Test drive Zotye T600
The Zotye crossover has the same name as the T600 combat robot from The Terminator. Perhaps the T800 will have the face of Schwarzenegger, and the T1000 will be able to take on any shape, which will allow the designers of the Chinese brand to relax occasionally.
The Zotye crossover has the same name as the T600 combat robot from The Terminator. Perhaps the T800 will have the face of Schwarzenegger, and the T1000 will be able to take on any shape, which will allow the designers of the Chinese brand to rest at least occasionally. In the meantime, they have chosen the products of the Volkswagen concern as an object for imitation: the T600 resembles both the VW Touareg and the Audi Q5 at the same time.
The official website of Zotye (pronounced "Zoti" in Russian) reports that the company was founded in 2003, but initially it was engaged in the production of body parts and other components, and became an automaker only two years later. For a long time, Zotye Auto did not show itself in anything special, engaged in the licensed production of a tiny SUV Daihatsu Terios, which at different times and in different markets was called Zotye 2008, 5008, Nomad and Hunter. At the same time, she acquired an illiquid product like the Fiat Multipla compact van, which entered the conveyor belt as the Zotye M300. Or the project of Jianghan Auto, which produced the ancient Suzuki Alto - the cheapest car in China with a price tag of 16-21 thousand yuan ($ 1 - $ 967).
In December 2013, the company began production of the T600 crossover, which instantly became popular: in 2014-2015. it accounted for half of the brand's sales. Since then, the new Zotye models have become similar to Volkswagen products: the prestigious S-line cars resemble the Audi Q3 and Porsche Macan, and the crossovers resemble the VW Tiguan. Zotye has another source of inspiration - the brand's large crossover will resemble a Range Rover. Practices Zotye and interspecies crossing: the T600 Sport crossover retained Volkswagen proportions, but became similar to the Range Rover Evoque.
Zotye planned to enter the Russian market for a long time, and even showed its products at the Interauto exhibition and the Moscow Motor Show, where multi-colored Terios and Alto were placed. With such a trump card as the T600 in their hands, the company decided to try again. Initially, it was planned to organize the assembly of the Z300 crossover and sedan in Tatarstan at Alabuga Motors - they even assembled a batch of cars for certification. But then another platform was chosen - the Belarusian Unison, a longtime partner of Zotye: it began producing Z300 sedans back in 2013. SKD assembly of machines for Russia started in January, and sales started in March. The crossover is already overtaking the sedan in popularity: in eight months, more than a hundred T600s and several dozen Z300s were sold.
From the front, the T600 is similar to the Touareg and looks impressive. In profile and dimensions, the "Chinese" repeats the Audi Q5: it has a similar length and wheelbase, while it is wider and taller than the German crossover. With a length of 4631 mm, it is one of the largest Chinese crossovers sold in Russia. With a record-breaking axle spacing, it claims a luggage compartment volume of just 344 liters, although it looks slightly inferior to Audi's 540-liter boot.
The T600 resembles the Q5 not only in profile. Even the body parts of the cars are very similar, with the exception of the gas filler flap located on the other side and the shape of the tailgate. Dealers say that Zotye supplies body moldings for Chinese VW models, but the curved edges of the panels on the Chinese crossover are sloppy, and VW would not approve of this. Nevertheless, the body is assembled and painted quite well.
The same can be said about the salon - by the way, it is difficult to call it a copy and there is definitely no Volkswagen influence in it. Only a couple of motives can be found. The plastic here is extremely tough, but it fits well and looks presentable. The tone and texture of the wood-look inserts are selected in such a way that their artificiality is not striking. The front seats are made to match the "European" and turned out to be surprisingly comfortable, except for the adjustment of the lumbar support.
