then on Wey 07 those wishing to get to the last row need to pass through the "business class", a passage is provided between the seats of the second row for this purpose. The rear passengers, however, are deprived of an opportunity to adjust and choose something: from conveniences in the tail of the car only cup holders and deflectors. But the seats themselves are far not folding "children's chairs", as on many "three-row" models, but full-fledged armchairs with thick padding of cushions and backrests.

"Where's his button?"

- Car four, please turn on your rear fog lights! I can't see you! - The radio in the car came to life when, climbing up the mountain serpentine to the foot of Elbrus, we got into a shroud of dense fog.

On this elementary, at first sight, procedure, which on many other models takes a couple of seconds, on Wey 07 it took a good five minutes. Everyone seems to be used to the fact that Chinese engineers hide many secondary functions of the car in the multimedia system. That's why they decided to give a new quest to the owners of the "seven", having "sewed" such an important function as control of external light devices into the bowels of the menu.

By default, the headlights always work in Auto mode. But if you need to forcefully activate low beam, parking lights or fog lights, welcome to digital labyrinths. As a result, my colleague sitting behind the wheel in search of the necessary virtual button almost ended up in a ditch. You can talk about digitalization for as long as you want, but it is obvious that the most important functions of the car, such as temperature control, audio system volume control, not to mention light control, should be controlled by separate physical keys and buttons. This is a safety issue.

To the credit of the Wey HQ representatives present at the test drive, they honestly wrote these complaints down in their notebooks and vowed to "see what can be done about it."

Mountain conqueror

The higher up the road went, the worse the weather outside the window became: the downpour that had caught us on the plain turned into a powerful snowfall, the wind picked up, and snow drifts appeared on the road. But Wey 07 did not seem to notice the elements at all. The driver at will can choose several algorithms of work of the machine. When activating the "pure electric" mode, the car will drive solely at the expense of the current (the maximum mileage in it is up to 200 km). When the charge drops to 20% (the level of residual energy can be programmed), the traction internal combustion engine will automatically turn on, and the excess energy will be used to charge the batteries. At the same time, the Wey 07 always starts with electricity only.

It is also possible to activate the mode with priority of electric traction, in which the internal combustion engine will act as a generator, recharging the battery. However, it will also transmit torque to the wheels when driving off or uphill.

There is also a mode "smart-hybrid", in which the car, depending on the driving conditions, decides itself where to take energy and how to distribute it among the axles. In the latter option, with simultaneous operation of both electric motors and internal combustion engine, the Wey 07 accelerates to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds.

Wey 07 accelerates to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds

Photo: Wey

Having played with driving modes, we came to the conclusion that it is better to trust the electronics. Therefore, the car itself chose the moment when to use front or rear electric motors, when to connect one and a half liter internal combustion engine, to move only on electric traction. And with these tasks the crossover coped very successfully. Having a total power (at the peak) of 517 hp, Wey 07, despite the snow-covered road, distributed the efforts of this "tabun" between all four wheels as effectively as possible. Even when the gas pedal was pressed to the floor, the car never slipped, providing powerful but smooth acceleration.

No brakes

To the final point of the route, the waterfalls of Dzhily-Su, we arrived with a battery with about one third of its charge left. When going downhill we forcibly activated the "one-pedal driving" mode, which allows you to effectively brake the motors, and there was not even a hint of wheel slippage. On an icy mountain road, this is the safest option. This mode turned out to be so effective that for 80 and a little kilometers of the way, of which most of the half was on the serpentine, the regular brakes were used only 10-15times.

The car actively slowed down by itself, it was only necessary to release the accelerator pedal. At the finish line the battery charge reached 86%. Instead of wasting the kinetic energy of the car, gained on the descent, turning it into useless heat and wiping brake pads, the smart system "generated" electricity during regeneration, replenishing its reserve in the battery.

The level of comfort that the Wey 07 provides to its passengers is worthy of separate praise. Thanks to double glazing, as well as special noise- and vibration-absorbing supports of the internal combustion engine and electric motors, the interior of the car is very quiet. And the chassis settings protect from excessive shaking on bumps.

To move up "gray" competitors

Wey 07 is offered in the Russian Federation in the only configuration for 6.8 million rubles. At the same time, among the models presented on our market by official dealers, it has few direct competitors. There is a very popular model Lixiang L9, supplied to our country through unofficial channels. At the moment, the interest of buyers is shifted towards it: over 9 thousand cars were sold during the year. of such cars, while the Wey 07, sales of which began in mid-autumn, sold just over 300 units.

Wey 07 is offered in our country in one single configuration for 6.8 million rubles.

Photo: Wey

Nevertheless, the debutant has quite real chances, if not to overtake the "nine", then at least to draw some potential buyers to its side. All the more so because it has official support from the Russian representative office of GWM, a company warranty and service.