Chery Reviews

The mid-size SUV is one of Australia's most popular new car choices, and with more than 20 different models to choose from it's a hyper-competitive market segment. Well, it's time to make room for one more with the arrival of the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro to challenge established players like the Haval H6, Mazda CX-5, MG HS, Mitsubishi Outlander and Toyota RAV4.

The Omoda 5 initially had some concerning tech downfalls, but now Chery says it's fixed its new small SUV. We give it a second spin to see if things have improved.

Chinese carmaker Chery is back and it wants its Omoda 5 small SUV in your driveway, but is this rival to the MG ZS, Haval Joilion and Toyota Corolla Cross worthy of your hard earned? We've tested it over hundreds of kilometres to find out what it does well and also not so well.

Chinese manufacturer Chery had been hamstrung in Australia by not having stability control on its cars. The safety system is mandatory in Victoria and looks likes being mandatory elsewhere soon. Chery has a three car range here - the J1, J3 and J11. Price and equipment The price for the auto is $15,990 drive away,

It’s one of the most common questions we get asked: what are those Chinese cars like? Unfortunately the answer isn’t straightforward because the quality varies between brands – and individual vehicles within each brand. But, as a rough guide, some are definitely better than others.The Chery J1 hatch made headlines a couple of weeks ago when its price dropped to $9990 drive-away – the cheapest new car in Australia since the Polish-built Fiat-derived Niki of the early 1990s. Lost in the hype was its bigger older sibling, the Chery J3, whose price was also trimmed, to $12,990 drive-away. It’s about the size of a Ford Focus (you may even seen hints of the design from the previous model), so you’re getting a bigger car for the same money as the runabouts from Suzuki, Nissan and Mitsubishi.Chery is China’s largest independent car manufacturer but it has been slow to gain a foothold in Australia, unlike its compatriot Great Wall, which has made good headway with its ute and SUV range over the past three years. But the Australian distributor hopes to breath new life into the Chery line-up and find more homes for its cars having trimmed its prices to match the heavy discounting of the mainstream brands.The Chery J3 offers a lot of metal and equipment for the money. It’s almost Toyota Corolla-size but is priced down with the tiny-tots. Standard fare includes six-airbags, leather upholstery, steering wheel audio controls, rear parking sensors and 16-inch alloy wheels. The passenger’s vanity mirror gets a light (hey, every little thing counts), and the flick-key appears to have been modeled on a Volkswagen’s (although, annoyingly, it has only one button to lock and unlock the car, so you’re never quite sure if the car is locked until you check the door handle).Value, however, is an interesting term. The buying price is sharp: $12,990 drive-away equates to about $10,000 before on-road costs are added. And metallic paint (three of the four colours available) adds $350 (not $550 as it is on a Holden Barina, and $495 as it is on many other mainstream brands). But we know from recent experience that Chinese cars also have weak resale values – and depreciation is the single biggest cost of car ownership after buying the vehicle in the first place.For example, a $12,990 Suzuki, Nissan or Mitsubishi would be worth more in three years than a $12,990 Chery – and there would be a greater demand on the used-car market for the well-known brands.The Chery J3 is fairly basic on the technology front – it doesn’t even get Bluetooth – but we did spot one cool gadget. The rear sensors have a display in the instruments (near the odometer)s with a countdown in centimetres how close you are to the car behind.The cabin is roomy and the boot is massive. The back seats fold down to create an even larger cargo area. The leather seems to be of a fair quality and a comfortable design. There are child restraint anchor point on the 60:40 split rear seat backs. All buttons and dials are logically placed and easy to use. Unlike some other cars from emerging brands, most switches and controls don’t feel stiff or clumsy in the J3. Annoyingly, though, there is no reach adjustment on the steering wheel, only tilt.There is a clever hidden cubby near the top of the dashboard – and a neat sliding drawer in the middle of it – but the side pockets and the centre console are a bit too slim, and the cup holders are small for our tastes. The sound quality from the six-speaker audio system was good (bordering on above average), but the radio reception both AM and FM was patchy. At least you get steering wheel audio controls. The air-conditioning worked fine, although the vents are on the small side; I’d be curious to know how well it handled last week’s 46-degree heatwave.The Chery J3 comes with six airbags, the first Chinese-branded car on sale in Australia to do so. But this does not automatically equate to a five-star ANCAP safety rating. Chery says internal testing has shown the J3 is capable of a four-star rating but it loses a star for its lack of stability control (which is due to be added mid-year when the CVT auto arrives).Any speculation about an ANCAP star rating is unwise, however, because we won’t know for sure how it performs in a crash until the independent auditor smacks one against a wall later in the year. We should point out that the Chery J3 meets and/or exceeds the Federal Government’s safety regulations, but those regulations are a much lower benchmark than global standards.But the J3 (and the J1) cannot be sold in Victoria because it does not yet have stability control (which can prevent a skid in a corner and is said to be the next big advancement in saving lives since the seatbelt). It has been common on almost all new cars for several years but is due to be added in June when the CVT automatic arrives.Here’s the most surprising part: the Chery J3 actually drives quite well. In fact, I’d venture to say it feels like the most complete Chinese car I’ve driven to date. That’s not damning it with faint praise, but it does come with a few qualifications. The 1.6-litre is a little breathless and needs to be revved to really get moving. And although the engine itself is quite smooth and refined, Chery is yet to master the craft of noise deadening, so you hear more of the engine’s goings-on that you do in other cars.Despite insisting on premium unleaded (the minimum requirement according to the label is 93 octane, which means you’re obliged to use 95 octane in Australia) it’s rather thirsty (8.9L/100km). So one of the cheapest cars on the market requires the expensive fuel. Hmmm. The five-speed manual gearshift was basic but normal, as was the clutch action, and the steering feel was more than adequate for this type of car. What impressed me most, however, was the ride comfort and relatively good control from the suspension and 16-inch Maxxis tyres. It’s not going to out-maneuver a Ferrari (or a Mazda 3 for that matter), but it will serve most people’s needs.

