With the increase of age, many friends around have the intention of changing A B-class car, in addition to the fundamental reason of "generous hands", wanting to make the family more comfortable has become the reason they mention the most. In fact, in the face of user demand, manufacturers have already made moves. When the B-class car transforms from a traditional business car to a carous "warm man" who is suitable for both movement and quiet, fun and comfort gradually become the core of consumer demand, what kind of specific feedback will the market have? How to define "comfort" and what kind of "comfort" is more suitable for Chinese families, the answers of different manufacturers are not the same. Today, we take three hot-selling B-class cars - Dongfeng Nissan Tianlai, which has just passed the "Quiet Star" certification of CHINA AUTOMOBILE ADAM, won the annual comprehensive champion of the CCPC medium and large car group, and the Japanese sales backbone GAC Toyota Camry and GAC Honda Accord, which are loved by the Chinese people, as examples, to take a look at the "inner volume" of the B-class car market.
The first element: comfortable visual communication and touch perception
It is not unreasonable for humans to be called "visual animals", the sense of touch requires a smaller distance, the sense of hearing is too abstract, and only the cones and rod cells convert light stimulation into neural signals. In the automotive field, the excitement priorities of the cells of the organ of vision are clearly higher. If you want to capture the hearts of users, the comfort as far as the eye can see is the first pass, how do these three models perform?
Based on the concept of V-motion 2.0 to create a family-style front face so that Tianlai at the beginning of the listing has gained a lot of fans, in that B-class car is still based on the calm business as an aesthetic era, Tianlai's more dynamic style will make people shine as soon as it is listed, this design even if it comes to the present, it can also gain the love of most people. Of course, Nissan's forward-looking at the design level does not only appear in Tianlai, Xuanyi, Qashqa, Qijun and other models have this kind of "through the times" forward-looking.
Similar to the sharp style of the front face, the tianlai body line maintains a youthful style, using simple lines to outline the sharp momentum, and the looming waist line enriches the details. The tail element is condensed and powerful, but it is slightly flat compared to the front face.
When it comes to youthful style, Accord is also not inferior. In recent years, Civic's topicality at the compact level has superimposed on the long-term accumulated influence of accords, so that Honda fans will always think of accords first when buying B-class cars. Compared with the dynamics of the Civic, Accord is more calm and elegant, but it is not old-fashioned. In terms of the overall design style control of B-class car consumers, Accord is quite in place.
The Accord body lines are equally dynamic and elegant, with the sloping upward lines of the rear fenders very subtly creating a forward movement. The taillights of the rear "boomerang" continue the family style, using the same double exhaust as The Natural Sound, but the design is more obvious and the sense of sport is stronger.
Camry provides two appearance styles to choose from, the sports version of the model has a slightly stronger sense of strength, but its difference from the ordinary version of the model is not obvious enough for people to make a decisive decision, and the user's final choice may be more affected by the terminal offer. The two designs are spliced with different styles of material panels, which greatly enhances the sharpness of the visual level. The headlight group design is the same, the details are rich, and overall, the fierce design that the new Camry felt when it was listed now seems to be just right.
Compared with the topicality of the front face, the camry's tail design is more bland. In my opinion, this design of the Camry is closer to the aesthetic habits of the customer group, and for the B-class car, it is more important to be safe than to be innovative.
▲The interior of Tianlai is relatively conservative
In terms of interior, from the comfort level, the name of "big sofa" is not empty in the jianghu, static level, Nissan's hardness system design method determines the softness of the seat, the shape section technology creates a sense of fit, and the body pressure distribution technology shapes the seat's sense of support to the human body. On a dynamic level, the seat wing design method maintains the posture when cornering; vibration absorption and "zero gravity" technology alleviate the fatigue caused by long-distance driving.
