Changan Uni-K. Full review, test drive, features, prices and equipment
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Go!
Can be cheerful, can be stately
226 horses and 380 N•m know their business, thanks to a two-liter turbo engine. In sport mode, you can drive cheerfully and provocatively, or you can relax and go to ECO, the difference is felt, although in any mode there is some delay between pressing the gas pedal and the car’s reaction, you need to get used to it. And the mode used will be activated at the next car factory. The seats have good lateral support (as well as position memory for the driver and lumbar support for riders in front), decent visibility in all directions, except for a tiny window in the back (this is the misfortune of all “crossover coupes”). First of all, I had to get used to the shape of the steering wheel, especially at the time of interception in strong turns.
On the track, you can generally relax and surrender to the adaptive cruise. It can both stop completely and actively taxi in the lane. You, most importantly, do not forget about the road. By the way, it was on the highway that I saw the lowest consumption rate – 8.8 liters per 100 kilometers. I also note a well-tuned bunch of engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Works imperceptibly and adequately.
The Changan UNI-K rides comfortably, enough information is transmitted to the driver. Well, you can’t expect miracles from the steering wheel today, and yes, the car is not for special driver’s pleasures. Noise isolation is decent and the main discomfort is only at speeds of 90 km / h and above. And then, from the wheel arches.
But there are a couple of complaints about the suspension. The first is its excessive tightness. You will jump too cheerfully over the pits and speed bumps, you will hear the sound of the rebound of the shock absorbers. The second point is a clearance of 180 millimeters and a very low front skirt.
As a result, it was more pleasant for me to ride in a relaxed mode. Enjoy acoustic comfort in the rhythm of the city, listening to music from good-sounding speakers. At the same time, I have not seen any bugs or glitches that are mentioned in earlier reviews. Unless the translation into Russian in the menu is not always logical and the fonts are not chosen that fit the style.
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Specifications
The compact crossover Changan Uni-K is available in several trim levels with different engine options. Specific specifications will depend on the configuration and selected engine option. However, some general characteristics of the Changan Uni-K include:
Engine Options: An updated version of Changan UNI-K is offered with a 1.5-liter turbo engine with 166 hp. and a 150 hp electric motor.
Transmission: The SUV is available with both manual and automatic transmissions. Available front and all-wheel drive.
Security features: Over the years, the crossover has come with a variety of advanced safety features, including electronic stability control and traction control.
Capacity: The car can accommodate up to 5 people.
Dimensions: Changan UNI-K is 4295mm long, 1810mm wide, 1630mm high and has a wheelbase of 2620mm.
Crossover Uni-K in Russia
The start of sales of Changan Uni-K in Russia was officially announced on July 23, 2022, at the same time, configurations and prices were published.
For buyers of the Russian Federation, a crossover in a hybrid version is not offered, it is equipped only with a two-liter turbocharged gasoline engine, paired with a torque converter “automatic” from the well-known Japanese manufacturer Aisin.
The vehicle (TC) is available in only three trim levels: in one version – with a front wheel drive, in two – with a plug-in all-wheel drive.
In the Russian version, the car is presented in six types of body color:
- pearl white;
- air blue;
- atomic grey;
- sky blue;
- star gray;
- deep black.
The Uni-K model is delivered directly from China, there are no localization of cars under this brand in the Russian Federation yet.
The automaker provides a general five-year warranty for this vehicle, for mileage – for 150 thousand kilometers.
Specifications
Changan UNI-K 2023 is based on familiar elements. Front – independent suspension with MacPherson struts, rear – also independent, multi-link. This means that when driving on smooth asphalt, the crossover guarantees a very comfortable ride. However, some difficulties may arise when driving on poor quality roads. As for the dimensions, they are as follows: length – 4865 mm, width – 1948 mm, height – 1695 mm. The wheelbase is 2809 mm.
As already mentioned, the initial equipment is not equipped with all-wheel drive, but more expensive versions have it initially. At the same time, a ground clearance of 190 millimeters allows you to use the car outside the asphalt. Of course, this model is not a real SUV. Under the hood of the “Chinese” is a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that produces 226 horsepower and 280 N * m of torque. This engine is combined with an 8-speed automatic transmission. Thus, the car accelerates to the first “hundred” in about 8.8 seconds. Disc mechanisms are responsible for braking. Front – ventilated.
Watching oncoming cars
And our “Unicum” has a lot of such inclinations. It is streamlined as much as possible, and even the radiator grille is almost deaf. He has the original spoiler-wing on the roof and four exhaust pipes. Yes, this is just an imitation of the atmospheric “eight”, but, let’s agree, more than 220-horsepower “return” of the gasoline transverse turbo four is also very good.
