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I had serious doubts about Changan when it reentered the market in late 2020 after its stint as Chana in 2008. Does anyone remember the Benni, Rainbow, or Starlight? I thought so.

Well, thank goodness for second chances because their crossover, the 2021 Changan CS35 Plus, is a revelation. But, before I get ahead of myself, let us start from the beginning.

On the outside, the vehicle honestly doesn’t seem like much. While the red color is probably the most attractive of its five hues, it is on a body using a dated design. There are lines on the hood and sides, pronounced fenders, and angular tailgate to give it girth and presence, but it still is not as eye-catching enough compared to others in the segment.

Features like the sunroof, roof rails, rear spoiler and lightbar, black cladding, and underbody garnishes add a certain level of chic sportiness, but it still won’t be winning any beauty contests. Sure, it has LED front and rear position lamps, but the shape of the halogen projector headlamps is very ordinary. The quick fix would be to swap that bland grille out with the bigger and wider one on the CS75 Plus. Granted, it is Lexus-like, but it will still be quite an upgrade from the current one.

The one thing this model has going for it is size. While it’s shorter than compact SUVs, its wheelbase is just as long. That means it will be small enough for high maneuverability but still have a roomy cabin.

Getting in is easy using the smart key. Press a button on the handle to unlock/lock all doors without having to take the key from your pocket.

China cars often come with almost bench-type leather seats. Not this one. I was immediately impressed with its amount of bolstering and how snug it hugged my torso. These are positioned much higher than typical crossovers. It means very few adjustments were needed to get the proper driving height and position. It was just a little odd that while the four-way adjustments were manual, the forward-backward corrections were electronic.

Another plus for this model is its leather-wrapped, multifunction, tilt & telescopic steering wheel, and the wide flat-top gear shifter. When in Drive, the latter was close enough to the center console, to make like an armrest for my elbow and hand. But, Mama always said, ‘two hands for safety.’

It has a 10-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth and (2x) USB connectivity, six speakers, a digital & automatic climate control system (with ionizer and N95-grade filter), an electronic parking brake, and a 60/40 split-folding rear seat.

Contrary to the exterior look, the cockpit is very understated. It has a slim layout with silver trims discreetly integrated within the design. And I love that for a P1-million crossover, it gets a padded dashboard and door panels. Everything feels premium.

The 1.4L direct-injection turbocharged gas engine is, hands-down, the best part of this vehicle. Its 235-Nm of torque is available from 1,500 RPM. This isn’t only on paper. Despite its curb weight of 1.4 tons, it is amazingly energetic and responsive. Even on Normal mode (the other is Sport), it takes off quickly and handles like a compact sedan. Because it only has 158-PS, it runs out of breath quickly when merging at high speeds, but thank goodness the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission works as advertised. It shifts smoothly and is smart enough to pick the right gear in unpredictable traffic conditions. It maintains 100 km/h while keeping revs at 2,000, which means the engine does not get stressed too much. Fuel consumption is a very good 14.3 km/l in mixed driving conditions.

Cabin comfort is commendable. External sounds, even from the 18-inch wheels, are kept out with good NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) dampening. There’s just a certain amount of stiffness from the suspension that’s unforgiving to ill-shaped humps, but they do wonders when cornering fast.

I know expectations were pretty low before the test drive, and from where it was coming from, there was no way but up. What I didn’t anticipate, and quite frankly surprised me, was how much higher it ended up.

Exterior design aside, the 2021 Changan CS35 Plus is a refined crossover with a small and efficient engine that performs bigger than it is (feels like a 2.0L). The cabin is well equipped and highly distinguished considering its price. Having mentioned it, the SRP is P1.169 million.

If that doesn’t change your mind about the marque, how about this. Did you know that out of 13 major Chinese auto brands, Changan is ranked #1 by data and analytics, and consumer insight expert J.D. Power? Enough said.

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