Despite manufacturing more cars in a year than are sold in total here annually, Chinese manufacturer Chery has a tiny Aussie profile.That could change following the arrival of the new J3 small five door hatchback. Why? Because it's up a rung or two on other Chinese vehicles we have so far seen in this country.At $14,990 drive away the Chery J3 gets a 1.6 litre 4 cylinder engine and is available in manual only.  Standard features include a decent audio system, air conditioning, power windows, remote central locking, MP3 player and reverse sensors.Power comes from the twin cam, fuel injected, 1.6-litre petrol engine driving the front wheels through a five-speed manual transmission with appropriate gearing and a pleasing action. The engine's good for 87kW/147Nm output but it's a tad thirsty at 8.9-litres/100km partly due to the J3's 1350kg weight.Inside it's totally different to anything we have seen from the Chinese and is generously equipped with leather upholstery. There is a little too much plastic but this is softened by different textures and colours. Fit and finish is also better than most we have seen from the Chinese to date and we were pleasantly surprised at how functional it was with a decent size boot, adequate rear seat head and legroom and driving ease. It also comes with 16-inch alloys including the spare.And it's easy on the eye particularly from the rear view with a neatly curving roofline ending in a pair of feline-looking tail lights. The whole car bears some resemblance to the previous model Ford Focus hatch but only in passing.The J3 features six air bags, ABS and a basic form of stability control that should go close to scoring a five star ANCAP rating when tested. That's a relief considering what has come before from some Chinese brands.The ride is comfortable via a MacPherson strut front set-up and semi independent trailing arms at the rear. Steering is hydraulic power assisted rack and pinion with a smallish turning circle. We scored Australia's first drive of the J3 last week and can report the experience to be positive. It's much better to drive than say, a Great Wall ute or the Chery J11 small SUV.The company is fair dinkum about selling cars here and spends lots of loot on R&D as well as equipping its cars with plenty of kit as standard. The “asbestos issue'' in earlier Cherys has been dealt with... there isn't any in the new cars. The drive feel is much like most of the other small hatchbacks on the market in terms of performance and ride. It won't win any traffic light derbies but that's irrelevant to most buyers. The funky controls are also easy to identify and use.We drove the car around the ‘burbs, parked and had a coffee, drove on major urban roads and then the motorway at 110kmh. It delivers acceptable performance and is both smooth and relatively silent in operation.You keep coming back to the money which makes this particular car a real bargain among small hatchbacks, some of which cost twice as much or more. Do they go twice as well and look twice as good? Unequivocally no. Budget conscious and used car buyers should check this one out.