Super-economical new Chinese “unique” can not be called. Yes, and it is difficult to expect a modest appetite from a powerful, dynamic model. So, on the highway, the consumption ranged from 8.8 to 9.4 liters per 100 km, in the city – around 11 liters. On average, for the test, the car “brought” 10.6 liters per hundred. At the same time, I confess, I frankly indulged myself with the excellent dynamics of the crossover and drove it along the highway in fifth gear for a long time. Sometimes switching to sixth, but often to fourth. At the same time, this improved directional stability on snow slush, which sometimes covered the asphalt.
In my opinion, the engine “gives” well in all modes. Even in the ECO, this has been tested both in the city and when overtaking on the highway. When adding “gas” in this mode, there is a barely noticeable delay, in other modes it is not, but it is overcome instantly and easily. True, for better dynamics it is necessary to drive the car “at speed”, maintaining 3000-4000 rpm. To feel the real fire, you need to switch to sixth on the highway, and preferably fifth gear out of eight. And then the crossover will easily “lift” both from 100 and from 120 km / h.
The gears are switched by an elegant automatic selector, resembling a cunningly curved plate. Manual mode is activated by pushing the selector towards you. Next to it is a metal “washer” for choosing a driving style – Sport, ECO or Normal. The control lever for the all-wheel drive system is located separately. You can leave two wheels driving, you can select the Auto position or lock the clutch. In Auto mode, all-wheel drive is realized up to 80 km / h, the rear wheels can be loaded by about a third of the front ones. The clutch lock works strictly up to 40 km / h, then it automatically turns off, while the moment is distributed strictly 50:50. This can be clearly seen from the diagram on the instrument panel.
Honestly, from a crossover with a near-sporty image, you expect better road holding on the track. It seems to me that it is impossible to write it off solely on the “slipperiness” of Nokian tires. Still, there is a certain “lack” of the chassis, insufficient lateral stiffness of the suspension. The car seems to sway on it, as if on high-profile tires. But the profile of standard tires is only 45 percent, so this is practically impossible. In addition, the car surprisingly evenly withstood the air pressure in each of the tires: 2.2-2.3 atmospheres. It has not changed even after I “caught” a large pothole in the asphalt with my left front wheel. Shisha was strong and did not suffer.
Perhaps, on dry and clean pavement, I would have liked the behavior of the car more. Or maybe I am a little overstating the bar of requirements: dressed as an athlete – run. Uni-K, of course, runs, but as a potential athlete, he needs to pull himself together, better coordinate his movements.
Of the pleasant comfort and luxury systems of the Uni-K crossover, it is worth noting the panoramic roof and sunroof. Only once a car played an evil joke on me. After overnight parking, I approached him – and suddenly found that he had an open window of the right rear door. Strangely, when taking photos, I opened only the left window and remembered exactly that I had closed it. It turned out that the crossover had all four windows open, plus a sunroof! Apparently, this happened recently, because the salon did not have time to get wet from drizzle. But how? It turned out that a similar option (airing the cabin) can be activated from the key, but I did not do this. The unusual phenomenon happened only once during the nearly 900-kilometer test.
Unfortunately, I cannot say that on-board electronics contribute to this. There is a lane control system, but where does it work? For the most part, she is “silent”, but sometimes she suddenly “wakes up”, causing the driver to flinch, because she does it at high speeds, suddenly and abruptly. Several times its operation coincided “at the moment” with a passing with an oncoming car. Is this by design or is it just a coincidence?
Shall we ride?
No, first we’ll look and sit and feel. Let’s start the test drive of Changan Uni K from the salon. There is plenty of space behind the wheel, the range of adjustment of the driver’s seat and steering column is wide. But the chair itself may not seem the most comfortable for large people – the pillow is a bit short. The review cannot be called perfect either. A long hood, high waistline, small windows – this is a retribution for style.
The rear row of seats in the Changan Uni K in its spaciousness can compete with another limousine. Commendable care for passengers, only realized it at the expense of the trunk. 350 liters for an almost five-meter car is more than a modest amount of cargo space. Apparently, the Chinese are sure that the owners of such cars do not take anything other than money on a trip. And they don’t need money in 2022 – a credit card is enough.
Here we go? Changan Uni K with a curb weight of over two tons on the highway is quite cheerful. It was not possible to find any bright, sporty notes in the behavior on the road that would support his swift appearance. But the declared maximum 200 kilometers per hour is quite within his reach. The manufacturer Changan Uni-K is modestly silent about dynamic performance, but in vain – the car accelerates, albeit not sharply, but confidently. There are no obvious remarks about stability and handling, but the feeling remains the same: the driving characteristics of the Changan Uni K were clearly tuned for comfortable movement, and not for fast, dynamic driving. Even the suspension, which, according to Chinese tradition, does not like potholes and potholes, can work hard, but absolutely quietly.
Concluding the review of Changan Uni K, let’s say a few words about its off-road capabilities. Let the multi-plate clutch can be connected forcibly, the car does not become a “rogue” from this. Moderate ground clearance, unprotected structural elements under the bottom limit the use of the machine on off-road relatively smooth country roads. And where is such a handsome man in the dirt ?!