Lightbar and automatic: how crossovers from China are changing for Russia
Previously, Chinese cars wanted to be like BMW, Range Rover, Mini, but now they are all about Lixiang. Soueast crossovers are no exception, even the names of the models resemble Lixiang's - S07 and S09. Nevertheless, the new brand promotes traditional Russian automotive values - a gasoline engine with a classic automatic, plus all-wheel drive, plus all kinds of heating. Whether the new brand has any chances of success, Izvestia found out on the Karelian roads.
Japanese roots
In China, it seems, nothing goes to waste, everything goes into business. For almost two decades Soueast brand has been producing cars together with Japanese Mitsubishi and Taiwanese CMC and even supplied them to Iran. The brand had some success in the Chinese market, but after sales collapsed, it fell under Chery's control. Now it is an export brand, and Russia has become its first European market. It has come to us under the auspices of Jetour, but will be sold in separate showrooms.
Lightbar in the full width of the hood, square blocks of headlights below - "mask, I know you". In profile, you can recognize the Jetour by the characteristic notches on the sides. In its turn, Jetour brand is a part of Chery and uses its platforms and aggregates.
Crossovers Soueast are close to Jetour X70 Plus and X90 Plus, and the base versions of the cars have the same "robot" and front-wheel drive as in "Jetour". For eight-speed "automatic" (analog of Japanese Aisin) and all-wheel drive transmission will have to pay extra.
Soul of the company of seven people
But both Soueast crossovers offer seven seats already in the basic configuration. If for S09 it is justified (the car is large (4.9 m)), in case of S07 with length of 4.7 m it is rather a marketing move: the third row is cramped even for short passengers, and in the unfolded state it "eats" almost the whole trunk.
Dimensions of Soueast S07 are 4724×1900×1740 mm. Wheelbase - 2720 mm.
It is interesting that the declared mass of crossovers has not grown, but, on the contrary, decreased. It quite fits into a new meaning of brand Soueast, now it is not "southeast", but a combination of English words soul (soul) and easy (easy) - something like "easy soul".
Where the wind blows
Anticyclone, the cause of abnormally high pressure, landed "Superjets" in Pulkovo and became the culprit behind the ill health of Chinese cars that showed check engine on a mass scale. The S07 crossover is holding up well. At the same time, the climate system works strangely. Glasses sweat, and cold or too hot air blows from deflectors, no matter how you turn the temperature knob. The block of separate climate control with two "pucks" and a separate touch display is very convenient, but it is not possible to control air temperature. My feet are freezing, and the iPhone, which was lying inconspicuously in the compartment under the center console, wrote a message about overheating and left us without navigation. It turned out that the climate control, turned on by the rear passenger to maximum (he has a separate unit), heated both the console and the smartphone lying in it.
The interior of the S07 can be black, white-blue and black-red
S09 is also not weather-dependent and the temperature in the cabin also "walks". The difficulty is that the interior of this model has been changed more seriously, if to compare with the original Jetour. Instead of a convenient block of climate control, as on S07, it has a large display for all tasks. Under it there is a touch panel of climate control, but there are few buttons on it - intensity of blowing, auto mode, window blowing and so on. To change the temperature, you need to exit Apple Carplay and go to the "climate tab", then back. Helping out is a pretty savvy voice assistant, which is on both cars. The company insists on pronouncing it "Sauis," but it doesn't take offense if you say, "Hey, Sauist." Except that the assistant changes the temperature individually for the person giving the command.
Leather, keys, touchscreen
In general, the interior of the cars makes a pleasant impression: a lot of soft panels, colors are nobly muted, whether it is imitation of metal or wood. There are unusual combinations - cream-green in the S09, red-black or white-blue in the S07.
The dimensions of the Soueast S09 are 4858×1925×1780 mm. Wheelbase - 2850 mm
In terms of usability of various functions, S07 is expectedly preferable to S09 with its "single window" touchscreen. I especially liked the keys for adjusting the seats, heating and ventilation located on the doors. But from the point of view of the driver's seat is better just S09: the seat is more comfortable, you can adjust the lumbar support and the slope of the cushion, and the upholstery - with inserts of genuine leather. "Nine" expectably offers a more spacious second row, but it does not have a separate climate zone, only the ability to adjust the intensity of airflow. If ventilation in the driver's seat is available by default, the front passenger has it only in the top configuration. The full winter package, including heating of a windshield, a steering wheel and nozzles, is in a base both in this and in the other car.
