Chery A21. Arithmetic mean.

Chery A21. The Arithmetic Mean

Dreaming of a mid-size foreign car, but on a tight budget? Take a closer look at the Chinese auto industry — for example, the Chery A21, another "envoy" from the Middle Kingdom.

The sky-blue sedan that I got for the test looks like a typical representative of the "under $20,000" class. Its appearance hints at features from a good dozen models of different brands — a kind of averaged portrait of a modern car. Honestly, I opened the door of this "Fora" (the second name of the Chery A21) with considerable skepticism: the combination of a two-liter Chinese-made engine and a solid mass of 1300 kg didn't add optimism. But let's figure it out. The first thing that catches the eye is the leather interior trim, albeit not of the highest quality. The leather-wrapped steering wheel fits comfortably in the hands and, pleasantly, adjusts for height. The light interior visually lightens the space. The driver's seat with electric adjustments allows you to get comfortable with maximum comfort. The only thing that initially confuses is the rearview mirrors. Yes, they have electric adjustment and heating, but their area is too small, which creates some discomfort. However, while driving, you realize that these seemingly small "ears" do their job quite well, allowing you to control the situation on the road. Their main drawback is different — they distance objects too much. So, for the first time, you'll have to get used to such a picture. Overall, the front view is quite decent. But the rear is not so rosy: the high rear almost completely hides the space behind the car, sending everything into the "blind spot." The standard parking sensors save the day, but they work not at all like European counterparts. When reversing, instead of the usual continuous beeping, it remains silent, like a partisan. And only when there's about half a meter left to the obstacle, the speaker suddenly bursts into a panicked trill, making your foot reflexively press the brake pedal. On the one hand, this approach is convenient: a signal means it's time to stop. But on the other hand, drivers accustomed to smooth warnings risk "kissing" the obstacle: the built-in 50 centimeters may simply not be enough.

By the way, about safety: here the Chery A21 is in order. Contrary to expectations, the budget Chinese car is equipped with four airbags — frontal for the driver and passenger and side ones. The presence of ABS against this background is taken for granted. But its algorithm is also non-standard: the brake pedal starts vibrating not at the moment of wheel locking, but with a slight delay, allowing short-term slippage. As practice has shown, this is not always a minus: had the system worked earlier, as on most modern cars, the A21 under my care might now be hanging on a stand in a service center. On the Moscow Ring Road, there was a massive accident — about fifteen cars, after bumping into each other, blocked the four left lanes. Given the road conditions, without a series of timely short-term lockups, braking would have been extremely difficult. But as it was — a "wet diaper" and bruises on the leg, because the power of the electronics that hit the foot is comparable in effect to a jackhammer.

Let's return to the cabin. On the central console, there are two displays: climate control and audio system. Contrary to modern trends, the icons on them are large. Perhaps this is not in design fashion, but the information is read easily, and you have to be distracted from the road less. By the way, about the "music." In the base, the only available trim, there's a radio with a six-disc CD changer. Control is on the steering wheel. The Chinese are not pioneers in this, but you wouldn't expect it from a budget sedan — a pleasant bonus. True, the sound quality itself noticeably blurs the impression, although it's clear that the A21 wasn't prepared for car audio competitions.

In terms of reliability, the Chery holds up well. An attempt to start in second gear showed that the car easily forgives mistakes of an inexperienced driver, and this skill will also come in handy when driving on a snowy rut. The car starts confidently and drives "taut," without wheelspin. But you don't want to race this "Chinese car" at all. In the Chery A21, as in its namesake GAZ-21, you want to "glide" along the road. This is facilitated by the elastic engine and stretched gear ratios of the gearbox. Funny, but according to some dealers, the engine is a licensed copy of a Mitsubishi Lancer engine. Others, no less official, claim that the Chinese ordered the development of a new unit from Austrian engineers. Who to believe is unclear, but one thing is clear: the engine is modern and causes no serious complaints.

Despite the smoothness and unhurriedness, don't underestimate the A21's dynamics. This car is capable of satisfying driver ambitions. Showing "who's who" on the road is not a problem for a Chery driver. Just keep the revs above 3000 and a lower gear. Of course, it's far from a "TAXI" in Chinese style, but in the far left lane, you won't feel superfluous. However, you'd want the gear shifts to be clearer and the clutch pedal travel shorter. It's sad to admit that Chery clearly saved on sound insulation. Wind and tire noise easily enters the cabin at any speed, and at high revs, a loud, unmelodic engine voice joins them. By the way, there's no electronic rev limiter; you can easily "lay down" the tachometer needle. But, remembering potential problems, you shouldn't do this regularly, and it's noisy.

On the rear sofa, the visitor from beyond the Great Wall is in perfect order. As befits a modern car, there's a folding center armrest with cupholders. The seats fold down both entirely and in a 2/3 ratio. And if you remember the huge trunk, the Chery A21 can boldly claim the title of "a gardener's dream." Moreover, the engine is unpretentious and content with 92-octane gasoline. Interestingly, the stated average fuel consumption turned out not to be underestimated, as is usually the case. 10-10.5 liters per hundred in intense city driving — everything adds up.

As a summary, one can ask a rhetorical question: where will you find an imported C-class car with climate control, four airbags, power steering, a six-disc changer, a spacious trunk, and a modern two-liter engine for just $14,500?

Technical specifications

Source – www.automania.ru