2024 Changan X7 Plus: Rooting for the Underdog

Lately, my husband Lester and I realized that we need more space to fit our family and some stuff in our car, so we planned to replace our family car with a 7-seat vehicle. However, we were faced with a myriad of choices – aside from MPVs, there were crossovers, minivans and SUVs from Japanese, Korean, American, and Chinese car brands. Aside from gas and diesel engines, there were also hybrids and EVs (electric vehicles) to consider.

I tend to be a bit biased towards Japanese and Korean car brands because, for the past 20 years, I have driven a Nissan Sentra, a Kia Picanto, a Kia Soul, a Suzuki Ertiga and a Suzuki Ciaz, which is my current car. Aside from the good driving experience I had with these vehicles, I was satisfied with their respective aftersales services. Besides, Lester and I are more particular about functionality more than brand image. Moreover, we also tend to root for the underdog.

Enter the Dragon

After we weren’t able to attend a media drive event from Metro Manila to Central Luzon and back, Changan Auto Philippines offered to lend us one of their test drive vehicles for a couple of days. Admittedly, I didn’t know much about this car brand until our good friend from the local Chinese news media, Joseph Ong, who grew up in China before migrating to the Philippines, said that Changan (pronounced as “shang-an”) is a respected and renowned automobile brand in that country.

When I picked up the Changan X7 Plus media test drive unit from the Changan Auto showroom and corporate offices along C5 Road in Pasig City, I was amazed with its design, fit & finish, and overall dimensions. The front end reminded me of a squinting smiling feline while its Dynamic Surgeflo Grille (I think that’s what it’s called), glossy paint finish, and large 19-inch wheels (that looked like 5-petal flowers to me) gave it the elegance and prestige of a European crossover. The red accent alongside the lower part of the doors gave it a youthful and sporty attitude.

Room with a View

As a wife, mother and business owner, I need a car that has a flexible seating arrangement. The X7 Plus features ample room for seven people with all the seats upright, ample cargo space for short bulky items with the third row folded flat, and sufficient space with the second and third rows folded to make a cargo bed that will fit long and bulky items. It’s perfect for driving around with our family; or for trips to the grocery, shopping malls and laundry service shops; or for carrying stuff that I need when organizing events.

Whenever we get a test drive unit, our audiophile son, Chevy Martin, gets to adjust and test the audio and he’s happy with how his favorite music sounds in the X7 Plus’s 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Our daughter Vette, reported that her cats – a male Siamese named Randy and a female mixed-breed named Skittles – were sleeping soundly at the back seat, proof of this Changan’s smooth and quiet ride. We all love the view out of the panoramic sunroof and how bright and airy the cabin feels.

I’ve Got the Power

While I was driving the X7 Plus by myself along the South Luzon Expressway, I noticed a dark-tinted Japanese SUV tailgating behind. I gave it space to overtake and go ahead but instead of passing, it drove alongside and kept the same pace. I didn’t know if the driver was admiring the Changan or wondering what it is, but I didn’t stick around to find out. I floored it and zoomed away, thanks to the X7 Plus’s powerful engine. Lester said that it’s a 1.5-liter turbocharged 16-valve engine that makes 185 horsepower and 300 Newton-meters of torque. All I know is that it is quick and responsive.

I’ve been driving cars with automatic transmissions and all I really do is to just put the selector in Drive to get going. Lester, who’s an engineer, said that the X7 Plus is equipped with a 7-speed double clutch transmission (DCT). I really don’t know what that means but all I know is that the shifts are smooth and almost seamless, especially when I left that pesky dark-tinted SUV behind. My hubby also pointed out that the X7 Plus’s 360º View Camera has a built-in Drive Recorder that could be useful should something untoward happens.

Easy Like Sunday Morning

I find it easy driving this Changan in stop-and-go traffic even on steep roads (Lester said it’s the Hill Hold and Hill Descent Control) as I find it convenient that the Electronic Parking Brake with Autohold automatically engages when I select Park. I absolutely cannot do without the Smart Keyless Entry and Push Button Start/Stop, which allows me to keep the key fob in my pocket and engage Remote Engine Start with the aircon on to cool the interior in times when I left the X7 Plus parked under a hot sun.

I occasionally glance at the instrument panel (Lester said that it’s a 7-inch Cluster Display) to check on the fuel gauge and I was pleased to see that the X7 Plus is quite economical and fuel efficient. The display also warned me that the right rear tire had lower air pressure than the other three tires, and I promptly drove to a tire shop to have the air checked. (My hubby said it’s the built-in Tire Pressure Monitoring System.) Oh, so that’s what “TPMS” on the display means! (Lester lovingly joked that TPMS can also mean “The Pretty Missus Shawie”. He’s such a kidder!)

Adding Another Viable Choice

Lester said that the X7 Plus is equipped with disc brakes all around and that it comes with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD). I don’t really know what all that means but all I know is that this Changan has excellent stopping power. He also pointed out other information on the brochure like ISOFIX seats, PM 0.1-micron interior air filter and a “Human-Machine Interface”, which all sound geeky and foreign to me. I can appreciate the 55-liter fuel tank which, coupled with the X7 Plus’s fuel efficiency, simply means that I can drive much farther between fill-ups.

Priced at P1.399Million, the 2024 Changan X7 Plus represents another viable choice that car buyers can consider. With features that offer safety, performance, comfort, convenience and fuel efficiency, this Chinese import has the appearance, stance and sporty vibe of a European SUV. (Perhaps the “X7” nomenclature has something to do with it, wink-wink…) Lester and I are now finding it very difficult which 7-seat family vehicle to choose!

With a reputation for dependability, durability and excellent aftersales support that is well-documented in China, we hope that Changan will soon be able to build a solid customer base here in the Philippines. After all, like I said at the start, this lady driver, as well as my husband, my family and most Filipinos, have a tendency to root for the underdog.

SPECIFICATIONS

Vehicle Type: Front-engine, FWD, 5-door SUV
Price: P1,399,000
Engine: Inline 4-cylinder 16-valve turbocharged gasoline
Displacement: 1,499 cc
Maximum power: 185 hp @ 5,500 rpm
Maximum torque: 300 Nm@1,500 – 3,500 rpm
Transmission: 7-speed DCT automatic
Fuel tank capacity: 55 L
Wheelbase: 2,786 mm
Length: 4,730 mm
Width: 1,870 mm
Height: 1,720 mm
Minimum ground clearance: 200 mm
Turning circle: 12 m
Front suspension: Independent, McPherson struts
Rear suspension: Multilink
Front brakes: Ventilated discs
Rear Brakes: Ventilated discs
Steering system: Rack and pinion with electric assistance (EPAS)
Wheels: 19-inch alloys
Tires: 225/55R19