▲Tianlai seat
▲Dongfeng Nissan's official website technical description of the Tianlai Multi-Layer ergonomic seat
In terms of seats, Multi-Layer's spinal three-point support structure, cushion three-point support structure, seat three-layer cushioning material and side wing 3D support design and other seat technologies are enough to see Nissan's dedication and confidence in comfort. Of course, the actual experience of this set of seats is also excellent enough, whether it is supportive or wrapped, it is at a high level in the same level. Perhaps it is too obsessed with the relationship of functionality, the natural seat design style is relatively ordinary, it is difficult to feel his benchmarking position without sitting on it to experience, if you can put a little effort into visual design, it is better.
▲Accord interior
Like The Accord has adopted a "floating" screen design like Tianlai, and the 10.25-inch screen size is the largest of the three models. Compared to the exterior, the interior style is slightly conservative, but as mentioned earlier, the three models invariably have the same concept as the choice of the B-Class to take care of a larger user base.
▲Accord seat
The more sporty positioning makes the Accord's seat design style slightly different from the other two models, and the details are also commendable. By lowering the height of the center of gravity, creating a low-hip driver's seat, reducing suspension friction, etc., it brings more stable low-altitude driving pleasure.
▲Accord seat
Accord seat padding is made of polyurethane materials in a variety of hardnesses for enhanced support and wrapping. Compared with the previous generation of models, the height of the seats in front and rear seats has been improved, and the shoulder support effect is more obvious, including the 12-way electric adjustment of the main driver's seat and the electric heating of the rear seats.
▲ Camry interior
Although the central control screen is also moved to a "suspension", the new Camry still gives people a more mature feeling. Design, color matching, and materials are all easier to attract users with a calm personality.
▲Camry seat
When it comes to the ride comfort of the Camry, it is necessary to mention the characteristics of the TNGA architecture, and the seat adjustment of the Camry to the hip position and seat wrapping, theoretically increasing the driving pleasure and riding experience. It is worth mentioning that the Camry's thinner seats provide more seating space without sacrificing comfort. In terms of functionality, in addition to the ventilation and heating function of the front seats, the second row seats can also be electrically adjusted.
In terms of space, the size data of the three models is slightly different, and the riding experience is not much different. A small detail is that there are bumps in the middle of the rear of the three cars, the Camry is the highest bulge, the degree of natural and Accord is similar, and the visual light is slightly flat.
The second element: hard power at the driver control level
The essence of the car is the vehicle, and the driving control performance is the foundation and bottom line of the vehicle. At this level, although the three models have different characteristics and different performances, they can easily cope with most people's expectations.
Let's first look at the data:
Through the table, we can find that the Tianlai 2.0T engine data is the best performance; the Camry provides the most power choices, and the hybrid model has the lowest fuel consumption; the Accord 1.5T engine data is better than the Tianlai and Camry's 2.0L, and the hybrid fuel consumption performance is slightly behind the Camry.
Heavenly
In terms of power system, Tianlai adopts a 2.0L naturally aspirated engine and a 2.0T turbocharged engine, respectively, and the two engines are also matched with CVT gearboxes. Relatively speaking, the 2.0L power data is decent, can meet the demand but less stimulating, but the price is more affordable. 2.0T engine using VC-TURBO super variable engine technology, the power data of this set of technology we have seen in the above table, simply put, it is the surging power, and this surging can be felt through a simple test drive, 6.42s of 100 km acceleration performance can not be achieved by anyone.
Of course, "fierce" is by no means a killer of nature, comfort is its core meaning. In addition to the seat design we mentioned earlier, the power of the chassis suspension is also an important factor in determining comfort. TianLai adopts front McPherson independent suspension and rear trapezoidal control arm multi-link independent suspension. This suspension can better control aftershocks and does not continue to shake. And it can also maintain a good body posture when cornering intensely. This performance, coupled with the seat comfort bonus, is the only existence in the same class.
