With Changan’s re-entry into the South African market under Jameel Motors, the Chinese giant introduced a wide selection of contemporary models, including the recently facelifted CS75 Pro SUV in five-seat and seven-seat guise.
The Changan CS75 Pro, featuring a front bumper mesh grille design made of silver metallic clips that resemble those on the latest, recently introduced Uni-S, and orthodox Chinese SUV lines with a floating C-pillar and small rear roof spoiler, culminating in a continuous taillight bar at the rear, is attractive in an unremarkable way.
However, the interior is luxurious and well-appointed with a big high-definition 10.25″ central touchscreen for the infotainment system with a 360° HD panoramic camera integrated into the dashboard, a digital driver display, electric adjustable seats, an electric panoramic sunroof and an electric tailgate.
SPACIOUS CABIN
Thanks to a long wheelbase (2,786 mm), the Changan’s cabin is spacious, offering 230 litres with all seven seats raised, and over 600 litres (about 620 litres) with the third row folded flat. The CS75 Pro offers dual-zone climate control, rear air vents, a pollen filter, cup holders for the third-row seats, and dual Isofix seats, but the dominant dark caramel/brown trim (no other colour option is available) may not suit everyone.
The versatile seven-seater is powered by Changan’s proven so-called Blue Whale 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine delivering 138 kW of power and 300 Nm of torque, paired with a seven-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) that sends the power to the front wheels.
Although the Changan’s power figures seem impressive, they do not relate to the road, as it takes the CS75 Pro nearly nine seconds (8.9 seconds) to sprint from zero to 100 km/h. This is mostly due to lag before the small-capacity engine’s turbo spools up, as well as the DCT taking time to select the right gear.
However, when the engine hits the torque band around 1,500 rpm, the C75 comes alive (especially in Sport mode), making overtaking easier. Top speed is around 190 km/h. Four driving modes (Eco, Comfort, Sport, and Custom) are available, and we found Comfort the best setting for long-distance trips, even though it made the steering feel somewhat unresponsive.
Riding on 19″ and 225/55 R19 tyres, the ride quality is compliant on good road surfaces but less so on gravel. Besides ABS, EBD, multiple airbags, adaptive cruise control, advanced vehicle ESP with traction control, and hill hold and descent control, the CS75 Pro comes with an impressive suite of intelligent ADAS features for its price bracket.
LAST WORD
Priced at R499,900 the CS75 Pro seven-seater competes in the highly competitive mid-size SUV segment against other budget-friendly Chinese SUVs such as the Jetour X70 Plus (R484,900 for the 1.5T Deluxe), the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro (R529,900 for the 1.6T GDI 290T Executive+), and the Haval H6 (R495,500 for the 2.0T Luxury).
Backed by a five-year/150,000 km warranty and five-year/90,000 km service plan, the CS75 Pro is a competent contender in this highly competitive class but offers nothing truly unique, and personal taste and individual considerations will play a big role in the final buying decision.
Report by FERDI DE VOS | Images © CHANGAN SOUTH AFRICA
