Geely CK: prices and specifications
3 generations Country of origin: China
Geely CK is a B-class sedan that launched Geely's passenger car lineup. Development of a budget model targeting developed and developing markets began in 2003 in collaboration with South Korean Daewoo. The production version was ready by 2005, when the model was officially presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
In the Chinese market, the car was called Ziyoujian ("ship of freedom"), but for Europe and the US, the name was shortened to CK. In Russia, the model was sold as Geely Otaka. In Ukraine, assembly was set up at the Kremenchug Auto Assembly Plant (KrASZ). In 2008, the second generation — CK-2 — was released, and its Ukrainian assembly began in February 2009.
The car is produced only as a sedan. Under the hood is a four-cylinder gasoline engine with a displacement of 1.5 liters, manufactured under license from Toyota. The engine works in tandem with a five-speed manual transmission; no automatic transmission is available even as an option. Drive is front-wheel.
The Geely CK body is designed for good passive safety. The interior is comfortable and functional, with an armrest and storage compartment between the front seats. The dashboard design gives the car a modern and representative look.
History
Geely was founded in 1986. Initially, Geely Group Co. produced household appliances, and from 1998 began manufacturing cars. In 2001, Geely Group became the first private automotive company in China.
The Geely CK debuted in Frankfurt in 2005. Thanks to its low price (about $7,000), the sedan quickly became popular in China. The model was created jointly by Geely and Daewoo.
In 2006, the Geely CK went on sale in Ukraine. In 2007, assembly was set up at the KrASZ plant in Kremenchug. In six months, the AIS corporation sold 2,000 Ukrainian-assembled cars in Ukraine.
From 2006 to 2008, the Geely CK was produced in Russia at the Amur enterprise, where the model was sold as Geely Otaka.
In 2008, an updated generation appeared — Geely CK-2. The facelift affected the headlights, radiator grille, and bumpers. In Ukraine, production of the CK-2 began in July 2009.
In 2011, the Geely CK-2 was modernized again, updating the exterior and interior. The last version of the CK-2 appeared in Ukraine in 2013.
Exterior
The budget sedan Geely looks old-fashioned. Due to the shape of the front headlights, it is often compared to a downsized Mercedes E-class in the W210 body, but this similarity does not make the car a design benchmark. In the latest generation, the CK-2 received new head optics that no longer resemble the "Mercedes" ones as much.
The exterior of the Geely CK-2 can be called normal — without design frills, but also without sharp corners or "chopped" lines.
Even in the base trim, the buyer does not pay extra for metallic paint and fog lights. The first two CK-2 trims are equipped with steel wheels, the third and fourth with alloy wheels.
The ground clearance of the Geely CK-2 is 170 mm.
Interior
The interior of the new Geely CK-2 lacks many of the drawbacks of the previous version. The Chinese took into account customer wishes, including Ukrainian ones, so there are almost no obvious minuses in the interior.
The interior design is simple and minimalist, without an abundance of buttons and screens. The essentials are available even in the cheapest trim.
The base Norma trim includes electric mirror adjustment, rear window heating, and electric headlight leveling. The Basic version (next in line) adds air conditioning, power windows for all windows, and central locking. The Comfort and Impress trims feature a leather-wrapped steering wheel and an audio system with a CD player.
Inside, the Geely CK-2 feels more spacious than it looks from the outside. Tall people may feel cramped, but passengers of average height are comfortable.
The trunk volume of 473 liters allows you to take everything you need, including for a trip to the sea.
Engine and transmission
On the Ukrainian market, the Geely CK-2 is available only with one engine and a manual transmission. This is a 4-cylinder 16-valve gasoline engine with a displacement of 1.5 liters and a power of 94 hp at 6000 rpm. The gearbox is a 5-speed manual. The maximum speed is 160 km/h. In combined cycle, fuel consumption is 7 liters.
When purchasing a Geely CK, you can equip it with a gas installation.
The rear suspension of the CK-2 is multi-link, like in cars of a higher class.
Safety
The Geely CK-2 has not undergone official crash tests. Its predecessor, the CK, was tested in Russia by AvtoRevue specialists in the presence of the Chinese side.
The results were low: during a simulated collision, the car lost its structural integrity. It is reported that the Chinese took this data into account and improved the safety of the CK-2, but there is no official confirmation of this.
In the base version, safety systems are absent; there are not even airbags. The ABS+EBD system is available for the 3rd and 4th level trims. Driver and front passenger airbags are only in the top Impress version.
Features
The main feature of the Geely CK-2 is its affordable price. It is one of the cheapest sedans on the market, yet offers fairly rich equipment.
Even VAZ and ZAZ cannot offer a similar price-to-features ratio. Thanks to assembly in Ukraine and a developed network of service centers, there are practically no problems with spare parts and maintenance of the Geely CK.
The warranty is 5 years or 100,000 km. To keep it valid, owners must service the car at official service stations, which not everyone can afford, opting for cheaper "garage" stations.
Popularity in Ukraine
The Geely representative in Ukraine calls the CK-2 a bestseller accessible to everyone.
The low price allows the Geely CK to consistently hold leading positions in new car sales rankings. On the secondary market, the model sells easily and quickly, which is also due to its price.
Our verdict
The Geely CK-2 is a decent alternative to ZAZ and VAZ cars. It is also worth considering for those who want to buy an old foreign car or a compact subcompact hatchback. The Chinese origin and Ukrainian assembly should not be given much importance.
