Chery T11 2.0 (A) Review
01 Dec 2009|28,037 views
Now the introduction probably gave you a hint of the direction this article is going. I’m just going to come right out and say it. I liked the commie SUV loads. Finding a SUV that offers the same amount of space, versatility and power at this price is nearly impossible. The next competitor you find in this segment is the Kia Sportage that’s a whole ten grand more.
The T11 is Chery’s first attempt at a SUV and it seems like they’ve learnt and improved from their previous cars with this one. Better quality plastics and ergonomics are the main plus points in this car.
Exterior
The first thing you notice about the T11 is how familiar it looks. Yes, there’s a little Pajero in there, and yes the front does look a little like the RAV4 and you’re also right to say there’s more than a passing resemblance of the CR-V in the rear. It seems as if the T11’s design was put together from an automotive parts bin considering the plethora of similarity it bears with SUVs past and present.
The front fascia is dominated by two large headlamps with integrated signal lights and a pair of fog lights embedded in the bumper.
The T11 is Chery’s first attempt at a SUV and it seems like they’ve learnt and improved from their previous cars with this one. Better quality plastics and ergonomics are the main plus points in this car.
Exterior
The first thing you notice about the T11 is how familiar it looks. Yes, there’s a little Pajero in there, and yes the front does look a little like the RAV4 and you’re also right to say there’s more than a passing resemblance of the CR-V in the rear. It seems as if the T11’s design was put together from an automotive parts bin considering the plethora of similarity it bears with SUVs past and present.
The front fascia is dominated by two large headlamps with integrated signal lights and a pair of fog lights embedded in the bumper.
 |
Looking at the T11’s side profile, you immediately notice the striking resemblance it bears to the RAV4. Starting from the A-pillar and waist-line, the car cuts a similar profile to the Toyota. In the rear the side-opening tailgate reveals a large bootspace that allows anything from a bicycle to ice boxes to be loaded easily for that trip to the beach.
Although bearing similar exterior lines to the RAV4, the lower slung T11 makes its role as a soft-roader obvious. The ground clearance available here allows you to challenge nothing more than carpark kerbs if you should ever make a wrong turn. It might turn some off-road enthusiasts off, but this ground hugging stance might appeal to full-time tarmac warriors.
 |
Interior
If you’ve ever been in previous models from Chery, you would immediately notice the improvement in the interior plastics and layout. Kudos to Chery for heeding consumer opinions.
The T11’s driving position is pretty comfortable once you’ve adjusted the manually operated seats and the rake adjustable steering. Large tactile buttons for the decent factory six-CD changer is well within reach of the driver and so are the analog air-conditioner controls. Like most cars on the market these days, the car comes with front passenger and driver airbags.
The car does come with steering mounted audio controls although they seem incomplete. The three buttons mounted on the steering wheel only allows you to skip tracks and change the audio source with volume and mute controls completely absent. The additional three buttons would’ve enabled full-marks for Chery’s attempt at ergonomics.
In the rear cabin area, the seats are wide and will accommodate three full-sized adults comfortably, even long-legged ones. The seats are foldable for the acceptance of any oversized cargo. Even with the rear seats intact, the T11 still has a decent amount of bootspace. Enough to swallow a month’s worth of groceries.
If you’ve ever been in previous models from Chery, you would immediately notice the improvement in the interior plastics and layout. Kudos to Chery for heeding consumer opinions.
The T11’s driving position is pretty comfortable once you’ve adjusted the manually operated seats and the rake adjustable steering. Large tactile buttons for the decent factory six-CD changer is well within reach of the driver and so are the analog air-conditioner controls. Like most cars on the market these days, the car comes with front passenger and driver airbags.
The car does come with steering mounted audio controls although they seem incomplete. The three buttons mounted on the steering wheel only allows you to skip tracks and change the audio source with volume and mute controls completely absent. The additional three buttons would’ve enabled full-marks for Chery’s attempt at ergonomics.
In the rear cabin area, the seats are wide and will accommodate three full-sized adults comfortably, even long-legged ones. The seats are foldable for the acceptance of any oversized cargo. Even with the rear seats intact, the T11 still has a decent amount of bootspace. Enough to swallow a month’s worth of groceries.
Driving it
Despite being an SUV, the car doesn’t possess as high a driving position as one might expect from an SUV. Unless you’re using the ground clearance to compensate for a shorter stature, this lower ground clearance shouldn’t bother most.
The T11’s 2.0-litre unit manages the car’s girth easily with enough confidence to carry a full load and more. On the highway the car gets up to speed as it should and without unreasonable delay. Overtaking is a breeze and despite being a budget SUV, the car still comes equipped with cruise control. A feature absent in most budget cars, it’s a godsend for those who ply the KPE tunnel often.
