First time. Test drive Foton Sauvana
Material content
Design
Appearance is not the main “chip” of this SUV, but it cannot be called completely unattractive either. In front, there are rounded headlights that spoil the whole image of a brutal car. In the center is a block with a radiator grille with a chrome finish and a rather large air intake cutout with plastic slats. The “sidewall” draws attention to itself with massive bulging wheel arches, stamping with a slight rise to the rear pillar, low footpegs and off-road tires. At the stern of the car there are lanterns of an unusual shape, a neat spoiler and a bumper with a metal lining.
The interior of the car is frankly outdated. In the basic modification, there is even a narrow display of the on-board computer instead of a full-fledged touch monitor of the multimedia complex. However, in any case, there are several separate analog keys in this module. There is also an air conditioning unit. The dashboard in any modification is analog, but there are always options control buttons on the steering wheel. Otherwise, there is nothing more to say about the interior of the Photon Savannah 2023.
| Curb weight | 1940 kg |
|---|---|
| Fuel tank volume | 75 l |
| Luggage space – minimum | — |
| Luggage compartment volume – maximum | 1510 l |
| Length | 4830 mm |
|---|---|
| Width | 1910 mm |
| Height | 1885 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2790 mm |
Video
Equipment, equipment and technologies of the Photon SUV
At the moment, diesel options are not officially sold in Russia, as they do not meet the buyer’s expectations in terms of sales. There is some logic in this, but I would still like to see a variety in trim levels. The manufacturer equipped his car well, created good conditions for buyers. However, the car cannot compete with the more expensive market representatives, this is obvious. It must be admitted that the Chinese are still too commercial in the production and sale of their equipment.
Main features of technologies on board:
- in the cabin, the most modern feature of Sauvan is the display on the center console, there is no serious automation for comfort here, everything is done for the sake of a rather low cost;
- you can buy a car in a standard 5-seat version or pay extra for a 7-seat version, while the level of surcharge will not be so big, there are no problems with the choice;
- the suspension in the car is multi-link in front and dependent architectural in the back, a very interesting design, but it still does not give the desired softness of a trip on standard roads;
- the base has a mechanically controlled air conditioner, two airbags, a multifunction steering wheel with control buttons for various functions of the machine, as well as an audio system ready to work;
- they also note the equipment of the car with 17-inch wheels with a simple design and several types of electronic systems for automatically controlling the car’s functions.
Despite such a list of equipment, it will be very difficult to call a car modern. It was created in 2015, but many of the main components were developed much earlier. Therefore, the car has rather modest parameters in terms of modernity and comfort. There is an upside to all this – less technology and expensive add-ons means that you will have to spend less money on repairing and replacing car blocks. Still, this is an SUV, which is not always taken for comfort and convenient listening to music.
Body and interior
The Chinese car has never been considered stylish. His body is quite brutal. The front optics only complement this formidable look, and the air intakes have a very strange shape. The model also received a small grille with a simple design. The side profile of the car looks good. The chrome rails located on the roof are immediately noticeable.
At the back we will find a small spoiler that continues the roof line. It gives the overall SUV a bit of sportiness. The rear lights are connected by a chrome strip. Below we see a small body kit that provides a step for easier access to the luggage compartment, and fog lights below.
Inside the car, depending on the version, you can find fabric, plastic, aluminum and even leather trim. The interior looks pretty standard for a car in this segment. On the side of the dashboard is a small recess in which the monitor is built. A climate system is installed below, and then a dashboard with a gear lever follows.
Get the elephant!
From the first meters of the way, the Chinese SUV demonstrates rollability both in the transverse and longitudinal directions. Still, it is located high above the road, and even thick tires contribute to excessive rolls. The engine sounds a little strange. According to the passport, our version has gasoline power, but the sound is diesel, and nothing more. Still unusually loud, just with human anguish, sometimes the turbine “sighs”. It is conveniently located, clearly visible between the air filter housing and the engine block head. In the event of repair, access to it will not be very difficult.
In case of repair? Of course, it’s too early to think about it with a test car run of two tens of thousands of kilometers. But this suspicious diesel “thump” … what is its cause? Representatives of the press park of the company do not see any reason. Allegedly, all gasoline engines of Foton SUVs (having, according to some sources, German “roots”) sound the same, and this does not cause problems. By the way, this car has a “younger” modification, with a capacity of 201 hp. with., also turbocharged. The test version had 217 forces. The working volume of both engines is the same (2.0 liters) and, interestingly, the maximum power and torque revolutions are also the same.