They take a pause
Another oddity of crossovers is aerodynamics. Road dirt freezes on hoods in strips, and car windows get dirty quickly - both windshield and side windows, and after all the matter happens in Karelia, where reagents on roads are less than in Moscow. It's real winter here, and snow dust collects on the luggage door, hiding the license plate from traffic cameras, and covering the rearview camera and the trunk opening button.
The interior of the S09 is available in three variants - plain black, black-brown, and creamy green. Everywhere there will be wood, suede and gold inlays. In the top configuration, the upholstery of the front seats is made with genuine leather
To driving qualities there are less questions. Except for the fact that the cars react to the gas leisurely. Instead of southeastern passion northern thoughtfulness, from which the cars are not able to deduce even sport mode. Between the gas pedal pressed to the floor and the beginning of acceleration of the crossover S09 passes three seconds, but then the speed gain goes quickly and smoothly. At that, its two-liter motor (197 hp and 375 Nm) reaches the peak of traction earlier. The S07 with a 1.6-liter engine (186 hp and 275 Nm) responds to the gas faster, but is inferior in dynamics to the older model. In principle, such adjustment is suitable for a family crossover: the driver will have time to think twice, and passengers will not nod their heads unnecessarily. Strict stabilization system and good brakes are also in plus to cars of this kind.
In the slip.
A run on the Sortavala airfield showed that the S09 is not averse to sliding in a skid between cones, while the S07 does it worse, mainly because of the all-wheel drive system. The BorgWarner clutch connects the rear wheels of the Nine, while the simpler Faps clutch connects the rear wheels of the Seven. Owners of Chery crossovers also complain about the sluggishness of the latter. Drifting on the airfield is an optional program, but it showed that the transmission withstands loads.
The crossovers have the same ground clearance of 190 mm. Geometric cross-country ability of the S09 is inferior to the S07 due to the long rear overhang
Much more important is how crossovers drive on roads with different surface. Forest country road with rolled snow and steep descents is easily passable, from numerous "off-road" modes it is better, perhaps, to stop on what is called off-road. Dense suspension, though it shakes in a rhythm of ripples on rolled snow, shows good energy capacity. Considering the big size of wheels, it is not bad. On a forest road often ospitzovannye wheels manage to get snow, because of what already on asphalt there is an imbalance - it is necessary to stop and clean disks. On the highway the cars keep straight and steer well. Though S09 has double glass, the crossovers are approximately the same in noise level, at that S07 has louder engine, and tires "solo" in the general sound picture of both cars.
The all-wheel drive Soueast S07 accelerates from a place to a hundred in about 12 seconds. Average consumption is 8.8 liters per 100 km. The recommended gasoline is AI95. All-wheel drive S09 accelerates from a place to a hundred in 8.9 seconds. Average consumption - 8.9 liters per 100 km. Again, the manufacturer recommends gasoline with octane number not less than 95.
Both crossovers showed approximately the same consumption of about 10 liters per 100 km, the official figures are also close. Judging by the data declared by the manufacturer, versions with "automatic" and all-wheel drive with the same motors are slower than front-wheel drive cars with "robots" and consume almost one liter of gasoline more per 100 km. If in China economy is more important, given the very expensive gasoline, then in Russia they want classic "automatics" and preferably with all-wheel drive. Chinese manufacturers understand this and add the required in expensive equipment of their cars, although they do not refuse from "robots".
Prices and competitors
So Soueast does everything right, and roughnesses like the work of the climate system and the all-wheel drive clutch, in all likelihood, are treated by firmware. By the way, the company is already preparing the first one to add the Android Auto protocol to the multimedia system. In addition to automatic, all-wheel drive and winter options, the pluses of the cars include galvanization of all body panels, except for the roof. The S07 also has a galvanized trunk lid.
However, the new brand enters the declining market and highly competitive segment. Only according to calculations of the Russian representative office of the brand, S07 has at least five rival crossovers, and S09 - at least six, and Soueast will have to compete with other brands of Chery "bush". That's why Soueast doesn't claim premium ambitions and doesn't try to jack up the price, and its crossovers, though not the cheapest, are more affordable than some bestsellers. S07 costs from 3.1 million, all-wheel drive car - from 3.2 million, and the top version - 3.45 million rubles. In turn, the basic S09 with a 1.6 engine (190 hp) and a "robot" is estimated at 3.56 million rubles, a two-liter car with the same "robot" will cost 3.1 million, and all-wheel drive with an "automatic" - in 4.1 million rubles.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
