The large number of Chinese car brands at home and abroad is confusing, but that hasn't stopped some manufacturers from trying to make things more confusing by creating more brands. Although as far as Changan is concerned, the kaicene brand was created with a very clear purpose: to separate Changan's commercial vehicle lineup from its consumer lineup for the global market. On one side are Kaicene trucks and MPVs with red logos, and on the other side are Changan cars and crossovers with V logos. Neither of them will meet.
This makes the new Kaicene CX70 puzzling. Half a week after the test drive, this confusion stayed with me. This CX70 is completely different from any Chinese crossover I've ever driven, and it wasn't until I saw the hood that I realized why.
Rear-wheel drive. Multiple websites, spec sheets, and even Wikipedia claim that this is a front-wheel drive crossover. But this is not a crossover. It's an honest rear-wheel drive SUV.
Well, sort of.
sculpt
The CX70 draws on some of the design inspirations of the Ford Explorer with its square stance and floating D-pillar. There are also some Land Rovers in the front, although it does not blindly copy any LR design. The projector headlights, front and rear fog lights, and roof rails give it a high-end feel that is inconsistent with its list price. The huge fenders are molded in sheet metal to give the square body a certain shape, but the hunk is not visible from the side, although there is a sharp shoulder line and a thick black overlay underneath the body.
There are many hints about the relationship between the CX70 and Kaicene's one-piece MPV. This is similar to Toyota's own Avanza-based Rush SUV, although the CX70 is more distinctly SUV-style. Only the wheel and tire packaging seem to be inconsistent with this. The split spoke 17-inch alloy looks very attractive, but dwarfs the weight of the CX70.
interior
The interior of the CX70 builds on these impressions, a tall space in which you can lose yourself. It's not as sophisticated as the more expensive Chinese seven-seaters like the Okavango, but it's a huge leap in price range over the seven-seater seven-seater in this regard. Good fit and finish, good plastic texture on the door and dashboard. The only sour smell is the large skeleton panel above the passenger airbag. Everywhere there is black and red artificial leather sewn in contrasting colors. In long-distance driving, padded leatherette on the console under the knees and elbows is particularly popular. If a little flat, the leather seat leather is supportive. Reclining hinges are a bit too high for my taste, but otherwise they are comfortable.
There is a lot of room in the cabin to unfold, and despite the skylights, the headroom is spacious and there is plenty of legroom due to the long wheelbase. The split 60:40 center bench lets you slide the seat on the far right forward to enter the third row. There is a lot of legroom between the back rows for everyone to feel comfortable. The third row won't tilt too much, but there are cup holders and 12V power ports there, and although there are no third row vents, it doesn't feel uncomfortable, at least given that's not the case with our current weather conditions.
There is plenty of cargo space behind the third row to hold the week's groceries or one or two hard boxes. Pulling up the fairly stiff release strap, you can fold the seat forward for 692 litres of space. Flip the rear two rows upwards and you'll get 1,278 litres, but not in a continuous, flat loading space.
Engine performance
The CX70's 1.5-liter turbocharged engine comes from the same family as the Changan CS75, but without the fancy direct injection system. Despite claims of 147hp and 230Nm outputs, 0-100kph takes a rather tedious 14 seconds. This is a bit faster than Rush or APV, but slower than Avanza. None of them have turbocharging. The maximum torque can be as low as 2,000 rpm, but the engine needs a few revolutions to really start. The Aisin six-speed automatically feels sluggish, and it takes the deep urge of the pedals to get downshift when overtaking. Switching to sport or manual mode helps maintain rotational speed, and that's where the CX70's happiest thing is. Once you've exceeded 3,000 rpm, there's plenty of power available.
After throttling, the engine travels at 80 km/h at 1,800 rpm, reaching 12-14 km/l in parallel with the lighter, weaker Rush. The medium 8km/L blend is less impressively economical. The extra weight and power does have an impact on traffic. With a small tank of 48 liters, you'll find yourself filling up with oil more often. On the plus side, unlike most turbocharged products, the intake channel fuel injection system allows you to use regular 91 RON gasoline.
Riding and handling
While the CX70 looks like a rugged ladder-frame SUV, it drives more like an all-in-one MPV. This is not a bad thing. While it doesn't set any new standards in terms of ride comfort, the ride experience is good. It does have problems with stiffness, but the long wheelbase and coil spring rear axle are better able to handle wavy asphalt or high-frequency bumps than many other cheap rear-wheel-drive seven-seaters, especially in the third row. The end linkage on the front McPherson strut suspension does complain of particularly bad ruts, but the tall and soft 215/60R17 Chao Yang H/T tires provide ample cushioning for the worst road defects.
On the debit side, those soft tires mean that Kaicene's default handling mode is understeering. They can turn well, but don't stay straight like low profiles or harder tires. The electric steering is light and numb, while the brakes have no sense of bite at the top of the pedal and require a lot of push to slow down from the highway. It may not be as boat-like as the vintage SUV it inspired, but it's a far cry from today's sporty crossover.
Off the highway, the CX70's modest width and surprisingly compact cornering (a benefit of rear-wheel drive) make it relatively easy to maneuver in traffic. While the tall hood makes it difficult to tell the corners of a car, there's a blind spot camera that you can switch to to to look at the road edge on the passenger side. No matter what speed you run, it will stay running. Neat touch, that.
Extra features
In addition to the blind spot camera, there are expected parking sensors and cameras, as well as an integrated 8-inch infotainment screen with integrated touchscreen air conditioning control. The system has Bluetooth and an easy-to-navigate layout, but no Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. The six-speaker system is relatively loud, but not particularly clear or subtle. You get multiple charging ports, including a third row of 12V ports and a single USB port under the second row of vents. There is a push button lock and engine start, but the door lock is not speed sensitive.
The safety kit includes front airbags, dual second-row Isofix child seat brackets, slope control, electronic stability control, and traction control, and despite the laid-back performance, the last feel is unnecessary.
Judgment
However, although the CX70 is not a performance monster despite its "Turbo" logo, it does offer you an unbeatable price-performance ratio. How much? Try the P879,000, which is significantly lower than the Xpnder Cross, Suzuki XL7, or Toyota Rush.
So here are some compromises – the MPV-style one-piece chassis can't fit in a larger tank or four-wheel drive, and the fuel economy lags behind FWD's competitors. Other than that, there is nothing to complain about. Admittedly, driving isn't exciting, but it's not the target market, anyway. In this target market, nothing can compare to interior luxury or space. This is a whale among the small fish.
The bigger hurdle will be convincing the seven-seater seven-seater that they need a large rear-wheel drive SUV instead of a compact crossover/MPV/SUV. Admittedly, pickup SUV like fortuner is selling hot, but the market has been accustomed to the PPV formula formula CX70 for decades as Kaicene's attempt to replicate this successful attempt at a more affordable price, but it may take some time for the market to catch on.
Specification: 2022 Kaicene CX70
Engine: 1.5 liter turbo gasoline I4
Power: 147hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Layout: RWD
Seats: 5
Score: 16/20