With the logic in the cabin, the situation is worse: the airflow intensity buttons on the dual-zone climate control are clearly reversed, the ESP off icon is hidden in the corner to the left of the instrument well, where you cannot immediately find it. In the top configuration, there is a huge panoramic sunroof, an electronic handbrake, and xenon headlights are adjacent to a bare steering wheel without leather trim, which is not yet adjustable for departure. In your own car you feel like a hired driver. The passenger in the second row, on the contrary, can imagine himself as a VIP - at his disposal there are buttons that move the front passenger seat as far forward as possible and tilt its back, just like in an executive class sedan. There is not much more legroom compared to the same Q5, but the central tunnel is not that high. Unlike Audi, you cannot move the rear sofa and adjust the inclination of its backrests. There are also no air ducts at the end of the front armrest.
Unable to convince the stock Android-based multimedia system that it is no longer in China, the distributor decided to change the head unit - the new one runs on Windows and is equipped with a good Navitel navigation, but the interface is tailored for the use of a stylus. On the menu we found Klondike solitaire and even Go - you can while away the time in a dead traffic jam while playing.
It is believed that the platform with the T600 was "shared" by the Hyundai Veracruz / ix55, but for testing the configuration of the bottom and suspensions repeats the more compact ix35. There are McPherson struts in the front and a multi-link in the back. Even with a high tire profile, the car harshly passes the "speed bumps" and marks small cracks on the asphalt, but it keeps the blows of large pits easily.
All-wheel drive is not available in principle and it is hardly worth driving far off the asphalt on the T600. The thing is that the crossover's clearance is modest: 185 mm, and the suspension travels are small. If you hang out, then there is little hope for electronic blocking.
The 15-liter turbo engine 4S162G produced by the Chinese concern SAIC develops 215 hp. and 100 Nm of torque - this should be enough for the car to drive dynamically. According to the passport, acceleration to 10 km / h takes less than 3 seconds. The turbine needs time to spin up, and a noticeable pick-up is noticeable from about XNUMX thousand rpm, and in the pre-turbine zone, the engine does not pull and can stall when starting on the rise. This, as well as the long gears of the five-speed "mechanics" and the low sensitivity of the accelerator give the car a phlegmatic Buddhist character. On a smooth ride, when driven so as not to wake up the rear passenger, the SUV is quiet, comfortable and well-mannered.
The T600 does not like sudden movements. He turned the steering wheel harder - it rolls, went over with speed in a turn - Chinese tires squeak. I stamped my heart on the accelerator pedal - and nothing happens: to accelerate sharply, you need to jump two gears down.
The test car is actively used not only by journalists, but also by dealers, so after 8 thousand km it is already tired. It clearly requires adjustment of the camber, the steering wheel with straight wheels is crooked, some linings in the cabin are broken. But in general, the T600 leaves a good impression. It is reckless to compare the car with the products of the VW concern - not the Touareg, and certainly not the Q5. This is a big crossover for relatively modest money: a car with a leather interior, sunroof and xenon costs less than a million, and the starting price starts at $11. And thanks to the resemblance to the Touareg, it also looks impressive. Of course, the Z147 will not become a “terminator” for Lifan in the Russian market and will not immediately push out serious players, but the T600 can achieve some success, subject to high-quality assembly and service.
Now is not the best time to enter the Russian market - car sales are declining, and the Chinese segment is also overcrowded, which is actually divided between Lifan, Geely and Chery. In addition, Zotye Auto is in no hurry to invest in the promotion of cars and its own dealer network, providing a multi-brand salon with the opportunity to independently sell cars. Sellers complain about the shortage of T600 crossovers, but this is due not so much to high demand, but to the small volume of production of cars at Unison and a modest quota for Russia.
In the future, the Belarusian assembler plans to launch a full-fledged production with welding and painting. And the model range of the T600 crossover will be replenished with a more powerful version with a 2,0 liter engine (177 hp and 250 Nm) and a "robotic" box. On the one hand, this will solve the problem with insufficient dynamics, but on the other, its price tag will exceed $ 13.