How much would you expect to pay for a new 2.0-litre petrol SUV-style vehicle about the same size as a Honda CRV? According to our pricing guide, this type of vehicle starts at around $26,000 plus on-roads. Not any more. Chinese brand Chery has just launched its new five seater J11 model that is about the same size as

…and competent budget cars rolling out of Australian showrooms.Cheap in 2011 no longer means tin-can terrible; from $11,790 for the Suzuki Alto to $12,990 for Nissan's Micra there's the choice of five, five-door hatchbacks safer, better-equipped and better-built than ever.Ten years ago the cheapest cars on the local market were the likes of the three-door Hyundai Excel at $13,990 and the Daewoo Lanos at $13,000.Since then average Australian income has jumped 21 per cent in real terms according to the ACTU even though petrol's gone from 80 cents a litre to $1.40 and more.But car prices have fallen in real terms, thanks to increased competition, a strong dollar and new brands headed this way from China.Technology, trickling down from higher-priced machines or, like stability control, mandated by authorities has made these budget cars more attractive than ever.Malaysian maker Proton were among the first to slice retail prices in the face of a feared onslaught from China, dropping the $11,990 S16 sedan into the light car battle market last November.Now Suzuki has taken the lead on pricing. (And Proton, with stock tight while waiting for a replacement, perhaps cheaper, model later this year couldn't make it to this comparison with an S16.)Their rivals are all finding new homes. While the overall car market is sluggish, down 5.3 per cent on last year, light cars have slipped only 1.4 per cent. Some 55,000 light cars were sold to the end of May, the second biggest segment after small cars and ahead of compact SUV sales figures.Suzuki Australia's general manager Tony Devers says the light car segment has grown dramatically over the past five years as Australians become more urbanised, more inner-city focussed.For Suzuki, light car buyers are split into two camps - over-45s looking for a second car and under-25s looking for university and city transport."What's the alternative - a four or five year old car with less fuel effciency and safety?" Devers says.VALUEYou get a surprising amount of kit in a cheap car these days: electric mirrors (in all but the Alto), airconditioning, plenty of safety equipment, electric windows (front only, but all four in the Chery) and quality sound systems.There is only $1200 between the cheapest and the dearest and the resale values are pretty close, too.Vehicle sizes are also much the same as is power. You would have to be Mark Webber to pick the difference between the least powerful (Alto 50kW) and the most powerful (Chery 62kW).The Micra wins on features with Bluetooth, USB input and steering wheel audio controls, but it is also the most expensive.The Alto is cheapest, but doesn't miss out on too many creature comforts except electric mirrors. And for an extra $700 the GLX has fog lights and alloys.TECHNOLOGYThe four cheapies we tested come with the new age of downsized engine. In the Micra and Alto, they are three-cylinder powerplants. The three-cylinder models were a little rough at idle, but so economical they mark the way of the future for city cars. In real world conditions, it was difficult to pick any power differences."It's surprising they are three-cylinder cars," says guest tester William Churchill. "They're pretty zippy for a three." On a low-tech note, it is difficult to distinguish the lock and unlock buttons on the Alto and Chery key fobs, while the Micra adds a car locator button that blows the horn.DESIGNThe Micra looks the most grown up and least quirky, having lost its bug eyes in the latest restyle. It also sits the nicest on its wheels, with marginal gaps in the wheel arches.One of our guest test-drivers, Amy Spencer, says she liked the slightly SUV look of the Chery. It also has smart alloy wheels and an instantly appealing interior.The Chinese have tried hard to funk up the cabin space, even if the seats lack support and some of the fit and finish isn't the best. Alto and Barina look similar on the exterior. Inside, both have comfortable and supportive seats, but the Holden trip computer is a bit too fussy and busy for easy reading.Cabin dimensions are similar across the four, although the Micra has best back seat legroom and the most luggage capacity, while the Alto's boot is tiny.The Chery also scored points with Spencer for its handy dashboard storage compartment.She and fellow volunteer test driver Penny Langfield also noted the importance of vanity mirrors on the visors. The Micra and Barina have two vanity mirrors, while the Chery has one on the passenger's side and Alto has one on the driver's side.SAFETYLangfield commented that safety is one of the most important aspects to consider."That is the thing you worry about the most with a small car," she says.But cheap doesn't mean they have scrimped on safety features. All have electronic stability control, ABS and electronic brakeforce distribution.The Chery has only dual front airbags, but the rest come with six airbags.According to the Australian New Car Assessment Program, the Chery has a three-star crash rating, Barina and Alto four stars and the Micra has not yet been tested, but the previous model with only dual front airbags had a three-star rating.DRIVINGWe took our three young volunteer drivers on a short city-based drive with plenty of hills and some freeway cruising. The Chery suffered a little from being straight out of the box with only about 150km on the odo and most of that on test.It may still be bedding in the brakes, but they felt mushy until they warmed up. Then they got a bit firmer, but still lacked initial bite and feel.The