Dongfeng AX4 is a front-wheel drive five-door SUV of a subcompact category, which belongs to the representatives of the so-called new wave of the Chinese car industry and boasts a memorable pro-Western design and modern technical "stuffing" ...
It is aimed at young consumers with an active lifestyle, for whom “how the car looks” is important ...
At the international Shanghai Automobile Show, which opened its doors to a wide audience in April 2017, the smallest representative of the Dongfeng crossover line, which was named AX4, celebrated its official debut ... But then it only had the status of a prototype, while a commercial vehicle was presented in September of the same year, after which its sales started on the Chinese market.
In the exterior of the Dongfeng AX4, you can catch the features of the BMW i3 and Renault Kaptur, but in general the car looks quite distinctive, attractive and proportional.
From any angle, the off-road vehicle catches the eye - a distinctive front end with complex headlights and huge foglights in thick chrome frames integrated into the bumper, a dynamic silhouette with embossed sidewalls and blackened rear roof pillars, a stylish stern with graceful lanterns and a massive bumper.
It is a subcompact SUV with corresponding external dimensions: 4195 mm long, 1780 mm wide and 1622 mm high. The wheelbase of the five-door is 2580 mm, and its ground clearance is 185 mm.
In "combat" form, the vehicle weighs from 1238 to 1321 kg (depending on the modification).
Inside, the Dongfeng AX4 demonstrates a beautiful and modern look, not devoid of a bit of sportiness, but due to the rectangular air ducts, the frames of which are painted in body color, it evokes some associations with the new Citroen models.
The central console is “painted” in the spirit of minimalism - it houses an 8-inch “TV” of a multimedia complex and an original “microclimate” unit with a pair of toggle switches and buttons. A multifunctional steering wheel with a raised rim and a smart "toolbox" with two "deep wells" and a color screen of the onboard computer between them are concentrated at the driver's workplace.
In the front part of the Dongfeng AX4's cabin, ergonomic seats with unobtrusive lateral support and wide adjustment intervals are used. On the second row there is a hospitably molded sofa, but the free space is close to each other, especially in the legs.
The trunk of the subcompact crossover is quite roomy - with a five-seater layout, its volume is about 580 liters (when loaded under the ceiling). The rear sofa is matched to the floor by two asymmetrical sections, which increases the load compartment capacity to 1200 liters. In the underground niche there is a spare wheel and tools.
For Dongfeng AX4, there are two gasoline four-cylinder in-line engines with a 16-valve timing architecture, a multi-point "power" system and variable valve timing:
- The basic version - "atmospheric" with a working volume of 1.6 liters (1556 cubic centimeters), developing 124 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 153 Nm of torque at 4400 rpm.
- An alternative choice is the 1.4-liter (1396 cubic centimeters) turbocharged engine that generates 140 hp. at 5500 rpm and 196 Nm of available potential at 1800-4500 rpm.
Both power units are installed in conjunction with a 6-band "robot" and a front-wheel drive transmission, but the "junior" is assigned by default 6-speed "mechanics".
The car can reach a maximum speed of 165-177 km / h, and in mixed mode it consumes from 5.9 to 6.6 liters of fuel for each combined "hundred" (depending on the version).
At the heart of the Dongfeng AX4 is the DF1 front wheel drive bogie, which is the Chinese version of PSA's PF1 platform. The crossover has a monocoque body, the power structure of which is largely made of high-strength steel.
At the front, the car is equipped with an independent McPherson-type suspension with a transverse stabilizer, and at the rear - a semi-independent system with a torsion beam (“in a circle” - with coil springs and passive shock absorbers).
As standard, the steering mechanism of this SUV is supplemented with an electric power steering, and all its wheels are endowed with disc brakes (on the front axle - with ventilation) with ABS, EBD and other "gadgets".
In the Chinese market, Dongfeng Fengshen AX4 is sold at a price of 66,800 to 101,800 yuan (~ 585-893 thousand rubles), and at the end of 2018 ~ early 2019 it should reach the Russian market.
In the "base", the SUV boasts: two airbags, air conditioning, fog lights, external mirrors with heating and electrical settings, power windows for all doors, a multimedia system, ESP, ABS, EBD, an audio system with four speakers, 16-inch wheels and other equipment.
"Top" equipment has in its arsenal: six airbags, 17-inch alloy wheels, leather steering wheel, keyless engine start, an electric sunroof, an infotainment center with an 8-inch screen, "music" with six speakers and others " chips ".