Accord
If Nissan's jianghu name is "big sofa", then Honda's stereotype is "buy an engine and send a car". Does Accord's performance deserve this title? The Two Engines of the Accord are mated to different gearboxes, the 1.5T engine with the CVT transmission, and the 2.0L hybrid engine with the E-CVT transmission. At the data level, the 1.5T engine performed better than the Camry 2.0L, but overall it was not as good as the 2.5L model. The 2.0L hybrid model is close to the Camry hybrid model in terms of data and fuel consumption.
At the driving level, the Accord was a bit of a surprise. Although the power performance is equally light and smooth, but the use of the front McPherson independent suspension, the rear multi-link independent suspension chassis, the vibration filter performance is average, less of this level of the sense of superiority. The pavements and small bumps we face most often perform well, and the slightly larger impacts can be suppressed very well. However, when passing through some large-grain asphalt pavement and continuous small impact pavement, the vibration of the chassis, especially the floor, is obvious, the road sense is too clear, but there is a sense of sport, but the adjustment somewhat sacrifices some sense of high-end.
Camry
The Camry is the most versatile of the three models, with a combination of 2.0L+CVT, 2.5L+8-speed manual, 2.5L hybrid+ECVT. There are both low-threshold 2.0L models and 2.5L such "classical afterglow" shine, and the amazing fuel consumption and reliability of very mature hybrid models are the epitome of Toyota technology. The regular version is no different from the sport version in terms of powertrain.
Some people think that the 2.0L Camry is not passionate enough, but from the perspective of sales ratio, users who vote for real money and silver are more convincing. Although the hybrid technology can no longer be called cutting-edge, but the fuel consumption performance is still amazing, you say that friends who buy Camry care about that little oil money? I don't think so, even if the saved oil money is difficult to cover the difference, in the psychological level of energy saving and environmental protection, Camry hybrid can bring people a pleasant feeling.
The Camry uses front McPherson independent suspension and rear E-type multi-link independent suspension, and there is no difference between the regular version and the sports version. This chassis system has a good performance no matter which set of power system it matches, and the big and small bumps on the road surface can be effectively resolved during driving. It also doesn't look like a bulky car when steering, with just the right amount of steering feedback and a solid chassis suspension. If your impression of the Camry is just that the power is average and the driving control is smooth, then this chassis will give you a little surprise.
In addition to data and subjective feelings, what is the direct comparison of the three models? The results of the national A-class event and the CCPC China Mass Production Vehicle Performance Competition may give you a little reference.
In the 2021 CCPC China Mass Production Car Performance Competition, Tianlai and Camry short soldiers. Won 7 group championships such as sound insulation and noise reduction, performance synthesis, linear acceleration, bump challenge, figure 8 surround, rainy road emergency braking, and fixed circle winding pile competition, and the sound insulation and noise reduction competition won the championship of the whole field.
▲2021 CCPC China Mass Production Vehicle Performance Competition Results (Advantage Target Red) * Elk Test Project Tianlai Penalty 1s
As can be seen from the results, the performance control level of Camry is not the top in the industry. Of course, handling performance is by no means the core of the B-class car, otherwise the Camry would not have achieved its current status. But at a similar price and with comfort guaranteed, a little more passion is never a bad thing.
The direct PK between Tianlai and Accord is traced back to the 2019 CCP China Mass Production Car Performance Competition, and The overall performance of Tianlai in handling performance is even better.
▲2019 CCPC China Mass Production Vehicle Performance Competition Results (Advantage Target Red)
The third element: perceive comfort from the details Quietness is an entry point
We usually pay more attention to the appearance, interior, space, three major parts, etc. of the car when we buy a car, but in fact, the NVH level is the key to the quality of the vehicle and an important reference for considering the degree of intention of car manufacturers. Being able to work hard in an invisible place, the level of easy perception will not relax.
