SINCE taking over briefly, ownership of the Changan Alsvin, looks from e-hailing drivers has been a sore-one, for reasons best known to them.
Well, off from stepping on my toe to good news though, Alsvin might not look like an exciting sedan but since testing it recently, I did establish it does the job, hence the sore-look.
It comes in dimension: measuring 4 390 mm- with a wheelbase of 2 535 mm, and 395 mm longer than competitor- Suzuki Dzire.
The exterior has been enhanced by its daytime running lamps, swooping roofline, alloy wheels, and electric sunroof.
Upon entering, you are welcomed by seats wrapped in faux leather (loved it), while material inserts are placed higher up, dashboard featuring asymmetrical design with blue trim around the volume button, a 7-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth and USB connectivity (no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto), and physical buttons for most controls.
The Alsvin, budget sedan -3rd third generation range comprise of pair derivatives: auto and manual, and I enjoyed the latter, though power especially when taking off from the hill is a major hurdle, along the Roodepoort area which is synonymous for mountains, hills, et al.
The 1.5 CE auto is very generic.
There’s USB-A port too small though, an armrest storage cubby between the two front seats where you can hide valuables, including your phone, if you want it completely out of sight. Or you can place your phone in the door card, but this isn’t a good option if you need to charge it.
Another USB-A port is available to rear passengers and all four windows are electric.
My colleague Mdu Mphahlele sat comfortable in the passenger seat, considering he’s a big boy- and yours truly- had to adjust the drivers’ seat time and again. Its spacious infront but for rear passengers, was uncomfortable for a colleague from LADUMA soccer publication, who had to seat on a side (he’s a chubby lad) as we made our way to cover Mamelodi Sundowns game at Loftus Stadium, Pretoria, which they won 1-0 against Tunisian side Esperance, on a penalty to make it to the CAF Champions League finals.
Sitting at 0-100 km sprint time along the busy road from Jozi to Pta, it boast 78 kW and 145 Nm) meaning power isn’t ideal for this sedan (as mentioned at the top stanza) but DCT gearbox does its job without too much noise. Fast and furious- forget it…
On safety, it comes with only two-airbags, cruise control, a tyre-pressure sensor (ideal for potholes which I went through both in Soweto and Sandton, yes) child locks, a rearview camera, parking sensors, and Isofix.
Alsvin claimed 6.10 L/100 km but we averaged around 6.5, and driving on the highway made it drop to 5.8 in terms of fuel consumption.
Although did not use much of the boot because I did not travel much, one thing to mention, it boast a massive boot- that could accommodate the entire Indian Cricket team, currently in SA to play our Proteas ladies side.
The Changan returns to mzansi, this time with Saudi-founded Jameel Motors as its official distributor.
Jameel oversees the national network, including the flagship Pretoria showroom, and is responsible for rolling out Changan’s local dealer and after‑sales footprint in South Africa.
Retail price:
| Changan Alsvin 1.4 CS 5MT | R238 000 |
| Changan Alsvin 1.5 CE 5DCT | R271 200 |
According to Changan’s website, the prices above include a 5-year/150 000 km warranty. It’s not yet clear whether a service plan is included.
Verdict
Performance 1-10 (4)
Fuel 1-10 (3)
Top image SLM (The Changan Alsvin 1.5 CE had e-hailing drivers giving that sight of a look- yes get used to it boys and girls.)
