Cars of the JAC (Jianghuai Automobile Co) brand are little known in our country and their "invasion" of the Russian automotive market is still only planned. But meanwhile, in China, this brand is very popular (among the ten best-selling), and most of the JAC models are recommended by the Chinese government for export to Europe ...
The crossover "S5" occupies a special place in this row - it is for this model that many experts predict good prospects (including in our market), so it makes sense to get to know this car a little closer.
Crossover JAC S5 refers to a small transitional "layer" between budget models and SUVs of the middle price range. The car is designed for those who are not satisfied with the equipment of "budget versions", but alas, there is no money for more expensive crossovers (with a big name) - in this case, JAC S5 can be a good option that can satisfy the needs of the buyer in terms of equipment, and in terms of technical performance, and, of course, in terms of price ... But this is in words, but what is in practice?
In fact, we get a car, the design of which was developed by the Italian design bureau "Pininfarina" - which gave the JAC S5 quite a nice appearance with some elements of sportiness (although in many ways it resembles a Hyundai ix35).
The dimensions of the crossover are 4475 mm long, 1840 mm wide and 1680 mm high. The wheelbase is 2645 mm long, and the ground clearance is 210 mm (which is quite good for Russian roads).
At the presentations, the Chinese pay special attention to the body structure with programmable crumple zones (81% consisting of strong grades of steel) - which makes the car one of the "toughest" among Chinese competitors. Moreover, according to the results of the C-NCAP crash test, the JAC S5 crossover earned five stars.
The interior of the JAC S5 is “partly futuristic, partly sporty and partly elegant” - resulting in an unclassifiable design mix with an abundance of bulges and relief on the dashboard, an almost complete absence of a console, an original dashboard and a not very impressive steering wheel.
It is difficult to judge the quality of the interior trim, but in the photo everything looks pretty solid and high quality. By the way, the JAC S5 cabin is designed for five passengers, and its trunk is capable of "swallowing" about 505 liters of cargo.
In the Chinese market, the JAC S5 crossover is offered with three options for gasoline engines:
- Basic modifications are equipped with a four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine with a displacement of 2.0 liters. Equipped with a DOHC timing belt, this engine is capable of developing 136 hp. maximum power, and also give out 180 N • m of torque in the range from 3000 to 4500 rpm.
- The following two units are equipped with a turbocharging system and are built on the basis of Japanese engines (under license from Mitsubishi):
- The youngest of the turbine units has four cylinders with a total displacement of 1.8 liters and is capable of developing about 163 hp. maximum power. The torque of this motor is 235 N • m at the peak, reached at 2000 - 4000 rpm, which allows it to accelerate from 0 to 100 km / h in about 12.8 seconds. The maximum speed of the JAC S5 crossover is about 180 km / h.
- The flagship turbocharged engine, with the same four cylinders, has a displacement of 2.0 liters. Its upper power limit has been increased to 176 hp, which is the best indicator among all Chinese crossovers of this class sold in Russia. In terms of torque, the 2.0-liter turbo petrol engine produces about 235 N • m, allowing it to accelerate to the first hundred on the speedometer in about 11.0 seconds and reach the upper speed limit of 190 km / h.
However, we note that only 2.0 liter engines are represented in Russia, and the 1.8-liter unit "remained in China."
The fuel consumption of both turbocharged units averages about 7.7 liters per 100 km, but the atmospheric one is "more voracious" by 1 liter.
The choice of gearboxes among buyers of the JAC S5 crossover is very scanty - and this is a big minus, especially for Russia, where the popularity of automatic transmissions is growing like mushrooms after rain. In general, only a manual transmission is available for the JAC S5 (5-speed "mechanics" for the atmospheric engine and 6-speed for the turbocharged ones) ... Although from 2015 they promise (optionally) to provide an "automatic" as well.
Another "minus" of the JAC S5 is exclusively front-wheel drive. You can not even dream of all-wheel drive, it is not in the plans of the manufacturer ... even in the distant future. At the same time, most other Chinese competitors already offer an all-wheel drive system at least as an option.
But the suspension of the Chinese "S5" is quite decent: MacPherson struts in front and a multi-link system in the back. Here we can note full parity, all other manufacturers, in fact, offer the same. The braking system here on all wheels is disc, supplemented by ABS and EBD. The steering is additionally equipped with a hydraulic booster (but for Russia, it is possible that the Chinese will use an electric power steering).
The JAC S5 crossover is offered to Russian motorists in the only configuration - "Luxury".
- JAC S5 "Luxury" with a 2.0-liter 136-horsepower naturally aspirated engine is equipped with: two airbags, ABS and brake force distribution system, climate control, "navigator" and an audio system, tire pressure sensors ... and is offered (in 2018) by price from 900 thousand rubles.
- For JAC S5 with 176 hp 2.0-liter turbo engine equipment added: driver assistance system when descending and ascending, ESP and leather upholstery. The cost of this configuration is from 1 million rubles.