Chery's airconditioning also has a ringing sound in the fan which may go away after a while.We also noticed it revved a bit when you pushed in the clutch, indicating perhaps a slightly sticky throttle while still new.Yet the Chery drew favourable comments from all quarters for its responsive and "zippy" engine. However, Langfield noted it was "a bit sluggish coming up the hill"."I've heard all the hype about this being the cheapest car, but it goes better than I thought it would," she says. Spencer was rapt with the sound system: "It's great when you ramp it up."However, she instantly fell in love with the Micra."I liked this car from when I reversed it out of the carpark. It's quite zippy. I love the big mirrors. I like how the dashboard gives it a bit of space. It's not cramped up."She also liked the fact the seat height adjustment in the Micra and Suzuki: "It's great for short people."Churchill says the Micra's instruments are easy to read and found the audio controls on the steering wheel convenient."Smooth" was the word for Langfield to described the power, gearshift and ride."It's got a good audio system. The radio is nice and high," she says as she pumps up the volume on Triple J. She also likes the ample cup holders.The Barina is a no-fuss, solid and strong city car. "It's simple to drive but the LCD screen on the instrument panel is a bit distracting and very busy," says Churchill. Langfield agrees, but says, "I'm sure you would get used to it after a while."She liked the "smooth gear action" but found it "a bit gutless in places, but it picks up when you need it".The Suzuki surprised us all with its plucky three-cylinder engine. "It takes off when you want it to. It feels more intuitive and responsive," says Langfield.But Spencer laments the lack of boot space. "There'll be no camping weekends with this boot."Churchill says the gearshift was easy and the clutch feels light. "It's the most simple to get in and just drive."VERDICTThe Chery is the real surprise. It's better than we thought and attracted some good comments for styling, audio and power.The Barina feels safe, strong and reliable, while the Micra feels the most refined, although the most expensive. But we have to agree with the punters.While we found good and different points across the four we appreciate the Suzuki's willingness and price point as the leader of this pack.Last word goes to Langfield: "All these cars are better than my car so I really can't complain."VOTINGPenny Langfield: 1 Alto, 2 Micra, 3 Barina, 4 Chery. "It just feels good to drive. You feel like you are driving a real car, not a toy".Amy Spencer: 1 Micra, 2 Alto, 3 Barina, 4 Chery. "An all-round good car. It has a bit of storage space and just looks and feels good to drive."William Churchill: 1 Alto, 2 Barina, 3 Chery, 4 Micra. "I can get in and didn't need to get used to driving it. The dashboard is also easy to use."SUZUKI ALTO GLPrice: $11,790Body: 5-door hatchbackEngine: 1 litre, 3-cylinder 50kW/90NmTransmission: 5-speed manual (4-speed auto option)Fuel: 4.7l/100km; CO2 110g/kmDimensions: 3500mm (L), 1600mm (W), 1470mm (H), 2360mm (WB)Safety: 6 airbags, ESP, ABS, EBDWarranty: 3-year/100,000kmResale: 50.9%Green rating: 5 starsFeatures: 14-inch steel wheels, A/C, aux input, full-size steel spare, front power windowsBARINA SPARK CDPrice: $12,490Body: 5-door hatchbackEngine: 1.2 litre, 4-cylinder 59kW/107NmTransmission: 5-speed manualFuel: 5.6l/100km; CO2 128g/kmDimensions: 3593mm (L), 1597mm (W), 1522mm (H), 2375mm (WB)Safety: 6 airbags, ESC, ABS, TCSWarranty: 3 year/100,000kmResale: 52.8%Green rating: 5 starsFeatures: 14-inch alloy wheels, front power windows, A/C, USB & Aux audio input, auto headlights off, optional full-size spareCHERY J1Price: $11,990Body: 5-door hatchbackEngine: 1.3 litre, 4-cylinder 62kW/122NmTransmission: 5-speed manualFuel: 6.7l/100km; CO2 159g/kmDimensions: 3700mm (L), 1578 (W), 1564 (H), 2390 (WB)Safety: ABS, EBD, ESP, dual front airbagsWarranty: 3 yr/100,000kmResale: 49.2%Green rating: 4 starsFeatures: 14-inch alloys, full-size steel spare, A/C, 4 power windows and mirrorsNISSAN MICRA STPrice: $12,990Body: 5-door hatchbackEngine: 1.2 litre, 3-cylinder 56Kw/100nmTransmission: 5-speed manual (four-speed auto option)Fuel: 5.9l/100km; CO2 138g/kmDimensions: 3780mm (L,) 1665mm (W), 1525mm (H), 2435mm (WB)Safety: 6 airbags, ESP, ABS, EBDWarranty: 3 year/100,000km, 3-year 24-hr roadside assistResale: 50.8%Green rating: 5 starsFeatures: Bluetooth, A/C, 14-inch steel wheels, full-size steel spare, aux in, front power windowsPROTON S16 GPrice: $11,990Body: 4-door sedanEngine: 1.6 litre, 4-cylinder 82kW/148NmTransmission: 5-speed manualFuel: 6.3l/100km; CO2 148g/kmDimensions: 4257mm (L) 1680mm (W) 1502mm (H), 2465mm (WB)Safety: Driver's airbag, ESC,Warranty: three year, unlimited km, 24-hour roadside assistResale: 50.9%Green rating: 4 starsFeatures: 13-inch steel wheels, full-size steel spare, A/C, remote central locking, front power windowsUSED CAR OPTIONSTHERE are a number of options to an all-new light car if shopping for something secondhand and sensible.Among these, Glass' Guide lists manual versions of Honda's 2003 Civic Vi five-door hatchback at $12,200, the 2005 Toyota Corolla Ascent sedan at $12,990 and Mazda's 2004 Mazda 3 Neo (sedan or hatch) at $12,400.The Civic impressed at the time with good interior space and comfort, reliable reputation and a long list of gear including dual airbags, ABS plus power windows and mirrors.The Mazda3 range was an instant hit with critics and consumers, bringing style back to the marque. The Neo's standard gear included air-conditioning, dual airbags, CD player plus remote central locking. Toyota's Corolla has long been a safe and solid performer in the small to compact class; 2005 versions arrived with dual airbags, air conditioning, ABS and proven reliability.