In the engine compartment, you can see not only the location of the turbocharging units that is convenient for repair. There is also such a “Chinese” solution: the engine is covered with a plastic cover plate, which obviously improves sound insulation (without it, the engine rumbles louder), holes are made in this cover, in which the oil filler cap and dipstick handle are visible to check the oil level. But if the probe can still be grabbed by the handle and pulled out, then it will not be possible to unscrew the neck cover in any way. You have to remove the plate.
The production of Foton Sauvana, including for Russia, has been established in Belarus, at the BelGee joint venture. So far, the assembly is SKD. There are plans to start production of “Photons” in our country. The prices of four modifications (Basic, Comfort, Luxury and Premium) are as follows: 1,454,990, 1,494,990, 1,620,990 and 1,704,990 rubles. The two “younger” ones are equipped with a tandem of a 201-horsepower gasoline engine and a five-speed manual gearbox. The “senior” power unit offers 217 hp. With. and a “pair” in the form of a six-band machine. The environmental class of both motors is Euro 5. The drive for all modifications is full.
Engine power is enviable, but it is not immediately felt. This is not a “turbo lag” (it also exists, but it’s completely “below”, up to 2000 rpm), but rather the character, the charisma of this engine. The two-ton curb weight also affects. But the car will disperse – then just hold on! When we complained about the fact that the Chinese save on “horses”? It seems to be quite recent. And finally, we are offered a model of quite decent power. Yes, and with a clear, logical six-speed automatic.
Who are Foton Sauvana’s closest competitors? Of course, UAZ “Patriot“. In this case, I do not have price competition, but, let’s say, species competition. What does the Russian model offer? 128-horsepower engine and only five-speed “mechanics”. How “little” this motor is for the “Patriot”, everyone knows. But a promising unit with a capacity of 200+ hp. s., promised to us, journalists, during the test a year ago, still remains only promising. And the Chinese, in addition to 201- and 217-horsepower gasoline engines, promise us soon the Sauvana SUV with a 177-horsepower Cummins ISF 2.8 diesel unit. This unit is well known on the Russian market: its modifications have been installed on GAZ vehicles for several years.
With such “weapons”, a large SUV on the streets and highways has nothing to be ashamed of. The dynamics are very, very pleasant: the 217-horsepower Chinese “elephant” is gaining 100 km / h from standstill in 10.5 seconds (the 201-horsepower version is the slowest by half a second). And here is another plus: a tall and rolly car, surprisingly, stands well on a high-speed straight. Not perfect, but expect much worse. Its front suspension is independent, on double wishbones, at the rear – a one-piece axle on four levers with a Panhard transverse link.
The Photon automatic has six steps and offers, in addition to manual gear selection, four user modes: normal, economical, sporty and winter. This is, so to speak, a prelude to the question of the price of this car. Is there a difference in movement between these modes, is it even slightly noticeable? Let’s check.
In normal mode, acceleration from 80 to 120 km / h on the highway takes 9 seconds, in economical and sports mode, respectively, about a second slower and faster. That is, there is a difference in dynamics.
Now let’s check the economy. I reach 100 km / h and try to maintain this speed, changing modes every 10 kilometers of the highway. It is relatively flat, without noticeable ups and downs, so we can neglect the influence of the relief. When the eco mode is selected, the engine runs at 1800 rpm and consumes 8.6 liters per 100 km. We reset the consumption indicator and turn off the eco-mode, not including the sports one (that is, we switch to the Normal mode). The result is engine operation at 1900 rpm and consumption of 9.3 liters per hundred. Now the Sport mode. Turnovers – 2200, consumption – 10.1 liters. As you can see, the difference is minimal.
Slightly more noticeable discrepancy in speed at a speed of 120 km / h. In eco mode, they are set at around 2100, in normal – at 2200, in sports – at 2800 rpm. When using the eco-mode and manual gear selection, the car is able to start acceleration in the fifth stage from 60 km / h, in the highest, sixth – from 80 km / h. The average gas mileage for almost 800-kilometer highway run ranged from 10.5 to 11.5 liters per hundred, depending on the speed, which sometimes reached 140 km / h and was not uncomfortable at the same time. And the directional stability of the SUV could be praised (although, of course, not to call it ideal), and not to complain about sound insulation. In general, being inside the Foton Sauvana, one could feel that he had returned to the automotive past, but not at all to the “ancient China” of the 2005-2006 model.
Safety
The SUV has all the most standard and necessary equipment for safe movement. However, the presence of only two pillows suggests that in the event of an accident, passengers in the second row of seats can be seriously injured. Here is a list of all available equipment:
- three-point seat belts;
- ABS system;
- brake force distribution system;
- Cruise control;
- tire pressure control;
- ERA-GLONASS;
- rear parking sensor.
Unfortunately, we don’t have any crash test or rating data for this SUV.
