Test Driven: The ChangAn/ ERA CV6 1.3MT

The new CV6 is the first self-engineered mini-car from ChangAn. The company set up a design office in Turin, Italy, where it utilized the help of the Italian IDEA design group to develop the car. The CV6 is powered by a 1.3-liter, 84-horsepower engine with 81 pound-feet of torque and rides on a 93.1-inch wheelbase. The car's total length is 138.7 inches, width is 64.9 inches and height is 61.0 inches. With these dimensions, CV6 is clearly targeting the Chery QQ, which is a shade longer, but narrower and less tall.

First Impressions

The outlook of the car is a conventional small/ compact hatchback design aimed at the younger crowd looking for a comfortable city runabout with some flare and fresh styling to boot. Though its not exactly cutting-edge in design, the ChangAn CV6 settles in comfortably with the current trends and creates a nice blend modern European styling due to its Italian-influenced design. The CV6 have been re-engineered and refined for the Malaysian market to be safer and more attractive, with over 40% local content. 

The CV6 hatch, available in Standard and Premium versions, is powered by an all-aluminium 16-valve 1.3l JL47Q2 engine offering 85bhp at 6,000rpm and 110Nm of torque from 3,500-4,500rpm. Drivetrain currently offered is a five-speed manual only. The interior offering is rather decent and the seats are supple enough for you to sink in and enjoy its comfort. The interior is pretty spacious and there's decent legroom at the rear. Fits in 4 adults comfortably, 5 at a minimal squeeze. Interior is basic black and with it comes equipped with a CD player and a four-speaker system. Sound quality is decent for its price and you get the standard pre-amp settings with a radio function. Center dash and air cond vents are garnished with an opaque black trimming which adds a touch of class to the interior. The meter cluster has a nice LED-style lighting which further enhances the coziness of the cabin. An added bonus to this car is the ever-so important water temperature gauge which actually displays the digit '90 Degrees' to inform the driver of the engine's condition should it go above into overheating. All most all the cars on sale do not have a proper numerical indication for water temperature, just dots. To think that all of us have to pay over a Hundred grand for our rides without having us know our actual water temp. Call me old-fashioned, but i'd actually like to know what's going on with my ride.

Due to its ride height, drivers will enjoy a good view of the road and its surroundings making it very easy to gauge during parking and turns as well as vehicle distance. Another plus point is the safety features. Nowadays, driver's can't feel at ease without safety appointments such as SRS Airbags, ABS, EBD, TRC etc. Even for its relatively low price, the CV6 does not compromise on the safety aspect and comes with ABS, EBD and dual SRS Airbags. Convenience is also a good point for the CV6 as it has a good number of compartments to store your keys, coins and whatchamacallits. A pair of cup holders are present up front as well.

The Test Drive

Out we went for a spin with the ChangAn CV6. Our test route comprises of a 4 km long straight and a series of tight right and left hand corners. The clutch does take a while to get used to as the pedal reach is rather short so gauging between lifting the clutch and pedal on the gas takes some time getting used to. Lift off a little bit more and the car stalls. As with all cars, everything is built down to a price, so we'd expect a bit of imperfections here and there. The gear shift is rather notchy and a little stiff, shifting it up and down and you can hear the crackle as you engage the gears, kinda reminds you of a WRC Dog-Box. But nothing a good fully synthetic gear lubricant can't do to reduce that noise. 

As we tested on the straights, the low-mid range response was pretty decent. The engine was quite a willing performer. Noisy and unrefined at the higher RPM's, but strong and robust nonetheless. There was even a fair amount of wheel spin during take off. It definitely has some potential to improve from where it stands currently. The sound insulation could have been better, but acceptable nonetheless.

Next we took the car for a series of corners with some tight 90 degree left and right hand turns, 45 degree sweeping corners etc. We noticed that the car had quite a significant amount of body roll due to its ride height and small wheels. It's not very encouraging when you decide to play Gran Turismo in the corners, but for a car to be used for grocery shopping, downtown commute and regular trips to either, the hair salon, college and 7 Eleven, there's no need to be proving yourself to the world on how great a driver you can be. Overall handling is average, but once more, we stress that this car was built for comfort and comfort is what you're going to get. 

A plus point in the CV6 during our test was the brakes. The brakes are good, solid and they stop on a dime. The pads grip very well and the car stops almost immediately, and with the aid of ABS and EBD, it further enhances the brake feel. However, depress the brake pedal too much and too fast and your passengers will be treated to a face-in-the-windscreen experience. 

• Good, solid brakes

• Comfy and supple leather seats

• Good, low to mid response from engine

• Decent Audio system for price

• Spacious interior

• Good driving position with good view of road and surroundings

• Comes with ABS, EBD and Dual SRS Airbags for its price

• Water Temperature Gauge has the much needed numeral for temp reading

• Notchy and stiff gear shifting

• Clutch takes quite a while getting used to

• Rough and noisy engine

• Cheap plastics

• Average handling and plenty of body roll

• Average sound insulation

The Verdict is Out

What more can be said about this ride. If you're looking for a decent daily commuter and you're on a tight budget, the CV6 here is your answer. It has all the industry standard appointments for safety which is a plus point for every 1st time car buyer. Engine may be un-refined, but it is a performer and it is robust as well. It also provides decent low to mid range torque which is a vital point for a decent urban runabout. 

Every car does has it's Achilles Heel here and there, but then again which car doesn't. However, its pitfalls are not too dire that it cannot be rectified. Off the record and in my own personal opinion, the shortcomings can be rectified or improved with better quality lubricants, some added sound damping material and better tyres and bigger rims and lowering springs to help make the ride a tad sportier and handle better. 

All in all, its a decent ride for the price its offering, and ChangAn had certainly taken safety measures and comfort as the main priority for the CV6. Its not a crotch rocket, but it will give you ease of mind while getting you from point A to B.  

* The ChangAn/ ERA CV6 1.3 can be viewed, test driven and purchased at Automotive Performance Development (APD). Contact them @ 03-8075 7953, or click HERE for more contact details.