In the face of an increasingly "involutional" market environment, almost all car companies have tried their best to show their own housekeeping skills, hoping to get higher attention and market share. Relying on Chery's accumulation in the field of traditional fuel vehicles and new energy technology, following the Xingtu Chasing Wind PHEV, Xingtu has added another fierce member to its plug-in hybrid camp, which is today's protagonist - Xingtu Yaoguang C-DM. The new car is equipped with a plug-in hybrid system, which fully caters to the current mainstream trend. In addition, the personalized and fashionable appearance design is also its "killer feature", which can especially attract the attention of young consumers. So can Xingtu Yaoguang C-DM succeed in seizing more market share?
1. Basic information and product highlights
The above manufacturer's guide price only represents the price on March 28, 2024, and is subject to change on the official website
The 2024 Xingtu Yaoguang C-DM will be available in a total of 5 configurations, with a price range of 159,800-225,800 yuan. In terms of power, the new car is equipped with a plug-in hybrid system based on the fifth-generation ACTECO 1.5TGDI high-efficiency hybrid engine + electric motor, mated to a 3-speed DHT transmission. Although the matching battery type and capacity are also different according to the model configuration, the comprehensive cruising range given by the official can reach 1000km.
The 2024 Xingtu Yaoguang C-DM is built on the M3X superhybrid native platform, integrating Chery's 26 years of technological exploration and the world's top strategic resources, and based on the core technology advantages such as intelligent chassis, electronic and electrical architecture, and new three major parts. Officially, the platform is designed for hybrid models, and the layout of the three-electric system is fully considered at the beginning of the design, with a high degree of flexibility and scalability, which can accommodate the combination of large battery + large fuel tank.
CATL's M3P hybrid battery has an ultra-wide operating temperature range of -35°C to 60°C, which can still be cold started even in a low temperature environment of -35°C. In terms of safety, the battery adopts CTP super structural design, and the center is symmetrically arranged with a guard plate and a heat insulation board, which is full of safety. In addition, there are protective reinforcement beams and energy-absorbing structures on the side of the body, which can ensure that the battery pack does not deform even if the vehicle encounters an impact.
The new car is equipped with a 24.6-inch dual-screen connected to the full LCD instrument cluster and the central control screen, equipped with the Lion 5.0 system, and has a built-in Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chip. The Lion intelligent ecological operation is simple and convenient, and can provide a complete digital intelligent mobility solution for the occupants in the car. The official said that the voice of the iFLYTEK engine can control 429 functions in 28 categories, and 20 continuous instructions can be completed in 30 seconds, and the interactive experience is remarkable.
2. Analysis of product competitiveness
The above manufacturer's guide price only represents the price on March 28, 2024, and is subject to change on the official website
In recent years, in the field of new energy, independent brands can be said to have made collective efforts and launched a lot of competitive and cost-effective products, and even joint venture brands have basically no advantage in this market segment. Combined with the product positioning and price range, the two competing models I chose for the Xingtu Yaoguang C-DM are the BYD Corvette 07 and the Changan UNI-K Zhidian iDD.
In comparison, in terms of the number of models, the 2024 Xingtu Yaoguang C-DM and the 2024 BYD Corvette 07 are both 5 models, while the 2024 Changan UNI-K Zhidian iDD is slightly inferior, with a total of 4 configurations. In terms of power, all three models are equipped with a plug-in hybrid system, and in addition to the Changan UNI-K iDD, the other two models are available in four-wheel drive versions.
When it comes to vehicle configurations, we've selected models that are as close to the price as possible. Judging from the comparison, the power advantage of the 2024 Xingtu Yaoguang C-DM is more obvious, after all, it is the top version, so it is not only equipped with three electric motors, but also equipped with a four-wheel drive system. In addition, in terms of active/passive safety and comfort configuration, Xingtu Yaoguang C-DM also has obvious advantages compared with the other two competing models, combined with the price of 225,800 yuan, the cost performance is quite high.
3. Product quality & service trend analysis
As a new model equipped with a new powertrain, will the Xingtu Yaoguang C-DM have the hidden danger of quality problems? In this regard, we will start from the fault problems of the Xingtu Yaoguang models in the past year, and compare the fault problems, so as to preliminarily predict the development trend of new car quality problems in the future. Since the Xingtu Yaoguang C-DM is the plug-in hybrid version of the Xingtu Yaoguang, the two are deeply related and can be used as a reference.
By screening the complaint data of Xingtu Yaoguang models in the past year, it can be found that although there are relatively many complaints about "body resonance" and "abnormal transmission noise", the number is in single digits. Considering that Xingtu Yaoguang C-DM is equipped with a new plug-in hybrid system and is equipped with a 3-speed DHT gearbox, it can be temporarily considered that the probability of the above-mentioned "abnormal transmission noise" problem is low.
With the continuous development of the mainland automobile market, the level of brand pre-sales/after-sales service, and the quality of the purchase experience have gradually become an important factor affecting consumers' final purchase. Therefore, based on the big data of the car quality network, we will analyze the common service problems of brands or car series in the past year, so as to provide a more objective reference for consumers to purchase models.
We analyzed the complaints about service problems of the Xingtu brand in the past year. By filtering the complaint data, it can be found that the complaint points of "system upgrade problems" are relatively high. In terms of specific analysis, the problem is mainly focused on the two models of Xingtu Lingyun and Xingtu Chasing Wind.
In terms of measuring the after-sales service reputation of new cars, we will analyze the responses of enterprises to car owners' complaints, and relatively objectively predict the after-sales service reputation of new cars. According to the data of Cheqq.com, the response rate of Xingtu brand complaints in the past year is 0, which shows that manufacturers need to pay more attention to the demands of car owners.
Fourth, after-sales service policy and network distribution
In terms of after-sales service policy, the warranty of the 2024 Xingtu Yaoguang C-DM vehicle is three years or 100,000 kilometers, and the warranty policy of the first owner is unlimited years/unlimited mileage (the liability exemption clause is subject to the official). In addition, Xingtu also provides Star Renewal Gift, Anxing Gift, Joy Star Gift, Star Fixing Gift, Charging Gift, Car Purchase Gift and many car owner rights and interests (please consult your local dealer for details).
After the purchase of the vehicle, it is bound to involve the daily maintenance of the vehicle, at which time the number and distribution of brand dealer stores are very important, and even have a certain impact on whether consumers buy the brand model. According to the statistics of Cheqq.com, Xingtu currently has a total of 271 dealer stores in China, covering 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government, of which Guangdong, Anhui, Shandong and Sichuan provinces have a relatively large number of dealers.
Summary:
I have to say that Xingtu Yaoguang C-DM is indeed a very individual model, it is very good at grasping the current fashion trend, both the appearance design and the power configuration are very interesting. For the Xingtu brand, the strategic importance of this model is self-evident, and it is bound to carry the brand's sales banner in the future. Although the competitive pressure is very high, and competing models are also eyeing up, with its hard core strength and relatively reasonable price range, it is believed that Xingtu Yaoguang C-DM can still quickly gain a firm foothold and further seize more market share.