Geely is on a crossover hatchback roll. They will soon launch the Yuanjing X1 and now we have another one, likely to be called the Geely V3. It has the typical Geely grille and the usual crossy stuff like black wheel arches and skid pads under the bumpers.
Sadly and somewhat badly the V3 is not at all really new. It is based on a car that was called the Geely Englon SC5-RV, a slow selling hatchback that was made from 2011 until 2014. It was very cheap, going for just 56.300 yuan in 2014.
Geely jacked up the suspension, fitted a larger rear spoiler, the crossy bits, and a new car was born. How easy it all is! The engine didn’t change either. The Englon SC5-RV had a 1.5 with 94 horses, and the ‘new’ V3 gets exactly that engine with exactly the same output.
Size: 4005/1760/1560, and wheelbase is 2480.
I can see your muffler! V3 badge on the left, but we got to be careful there because Geely has a habit of changing names. In any way, the V3 is a lazy effort and based on rather old technology. I doubt it will fare better than the Englon SC5-RV.
Around the world, I see examples of slow selling hatchbacks turned into the hip X’over. It usually works quite well since the investment is small. Geely’s version here is better than many I’ve seen.
and the X1 is surprisingly fast with the 1.3! Had a quick go around the Geely compound earlier this week, impressed!
1.3 turbo?
Giugiaro-designed
Dragn! You alive?! Welcome back very much, great to see you again. Greetings. Tycho
Nice to see Ash and Dragn commenting on this site again. Hope you guys stick around for a while. Cheers!
Nice to see you here again too Santos.
My best wishes to Tycho, and all my ole China A.I. follower friends, for a Happy Year of the Rooster.
I’m very impressed with the makeover of this little hatchback that Geely has cleverly morphed into a crossover.
I see a fair bit of designs from the Nissan Qashqai
If only it had a floating roof design.
Without it, the side profile looks previous-gen and cheapens the feel