A large, sturdy crossover with an unknown pedigree and dubious origins actually turns out to be a pleasant surprise. A new brand — is just a reason to get to know it and be a little surprised.
In fact, people have been talking about Changan since the beginning of spring, after the brand’s official presentation in Ukraine. If they don’t talk much, they will, and you can already see these amazing creatures on the roads. We have already talked about two smaller representatives of the brand’s model range CS35 і CS55, and now it’s the turn of the flagship. And it stands out not only for its size, but even for its different design and overall approach to car construction.
Strangely enough, it turns out that the Chinese have already learned how to make decent things. We first saw this in electric cars, where the design is much simpler and there is basically nothing to break. Now it’s the turn of the internal combustion engine. The Changan UNI-K — is a vivid example of how Chinese automakers are learning at the speed of light, if not sound.
If the younger representatives of the CS35 and CS55 turned out to be pleasant and practical, with some flaws, the case of the UNI family is different. Here, reliability, comfort, and manufacturability were prioritized. And it seems as if it was built in a different division, which is most likely the case. It is more mature in all respects.
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This crossover can hardly be called a mid-size, but rather a full-size. With a base of 2850 mm and a length of 4865 mm, the UNI-K is closer to the Toyota Highlander or Hyundai Santa Fe than to the Nissan X-Trail or Mitsubishi Outlander. But it’s definitely a family crossover that can easily accommodate half an apartment and drive you even to China, just fill up.
If you dig deeper, you can find borrowed features from other brands, but I think there is still more originality here, especially in the details. Moreover, Changan is a large brand and one of the five largest in China, with subsidiaries in many countries in Europe, the UK, Japan and the US. So we worked on the image very well, and we should thank the Changan design center (actually, the brand should be pronounced Chanan) in Turin and Mr. Bertrand Bach personally, the designer who created the once elegant first-generation Insignia.
No, there is no general design philosophy here, but it looks coherent and practical. Of course, Full LEDs are everywhere — it’s a Chinese feature that doesn’t cost so much, but adds weight. Dynamic turn signals emphasize the overall expensive look, but this feature will be available only in the maximum Tech configuration, as well as 21-inch wheels.
The dimensions are not striking from the outside. Against the background of a rather massive front end, the taut rear end stands out, which visually reduces the dimensions of the UNI-K. Coupe-like silhouette, smoothed edges on the sides, and instead of a radiator grille — a large bumper with black honeycomb. The modern look is complemented by Y-shaped diode running lights. It looks original. There are even air inserts in the front arches that work for aerodynamics, only the rear spoiler divided into two parts with integrated feet looks more like a decor than a functional part of the body.
There are three configurations on our market: Comfort, Lux and Tech. The first of them will not have anything special in terms of functionality and will offer only front-wheel drive, so it will lose on many points. After all, the biggest advantage of UNI-K is the overall image of an expensive crossover full of technology for little money, and our test car with a full set now costs UAH 1,525,900 ($37,136) against UAH 1,346,400 ($32,767) for the minimum wage.
Under the hood of the UNI-K is a two-liter Blue Whale gasoline engine
turbocharged gasoline engine with 232 hp and 380 Nm of torque (JL486ZQ5). It is a conventional and technologically understandable inline four-cylinder engine with cast iron cylinders and direct injection. According to the company — this is their development, which is quite possible after many years of cooperation with famous brands from Japan and France. The Chinese are quick to adopt technologies and even know how to improve them quite well.
It seems to be a fairly reliable engine, which also has a chain in the timing. That is, you won’t see anything unexpected from it. It’s a kind of standard maintenance — oil changes, filters, spark plugs, and so on. Considering that the crossover has been on the market since 2020, all complaints or errors would have been detected by now. But there are no complaints about it so far.
It seems that for a car weighing 2005 kg, there is more than enough power. And for a comfortable ride, it is. In fact, to get all the horses out of the pen, you’ll need to rev the engine up to 5,000 rpm, which requires you to stay in the gears longer than it allows. It has an 8-speed Aisin automatic that is tuned for efficiency more than power, so don’t expect the dynamics of an Audi Q7 from the UNI-K. It’s as agile and comfortable as a ship.
Even the acceleration dynamics of 8.2 seconds to the first 100 km/h seems unrealistic. The Sport mode and shifting the gearbox to manual mode can help accelerate a little, which is a blessing, and is activated by the gear lever if you move it to the left from Drive mode. But you would rather not do it again because of the discomfort that comes with it in the form of an increasing engine rumble, loss of comfort, and clear handling. Even at speeds above 150 km/h, it starts to walk a little due to the growing aerodynamics, and you want to make the steering wheel heavier.
The UNI-K steers perfectly, clearly and firmly. Perhaps for some people, the steering wheel may seem too light and uninformative even in normal mode, but this can be adjusted separately from the driving modes. In general, you can fully feel this ship, and it is quite maneuverable for its size. Of course, there will be significant rolls, but you won’t want to spin into a sharp turn at speed.