The price is right on the Chery J1. The first Chinese passenger car to hit the road in Australia always had to be cheap to make an impact, and the bottom line is just $11,990 - on the road. The value is unquestionable, the J1 is the new Australian price leader, and the deal includes 24-7 roadside assistance for the

The first Chinese passenger cars headed for Australia are surprisingly normal.  Three models from the Chery brand do not look or drive like third-world clunkers and, with a value-added approach, they promise a better deal than the Koreans that currently dominate in the bargain basement.Chery is partnered with Ateco Automotive, Australia's largest independent importer with a portfolio from Great Wall of China to Ferrari of Italy, and the two companies are aiming to have cars on the road by the third quarter of this year.The J1 baby hatch will come first in partnership with the J11 front-drive SUV, which looks a lot like the Toyota RAV4, with the Corolla-sized J3 to come in 2011.  No-one at Ateco or Chery is talking prices, but the J1 should be less than $13,000 driveaway - it is pitched against the Hyundai Getz in Australia - with the J11 at less than $20,000.The cars have been created by China's largest local maker, as opposed to joint-venture brands, and the company with the biggest exports. Chery is aiming for production of one million cars this year and intends to send 100,000 overseas.  "Chery car, in terms of the quality and after sales service and all this, will be no different to our competitiros, This is our target," says Biren Zhou, vice-president of Chery Automobile.Chery is mostly state-owned by the government in WuHu and the local province, and has been in the car business since 1997. It's cumulative production is more than two million vehicles and it has a range of more than 20 models, from 800cc microcars to HiAce-sized vans.The big hurdle for Australia is safety - Chery trumpets the first four-star car in China NCAP tests - and acceptance of cars from China.  But the J1 and J11 look good, they drive fairly well, and Ateco chiefs have experience with all three Korean brands - Hyundai, Daewoo and Kia - to fast-track acceptance and sales."In our perfect world we will come in below the Koreans, but with a meaningful value advantage," says Dinesh Chinnappa, special projects manager for Ateco, during a press preview in WuHu, China.DrivingThe J1 is tiny, but it looks good and gets along reasonably well with a 1.3-litre engine. It also has a funky looking dashboard design that will be good for youthful first-car buyers.  The J11 is better again, with more space and a reasonable 2-litre engine. There are quality glitches, but the cabin is way better than the first Korean cars that reached Australia.The J3 looks the most impressive, but rear vision is crimped, performance is nothing special, and there is a power-steering whine in one car and clunky steering in two cars.  These first impressions are formed during a severely limited drive at the Chery factory, but they are a positive pointer.Of course, it all comes down to prices and equipment and the crucial dealer network - Ateco is planning 40-50 agents at the start of sales - as well as the vital ANCAP crash test results.  Great Wall utes have been selling strongly despite a two-star ANCAP result but Chery must do far better to create the right first impression for Australia.