It’s interesting how one no longer has to spend over a million pesos to get an SUV, more specifically, a crossover these days. It wasn’t that long ago when anything with high ground clearance meant you had to shell out a significant amount of cash for that.
Perhaps one can thank the Ford EcoSport for the boom in mini SUVs, a segment that’s now become fiercely competitive. These days, there are loads of them vying for customer’s paychecks.
A few months ago, Changan launched such a vehicle that raised eyebrows. It was the CS15, and it’s up against the likes of the Toyota Raize and, more recently, the Kia Sonet.
We don’t usually mention prices right away, but Changan CS15’s SRP of P799,000 is hard to ignore. Heck, there was even a P50,000 discount for the first batch of customers.
But is that price tag too good to be true? Sure, it’s very much within reach for most consumers, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be a good product, nevermind a solid one. For the CS15 to be rated well, it should offer more than just a low SRP. After a few days with it in the real world, here’s what we think of it.
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Styling
Funky can be one word to describe the design of the CS15. It’s typical in its segment as each one is keen stand out for your checkbook. The large grille gives it a bit of presence which comes in handy given its diminutive dimensions. Sharp lines at the front add a bit of zing, and so do the upswept headlights. It doesn’t look bad at all and it doesn’t suffer from generic styling.
The funky theme carries over throughout the body. The tall windows makes it look even more compact, while the body cladding does a fair job in reducing visual height. The 17-inch alloys fill the wheel wells neatly, and a selection of vibrant colors help the whole car pop out.
Mind you, this is the one and only variant available for the local market, so what you see here isn’t some dressed up one-off. So far, things are off to a good start.
Interior
So, the exterior looks good, but is the interior all cheap and nasty? Surprisingly, no. To our surprise, there was even some presence padded surfaces and soft-touch materials. You won’t hear squeaks in it, and plastics only creak if you press on them hard, you know, like in more expensive cars. Build feels comparable to other cars in its class.
Design-wise, it won’t really wow you. However, the layout is simple and functional. You don’t need to fumble around the dash to figure out where certain functions are, and it’s not confusing to use or interact with at all. Truth be told, it doesn’t feel downmarket, at least from the front. At the back, it’s all hard plastics, but that’s to be expected in its class…and its price point.
Space is what one would expect from a car this small. At just a smidge over 4.1 meters long, stretch out room isn’t possible. To try and maximize space at the back, the CS15 doesn’t come with a telescopic steering wheel. It’s tilt-only in this case. But even so, legroom is somewhat limited for taller folks. Where it does claw back points is in cargo space. It’s large for this segment of vehicle and can easily fit in a baby carriage and groceries. Not at the same time, though.
Engine Performance
Under the hood is a 1.5-liter engine with 105hp and 145Nm of torque. It’s not revolutionary in any way and typical in its class. It’s not quick by any means, and adequate is the best way to describe its power delivery.
We don’t know what it is with Chinese automakers and dual-clutch transmissions, but the CS15 comes with it. It’s a five-speed unit in this case, and it’s the part that, in all honesty, could ruin the entire driving experience.
Admittedly, it can be a little lumpy and jerky from a cold start. However, shifts become smoother and slicker once the fluids have warmed up. That said, you’ll have to adjust your driving style, which is the way with these DCTs. Don’t jump on the gas pedal from a stop. Let it ‘creep’ on its own and then step on the accelerator.
People who buy these sort of crossovers expect good fuel economy. In that aspect, the CS15 delivers. In terrible traffic (average speed: 10kph), it can still manage 8km/L. In slightly better but still heavy traffic, it’ll effortlessly return 9.8km/L. Its fuel tank capacity of 44 liters should give it decent range, too.
Ride and handling
If we had the chance to spec the CS15, the first thing we’d do is chuck out its standard tires. We don’t even remember the brand that was fitted to it, but it just wasn’t that great. It’s a shame, really, as the chassis itself has potential. More on that in a sec.
The ride is on the firm side, but that’s more of a limitation of its short wheelbase. Unladen, it can get a touch on the choppy side, but it’s no worse than its contemporaries. Add a bit of weight at the back and it all levels out. Body control is rather good, doing a fine job of keeping unnecessary lateral movement at bay.
But the tradeoff of that firm ride is surprisingly nippy handling that, again, is blunted by the No Name tires. At least there’s stability control standard in case things get a little hairy. As for steering, it’s light and doesn’t offer bags of feel, which is the norm in its segment.
Seriously, this crossover deserves better tires.
Extra features
This is where the CS15 puts out its trump card. It’s hard to find a similarly priced vehicle that offers this much standard equipment. As mentioned, stability control is standard, but we were pleasantly surprised to see side airbags equipped in it. Not too shabby in the safety front. Oh, and it has rear disc brakes, too.
Tire pressure monitoring is present, as well as a rear camera and rear parking sensors. The CS15 is also (possibly) the least expensive crossover to be equipped with a sunroof. For added convenience, cruise control is thrown in the mix.
If there’s one feature we wish it had, it would be Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You do get a MirrorLink system, but nothing beats the simple plug and play nature of those two. Also, try not to jump in your seat when someone calls you via the car’s Bluetooth system. It (quite loudly) tells you someone is calling and blurts out the number…all in Mandarin. A simple ring would’ve sufficed.
Verdict
Does the CS15 offer more than just a low price tag? Surprisingly, you do get more for what you pay for. We’re going beyond the equipment list here as the interior is actually pretty well built. It’s not the most spacious, but it doesn’t feel like a hard plastic-lined penalty box, either. Fuel economy is good, and it’s also on the stylish side.
Obviously, it’s not perfect but the CS15 does nail the basics that make it worthy of anyone’s hard-earned savings. The drive isn’t bad at all and its chassis is one of the better composed ones among its peers. However, we'll reiterate this: A better set of tires are in order to further improve the experience.
Yes, some of its competitors are less expensive, but those are bare base models with manual transmissions and not much else. What the CS15 offers is a fully-loaded vehicle for the price of an entry-level one. However, there is substance beyond the temptingly low price tag, and that does make this model a worthwhile option for those in the market for a small crossover.
Specs: 2024 Changan CS15 1.5 DCT
Price: P799,000
Engine: 1.5-liter inline-4
Power: 105hp
Torque: 145Nm
Transmission: 5-speed DCT
Layout: front wheel-drive
Seating: 5
Score: 8/10