The biggest advantage of UNI-K lies in the comfort of the suspension. It smoothes out bumps, vibrations and absorbs large potholes to such an extent. It seems as if a pillow was laid under you. Of course, there is a multi-linkage in a circle and in general, the configuration and technical suspension is very similar to Toyota, as if it were made under a tracing paper, but with its edits. Only the brakes, which have floating calipers, are surprising. I would like to have more confidence in them at this weight.
We are offered a mono-wheel drive version and an all-wheel drive version, and the latter is realized by a clutch (Nextrac system from BorgWarner), which replaces the center differential here. A choice of driving modes is offered separately: 2WD, Auto and 4WD. So the driver can decide which mode to choose or entrust it to the system. You shouldn’t expect off-road all-terrain capability from this car. Rather, it gives you confidence on slippery roads and the ability to overcome light off-road conditions. Just remember that although the ground clearance is 190 mm, there are actually many protrusions under the bottom, which limits the cross-country ability.
Of course, the economy in a large crossover can be considered good. The ship consumes about 10 liters of gasoline in a mixed cycle. And this is if you drive calmly in Normal mode, when the response to the accelerator is adequate and timely because in Eco mode the car will react with a delay, but consumption can be reduced to 9.5 liters. In highway cruise mode at speeds in the range of 110-120 km/h, consumption will drop to 7.5 liters, which is very pleasant.
Communicating with this representative of the Middle Kingdom can actually spoil you a bit. There are so many convenient technologies and security systems and active assistants integrated into it. You just need to get used to them.
So UNI-K has handles that extend when you approach the car. It reads the key, which can be in your pocket or bag. It can unlock either only the driver’s door separately or all of them together. This can be customized in the system. It locks in the same way when you step away from the car. It’s convenient. Only sometimes it locks even when the car is running, and you have to press the front door handle or the keys again. Then the car beeps as if it’s dissatisfied with your behavior. And the battery in the key will quickly drain in this mode. So you need to take this into account.
Another feature that seems useful until it starts to piss you off is that the crossover won’t move if you don’t buckle up. By automatically putting on the parking brake, it blocks the movement. If you don’t move it forcibly, you will have to press the «handbrake» release button on the center console. Then you can drive off. Or fasten your seat belt as soon as you get in.
In general, the list of systems can be continued for a long time. I will focus only on the features. If the starting equipment will offer the usual cruise control, a minimum of interesting technologies, then the maximum seems to be stuffed to the brim. There are automatic high beams, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian recognition, blind spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise with lane keeping. But there are nuances in the operation of these systems.
So in adaptive cruise, you need to monitor the behavior of the car in the lane itself. There is no centering and the car is thrown to one side or the other, and the reaction to lane crossing is very sharp and always unexpected. The algorithm seems to be a bit clumsy and I want to reprogram something or turn it off altogether. After all, even while driving around the city, it will periodically sharply turn the car out of the lane at an unexpected moment and can even lead to an accident on narrow streets with cars parked under the curbs.
Another cool advantage of the UNI-K — is its 360-degree cameras with excellent image quality, the ability to rotate the car and look around, and the presence of a built-in dashcam. Yes, that’s right. A dashcam that records images from four cameras! Imagine that! It takes photos and has an emergency mode that records automatically when a threatening situation occurs. There is a built-in memory and the ability to set the recording time. And quick access to the cameras and the dashcam is located on the center console next to the box lever.
Plus, there’s even a separate camera at the rear, which is located under the upper spoiler fin and displays the image on the dashboard. Everything is in front of the driver’s eyes. A very convenient thing that can only be found in premium cars. It is especially helpful when the luggage space is fully loaded. For this, a low bow to the manufacturer.
The interior seems to have been created by designers without any restrictions either in terms of visuals or budget. Complete freedom of will. It’s good that the space allows. The multi-tiered design actually looks cool and is quite practical in functionality. The upholstery materials are mostly soft, similar in color and tactility. Even the plastic is integrated so that you can hardly tell the difference from the leather. Wherever the eye can see, everything looks very decent and pleasant. And it’s been a long time since the Chinese have had that cheap plastic flavor.
UNI-K has four color displays of different sizes. The dashboard consists of three of them. In the center is the information display, which will change according to the driving mode, and the information on it can be adjusted using the joystick on the steering wheel. Quite an adequate set. Only a lot of repetition. On the left, tire pressure and axle load are constantly displayed. You can clearly see the operation of the automatic all-wheel drive. On the right side of the monitor, you can see fuel economy, energy consumption, depending on the driving mode, or you can turn on the rearview camera. The latter transmits the image better than the mirror in the evening.
The main settings for the system, assistants, atmosphere, and connections are displayed on the central monitor. Surprisingly, there is only Apple CarPlay wired and no Android Auto, but there is a smartphone mirroring. It’s a strange feature that requires an app to be downloaded. The menu is a little confusing, and you have to sit down once and figure it out so that you don’t wander and get annoyed in the future. The Bluetooth connection is quite tenacious and does not fall off, as sometimes happens.
