Cherry J3 2013 Review

Chinese manufacturer Chery has run into trouble in Australia due to a lack of stability control on its vehicles. The security system is mandatory in Victoria and looks set to become mandatory elsewhere soon. Here Chery has three car models - J1, J3 and J11.

Price and equipment

The price for the car is $15,990 for the wheel, $13,990 for the manual. This is only part of the story because the amount of hardware you get for the money is amazing. 

It features leather, automatic wipers and headlights, climate control, trip computer, full size spare tire, 16" alloy wheels, reversing sensors, remote central locking, power windows, multiple steering wheel controls, height adjustable headlights, cruise control, 60/40 rear seats included.

Engine and mechanics

They also increased the engine power from 85 kW to 93 kW/160 Nm. This is a 1.6-liter engine with two camshafts and variable valve timing. The small car with the five-door J3 hatch now has stability control as standard as well as six airbags and is now available with a seven-speed CVT automatic transmission from respected manufacturer Jatco. The manual selector has a manual Sport mode. 

safety

It has not been crash tested, but based on the standard safety kit, it can meet at least a four-star crash test rating.

Driving

We tested the new J3 car last week and found it to be quite suitable for everyday driving. It's not a sports hatchback, but as a utility vehicle, the handsome hatchback is easy to drive and park, cheap to buy, and with so much standard kit, it's hard to beat on price alone.

With the J3, they set their sights on a bunch of similarly priced tiddler-sized cars like the Suzuki Alto, Mitsubishi Mirage and Hyundai i20. The J3 beats them all in size, not to mention performance, and also looks better to boot, with familiar European lines a bit like the earlier Ford Focus.

From a practical standpoint, it has a large (expandable) boot and enough space for five people inside. The car has absolutely no profile on the road, as no one knows what it is. This may change as buyers realize the value of the J3 on offer. It's a small step with ESP and six bags, but it proves that the Chinese are listening and want to make a bigger impression on the local front.

Worth a look.