Riding on a Macpherson and double wishbone setup, the T11 keeps your bum (and the bum of others) well cushioned on the highways and small roads. Neutralising small road undulations and most humps easily.
There is however one rather huge and important complaint about the T11’s driving characteristic. Like the V5 Crossover, the T11 seems to possess brakes that have been poached from a kid’s bicycle. It barely helms the T11’s 1.4 tons and will only stop if you stomp on the brake pedal, HARD.
Despite being an SUV, the car doesn’t possess as high a driving position as one might expect from an SUV. Unless you’re using the ground clearance to compensate for a shorter stature, this lower ground clearance shouldn’t bother most.
The T11’s 2.0-litre unit manages the car’s girth easily with enough confidence to carry a full load and more. On the highway the car gets up to speed as it should and without unreasonable delay. Overtaking is a breeze and despite being a budget SUV, the car still comes equipped with cruise control. A feature absent in most budget cars, it’s a godsend for those who ply the KPE tunnel often.
Riding on a Macpherson and double wishbone setup, the T11 keeps your bum (and the bum of others) well cushioned on the highways and small roads. Neutralising small road undulations and most humps easily.
There is however one rather huge and important complaint about the T11’s driving characteristic. Like the V5 Crossover, the T11 seems to possess brakes that have been poached from a kid’s bicycle. It barely helms the T11’s 1.4 tons and will only stop if you stomp on the brake pedal, HARD.
 |
If Chery wants to win more fans over, their R &D should give the braking systems on their cars some serious thought and redesign.
Conclusion
Despite the car’s minor and major (brakes) shortcomings, the car is still a bargain at $60,000.
Conclusion
Despite the car’s minor and major (brakes) shortcomings, the car is still a bargain at $60,000.
The completeness of the steering controls is forgivable although I would strongly advise anyone buying the T11 to invest the money saved from its low price on installing better after-market brakes. Preferably, immediately after you roll off the showroom floor.
Once the brakes are fixed, I don’t see why the T11 shouldn’t be the lifestyle vehicle it was always meant to be.
Once the brakes are fixed, I don’t see why the T11 shouldn’t be the lifestyle vehicle it was always meant to be.
Now the introduction probably gave you a hint of the direction this article is going. I’m just going to come right out and say it. I liked the commie SUV loads. Finding a SUV that offers the same amount of space, versatility and power at this price is nearly impossible. The next competitor you find in this segment is the Kia Sportage that’s a whole ten grand more.
The T11 is Chery’s first attempt at a SUV and it seems like they’ve learnt and improved from their previous cars with this one. Better quality plastics and ergonomics are the main plus points in this car.
Exterior
The first thing you notice about the T11 is how familiar it looks. Yes, there’s a little Pajero in there, and yes the front does look a little like the RAV4 and you’re also right to say there’s more than a passing resemblance of the CR-V in the rear. It seems as if the T11’s design was put together from an automotive parts bin considering the plethora of similarity it bears with SUVs past and present.
The front fascia is dominated by two large headlamps with integrated signal lights and a pair of fog lights embedded in the bumper.
The T11 is Chery’s first attempt at a SUV and it seems like they’ve learnt and improved from their previous cars with this one. Better quality plastics and ergonomics are the main plus points in this car.
Exterior
The first thing you notice about the T11 is how familiar it looks. Yes, there’s a little Pajero in there, and yes the front does look a little like the RAV4 and you’re also right to say there’s more than a passing resemblance of the CR-V in the rear. It seems as if the T11’s design was put together from an automotive parts bin considering the plethora of similarity it bears with SUVs past and present.
The front fascia is dominated by two large headlamps with integrated signal lights and a pair of fog lights embedded in the bumper.
|
Looking at the T11’s side profile, you immediately notice the striking resemblance it bears to the RAV4. Starting from the A-pillar and waist-line, the car cuts a similar profile to the Toyota. In the rear the side-opening tailgate reveals a large bootspace that allows anything from a bicycle to ice boxes to be loaded easily for that trip to the beach.
Although bearing similar exterior lines to the RAV4, the lower slung T11 makes its role as a soft-roader obvious. The ground clearance available here allows you to challenge nothing more than carpark kerbs if you should ever make a wrong turn. It might turn some off-road enthusiasts off, but this ground hugging stance might appeal to full-time tarmac warriors.
|
Interior
If you’ve ever been in previous models from Chery, you would immediately notice the improvement in the interior plastics and layout. Kudos to Chery for heeding consumer opinions.