The chairs have an anatomical shape and good support from all sides. They are very soft and pleasant. The manufacturer claims that it is nappa leather, but there are doubts. It’s good that it doesn’t get too hot in the sun, you don’t stick to it, and I didn’t even use the ventilation, which is available, and there are heated seats for the winter.
And for the first time in Changan, you can sit comfortably behind the wheel. In the maximum configuration, the seat can be adjusted in eight directions, which is more than enough, and the steering wheel is adjustable in reach and height, so you can also find a comfortable position. This is possible thanks to the new shape of the steering wheel itself, with a beveled top. It looks like a toy, but you quickly get used to it and even enjoy this playful attitude to driving. You need to grab it twice or so when turning, but it doesn’t cause any inconvenience to me personally.
The center console might be too big for some, but here it’s in its place and made in style — with colored inserts, wireless charging in an opening niche, a nice and clear box lever, a separate button for parking, normal cupholders, and a roomy armrest. There is also a storage pocket in a niche under the console and ports for charging gadgets. There are both USB and Type-C, and the rear passengers also have a couple of quick exits.
The climate control is two-zone and works better than in some Chinese cars, but it is far from perfect. It cools well, but it is quite difficult to set it to heat. It works loudly and calls for attention. Although the separate panel for adjusting it is practical. Passengers are offered only air deflectors without temperature change.
The manufacturer emphasizes the acoustics in the cabin, where more than 26 different materials for sound insulation have been used. They also installed a Sony audio system with a 10-channel amplifier and 16 speakers. But it seems that either the system itself is outdated, or it was made by the Chinese on the night shift. The volume could be better, as well as the overall acoustics. Another feature of the system is that there are separate speakers for the driver, built into the headrest, and you can turn on the sound only on them, which will not be heard by the entire cabin. You can also turn on all the speakers with them and the driver will have additional sound from the system or navigation notifications. It’s a cool thing, especially if a child is sleeping in the cabin.
In general, a special advantage of the UNI-K is the space in the cabin. There is so much room for rear passengers that children can walk around. The rear sofa is wide, deep and comfortable. The roof may hang over a little if a tall passenger sits, but you can lower the back of the sofa and make yourself comfortable. A big fat plus to the manufacturer for this.
There is an armrest with small cupholders, pockets in the backs of the front seats and in the door cards. The back of the sofa folds according to the usual one-to-two formula. And the luggage space is formed by a flat floor with a slight slope to the rear.
In general, there is enough luggage for three families. The luggage capacity of 516 liters is not a class leader because the Santa Fe, Highlander, or CX90 will have a much larger trunk capacity, but there is a third row of seats, and there is no such freedom for passengers. There is additional space under the floor and a 19-inch liftgate.
If you fold down the backrests of the rear row, you can easily transport a double mattress, and in front of the sofa you can place three more decent-sized suitcases. Not only will ski equipment fit here, but you can even transport bicycles without buying additional mounts. So there are no complaints about the space at all.
The panoramic roof is 1.3 meters square and can be covered with a curtain, and the front part can also be opened.
Changan UNI-K — is a car that embodies the Changan philosophy: a combination of tradition, innovation and high quality. This model is designed for those who appreciate style, comfort and advanced technology. The crossover has become a symbol of the company’s new approach to car design. And let’s hope they will be the only ones in the future.
However, it will be quite difficult for it to win the hearts of consumers now because not everyone will be willing to pay $37,000 for a Chinese car, even if it is so large and technologically advanced. It has many advantages, and it is at the premium level, like the Audi Q8 or BMW X6, but the prices there are three times higher, both in terms of power and quality. If you look at the Changan UNI-K’s relatives, such as Chery Tigo 8 or Haval M6, they lose significantly in size, equipment saturation, comfort, power, but the price there will be around $20 thousand. So it seems that the choice is not so great for the determined.
Another plus for Changan is its official representation. After all, the cars in Ukraine are represented by «Sojits Auto Ukraine», which is responsible for Subaru, which means there will be an official warranty for mileage up to 100,000 km and service. If the Japanese are responsible for the Chinese brand in the country, then they know something for sure.
PROS: space, comfort, manufacturability, practicality.
CONS: dynamics, glitches in assistance systems, climate control, audio system.
| Body, type | SUV |
| Dimensions (LxWxH), mm | 4865/1948/1695 |
| Wheelbase, mm | 2890 |
| Declared ground clearance, mm | 190 |
| Trunk volume, liters. | 516 |
| Curb weight, kg | 2005 |
| Engine | 2.0 turbo |
| Power, hp. | 232 |
| Torque, Nm | 380 |
| Type of drive | 2WD,AWD,4WD |
| Pendant | independent/independent multi-lever |
| CHECKPOINT | 8AT |
| Dynamics 0-100, s | 8,2 |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 200 |
| Fuel consumption, l (mixed) | 8,9 |
| Cost, UAH | from 1 346 400 |
| The cost of the test car, UAH | 1 525 900 |
| Competitors | Toyota Hidhlander |
| Mazda CX90 | |
| Hyundai Santa Fe | |
| Chery Tiggo 8 PRO | |
| Haval M6 |
