Chery A5 1.6 (M) Review
20 Apr 2010|26,034 views
Mention a China car to anyone and more often than not, your audience will have their eyes rolling. Whether deserving or not, cars from the Dragon of the East have a reputation for shoddy build quality and generally un-ergonomic driving qualities. There are however reliability issues as well.
This review of the Chery A5 started out with the 2.0-litre automatic model. Barely 20 minutes after leaving the Chery showroom, the gear lever gets stuck in 'D' with the gearshift button not popping out after being depressed. Least to say this doesn't bode well for reliability.
You could say the car was being hopelessly optimistic by not allowing it to be shifted into anything but 'D'. It made it impossible to be shifted into reverse. If you think about it, that seems an apt reflection of the Chinese automotive industry.
They might be the underdogs of the motoring community but they keep coming back with a newer better model. Despite the previous model being trashed by the world's motoring journalists. Thankfully though, cars from China are steadily improving with each new model. Albeit at a snail's pace.
This review of the Chery A5 started out with the 2.0-litre automatic model. Barely 20 minutes after leaving the Chery showroom, the gear lever gets stuck in 'D' with the gearshift button not popping out after being depressed. Least to say this doesn't bode well for reliability.
You could say the car was being hopelessly optimistic by not allowing it to be shifted into anything but 'D'. It made it impossible to be shifted into reverse. If you think about it, that seems an apt reflection of the Chinese automotive industry.
They might be the underdogs of the motoring community but they keep coming back with a newer better model. Despite the previous model being trashed by the world's motoring journalists. Thankfully though, cars from China are steadily improving with each new model. Albeit at a snail's pace.
 |
Exterior
Well then™for starters, you would notice that the Chery A5 looks™very conventional. A little too conventional in my opinion. Most of us wouldn't be blamed if we lost our A5 in a sea of family sedans in a shopping mall lot.
The front fascia comes with a prominent and rather classic-looking chrome grille. Right smack in the centre is a Chery badge proudly adorned. A pair of large triangular lamps compliments both extremes of the front fascia with integrated indicators. Along with a pair of nondescript conservatively sized fog lamps hidden in the bumper. In fact, one wouldn't be blamed for saying the front looks all too similar to a Nissan Cefiro.
In the rear, things are rather angular and slab sided with only the tailight's circular insets gracing it with some curves.
 |
Interior
It is here that Chinese-made cars usually suffer the most scorn. Unfortunately, history once again repeats itself in the A5's interior. On entering the cabin, you can't help but notice how the interior plastics and fittings just shout out that it was made by the lowest bidder. Plastics seem hollow and felt tacky to the touch.
Hop into the driving seat and you would notice the seats lack proper back support. That would make long journeys in the car quite unbearable. Ergonomics too didn't fare well. Even at the optimum position, the steering wheel felt either too far or too near to be of any use and you are seated too high up to be comfortable anyway. It doesn't stop there though. The driver has to stretch for a mile in search of 1st Gear when shifting cogs. Staring blankly back at the driver are a pair of plain looking dials that were designed just for the task it was intended with no extra effort spared to make it aesthetically more pleasing.
The centre console is dominated by the factory fitted audio system. Although its sonic performance is nothing to shout about, it still gets the job done. Buttons for your hazards and fog lamps are all clearly laid out. Lower down you have your interior climate control panel and again the buttons are all well laid out and within reach of the driver.
In the rear, legspace is enough for tall adults like myself so taking on three passengers in the rear comfortably shouldn't be an issue at all. The trunk in the rear is typical of a family sedan with plenty of space for your family oriented paraphernalia.
It is here that Chinese-made cars usually suffer the most scorn. Unfortunately, history once again repeats itself in the A5's interior. On entering the cabin, you can't help but notice how the interior plastics and fittings just shout out that it was made by the lowest bidder. Plastics seem hollow and felt tacky to the touch.
Hop into the driving seat and you would notice the seats lack proper back support. That would make long journeys in the car quite unbearable. Ergonomics too didn't fare well. Even at the optimum position, the steering wheel felt either too far or too near to be of any use and you are seated too high up to be comfortable anyway. It doesn't stop there though. The driver has to stretch for a mile in search of 1st Gear when shifting cogs. Staring blankly back at the driver are a pair of plain looking dials that were designed just for the task it was intended with no extra effort spared to make it aesthetically more pleasing.
The centre console is dominated by the factory fitted audio system. Although its sonic performance is nothing to shout about, it still gets the job done. Buttons for your hazards and fog lamps are all clearly laid out. Lower down you have your interior climate control panel and again the buttons are all well laid out and within reach of the driver.
In the rear, legspace is enough for tall adults like myself so taking on three passengers in the rear comfortably shouldn't be an issue at all. The trunk in the rear is typical of a family sedan with plenty of space for your family oriented paraphernalia.
The Drive
On the roads, the Chery A5's 1.6-litre powerplant seem inadequate for the task at hand. Even with just one passenger, the 119bhp engine seems to struggle under the girth of its 1.2 tons. All the while berating the driver and occupants with the excessive engine noise.
