Jetour Traveler
The time has come to explore the new locally-produced models hitting the Chinese market this month. This way, you can stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the largest and most dynamic market in the world. This month we have 6 new models hitting the road, 5 of them Chinese. To fully understand the scope of the Chinese market, make sure you consult our Exclusive Guide to all 199 active Chinese Brands.
1. Neta AYA (5,609 sales)
A brand of Hozon Auto, Neta is one of the success story of recent years as far as EV startups are concerned. However sales are off -24.1% year-on-year over the first 8 months of 2023, so some fresh metal was needed. It comes in the form of the Aya, but it’s not so fresh as simply a facelift of the Neta V. The shape of the car is rather cumbersome and convoluted, but the Chinese like it as the V peaked at 11,935 in September 2022. The interior is minimalistic and features a 14.6-inch portrait touch screen.
The Aya is 4070mm long, offers 54 or 95 hp, 318 or 401 km of range and is priced from from 73,800 to 88,800 yuan (9,500-11,450€ or US$10,200-12,300). That’s where there is a difference with the Neta V as the top price of the Aya is a very sizeable 15,000 yuan less (the V was priced from 73,900 to 103,800 yuan). The Aya will compete with the likes of the Wuling Bingo (59,800-84,800 yuan), BYD Seagull (73,800-89,800 yuan) and Geometry E (69,800-103,800 yuan). The Aya is expected to match the V’s scores so we have a pretty high bar for success.
Bar for success: 10,000 monthly units
2. Denza N7 (1,480 sales)
Denza is an EV cooperation between BYD (90%) and Mercedes (10%) that was left dormant for years until the launch of the D9 MPV, an immediate blockbuster peaking at 11,146 wholesales last July. The brand hopes it will keep this momentum with the N7, a 4.86m long mid-size SUV. It is available with a choice of two versions, both holding a 91 kWh battery: a 313 hp single motor offering a 702 km range and a 530 hp dual motor at 630 km range. The dual motor 4WD version goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. The N7 can be charged through two ports simultaneously. According to Denza, 15 minutes of charge can add up to 350 km of range and 4 minutes can add 100 m. Some pretty fast figures there.
The interior of the N7 features no less than 6 screens. 10.25-in for both the instrument panel and the passenger screen and 17.3-in for the central infotainment screen, an augmented reality head-up display and two screens showing the temperature located near the AC vents. The N7 is priced from 301,800 to 379,800 yuan (38,900-49,000€ or US$41,750-52,550) and will compete with the likes of the Tesla Model Y (263,900-349,900 yuan), NIO ES6 (338,800-554,000 yuan) and Zeekr 001 (300,000-403,000 yuan). Given the success of the D9 MPV and the fact the N7 managed 11,687 orders in 24 hours we have high expectations for it.
Bar for success: 8,000 monthly sales
3. Jetour Traveler (403 sales)
Jetour, a brand by Chery, breaks with its traditional design cues with this boxy Traveler SUV. It is in line with a slew of recently launched Chinese SUVs that look like they can take any type of terrain. Not quite for this Traveler which the brand says is adequate for light off road ventures. One piece of interesting design is the illuminated Jetour branding on the grille. The Traveler is 4.785 m long and comes with a choice of three powertrains: two petrol and one PHEV. The petrol variants are a 184 hp 1.5T engine (2WD) mated with a 7 speed dual clutch gearbox and a 254 hp 2.0T engine (4WD) mated with an 8 speed auto gearbox. The PHEV variant combines a 1.5T engine with an electric motor and will launch in November.
The interior reminds of Jeep with, again, a boxy shape. Only the handles are missing on the dashboard! The instrument panel is a 10.25-inch screen while the central landscape infotainment screen is 15.6 inches. The Traveler is priced very competitively from 140,900 to 180,900 yuan (18,200-23,300€ or US$19,500-25,000). It will face the likes of the Haval Big Dog II (135,800-156,800 yuan), Tank 300 (198,800-302,800 yuan) and the Chery Tansuo 06 (116,900-139,900 yuan). We will be conservative with its bar for success.
Bar for success: 7,000 monthly sales
4. Chery Tansuo 06 (306 sales)
Chery sales have dropped -40% year-on-year over the first 8 months of 2023, falling to #16 in the brands charts just above much smaller marques Hongqi and Li Auto. The manufacturer therefore mustn’t be shy regarding its model launches and it starts with this light off-road 4.54m long compact SUV, the Tansuo 06. Like the Jetour Traveler, also by Chery, the grille features its branding in massive letters. The look of the car is less boxy than the Traveler but the front plastics look cheaper. Inside, the shape of the dashboard is very similar to the Traveler, with vertical air vents and a streamlined look with no physical buttons. The portrait infotainment screen is 13.2 inches wide and is complemented with a 10.25-in instrument panel.
The Tansuo 06 is powered by a 197hp 1.6T turbocharged engine mated to a 7DCT gearbox It is available in 2WD or 4WD. Priced competitively from 116,900 to 139,900 yuan (15,200-18,159€ or US$ 16,200-19,400), the Tansuo 06 will compete with but undercut such models as the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro (126,900-174,900 yuan), Geely Boyue L (125,700-170,700 yuan) and the Haval Big Dog (119,800-167,900 yuan). Although the Tiggo 8 Plus peaked at 22,076 in December 2021 and is currently the best-selling Chery in China (11,089 wholesales in August), we’ll have more reserved expectations for the Tansuo 06 in the current depleted context for the brand.
Bar for success: 5,000 monthly sales
5. Arcfox Kaola (207 sales)
Yes it’s Kaola, not Koala. Arcfox, an EV brand by Beijing Auto launched in 2016 and dedicated to upmarket electric vehicles, has been absent from our new models updates since March 2021 when it launched the αS. Despite this inactivity, the brand is up 40.8% year-on-year over the first 8 months of 2023 at 12,051 wholesales . After such a long wait we have a new compact 4.50m-long MPV, the Kaola, marking the brand’s entry in this segment and at a lower level than the premium status the manufacturer claims. Indeed it is priced from 133,800 to 171,800 yuan (17,400-22,300€ or US$18,500-23,800) whereas the αT comes at 185,800 to 331,300 yuan and the αS is available from 189,800 to 356,300 yuan. The Kaola is aimed at young families and therefore offers dedicated gimmicks such as a camera aimed at the baby seat in the back.
The power comes from a 120 KW electric motor paired with a 58.8 kWh battery pack offering a 400 km range. Its interior is very clean and features two large screens for the instrument panel and infotainment, as it has become standard recently for Chinese models. There are no physical buttons on the dashboard, again a recurrent feature of recent Chinese launches. Note the colour scheme that replicates the body paint. Its price puts it in competition with a multitude of models, and its versatility even brings it against hatches and SUVs. It will have such models as the GAC Aion Y (119,800-202,600 yuan), BYD Dolphin (116,800-136,800 yuan), VW ID.3 (162,900-192,900 yuan) and Baojun Cloud (95,800-123,800 yuan) in its sights.
Bar for success: 1,500 monthly sales
In August 2023 the Kia EV6 also launched with 3 wholesales.
