Great Wall SUV G5. Clone / Great Wall test drives

Great Wall Motors Ltd is one of China's largest automakers, producing 200,000 cars annually. It's safe to say that soon most models of this brand will flood our roads. One of them is the G5 SUV.

It's no secret that the G5 SUV is based on the Toyota 4Runner. Like many other models, the Chinese took on producing this one under license under their own brand. But they didn't just copy the car; they refined certain body elements to freshen up the outdated design.

2006 Great Wall SUV G5
© Photo: Igor Grigoriev, 5 Koleso

The front end has been completely redesigned — and it worked. But take a look at the car from the side or rear, and you immediately recognize the 4Runner. However, that's not so bad: at one time, such Toyotas were plentiful on Russian roads, but then they were pushed out by other official models, and the "American" 4Runner left the market. Now you rarely see it. But the Great Wall SUV G5 is a newcomer to our market, so getting acquainted with it is a must.

There's no doubt that this is a 100% "jeep": 205 mm ground clearance, a sturdy frame under the body, and a plug-in front axle. Plus a low-range gear in the transmission and huge 235/75R15 wheels. All this suggests that there are simply no obstacles for such a vehicle.

As the test showed, there really are almost none — but only if the car is all-wheel drive. The point is that this same SUV G5 is also sold in a two-wheel-drive version. But is it worth turning a beast of off-road into an ordinary station wagon? Probably not. After all, if you can find $20,490, you can find another two and a half thousand to get a full-fledged SUV.

Someone might say they don't need four-wheel drive, but... On the day of the test, the city, already preparing for May holidays, was hit by a snow cyclone. Winter in Russia, as usual, started suddenly — and caught us right in the field.

At first, driving with the front drive disengaged, we also thought that four-wheel drive was unnecessary here. The moderately powerful 105-horsepower engine gives the G5 decent dynamics, and the high torque at low revs allows you to drive calmly even over very rough terrain. But the snowfall put everything in its place. When the grip of summer tires on wet ground became almost zero, the car started spinning its wheels literally on flat ground. The engine roars, the wheels spin wildly, throwing snow and mud about thirty meters, but forward motion is zero. That's when four-wheel drive came in handy. We moved the lever to the 4H position — and the car's behavior changed instantly. As if there were no soggy mess under the wheels. The "Chinese" surged forward, and how!

After that, we didn't care what was under the wheels. We drove wherever we wanted. And all this time we expected that at some point the ground clearance wouldn't be enough and the car would scrape its frame on the ground. Yeah, right! Stumps flew under the floor with a whistle. For hunters, fishermen, and outdoor enthusiasts, the SUV G5 as a vehicle is indispensable.

2006 Great Wall SUV G5
© Photo: Igor Kuznetsov, 5 Koleso

Let's also note the huge trunk, where you can put a trophy or even spend the night if you wish. However, it's not very convenient to use: to open it, you first need to lower the glass, then, pulling the handle from inside, fold the tailgate down. But the Chinese aren't to blame here — it's an inheritance from the Toyota 4Runner.

Now about the G5's dynamics on asphalt. It's clear that you shouldn't expect miracles from a car with a 105-horsepower engine and a curb weight of 1760 kg, but... Surprisingly, the dynamics are quite acceptable. And what surprised me most was that speed is completely imperceptible in the cabin. At 100 km/h, it feels like you're going no more than 50. Perhaps it's due to the unusual seating position. The seats are positioned very low, so you sit not upright as in most SUVs, but almost horizontally, like in a sports car. At first it's unusual, but then you get used to it and take it for granted. But getting out of the car is inconvenient: you literally fall out. The floor is high, the ground clearance is huge, and your foot steps into nothing.

As for comfort, the Great Wall SUV G5 is at a quite decent level. Leather seats, power windows, power mirrors, parking sensors, an audio system with cassette and CD support — all this (and more) is here. However, the build quality left something to be desired. The climate control buttons stick. The otherwise decent audio system is spoiled by terrible speakers. Crooked wiring hangs from under the dashboard. A row of buttons on the center console is installed unevenly. The door seal barely holds. The wheel arch trim doesn't fit tightly to the body. Small things, but they often determine a buyer's attitude toward a product.

It's encouraging that the factory where this car is assembled is certified to ISO 9001. Already now, the warranty on the car is 60,000 kilometers or 2 years, whichever comes first. And the paintwork warranty is as long as 6 years, since the body is galvanized.

In general, all the components for the future success of this car, as it seems to us, are evident. And as for the famous "Made in China" label, it increasingly appears on truly high-quality goods. We can only hope that cars from the Celestial Empire will meet international quality standards. Time will tell. Especially since the Great Wall invasion is not far off: by 2006, production volumes should double, and by 2007, quadruple.

+ High off-road capability, large ground clearance, disengageable four-wheel drive, spacious trunk, acceptable price.
– Inconvenient fifth door, vague brakes, weak stock audio, modest dynamics.

Technical specifications of Great Wall SUV G5

Curb weight, kg — 1760
Gross weight, kg — 2430
Dimensions, mm:
- length — 4860
- width — 1725
- height — 1820
Wheelbase, mm — 2615
Trunk volume, l — 1400–2260
Maximum speed, km/h — 140
Acceleration time to 100 km/h, s — 14
Fuel consumption, l/100 km:
- city cycle — 12
- highway — 7
- combined — 9
Fuel tank volume, l — 63
Engine:
- type — inline, 4-cyl. (Toyota)
- displacement, cm3 — 2237
- power, hp at rpm — 105/4200
- torque, Nm at rpm — 190/2400
Transmission — manual, 5-speed, with plug-in front axle and low-range gear
Tire size — 235/75R15
Suspension (front/rear) — independent/dependent
Brakes (front/rear) — disc/drum
Steering — globoid "worm-roller", with power steering
Price, $ — 23,689