Hafei Public Opinion, Changan Star, Wuling Zhiguang
There is no doubt that China’s automobile industry has entered a period of rapid development, and the sharp increase in private car owners has also become a factor in this period. One of the most important characteristics of this period, batches of models that can be summarized as "private cars" also emerged during this period, and set off waves in the auto market with an unstoppable trend.
We only need to hesitate for a second, and a series of models that can be defined as private cars will appear in our minds, such as: Golf, Sienna, Fiesta, Sail, etc. . However, this seems to be just the beginning. We see that enthusiastic car manufacturers are continuing to forge their own new products almost crazily. As a result, comfortable car brands that “look beautiful” continue to appear. are rolling off the assembly line, and there are many unknown brands waiting for their debut. This is natural, because this is an era of comfortable consumption, and various models with a certain degree of comfort have naturally become the darlings of the auto market.
When someone is favored, it means that someone will fall out of favor. This is how the pragmatism of minicars is submerged by the tide of comfortism. Although we can often see the shadow of Minxin, Wuling, or Changan on the street, many people have been indifferent to their existence in their hearts, or they are gradually ignoring the value of mini cars. It’s no wonder that after people’s living standards have improved, cars have become a commodity favored by most people. Who would care about the “minivan”, the pioneer that truly popularizes Chinese cars.
In fact, from an economic point of view, this model, once called a "wealth car" by southerners, should have a high economic and social value. Maybe you want to ask, where exactly is the value of a mini car reflected? If models with a certain degree of comfort represent relative social value, then what minicars embody is absolute economic value. We prefer to define this value as "micro-car economy". First of all, mini-cars are low-priced, versatile, and widely applicable. Secondly, because mini-cars have relatively small displacement and power, they have the advantages of energy saving and environmental protection. In addition, because mini-cars are small in size and light in weight, they will not cause greater damage to the road, which has a very positive significance in reducing the pressure of increasingly tense road congestion.
Since mini-cars have all these economical and affordable features, then the evaluation of whether a mini-car has a market advantage should start from their economy. Therefore, with this criterion in mind, I participated in a comparative test drive on mini-cars. The protagonists of this comparison test drive are Hafei Minxin, Changan Star and Wuling Zhiguang. It should be said that these three models basically cover the national "micro-face car" sales market. Of course, from a business perspective, I do not have the right to intuitively evaluate which one is better or worse among them. I can only talk about my test drive experience from a personal perspective. I hope it will be helpful to those car owners who are in need of mini cars.
First impression, vision
To be honest, I have participated in many various test drive activities in the past few years, but this is indeed my first time to test drive a mini car. Therefore, my understanding of mini-cars before the test drive was still in the stage of memory. Even though the current "small noodles" look many times better than before, a deep-rooted impression of the "yellow worm" always lingers in my mind.
Since the country has strengthened the automobile production and safety system, the sales and production of flat-top vans have been banned. This has undoubtedly blocked the last market for Xiaomi, making these vehicles of low quality, poor safety performance, and uncomfortable to ride. The cozy noodles are gradually withdrawing from the stage of history. The concept of "flat-top microbus" refers to a flat-top minibus with a length less than 3.5 meters. It still has shortcomings in many aspects, especially in terms of safety. Since there is no collision energy-absorbing structure at the front end of the flat-nosed micro-front, in the event of a frontal collision in a traffic accident, the front cabin cannot guarantee the survival space of the driver and front-seat passengers. Therefore, it becomes more and more necessary to add a nose to the flat head.
Changan was early in this regard. They launched the improved "Chang'an Star" in 1999. Not only did it get rid of the flat-top micro-facet appearance idea, but Changan Star also put a lot of effort into safety. After the launch of Changan Star, SAIC-GM-Wuling launched the "Wuling Light" series, and Hafei launched a new "Public Opinion" series of replacement models that have also entered the market. Today's minicars are no longer comparable in appearance to the small cars of yesteryear. Nowadays, the front faces of all mini models protrude forward a lot, giving them a bit of a bullet feel. Not only are they comfortable to look at, but their safety performance has also been unprecedentedly improved. A true story about public opinion is very illustrative. Less than 20 days after buying a new public opinion, a private car owner returned to the sales office to buy another one. The car sales lady questioned whether he had just bought the car. , why buy again? The gentleman replied: Just hit him! Although the front nose of the car was collapsed and the car became a favorite, luckily the toughness of the nose saved a life, so I bought another car. This story is self-evident in its interpretation of the safety of today’s mini-vehicles.
However, the same nose still has many differences in shape and function. If Wuling's "nose" is the Greek version, then Changan's nose is a bit like a South American nose. Among the three cars, Hafei has the roundest nose, which is more in line with Asian aesthetics. It also has the softest appearance and smoother overall lines. The popular front face shape makes it have lower wind resistance than the previous two, which will definitely help save fuel.