The T11’s driving position is pretty comfortable once you’ve adjusted the manually operated seats and the rake adjustable steering. Large tactile buttons for the decent factory six-CD changer is well within reach of the driver and so are the analog air-conditioner controls. Like most cars on the market these days, the car comes with front passenger and driver airbags.
The car does come with steering mounted audio controls although they seem incomplete. The three buttons mounted on the steering wheel only allows you to skip tracks and change the audio source with volume and mute controls completely absent. The additional three buttons would’ve enabled full-marks for Chery’s attempt at ergonomics.
In the rear cabin area, the seats are wide and will accommodate three full-sized adults comfortably, even long-legged ones. The seats are foldable for the acceptance of any oversized cargo. Even with the rear seats intact, the T11 still has a decent amount of bootspace. Enough to swallow a month’s worth of groceries.
If you’ve ever been in previous models from Chery, you would immediately notice the improvement in the interior plastics and layout. Kudos to Chery for heeding consumer opinions.
The T11’s driving position is pretty comfortable once you’ve adjusted the manually operated seats and the rake adjustable steering. Large tactile buttons for the decent factory six-CD changer is well within reach of the driver and so are the analog air-conditioner controls. Like most cars on the market these days, the car comes with front passenger and driver airbags.
The car does come with steering mounted audio controls although they seem incomplete. The three buttons mounted on the steering wheel only allows you to skip tracks and change the audio source with volume and mute controls completely absent. The additional three buttons would’ve enabled full-marks for Chery’s attempt at ergonomics.
In the rear cabin area, the seats are wide and will accommodate three full-sized adults comfortably, even long-legged ones. The seats are foldable for the acceptance of any oversized cargo. Even with the rear seats intact, the T11 still has a decent amount of bootspace. Enough to swallow a month’s worth of groceries.
Driving it
Despite being an SUV, the car doesn’t possess as high a driving position as one might expect from an SUV. Unless you’re using the ground clearance to compensate for a shorter stature, this lower ground clearance shouldn’t bother most.
The T11’s 2.0-litre unit manages the car’s girth easily with enough confidence to carry a full load and more. On the highway the car gets up to speed as it should and without unreasonable delay. Overtaking is a breeze and despite being a budget SUV, the car still comes equipped with cruise control. A feature absent in most budget cars, it’s a godsend for those who ply the KPE tunnel often.
Riding on a Macpherson and double wishbone setup, the T11 keeps your bum (and the bum of others) well cushioned on the highways and small roads. Neutralising small road undulations and most humps easily.
There is however one rather huge and important complaint about the T11’s driving characteristic. Like the V5 Crossover, the T11 seems to possess brakes that have been poached from a kid’s bicycle. It barely helms the T11’s 1.4 tons and will only stop if you stomp on the brake pedal, HARD.
Despite being an SUV, the car doesn’t possess as high a driving position as one might expect from an SUV. Unless you’re using the ground clearance to compensate for a shorter stature, this lower ground clearance shouldn’t bother most.
The T11’s 2.0-litre unit manages the car’s girth easily with enough confidence to carry a full load and more. On the highway the car gets up to speed as it should and without unreasonable delay. Overtaking is a breeze and despite being a budget SUV, the car still comes equipped with cruise control. A feature absent in most budget cars, it’s a godsend for those who ply the KPE tunnel often.
Riding on a Macpherson and double wishbone setup, the T11 keeps your bum (and the bum of others) well cushioned on the highways and small roads. Neutralising small road undulations and most humps easily.
There is however one rather huge and important complaint about the T11’s driving characteristic. Like the V5 Crossover, the T11 seems to possess brakes that have been poached from a kid’s bicycle. It barely helms the T11’s 1.4 tons and will only stop if you stomp on the brake pedal, HARD.
|
If Chery wants to win more fans over, their R &D should give the braking systems on their cars some serious thought and redesign.
Conclusion
Despite the car’s minor and major (brakes) shortcomings, the car is still a bargain at $60,000.
Conclusion
Despite the car’s minor and major (brakes) shortcomings, the car is still a bargain at $60,000.
The completeness of the steering controls is forgivable although I would strongly advise anyone buying the T11 to invest the money saved from its low price on installing better after-market brakes. Preferably, immediately after you roll off the showroom floor.
Once the brakes are fixed, I don’t see why the T11 shouldn’t be the lifestyle vehicle it was always meant to be.
Once the brakes are fixed, I don’t see why the T11 shouldn’t be the lifestyle vehicle it was always meant to be.
Photos by Benjamin G, Kline
Car Information
Chery T11 2.0 (A)
CAT B|Petrol|13.5km/L
Horsepower
104kW (139 bhp)
Torque
182 Nm
Acceleration
15sec (0-100km /hr)
This model is no longer being sold by local distributor
All Used Chery T11
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