In August this year, I tried the Toyota Crown Land Release at the Tianjin Circuit, and after the content was released, the level of attention to this car was unexpected. Some people say that it has been waiting for a long time, and it is necessary to place an order immediately; some people feel that although Highlander/Lufang has a certain product strength, it has a taste of being over-mythologized, and the pricing of manufacturers is also very confident, and there is room for improvement in terms of design and high-grade sense.
In fact, in my opinion, toyota's consistent style is to have high drivability and fuel economy, and the design material is pragmatic. If you have requirements for a sense of high-end and design, you may need to add a budget to see something else.
But three months later, at the old Tianjin Circuit, I tried a very designed and the most advanced model I have ever tried in Toyota in recent years, the Harrier Lingfang.
Of course, if you want to get more on the basis of the existing conditions, it is still impossible to avoid adding money. Compared with the same platform and wheelbase of the same door RAV 4 Rongfang, the starting price of Lingfang is less than 40,000 yuan more expensive. Whether this is worth the investment depends on your requirements for design, luxury and texture.
Speaking of design, we must first introduce the history of Harrier's blooming. If you do a background check on LingFang, you can find that it has a lot of roots with Lexus. Although harrier is not a purebred Lexus, it was sold under the name RX for a long time in the North American market.
▼ The early Lexus RX330
Lexus' pursuit and standards for design do not need to be said, and being able to hang up the minemark is a recognition of the design. Although this time Lingfang is presented in the Toyota standard, from the result point of view, Lingfang is still a very designed model.
The family language of Toyota has rarely been seen on Ling Fang's body, and the overall style has some feminine beauty, revealing an elegant temperament.
Of course, the appearance and shape are different, and I will not repeat it. Entering the interior of the carriage, you will be greeted by the most advanced interior of Toyota in recent years.
In terms of design, the saddle-shaped central passage is unique and very simple. Ancestral mechanical gear handles may be slot points, but think about it, most Lexus models still use mechanical gear handles, don't they?
The workmanship and materials also reveal a little luxurious feeling, half of the door panel is covered by leather wrapping, and the hard part of the surface is also very delicate. On some models, the trim used in the storage part under the central control and the door panel armrest is presented in wood grain, which is very elegant.
In addition to these surface elements, Ling Fang also has an interesting little trick, which is its skylight. By means of a key switch, the transparent canopy can be atomized and most of the ultraviolet rays can be blocked. With the sunshade, the summer car experience will be much cooler than the ordinary sunroof, without having to beat the air conditioner, which curves down the fuel consumption and improves the experience. It's just that the beam in the middle of this panoramic skylight is just a reinforcing rib, which means that it can't be opened.
Finally, let's talk about getting off the plane. 12.3-inch touch screen with built-in Toyota Chi Heng interconnection system. Display detail and touch feedback are a big improvement compared to the past. The functions of the built-in system are still different from those of independent brands, but they are enough to meet most of the daily needs, such as QQ Music and Baidu Maps.
The rear space can be fully referred to RAV 4. Although the official positioning of the RAV 4 is compact and the Lingfang is medium,the two have the same 2690mm wheelbase and 1855mm width, and the extra 155mm length of the Lingfang is reflected in the front and rear overhangs, so there is not much difference in the riding space.
See here there is no need to rush back, although the space has not opened the gap, but the difference of 40,000 yuan is certainly not only reflected in the exterior interior. In terms of driving, some of Lingfang's models also stand up to scrutiny.
The original activity arrangement should be a test drive on the track, but it rained + fogged on the day of the event, and the safety consideration was changed to a test ride, which was a slight regret. But the driving instructors were all too familiar with the track and could push the car to the limits, and I was able to concentrate on feeling the dynamics.
Like most Toyotas, Lingfang has two power configurations: the 2.0 naturally aspirated front drive and the 2.5 dual-engine front drive/front drive.
The first test ride was the 2.0 fuel version of the model. To be honest, my assessment of this set of dynamics is "reserved". The 170 horsepower is a bit meaty, and as the speed rises, the engine is already louder, the torque is still slow, the overall is a bit lackluster, and even before it can show the chassis level, the lap is over.
My opinion is that unless you are particularly fond of the static performance of Lingfang, but the budget is really tight, you can consider the 2.0 version. Otherwise, it is recommended to go up to the 2.5 dual engine to get a dynamic feeling that matches the static.
For the power of the 2.5 dual engine, I have always had a high evaluation: low fuel consumption, responsiveness, linear output, very suitable for urban driving. The only drawback is that the high-speed engine is somewhat noisy, and it is relatively dry and unpleasant. On the top of the ling, the advantages are retained, and the engine noise thing is improved. Take the impression of test driving crown land three months ago, not to mention that Ling Fang is different from it, but at least there is a level of improvement.
The dual-engine version has a book power of 178 horsepower, which may seem like a small difference from the 170 horsepower of 2.0, but the experience is very different. Especially in the four-wheel drive version, LingFang can distribute up to 80% of the power to the rear wheels, which adds a lot of color to Ling's performance on the track. Under the impetus of the coach's superb skills, the limit of the chassis of Ling Fang can be lifted to the sun.
For the first impression of the Lingfang chassis, I thought it was a comfortable model, with a relaxed handling of bumps such as road shoulders, and a slight sideways tilt when cornering. But the magic thing is that when the speed gradually increases, as the tires whistle, the roll is still there, but the lateral grip has not broken through the limit, and the vehicle has almost no signs of pushing the head. Many high-speed corners, almost no need to shift the center of gravity forward, just with the throttle can easily pass the corner.
The subjective analysis of the individual, for a large part, should benefit from the maximum 80% distribution of rear wheel power, which inhibits the generation of pushers. In addition, the coach has been immersed in the Tianjin Circuit for a while, knowing the track line and vehicle limits, and showing us the best side. But in any case, the final result shows that Lingfang, especially the 2.5 dual-engine four-wheel drive version, is a model that combines handling and comfort. If you are a friend who pursues the design, details and driving quality of the vehicle, Ling Fang may be able to enter your consideration list.
In general, I have a high evaluation of Lingfang, especially the dual engine four-wheel drive version. Whether static or dynamic, it makes a good impression on me. Lingfang is not a model suitable for everyone, its positioning is destined to be doomed to it will not be a volume model, the reason is that most of the joint venture brand consumers will pay more attention to cost performance, and friends who are not bad money are more likely to consider luxury brands. But that's not a reason to influence customers who meet their needs to choose it. On the contrary, if you really like this lingfang, I believe that with your taste, you will also enjoy the feeling of being niche.
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