On the expressways, the ride of the A5 soaks up the many drops and undulations reasonably well. On smaller roads, the ride does feel a little too soft which shows when you throw the A5 around some bends. Body roll is significant and excessive to the point that it gave me the impression of an old Russian tank. Ever notice how the body of a tank rolls when it changes direction abruptly? That's how the A5 looks in the bends.
Like the previous Chery V5 I tested, the company seems bent on adorning their cars with the tiniest side mirrors possible. I'm not sure if Chery did so to improve the aerodynamics or aesthetics, but it makes lane changes in the A5 a precarious one.
On the roads, the Chery A5's 1.6-litre powerplant seem inadequate for the task at hand. Even with just one passenger, the 119bhp engine seems to struggle under the girth of its 1.2 tons. All the while berating the driver and occupants with the excessive engine noise.
On the expressways, the ride of the A5 soaks up the many drops and undulations reasonably well. On smaller roads, the ride does feel a little too soft which shows when you throw the A5 around some bends. Body roll is significant and excessive to the point that it gave me the impression of an old Russian tank. Ever notice how the body of a tank rolls when it changes direction abruptly? That's how the A5 looks in the bends.
Like the previous Chery V5 I tested, the company seems bent on adorning their cars with the tiniest side mirrors possible. I'm not sure if Chery did so to improve the aerodynamics or aesthetics, but it makes lane changes in the A5 a precarious one.
 |
Conclusion
The Chery A5 might've made some sense about a month ago when it cost only $48,000. But since the COE went bonkers, it suddenly seems equally bonkers to shell out $58,000 for the A5. For that amount, I would much rather put my name down for a used year old Japanese sedan and be a lot more pleased with myself everyday while I'm driving it. Not only that, with the current COE prices, it would be tough for an A5 to fetch a decent resale value when it comes time to sell it 3 years from now.
Perhaps cars from the mainland might improve enough to turn my previous paragraph on its head, but for now, I'd much rather stick to the Rising Sun.
The Chery A5 might've made some sense about a month ago when it cost only $48,000. But since the COE went bonkers, it suddenly seems equally bonkers to shell out $58,000 for the A5. For that amount, I would much rather put my name down for a used year old Japanese sedan and be a lot more pleased with myself everyday while I'm driving it. Not only that, with the current COE prices, it would be tough for an A5 to fetch a decent resale value when it comes time to sell it 3 years from now.
Perhaps cars from the mainland might improve enough to turn my previous paragraph on its head, but for now, I'd much rather stick to the Rising Sun.
Mention a China car to anyone and more often than not, your audience will have their eyes rolling. Whether deserving or not, cars from the Dragon of the East have a reputation for shoddy build quality and generally un-ergonomic driving qualities. There are however reliability issues as well.
This review of the Chery A5 started out with the 2.0-litre automatic model. Barely 20 minutes after leaving the Chery showroom, the gear lever gets stuck in 'D' with the gearshift button not popping out after being depressed. Least to say this doesn't bode well for reliability.
You could say the car was being hopelessly optimistic by not allowing it to be shifted into anything but 'D'. It made it impossible to be shifted into reverse. If you think about it, that seems an apt reflection of the Chinese automotive industry.
They might be the underdogs of the motoring community but they keep coming back with a newer better model. Despite the previous model being trashed by the world's motoring journalists. Thankfully though, cars from China are steadily improving with each new model. Albeit at a snail's pace.
This review of the Chery A5 started out with the 2.0-litre automatic model. Barely 20 minutes after leaving the Chery showroom, the gear lever gets stuck in 'D' with the gearshift button not popping out after being depressed. Least to say this doesn't bode well for reliability.
You could say the car was being hopelessly optimistic by not allowing it to be shifted into anything but 'D'. It made it impossible to be shifted into reverse. If you think about it, that seems an apt reflection of the Chinese automotive industry.
They might be the underdogs of the motoring community but they keep coming back with a newer better model. Despite the previous model being trashed by the world's motoring journalists. Thankfully though, cars from China are steadily improving with each new model. Albeit at a snail's pace.
|
Exterior
Well then™for starters, you would notice that the Chery A5 looks™very conventional. A little too conventional in my opinion. Most of us wouldn't be blamed if we lost our A5 in a sea of family sedans in a shopping mall lot.
The front fascia comes with a prominent and rather classic-looking chrome grille. Right smack in the centre is a Chery badge proudly adorned. A pair of large triangular lamps compliments both extremes of the front fascia with integrated indicators. Along with a pair of nondescript conservatively sized fog lamps hidden in the bumper. In fact, one wouldn't be blamed for saying the front looks all too similar to a Nissan Cefiro.
In the rear, things are rather angular and slab sided with only the tailight's circular insets gracing it with some curves.
|
Interior
It is here that Chinese-made cars usually suffer the most scorn. Unfortunately, history once again repeats itself in the A5's interior. On entering the cabin, you can't help but notice how the interior plastics and fittings just shout out that it was made by the lowest bidder. Plastics seem hollow and felt tacky to the touch.
