Curiosity With Chinese Vehicles

 

I remember watching Top Gear in 2012 when Jeremy Clarkson and James May traveled to China. Back then, Chinese automakers were known for blatantly copying Western vehicles. Companies such as BYD, NIO, and XPeng either hadn't existed yet or were creating low-quality cars. Thinking of a tech company like Xiaomi creating a vehicle that could beat a Tesla was almost a joke. With help from the Chinese government and western threats from companies such as Tesla, Chinese automakers started cranking out interesting technology. 

Even when that episode of Top Gear aired, the Chinese auto industry was evolving. Just a few years after that episode aired, NIO debuted a revolution: battery swapping. Yes, Tesla did have a demonstration about doing battery swapping, but NIO stuck with its plans and made it a reality. Technology became the focal point of the Chinese auto industry. Battery technology evolved to include a lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) blade battery from BYD, charging speeds that dwarf non-Chinese automakers, and a range of around 700 km (around 434 miles). Petrol engines are still created, but many vehicles have plug-in hybrid (PHEV) or range-extending electric vehicles. 

Screens. My goodness, the Chinese auto industry loves screens! When I watch reviews from Inside China Autos, Fully Charged, and WheelsBoy, they focus on all the features on these giant screens. While I haven't tested a fully-Chinese car yet, I have found that basic controls such as adjusting the steering wheel or using the climate control can become cumbersome when you put most features in the infotainment system. The basic recipe includes wireless chargers, fridges, heated/ventilated/massaging seats, and oddly-shaped steering wheels. Then, there are the safety systems.

Tesla has had autopilot and full self-driving (FSD) for several years, but various Chinese automakers have more advanced driver-assistance features. Some of my favorite videos from Inside China Autos are when Mark Rainford takes a vehicle with Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS), usually with LIDAR, and puts the self-driving systems in various situations, such as a roundabout, a U-turn, and a road peppered with vehicles on the side. If safety isn't your thing, taking a car like the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra on a racetrack sounds intriguing. With a tri-motor setup, this super-sedan produces over 1,500 horsepower and uses Brembo brakes. 

There are so many interesting vehicles from Zeekr, BYD, XPeng, and others that it's difficult to know where to start. MPVs and vans like the Zeekr Mix, Li Auto Mega, and Voyah Dreamer show that spacious, well-equipped people movers are still popular. When it comes to cars and SUVs, the list becomes almost unreasonable. Going back to YouTube, take plenty of time to watch Auto Shows, such as the Shanghai Auto Show. You'll notice dozens among dozens of Chinese-only brands and brands heading to the EU, Australia, and many places outside the United States. 

The craziest thing about Chinese vehicles isn't the tech or the performance; it's the cost. Many vehicles are available for under $20,000; most are priced so low that competitors would have to drop their prices by almost half! I hope to try out a Chinese vehicle, whether good, bad, or odd. 

Owning a 2016 Volkswagen GTI Autobahn

 

Back in 2016, something odd happened. I owned a modified 2008 two-door Volkswagen GTI in red with the DSG, known in VW parlance as a Mark 5. After taking it to a Jiffy Lube for a transmission fluid service, I noticed that the gearbox was acting odd. It turned out that this Jiffy Lube had put in the wrong transmission fluid and damaged the gearbox. Looking at a bill of around $4,500, I decided it was time to replace my beloved GTI with... another GTI, also known as a Mark 7! This time around, I wanted a four-door GTI with more options than just the six-speed automatic and a CD player. I almost pulled the trigger on a 2015 model, but Apple decided to debut its then-new CarPlay in the 2016 models. Thanks to this, I purchased a 2016 GTI in black.

Why this model? It came with a few packages, including an upgraded lighting package, a performance package with a slight power increase, a standard sunroof, a Beats audio system, and heated seats. All 2016 GTIs came with a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine producing 220 horsepower with the performance pack and 258 pound-feet of torque. With a six-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, the GTI accelerated from 0-60 MPH in around 6.5 seconds. At the time, that was plenty quick! For nine years, I've come to appreciate many features this GTI has.

Starting with the looks, the GTI has subtle upgrades over a standard Golf. I love the red stripe at the front, the small grille, the 18-inch wheels, and the backup camera integrated into the badge. Hop inside, and you're transported back in time when Volkswagen still used physical buttons for the climate control. There's a plethora of buttons on the sides of the infotainment system, on the steering wheel, and around the shifter. All the controls are easy to use, and this small hot hatchback even has a feature to automatically park. The material quality is even better than that of a new Volkswagen, featuring high-class materials. 

For the most part, owning this GTI has been great. That said, there have been a few oddities. First, the one-touch power windows stopped being consistent years ago. Sometimes, the windows decide they won't function as one-touch. Also, the early days of Apple CarPlay weren't the best. There were a few times when the system shut off completely or lagged. Living in Chicagoland, a low hatchback doesn't perform the best in winter without winter tires. There is also the time when, allegedly, an ambulance backed into the driver's door, but that's a story for a different time. 

The main reason you buy a GTI is that you want a performance hatchback that can work in almost any situation. Driving the GTI is almost always a joy, even in horrific Chicago traffic. The optional DSG gearbox can be used in either fully automatic or manual mode, via the paddle shifters or the standard shifter. Safety features include blind spot monitoring, a system that uses sensors, adaptive cruise control, emergency braking, and lane keep assist. They work well for the most part, and the emergency braking system has helped in a few situations, even when the car was perfectly fine. Although I never cared about fuel economy, I would average around 26-27 MPG in mixed conditions. While my first GTI was modified with an APR tune, lowering springs, and performance exhaust, I decided to keep this one less lairy since it never needed more power. 

Do I recommend buying one? If you can find a non-modified one, absolutely! I recommend a slightly newer Mark 7.5, which came out a few years later. These came with larger screens and an additional gear for the automatic transmission. My time with Volkswagen has come to an end. Once I'm done with this, my next vehicle won't be a GTI. The newer GTIs have lost some of the touch of previous GTIs with lesser materials, a worse infotainment system, and I've gotten bored with Volkswagen. I've driven plenty of vehicles over the last few years, but my GTI has always been one of my absolute favorite vehicles. If you're in the know, a particular automotive celebrity also owned a Mark 7 GTI. I can proudly say: Clarkson bought his after I bought mine!