Changan Star is 3.495 meters long, 1.475 meters wide and 1.895 meters high, which is much larger than the old model. The front and rear bumpers are made of black plastic, which is bold and rough, emphasizing the sense of security and heaviness. However, compared with Wuling Zhiguang and Hafei Minxin, Changan Zhixing is much shorter. No matter in terms of length, width, height or wheelbase, Hafei Minxin is considered to be larger among these three cars. Naturally, its internal space is also The biggest, this is what some people who buy mini cars value. When both rear rows of seats are folded down, a larger cargo space can be created.
The headlight design of Changan Star incorporates the idea of ??combined special-shaped lights of cars, making it more bright and expressive. Its most distinctive detail design is that the windows on the sliding doors have changed from the original push-pull type to a hand-crank type, which is closer to a car. In order to prevent children from accidentally falling out of the car, a set of window shakers have been specially added. With the locking mechanism, when the glass drops halfway, the handle needs to be reversed at an angle before it can continue to rock.
Among these cars, the Public Opinion is considered to have the best “origin”. Like the “Zhongyi”, it is produced by the famous Italian design company-Peninfania. Hafei has also benefited a lot from the path of independent development and growing from small to large in recent years. There are some hints of Lobo in the shape of "Public Opinion". The front face shape is simple, full and spiritual. The hexagonal headlights are like a pair of alert big eyes, the fog lights are like dimples, handsome and pure; the protruding ridges on the hood make the entire front face look vibrant. Viewed from the side, its waistline gradually tapers forward, conveying the charm of "calligraphy" in traditional Chinese culture; the shape of the rear panel reflects the concept of family inheritance, especially its triangular taillights, which are exactly the same as the Lobo.
The interior design of Changan Star is more car-like, with rod-type heating and cooling air conditioners, cassette audio, cigarette lighter and other basic equipment. However, the seams between the plastic parts are a bit large and the assembly Not quite in place. After all, this is just a mini car, so there shouldn’t be too many requirements, but what makes us happy is that we found a split air conditioner in the car that is only found on mid-sized vans. The interior design of Wuling Zhiguang focuses on simplicity. Although it is not fashionable, it is elegant everywhere. The public opinion adheres to Zhongyi's style, but is more particular about the details. The light-colored plastic panel and black center console are just like the style of a car, simple and practical, without any cumbersomeness. The air conditioner has also become a knob type, further improving the grade of the mini car. Power windows are also available. Although all plastic parts are used, the assembly process does not feel sloppy at all, and almost all interior parts are designed and produced by Hafei itself. It is obvious that Hafei is producing this mini car at the same level as a sedan.
Second sense, hearing
Since domestic mini-cars basically use Dongan engines, there is not much difference between the three cars based on their sounds. Wuling Light's noise reduction measures are better, so the sound seems less harsh.
The mini-car engines produced by Dongan are famous throughout the country. In addition to these three cars, Changhe's Walrus and FAW's Jiabao also use Dongan 465 series engines with a displacement of 1.0 or above. Changan Star's engine has various configurations, including the 1.3-liter JL474 type with a maximum power of 55kw, but the best-selling one is the Dongan JL465 engine with a maximum power of 38.5kw, a displacement of 1.012 liters, and an 8-valve electronic injection type. . This engine has appeared in many mini cars recently launched in China. It seems that its quality is unquestionable. Among models with the same displacement, the popular 16-valve JL465 engine has the largest power, reaching 51kw. However, I personally suggest that the 8-valve JL465 engine is most suitable for private car owners, that is, it is economical and practical.
The three cars tested for comparison all use JL465 engines. However, judging from the test results, public opinion shows that it is the most fuel-efficient, followed by Changan Star and Wuling Light. This shows that public opinion is the most successful in engine system adjustment. Perhaps this has something to do with Hafei’s valuable experience gained from using Dongan engines for more than ten years. However, if public opinion can reach a higher level in terms of noise reduction, it will be close to a perfect state of mini cars.
The third sense, touch
Test driving three mini-cars really gave me a new feeling and understanding of mini-cars. The improvement in the performance of the micro car surprised me even more.
However, this does not mean that the performance of the mini car has reached the point of impeccable. Not only that, there are still many areas where microcars need further improvement and perfection. Wuling Zhiguang's "tactile" advantage is that the throttle is very elastic and can be retracted and opened freely. The disadvantage is that it wastes more oil, which is undoubtedly the biggest disadvantage for a mini car characterized by economy; in addition, the steering wheel of Wuling Zhiguang is relatively heavy, but responsive. This contrast often causes the driver to involuntarily Create tension. In other words, Wuling Zhiguang has problems that need to be solved urgently in the steering system.
