Chery Amulet is a car that the Chinese have high hopes for. It is a spacious city car, and it is precisely such models that traditionally enjoy demand among Russian buyers. It is also important that the price promises to be extremely attractive. Perhaps the symbolic name, which should bring good luck to its owners, will also play a role.

Like many Chinese cars of those years, the Amulet is essentially a remake. It is based on the Seat Toledo, which by the time this article was published was already about twenty years old. Chinese engineers changed almost nothing, so the resemblance to the donor is obvious. The car looks like a sedan, but in fact it has a fifth door, like a hatchback. This type of body is commonly called a liftback.

Inside, there is a classic for the Chinese auto industry of those years design in a reddish-beige color scheme. At the same time, the quality of assembly and materials pleased: even a picky eye won't find crooked joints or large gaps. Everything looks quite solid. The front panel is a slightly reworked version of the one in the Toledo. The instruments are illuminated in green, and in the dark they are perfectly visible.

I didn't find any gross ergonomic miscalculations, but a couple of shortcomings did surface. You constantly hit the convenient light control keys with your knee when getting out of the car. The power window buttons are placed so far back that it's inconvenient to reach them. The main disappointment, however, is the seats. The light velour looks nice, but the seats themselves turned out to be shapeless, with a profile that literally pushes you out. I couldn't find a comfortable position. In the back, the bench is straight and simple. Three people will be cramped there, but two are quite comfortable, especially since there is an armrest with cup holders. The light upholstery of the floor and seats seems a strange decision — in our conditions, it will get dirty quickly.

Under the hood is a licensed Mitsubishi engine with a displacement of 1.6 liters, producing 94 horsepower. It is, by the way, assembled in China. Later, the appearance of a 16-valve version and a continuously variable transmission of their own design is promised.

You start the engine — and the body shudders slightly. At first it seems the engine has stalled, but the tachometer says otherwise. At idle, there is almost no vibration or noise. The engine's voice becomes audible only after two thousand rpm. The power is enough both in the city and on the highway. The pickup is felt in a wide range — from 2000 to 4500 rpm. The engine revs willingly, so at traffic lights you can even beat someone.

The brakes also didn't let us down. The only thing that annoys is the ABS operation: when activated, the pedal starts to vibrate wildly.

Behind the wheel, the car strongly resembles the domestic "tenth" model. The pedals, clutch, and gearbox operation are all very similar. Even the gearshift lever seems borrowed from a front-wheel-drive Lada. The suspension also evokes the "tenth" family. The ride is smooth, and bumps are handled comfortably. Tram tracks can be ignored altogether — the suspension's energy capacity allows you to fly over them at full speed.

It is worth noting that in China, the Amulet is often used as a taxi. Even in the base version, there is power steering, air conditioning, and electric windows. For an additional cost, ABS, airbags, and a CD receiver are offered.

Technical specifications of Chery Amulet

  • Number of seats — 5;
  • curb weight, kg — 1100;
  • dimensions (length/width/height), mm — 4393/1682/1424;
  • max speed, km/h — 172;
  • fuel consumption (combined cycle), l/100 km — 8.2;
  • engine — 4-cylinder, with fuel injection; displacement, cm3 — 1596; power, hp at rpm — 94/5500; torque, Nm at rpm — 132/3000;
  • transmission — manual, 5-speed;
  • tire size — 185/60R14;
  • price, $ — from 10,990.