Many years ago, in the Dongfeng Nissan 4S store, the performer of the cigarette on the engine was Tianlai. Tianlai's excellent tradition and continuous investment in the NVH level are the benchmark in the industry, and the double acoustic insulation material + double-layer sound insulation glass + ANC active noise reduction system fully demonstrates Nissan's emphasis on tranquility. In addition, the ATR active torque lever system monitors engine vibration through electronic unit control, generating reverse vibration and preventing engine noise and vibration from being transmitted through the subframe to the interior of the car. Whether it is stopped at the side of the road or at high speed, external noise and vibration can be effectively isolated and suppressed.
This set of operations not only enabled Tianlai to win the CCPC full-field mute championship, but also successfully passed the "Quiet Star" certification of China Automobile Advantech in April. It is understood that the certification standard and rigor are much higher than the national standard, Tianlai is not only the first joint venture B-class sedan passed in the certification project, but also in the consumer concerned about the main and co-pilot positions of the sound insulation measurement and the front cabin, exhaust pipe and other noise key parts of the noise transfer function test, obtained higher than the highest certification standards.
The Accord is the same as the Tianlai, with patented technologies such as front-row acoustic glass, ANC active noise reduction system and rim resonator. Larger underbody skids than the previous generation reduce underbody road noise and wind noise. 10 foam fillings are carried out at the roof and door posts. It can be said that in terms of noise reduction configuration, Accord has also made great efforts. However, due to the problems in chassis tuning that we mentioned earlier, the Accord is a little louder at the subjective perception level, and the results of the 2019 China Mass Production Car Performance Competition can also verify our feelings.
In contrast, the lack of Camry's soundproof glass is inferior in the comparison of three cars. However, the Camry under the TNGA architecture uses a flat shape and a wider coverage of the aerodynamic bottom cover, which reduces wind noise and wind resistance while also bringing better energy consumption performance. The redesigned engine mounts reduce the effects of vibration and noise coming into the cockpit, and the new body-filled acoustic material improves sound insulation by eliminating porosity and thickening, these small details allow the Camry to maintain a relatively quiet interior environment.
Who is more valuable to configure?
In terms of configuration, the three models have their own advantages and can meet the needs of the Chinese people for comfort. Which configurations are more important to you? The same configuration of the three models will not be repeated here, let's mainly see where the difference is.
In terms of appearance, Tianlai uses 19-inch wheels, which looks more dashing, and The Accord and Camry are 18 inches. The area of the three-car sunroof is not small, but there is a beam in the middle of the skylight of the big skylight, which affects the perception. In terms of lighting, the Accord and Camry have adaptive near and far lights, and Tianlai and Accord have headlights that are delayed.
▲Tianlai sunroof
Tianlai's unique configurations are: steering wheel shift, steering wheel heating, built-in driving recorder, Type-c interface, and interior mood lights.
Accord's unique features include: road traffic sign recognition, blind spot image on the side of the car, and wireless charging of mobile phones.
Camry's unique features include: rear individual air conditioning, rear windshield and rear sunshades, rear side airbags and knee airbags, and seat memory.
▲Remote start is very practical
Write at the end:
In the context of the latest era, "comfort" is not just a cushion that is soft enough and a chassis that is tough enough. Everyone's more specific and more detailed pursuit of comfort has made details such as NVH the focus of automakers. But in terms of functionality, all three models can meet daily needs and even give more comfort on the basis.
Camry's three power combinations and two exterior designs provide users with more choices, both the 2.0L model lowers the threshold and the hybrid model makes people sigh. The high safety evaluation brought about by the 10 airbags and TNGA architecture of the whole series is also a very important option for family cars. Even for young people, it is an infallible option.
The Honda 1.5T Turbo & i-MMD Hybrid coupled with a relatively young exterior design has allowed many young owners who were impressed by the Civic to choose the Accord when purchasing a mid-level car.
Although the selection of Tianlai products is not as rich as that of the opponent, but the comprehensive strength is online, and the details such as tranquility, Tianlai's intentions and materials are better, and the excellent performance and "Quiet Star" certification in the China Mass Production Car Performance Competition also prove its excellent strength, which well meets the needs of adults all want.