The performance of the public opinion steering system is much better than that of Wuling Zhiguang, and the steering angle is also more reasonable, making the operation smoother. Like the Wuling Zhiguang, the driving seat of the public opinion is very comfortable, and you will not feel unusually tired after sitting in the driving seat for a long time. Good stability is also a major advantage of the Hafei Volkswagen. At a speed of 80 kilometers per hour, if you quickly turn the steering wheel to the left and then quickly to the right, the Volkswagen will not lose its footing at all, and it can immediately return to normal driving conditions. There are not many shortcomings in Public Opinion. Perhaps its slower speed than Wuling Light is its biggest weakness. The advantage of Changan Star is that it has a better field of vision. The panoramic curved front windshield has a wide field of view, and the increase in vehicle height reduces the blind area; although the accelerator is a bit hard, the response is still very sensitive; in terms of suspension, "Changan Star" "Like the public opinion, the front suspension adopts MacPherson independent suspension, and adds a lateral stabilizer bar, and the rear wheel uses a coil spring. This should be much more comfortable than the steel plate rear suspension of the public opinion, but unfortunately, its driving This little advantage is offset by a bit of comfort. Another disadvantage of Changan Star is that it doesn't have a top speed, so you don't have to think about speeding, but that's okay, lest you always dream of overtaking Bora or something with your own mini car, it's better to be on the safe side.
Micro-Car Economy and Micro-Car Era
The process of test driving is a process of feeling, and when you calm down, it is a process of thinking.
This kind of thinking is not difficult. In other words, it is not difficult to draw conclusions about micro-cars through comparative test drives, but it is an extremely difficult process for the market to have an overall understanding of micro-cars. The "micro-restriction orders" imposed by some domestic provinces and cities are the reason for the hardship.
This kind of discrimination against small-displacement vehicles is unwise. In fact, the only solution for China is to encourage consumers to use mini-cars that occupy less space, have smaller parking areas, and consume only 60 to 70 fuel per 100 kilometers of ordinary large-displacement cars. A good remedy for the deep-seated contradictions in automobile development. I think this is why industry experts actively advocate the independent development of mini-cars and define mini-cars as "national vehicles". According to surveys, more than 26 million urban households in my country have the desire to buy cars. Mini-cars, which are relatively cheap in price and consumption, will undoubtedly have a large market. In particular, small owners and small and medium-sized towns will have huge support and pull for mini-cars. The effect cannot be ignored.
As a representative of its own brand, Hafei Automobile is unique in the production of mini cars. Hafei Public Opinion has an advantage among similar domestic models in terms of both styling and performance. Through test drives, we can see the overall progress of micro-cars in appearance and performance, which gives us every reason to look forward to the booming development of the micro-car economy and the early arrival of the micro-car era. (Text/August)
Hafei Public Opinion
Market reference price: 38,800 yuan
Main technical parameters
Front engine rear Wheel drive
Length x width x height (mm): 3745×1505×1925
Wheelbase front/rear (mm) 1300 /1310
Wheelbase (mm): 2370
Vehicle curb weight (kg): 1000
Engine type:
Four-cylinder, four-stroke, water-cooled, overhead camshaft , gasoline engine with multi-point electronic fuel injection
Displacement (L): 1.078
Rated power (Kw/rpm): 51/6000
Max. Torque (Nm/rpm): 91/3000-3500
Maximum speed (Km/h) 120
Suspension system: MacPherson suspension (front) leaf spring type Suspension (rear)
Braking system: front disc and rear drum brake, optional ABS;
Changan Star
Market reference price: 38,800 yuan
Changan Star SC6350B FAA detailed parameters
Front engine
Length x width x height (mm): 3495×1475×1890
Wheelbase front/rear (mm): 1280/1290
Wheelbase (mm): 2350
Vehicle curb weight (kg): 965
Engine type:
JL474Q in-line four-cylinder, 16-valve, double overhead camshaft, four-stroke engine.
Computer control
Displacement (L): 1.310
Maximum power (kW/r/min): 60/6000
Maximum torque (N.m/r /min): 102/3000
Top speed (km/h): 135
Suspension system: MacPherson independent suspension (front) coil spring, multi-link Type suspension (rear)
Braking system: front disc and rear drum brake
Wuling Zhiguang
Market reference price: 42,800 yuan
Detailed parameters of Wuling Zhiguang 6371
Front engine, front-wheel drive
Length x width x height (mm): 3695×1495×1860
Wheelbase front/rear (mm): 1280/1280
Wheelbase (mm): 2500
Engine type: 465Q-1AE3
Displacement (L): 1.051
Maximum power (kW/r/min): 38.5/5200
Chassis parameters
Drive mode (detailed description):
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Transmission: Manual
Manual/automatic transmission: Manual transmission
Fuel tank volume (L): 40