"Achievement" received: Chinese sports liftback will be registered in Russia
A rare Chinese car from those that are officially supplied to Russia is able to accelerate from a standstill to a hundred faster than 7 seconds. The updated Changan Uni-V not only can do this exercise, but also provokes you to do it more often — it literally gives you such tasks on the screen, as if in a video game. The Izvestia correspondent found out how the facelifted liftback has changed, where it will be released in the Russian Federation and what exactly it is "youth" in.
Changan Uni-V 2026: how it changed externally
The Changan Uni-V made it to Russia in 2022 and turned out to be one of those cars that you don't pay attention to in the stream of boring crossovers. The Chinese have managed to achieve an interesting combination of aggressive style with a touch of elegance in the appearance of the liftback. In China, the restyling of the model took place last year, and the updated cars have only reached us now. There have been major changes in the appearance of the Univashka.
Dimensions of Changan Uni-V: 4740×1838×1430 mm. Wheelbase: 2750 mm. Ground clearance: 152 mm
Now the liftback looks more aggressive. The Uni-V has lost its trademark V-shaped complex radiator grille, which has given way to a blind panel, like in electric cars. At the same time, the lower air intakes have become larger, and the splitter has noticeably increased in size and gained additional elements. The diffuser at the stern has been redesigned, and the number of exhaust pipes has doubled, and all of them are real. The body kit around the perimeter is highlighted with bright colored stripes.
Chinese companies are not waiting for the ban on hidden door handles to come into force in their homeland and, trying to demonstrate to consumers their concern for safety, they are abandoning them now. This example was followed by the updated Uni-V, which has traditional handles for reverse grip. Other differences include new LED optics graphics and uncontested black 18—inch wheels in a fresh design.
The spoiler extends, the exhaust pipes are not fake
Representatives of the brand claim that due to changes in the exterior, it was possible to reduce the aerodynamic drag coefficient (from 0.34 to 0.27 Cx), and the active spoiler is not a prop and really affects the stability of the car — at a speed of 200 km / h it should create a downforce of 265 N.
Changan Uni-V 2026: how the interior has changed
With the restyling, the interior of the Changan Uni-V has lost its identity. In the "pre-reform" liftback, the space around the driver was designed in the style of an airplane cockpit, the three-section digital dashboard evoked memories of a Porsche, and the criticized steering wheel with a heavily truncated upper part was surprising.
After the facelift, the interior is no longer as avant-garde as before
Now the interior, which has become almost symmetrical, does not cause such emotions. Inside, everything is like everyone else's: a large central tablet, a simple dashboard screen, and a more traditional, but not devoid of features, steering wheel. The physical climate control switches are still there, which is encouraging.
An orange key has moved from the front panel to the steering wheel, which activates the car's sports mode. As in that Internet meme: "Mom, buy me an Audi RS" - "But we already have an Audi RS at home." After pressing the key, it feels like the car is transformed into a sports gear: the graphics of both screens change to a bright melody, the dashboard turns red and displays the tachometer and speedometer wells, and the large tablet turns into a kind of racing video game menu.
One of the most unusual features in the multimedia system's interface turned out to be a system of achievements, or "achievements", borrowed directly from video game consoles. For example, one virtual trophy is unlocked if the driver accelerates to 150 km/h after starting from a place 400 m away. The other is if the car reaches the first hundred in less than 7.4 seconds. That is, the Uni-V literally rewards aggressive driving!
However, there are also "achievements" that are not related to the dynamics. For example, you need to achieve fuel consumption of less than 6.9 liters per 100 km, drive a total of 10,000 km, visit 10 different cities, or climb to an altitude of 3,500 m. It is also suggested on the screen to take zero-hundred acceleration measurements and indicators at a distance of 400 m, where you can also monitor overloads, customize the appearance of your Uni-V in a virtual garage, and even include audio driving tracks already embedded in the multimedia. This is really a "youth liftback for the generation of gamers."
Changan Uni-V 2026: new engine and dynamics
To try to earn racing "achievements", we went to the oldest track in Russia in the Moscow suburb of Myachkovo — ADM Raceway. The organizers of the races proposed a short configuration without long "straights" and with winding sections and limited the trip to only six laps. Therefore, there was no way to accelerate properly, but I would like to, because the Uni-V received a new engine.
The 181-horsepower turbocharged Poltorashka was replaced by a two-liter 235-horsepower unit. The maximum torque of the front—wheel drive has increased from 280 to 390 Nm - a solid increase in class brands! In other figures: acceleration time decreased from 7.5 to 6.3 seconds. Is this already a sport? Recall that AvtoVAZ gave the Sport prefix in the name of the extreme modification of the Vesta, which performs this exercise in 9.8 seconds.
The Uni-V engine has a cast-iron cylinder block, which adds to its strength, durability and maintainability. And a twin-scroll type turbine should give more output at the bottom and achieve stable torque over a longer range. The unit is now combined not with a robot, but with an eight-speed automatic from the Japanese company Aisin. There is a strut under the hood that increases the rigidity of the structure. The combination of the McPherson front and the multi-link rear remained the same, while Changan representatives drew attention to the new suspension settings. The exhaust system flap has appeared — you can choose between two volume modes in the menu.
Following the results of a short check-in, the new univashka left a pleasant impression. The new combination of powertrain and transmission works smoothly, although there is a slight delay during the kickdown. The steering gear ratio is not particularly suitable for maneuvers in sharp turns — the steering wheel itself is now less rectangular, but it is still inconvenient to intercept it. Despite this, more experienced Changan specialists managed to pass the "moose test" at a speed of 78 km/h, the same result was shown by the BMW M4 of the previous generation and even the Porsche Taycan Turbo S.
The suspension is elastic. In long turns at high speed, the liftback tries not to break off the trajectory under the screeching tires — the merit of both the electronic imitation of the differential lock and the expensive Continental MaxContact MC6 tires. Short races in "combat" mode are mostly explained by civilian brakes, which can quickly overheat. For more serious outings on track days, they will obviously need tuning. In general, mentioning a "Chinese" like Kia K5 in the context of racing on the racetrack no longer seems absurd, because there are simply no other "charged" civilian cars on the market. And there are enthusiasts in Russia who refine this model and have fun on the tracks on weekends.
Changan Uni-V 2026: price and localization
While the previous Changan Uni-V offered a choice of four trim levels, the new one is available in only one performance level. The price of the flagship version after the facelift increased from 3.43 to 3.5 million rubles. The equipment includes double glazing, a panoramic roof, 10 audio speakers, heated steering wheel and all seats (the front seats also have ventilation and electrical adjustments), an all-round viewing system, adaptive cruise control and other assistants, an electric trunk lid, built-in Yandex services, wireless Apple CarPlay with Android Auto and much more.
Changan Uni-V is also on the way to its "achievement": in a backstage conversation, representatives of the brand confirmed to us plans to localize the liftback at Avtotor in Kaliningrad, and they can start assembly this year.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
