In a segment that’s bursting at the seams with several established and more recognized players, it’s often hard to catch a break. It’s even harder when you’re based out of a place called Chongqing and your entrant is trying to make a splash in an already turbulent pool. The manufacturer in question is Changan Automobile, while the entrant is a compact crossover that goes by the name CS75. With fierce competition from the likes of the Toyota RAV4, Kia Sportage, and Ford Escape - the CS75 has its work cut out for itself. However, instead of launching different models at different prices, Changan’s strategy with the CS75 seems to be a tad different. What the company has done instead, is launch several versions of the CS75 at varying prices; thus giving prospective customers more flexibility by offering essentially just one model. But I doubt that seems to be working, at least not in the UAE.
Exterior
Making its first appearance in 2014, the Changan CS75 is very much in its first generation. Despite its age, the design still looks fresh and quite modern as it is. The CS75’s front fascia is primarily dominated by the large “Changan” branding along the grille, and the double-barrel headlight design. The latter even gets vivid, blue highlights around each of the individual lamps, adding more character. The clamshell hood houses some fake vents, while the elaborate front bumper gets integrated blinkers, foglights, and a faux skid plate. The side profile brings into view the 17-inch alloy wheels with deep wheel wells, flared fenders, door/fender chrome garnish, protective body cladding with chrome side sills, and subtle roof rails.
At the back, the CS75 comes with a roof spoiler, sharp-looking part-LED taillights, a thin chrome strip above the number plate, and a large plastic bumper with some diffuser elements. On the size front, this Changan crossover measures 4.650 meters in length, 1.850 meters in width, 1.705 meters in height, and has a wheelbase of 2.700 meters. Since it’s only available as a strict five-seater, the CS75 offers up to 590 liters of overall boot space.
Interior
Depending on the trim level you pick, the interior of the Changan CS75 can be a pretty decent place to spend time in. It’s never going to feel dreadful or underdone - it’s just about right. Of course, the plastics and much of the trim don’t feel too great to the touch, but thankfully, the leather seats are pretty nice and soft. The general design of the dashboard and instrument binnacle look decent, but there’s nothing to write home about, here. And while there are some soft-touch materials in this cabin, a vast majority of them feel tacky and low-rent.
On the plus side, the CS75’s cabin offers more than adequate room for all five occupants - even the taller ones should be fine. And of course, the massive boot only adds to the practicality. The top-spec trims come with an electric sunroof, xenon headlights, keyless-entry & go, leather upholstery, cruise control, electronic handbrake, automatic climate control, power-adjustable driver’s seat, an 8-speaker audio setup, and a 7-inch touch-multimedia head unit with navigation. Safety tech comes in the form of six airbags, blind-spot warning, traction control, vehicle stability assist, and hill assist among others.
Engine and performance
The top-end CS75 Distinguish gets all-wheel drive and a 1.8-liter turbocharged four-banger. This unit produces 175 hp with 230 Nm, and comes mated to a 6-speed automatic. Its top whack is 180 km/h, while the sprint to 100 km/h takes 10 seconds, and the average fuel burn is around 8.8 L/100 km.
Verdict
The Changan CS75 range costs between AED 55,000 to AED 85,000 for the base and top variants, respectively. Meanwhile, cost of finance starts from AED 857 for the base Fashion trim with FWD.
