Inchcape Philippines, the official local distributor of Changan Auto, invited some of us in the media on a drive to Central Luzon. The activity held two missions, one of which was to head from Changan Auto in C5 Pasig to SM City Pampanga mall, to take some reels and snaps of the Chinese brand’s display featuring the Changan CS35 Plus crossover. The other, more important mission was to test and feel the comfort, features, and real-world capabilities of Changan’s line of vehicles.
Autocar Philippines was one of the media outlets present in the drive, and each participant was given the choice to either drive a Changan or be taken for a ride in a Changan. Our fleet consisted of the Changan Uni-T, Changan X7 Plus, Changan CS55 Plus, Changan CS35 plus, and the Changan CS15.
There’s also the Changan Alsvin as an available choice, which I’ve picked to hop in and be chauffeured to and from SM City Pampanga. That said, I’m making this feature piece from the point of view of a passenger as I am physically not capable of operating a motor vehicle. This will be a quick experiential feature about the Changan Alsvin, but we also have a more in-depth review of the Changan Alsvin from a technical standpoint and driver’s point of view as penned by Neil Pagulayan.
Changan Auto Philippines pitches the Alsvin as their gateway for people to experience what the brand is all about. As such, it’s the cheapest in all their model lineup. It is available in two gasoline engine options; a 1.4L and a 1.5L. The former, which is a manual transmission exclusive, is stickered at P654,000. The latter, on the hand, is divided into two automatic transmission trims; the 1.5 DCT and the 1.5 DCT Platinum which is tagged at P743,000, and is the one presented to me in a magnificent shade of vibrant metallic blue. Right off the bat, the blue paintwork caught my eye for a reason. Let’s just say it reminded me of a certain rally racing inspired high-performance Japanese sedan. Iykyk, right? Yeah. 🙂
The front features a sleek face, complemented with sharply-designed projector halogen headlights. My unit, which I’ll refer to from hereon as the “Platinum”, has a set of LED daytime running lights, which helps increase its visibility on the road so oncoming cars or people can see it better as it approaches. In the middle is a chrome grille with an outline that extends down to the lower part of the bumper, thus giving it a rather “fierce” look.
From a photographer’s perspective, the Platinum boasts a photogenic vibe, with its sharply-styled fascia, sleek profile and decent-looking rear end. The design is not too far off from the current automotive design trends, but at the same time just distinctive enough to make it instantly identifiable in its class. You’d quickly know it’s the Changan Alsvin when you see it parked alongside its “classmates” from the other brands.
Inside the Platinum, I’m greeted with such goodies as leather seats and a power sunroof, features commonly found on higher-priced cars. During the entirety of our journey of about 74 kilometers to, and another 74 kilometers going back, the Platinum demonstrated how comfy it can be. For a big-size person like me, the seat felt relaxing, given the long journey we’ve experienced. And although basic manual, the air-conditioning system was strong enough to keep the cabin pleasantly cool, given how irritatingly hot and humid the day was. What made the journey a notch more enjoyable was the Platinum’s entertainment system. It features a 7-inch touch screen multimedia system with Bluetooth and USB Connectivity, routed to 4 speakers (the lower variants have 2). The extra speakers made listening to music a bit extra immersive.
As for the ride feel, I’m glad the Platinum handled less-than-desirable road conditions with relative ease. The suspension, although basic for a car of its class (front McPhersons and rear torsion beams), was surprisingly smooth, able to handle bumpy and rocky roads. We also encountered inclined surfaces, most notable of which is the multi-level parking area inside SM City Pampanga. This experience highlighted the Platinum’s Hill Hold Control system, giving the driver extra control.
Under the hood of the Platinum is a 1.5L gasoline motor that delivers 106 hp and 145 Nm of torque. This is connected to a 5-speed automatic dual-clutch transmission (DCT), that drives the front wheels. My driver commented that the engine is quite prudent in fuel consumption. We started the journey with a full tank of gas, and ended the day with just a few bars lower on the gauge. This is taking into consideration the driver using alternative routes to and from the location with a driving style that’s, let’s put it, not so much recommended for fuel efficient driving – safe but not smooth enough.
All in all, the Changan Alsvin experience was one for the books. Relaxing, comforting, and quite surprising as the Platinum comes loaded with features that would make it a recommended model for first-time car buyers. Priced at the moment at P743,000, it’s a good bargain, most especially for those who want to enter the ride hailing/sharing business such as GrabCar.
Thank you Inchcape Philippines and Changan Auto Philippines for the experience. For more information about Changan Philippines, visit https://www.changan.ph/.
Parting Trivia: Did you know that the “Alsvin” name is mythical? According to Norse Mythology, Alsvin is the name of one of the Norse horses that pulls the sun across the sky on a chariot driven by a powerful being called “Sol.” The name “Alsvin” means “very swift.” In China, the Changan Alsvin is called the Changan Yuexiang.