Hop into the driving seat and you would notice the seats lack proper back support. That would make long journeys in the car quite unbearable. Ergonomics too didn't fare well. Even at the optimum position, the steering wheel felt either too far or too near to be of any use and you are seated too high up to be comfortable anyway. It doesn't stop there though. The driver has to stretch for a mile in search of 1st Gear when shifting cogs. Staring blankly back at the driver are a pair of plain looking dials that were designed just for the task it was intended with no extra effort spared to make it aesthetically more pleasing.
The centre console is dominated by the factory fitted audio system. Although its sonic performance is nothing to shout about, it still gets the job done. Buttons for your hazards and fog lamps are all clearly laid out. Lower down you have your interior climate control panel and again the buttons are all well laid out and within reach of the driver.
In the rear, legspace is enough for tall adults like myself so taking on three passengers in the rear comfortably shouldn't be an issue at all. The trunk in the rear is typical of a family sedan with plenty of space for your family oriented paraphernalia.
It is here that Chinese-made cars usually suffer the most scorn. Unfortunately, history once again repeats itself in the A5's interior. On entering the cabin, you can't help but notice how the interior plastics and fittings just shout out that it was made by the lowest bidder. Plastics seem hollow and felt tacky to the touch.
Hop into the driving seat and you would notice the seats lack proper back support. That would make long journeys in the car quite unbearable. Ergonomics too didn't fare well. Even at the optimum position, the steering wheel felt either too far or too near to be of any use and you are seated too high up to be comfortable anyway. It doesn't stop there though. The driver has to stretch for a mile in search of 1st Gear when shifting cogs. Staring blankly back at the driver are a pair of plain looking dials that were designed just for the task it was intended with no extra effort spared to make it aesthetically more pleasing.
The centre console is dominated by the factory fitted audio system. Although its sonic performance is nothing to shout about, it still gets the job done. Buttons for your hazards and fog lamps are all clearly laid out. Lower down you have your interior climate control panel and again the buttons are all well laid out and within reach of the driver.
In the rear, legspace is enough for tall adults like myself so taking on three passengers in the rear comfortably shouldn't be an issue at all. The trunk in the rear is typical of a family sedan with plenty of space for your family oriented paraphernalia.
The Drive
On the roads, the Chery A5's 1.6-litre powerplant seem inadequate for the task at hand. Even with just one passenger, the 119bhp engine seems to struggle under the girth of its 1.2 tons. All the while berating the driver and occupants with the excessive engine noise.
On the expressways, the ride of the A5 soaks up the many drops and undulations reasonably well. On smaller roads, the ride does feel a little too soft which shows when you throw the A5 around some bends. Body roll is significant and excessive to the point that it gave me the impression of an old Russian tank. Ever notice how the body of a tank rolls when it changes direction abruptly? That's how the A5 looks in the bends.
Like the previous Chery V5 I tested, the company seems bent on adorning their cars with the tiniest side mirrors possible. I'm not sure if Chery did so to improve the aerodynamics or aesthetics, but it makes lane changes in the A5 a precarious one.
On the roads, the Chery A5's 1.6-litre powerplant seem inadequate for the task at hand. Even with just one passenger, the 119bhp engine seems to struggle under the girth of its 1.2 tons. All the while berating the driver and occupants with the excessive engine noise.
On the expressways, the ride of the A5 soaks up the many drops and undulations reasonably well. On smaller roads, the ride does feel a little too soft which shows when you throw the A5 around some bends. Body roll is significant and excessive to the point that it gave me the impression of an old Russian tank. Ever notice how the body of a tank rolls when it changes direction abruptly? That's how the A5 looks in the bends.
Like the previous Chery V5 I tested, the company seems bent on adorning their cars with the tiniest side mirrors possible. I'm not sure if Chery did so to improve the aerodynamics or aesthetics, but it makes lane changes in the A5 a precarious one.
|
Conclusion
The Chery A5 might've made some sense about a month ago when it cost only $48,000. But since the COE went bonkers, it suddenly seems equally bonkers to shell out $58,000 for the A5. For that amount, I would much rather put my name down for a used year old Japanese sedan and be a lot more pleased with myself everyday while I'm driving it. Not only that, with the current COE prices, it would be tough for an A5 to fetch a decent resale value when it comes time to sell it 3 years from now.
Perhaps cars from the mainland might improve enough to turn my previous paragraph on its head, but for now, I'd much rather stick to the Rising Sun.
The Chery A5 might've made some sense about a month ago when it cost only $48,000. But since the COE went bonkers, it suddenly seems equally bonkers to shell out $58,000 for the A5. For that amount, I would much rather put my name down for a used year old Japanese sedan and be a lot more pleased with myself everyday while I'm driving it. Not only that, with the current COE prices, it would be tough for an A5 to fetch a decent resale value when it comes time to sell it 3 years from now.
Perhaps cars from the mainland might improve enough to turn my previous paragraph on its head, but for now, I'd much rather stick to the Rising Sun.
Photos by Benjamin G, Kline
Car Information
Chery J5 1.6 (M)
CAT A|Petrol|14.3km/L
Horsepower
89kW (119 bhp)
Torque
147 Nm
Acceleration
16sec (0-100km /hr)
This model is no longer being sold by local distributor
All Used Chery J5
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