Shanghai knights

Chinese cars are a bit like those vacant prime parking spots in a busy mall, or that one really short line at the bank – very tempting, sure, but you think to yourself, if it’s really that good, why isn’t everyone else there? What’s the catch?

While most people have no problem gambling on a Chinese made TV or DVD player, when it comes to cars, many are just not as brave. And I hear you. Which is why I decided to take out a couple of Chinese compact cars and drive them back to back for a couple of days to see for myself if they are the answer to the college class, or quite simply a pain in the… Jazz.

First up was the Chery QQ3. I wasn’t expecting much, so the fact that the steering wheel was round and had some kind of relationship with the tires, was already quite impressive. The interior is actually fairly bright and cheery, and for the same sort of money that you would drop at your Suzuki dealer for the Indian-built Alto, you get into a larger 1.1 liter model with all the goodies. Full power windows (instead of front two) better seats and more space.

Naturally, safety seems to be the biggest concern among potential buyers; and while I certainly can’t vouch for the QQ3, I have to say that with the inclusion of ABS and airbags as standard, at least it makes more of an effort than just about all its competitors. My only worry was the handling; it doesn’t feel stable enough to handle an emergency lane change. But bigger and better tires should take care of most of that.

Power is understandably low. But it can pull its own weight. It is not your ideal out-of-town car but it rides well enough, plus it is extremely frugal. It is too early to tell how the Chery cars will hold up over time, but in fairness, Chery has absorbed most of that risk with an industry leading five year 150,000km warranty. Plus, it has the lowest cost of servicing than anything else in its class.

The only other concerns I’ve heard are resale figures. Now let’s be honest here; as skeptical as I was about this car, at 369,000 pesos for the range topping 1.1 liter, it is almost impossible to go wrong. Break that up over the warranty period of 5 years and that is only around 1,500 pesos a week. At that price, you could almost look at it as a disposable car.

If you’re looking for something a little bigger, however, then the Benni looks like a hands down winner. It comes with the largest and most powerful engine in its price range and a pretty impressive list of standard features, which should fool you into thinking you’re on a higher income bracket.

But for 438,000 bucks (manual version; auto costs P495,000) you aren’t really competing with the QQ class – you’re knocking on the door of an entry level Vios, which is quite a scary thought.

But let’s take a look at what you get for your money. You get a pretty punchy 84 horsepower, 1.3 liter, Suzuki sourced engine with an electric power steering system, driver’s airbag, front vented disc with ABS and EBD, power windows and door locks, a CD player with four speakers, a 60/40 split-fold rear bench with luggage cover, a digital trip meter and a keyless entry system. Not bad at all – although I’ll never understand why they couldn’t throw in power side mirrors as well. It is like buying a TV without a remote.

Problem is, while it may be well equipped, Chana could have done a little more to brighten up the interior. It has depressing gray fabric seats and silver trimming that just feels like a dentist’s waiting room back in the early eighties. A two tone, beige/mocha combination would do wonders for the mood and wipe around twenty years off the car’s age, as would replacing the cheap hard plastics with exposed screws for something a little more modern. You will, however, appreciate the extra space though.

Now, I’ll be honest. 84 horsepower in a car this size was pretty much all I needed to hear before making my choice here. But while it doesn’t lack grunt, especially in this crop of cars that would have trouble keeping up with a ceiling fan, it feels very dated. The steering feels as vague as a politician’s speech, plus it has a frightening amount of body roll. I may sound a bit harsh, like I’m asking way too much from the class, but I wouldn’t normally bring it up if it weren’t for the well sorted out i10 and Picanto, who prove that good things can come in small packages.

It could have been an easier sell for the Chana and Chery, but through no fault of their own, Chinese products have taken a huge hit recently, what with the melamine scare, the lead paint in Mattel products and the tainted drinking water. I’m sure there is a far more politically correct way of putting it, but basically, that is the public’s perception and their biggest hurdle. Nobody is expecting European levels of engineering and comfort, but basic reliable service with a healthy stock of reasonably priced spare parts will go a long way to ease the hesitation.

Each car has its own strengths. It just comes down to your priorities and budget. You make the choice. Because at the end of the day, while we may not have chosen a winner here, the clear winner in all of this is you. Because even if you don’t end up choosing one of these and go instead for the more popular models like Toyota or Honda, cars have just become more affordable. And that can’t possibly be a bad thing.