Changan UNI-T

How much is the Changan Uni T’s price? 

The Changan Uni T’s price without VAT starts at 89,400 SAR and goes up to 97,500 SAR. As for the prices inclusive of value-added tax, they are 102,810 SAR and 112,125 SAR. 

How many variants are there in the Changan Uni T?

The Changan Uni T is on sale in 2 variants: Elite and SVP. The Elite trim costs 89,400 SAR without VAT and 102,810 SAR with it. As for the SVP variant, it costs 97,500 SAR without value-added tax and 112,125 SAR with it.  

Which is the most value-for-money variant? 

The top SVP trim makes quite a lot of sense. For just around 10,000 SAR over the Elite trim, what you get is an essentially better car. 

What features does the Changan Uni T get? 

Changan is synonymous with cramming up as many features in its vehicle as is humanly possible, and the Uni-T is no exception. That said, despite that impressive array of specifications on paper, some areas need fine-tuning, especially about driving. For one, the shift lever, for example, seems a little old-fashioned compared to the more sophisticated digital shifts around. With the gear lever, one has to pull it twice to shift the vehicle from the park position to the drive position. 

This led to several instances where the engine revved up unnecessarily because the car was still in neutral. Similarly, shifting between reverse and drive requires passing through neutral, adding an extra step where it would have been more efficient to allow a direct shift. 

Ideally, if the shifter had distinct steps up and down for each gear, this issue would be resolved. Unfortunately, the double pull is required every time you need to switch between ‘D’ and ‘R,’ which can be frustrating in certain situations.

How spacious is it? 

Though the exterior is an almost copy-paste operation of the conventional MPV format, the interior space in the Changan Uni-T is surely its strongest selling point. There's plenty of stretch room in the back, and it's clear this SUV has been engineered to accommodate passengers of various sizes without batting an eye. The Uni-T still rides extraordinarily well, with excellent crash absorption-even over a big 20-inch wheel package. 

When tackling bumps, potholes, or speed humps, the ride is fantastic as it handles its share of gruff places. This doesn't mean it didn't suffer in such situations, since there was only an occasional clang in sound hitting a speed bump or pothole at speed; however, as a whole, the suspension handles these challenges well.

On the highway, the Uni-T shines in terms of stability and comfort. The cabin remains remarkably quiet, even at higher speeds, with road and tire noise barely noticeable. We went as far as to intentionally seek out some of the bumpiest sections of EDSA and C5 in Metro Manila to see how the vehicle would handle uneven surfaces, but the Uni-T passed with flying colors. The suspension absorbed the impacts well, and the throttle response remained smooth and predictable, reinforcing the SUV’s premium feel.

What powertrain options are available?

Perhaps the most impressive part of the Changan Uni-T is its powertrain. The 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivers 177 horsepower, which is quite a feat for an engine of this size. It’s both smooth and engaging, offering more than enough power for daily driving and spirited outings alike. 

The engine is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT), which performs seamlessly, allowing for smooth gear changes in both city traffic and highway cruising. With 300 Nm of torque at its disposal, the Uni-T has enough low-end grunt to make accelerating feel effortless. The DCT shines in stop-and-go traffic as well, with no noticeable jerking or lunging, a common problem in lesser-tuned dual-clutch systems.

What’s the mileage of the Changan Uni T?

You can get a mileage of around 15.5kmpl on your Changan Uni T. That said, if you like driving your car in a spirited manner, that number could very well go down to almost 11 kmpl too. 

How safe is the Changan Uni T?

Changan Uni-T doesn't compromise on safety at all. There will be a high number of safety features on the SUV. These will not only keep occupants safe but even pedestrians. Standard features will include up to six airbags, ABS with EBD, traction control, and stability control, forming quite a good base of passive safety. Where the Uni-T excels is in advanced driver-assistance systems. 

The vehicle comes equipped with some safety features which include Blind Spot Detection Warning, Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Automated Emergency Braking (AEB), Integrated Adaptive Cruise Control (IACC) that also features Traffic Jam Assist (TJA), Electronic Stability Control (ESC). Other vital safety features that were included went as far as Lane Departure Warning, Front Collision Warning, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

How many color options are there?

You can get the Changan Uni T in 4 colors: Dark Grey, Black, White, and Silver Grey. Of these, we think the white color stands out since it looks attractive and the white wheels suit it the most. 

Should you buy the Changan Uni T?

In summary, the Changan Uni-T offers a refreshing novelty to the crossover market, providing next-gen design, features, and driving dynamics. It retains the core strengths that have seen Changan become a trusted marque but with remarkable improvements in aspects such as design and powertrain. That said, the brand will have to do a lot more work to establish itself as a reliable company. Once it does that, we can recommend the car to a lot more people a lot more freely. 

What are my alternatives? 

If you do not want to get the Changan Uni T you may first think of the Mazda CX-5. It is said that this one is just a hell of a car, wherein the performance and handling of the vehicle are said to be out-of-this-world stuff. 

As for the Hyundai Tucson, it is one of those fashion-conscious cars that is rather reliable, though not bad in terms of performance. Then, there's Kia Sportage, with which you get even more features to flaunt. Finally, you could even make way for the Volkswagen Tiguan, which is more exciting in terms of performance.