CHANGAN

UNI-V: a sedan with an elegant, sporty and futuristic design

The rivalry between European and Asian brands within China is brutal. The extensive range of options has a new addition that Old Continent manufacturers who design and produce special models for this market are seriously dreading. The Skoda Octavia Pro, a model very different from that sold in Europe and which was the king of the Chinese market, is suffering the consequences, as Changan has managed to surpass it with more than 15,600 units sold since last July.

The Changan UNI-V, a sedan with an elegant, sporty and futuristic design, which measures 4,680 mm in length and has a wheelbase of 2,750 mm, has surpassed what until now was one of the dominant models in the Asian giant, the Octavia Pro. Added to this is a style that stands out especially at the front, with thin and torn headlights, a large grille closed with a decorative panel and side openings that house LED points for daytime running light.

The elongated profile is befitting a five-door model, with a roofline that drops smoothly from the rear doors to a large tailgate. The rear-view mirrors are attached to the door panels, the only element that stands out on the sides because the door handles are recessed into them. The rear has large taillights that extend between the ends, adding an insert like an aerodynamic diffuser with the third brake light in the purest Formula 1 style, and a spoiler on the edge of the trunk lid.

But if you are surprised on the outside, on the inside too. The dashboard has a very engaging design, with two large screens for the instrument panel, behind a steering wheel with the upper and lower part of the rim flattened and a digital screen for the multimedia system. A style reminiscent of Peugeot's 'i-Cockpit', and from which Changan claims that the driver only has to move his eyes at an angle of 10º to know the most relevant information.

The Changan UNI-V is offered with two turbocharged gasoline engines, 4-cylinder 1.5 and 2.0 liters, with maximum outputs of 188 and 232 hp. Both come mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, although the second can also have an 8-speed automatic transmission. The latter includes a driving mode called 'Super Race' that modifies the operation of the steering, harder, activates the rear spoiler, changes the exhaust sound and shows a turbo pressure gauge.

Autonews