Great Wall News

Export quality almost within reach of Chinese car factories, survey shows

CHINESE car quality has improved dramatically in the past 10 years, according to data released to GoAuto by the world's leading vehicle quality authority, J.D. Power and Associates.

Annual surveys of Chinese car owners show that Chinese car factories are fast catching on to the quality levels required to start exporting cars to western car markets in earnest.

The data shows two levels of quality - the cars made by domestic Chinese car-makers such as Chery, BYD and Great Wall and cars made in China by Japanese, European, Korean and US car companies in partnership with Chinese car-makers.

In terms of faults per 100 cars, Chinese domestic car-makers still lag well behind the quality of cars made by the foreign car makers - a clear indicator that the overseas car makers are bringing with them valuable vehicle production knowledge and transfer of technology.

But the gap between the domestic brands and the foreign brands is narrowing. Nor are the domestics chasing a stationary target with the data showing that the foreign car-makers are also squeezing increased quality out of their car factories as well.

In 2000, the Chinese domestic brands were throwing up 834 quality faults per 100 cars - a horrendous figure that would scare off the bravest of candidates seeking to export Chinese cars into Western car markets.

The foreign brands, at 438 faults per 100 cars, had half as many faults but still enough impediments to drive off any serious thoughts of sending these Chinese-made cars to the west.

Left: Great Wall V240 Cab-chassis. Below: Chery A1.

At that time the gap between the domestic and foreign brands was a massive 396 faults per 100 cars which suggested that it would be a long time before the Chinese domestic brands would be any serious threat in Western markets.

But, in just two years, the Chinese domestic brands had more than halved their faults to 399 per 100 cars and had caught up to where the foreign brands had been just two years before. The foreign brands, meanwhile had improved to 246 faults per 100 cars.

So, in those two years to 2002, the gap between the Chinese domestics and the foreign brands had been closed from 396 faults per 100 cars to 153 faults per 100 cars.

From then on it became harder to make gains in the intervening years but, in the latest 2009 survey, the domestic Chinese car-makers were at 258 faults per 100 cars and the foreign brand car makers were at 142 faults for 100 cars. The gap between the two was 116 faults per 100 cars.

By comparing this data with J.D. Power surveys of US car buyers who bought US brands made in American car factories, the faults of the Chinese domestic brands in 2009 were still way off the scale. But the faults reported in the foreign brands made in China are roughly the equivalent to the faults reported by American car buyers in their domestic cars in 2002. This suggests that in 2009 the foreign brands made in China are about eight years behind the quality standards of the US car-makers in America.

But improvements since then show the gap by 2009 between the foreign cars made in China and US cars made in the US was just 30 faults per 100 cars or less than one fault per car difference.

This suggests that on quality at least, cars of foreign brands in China could just about be ready to hold their own in the US market, which would leave them not far behind for markets such as Australia.

In another key indicator that the Chinese car-makers are on a roll on car quality, J.D. Power reported that the number of Chinese car owners "experiencing problems with their vehicle since owning it" has dropped from almost 60 per cent in 2004 to 28 per cent in 2009.

CHINA'S Great Wall Motors has set a new price benchmark for Australia's utility market with the release of single-cab versions of its pioneering V240 dual-cab ute.

Now on sale from an astonishing $17,990 drive-away, the V240 4x2 single-cab is $6000 cheaper than the equivalent V240 dual-cab ($23,990 drive-away) and $1000 more affordable than Great Wall's inferior SA220 dual-cab ($18,990 drive-away), which remains a four-door-only model.

More importantly, however, Great Wall's newest and cheapest V240 ute derivative significantly undercuts the prices of every ute available in Australia except Proton's soon-to-be-discontinued Jumbuck (from $13,990 drive-away).

That includes entry-level petrol-powered Japanese-brand single-cab utes such as Toyota's top-selling HiLux 2.7 WorkMate cab-chassis ($18,490 plus on-road costs) and Mitsubishi's Triton 2.4 GL cab-chassis ($20,990 plus ORCs), not to mention diesel-only models like Mazda's BT-50 (from $24,065) and Nissan's D22 Navara ($23,690).

It also includes India's diesel-only Mahindra Pik-Up (from $21,999 drive-away) and the diesel-only Isuzu D-Max (from $24,900), which is built in Thailand like most Japanese-brand utes sold in Australia.

The Great Wall V240 single-cab will also be available as a 4x4, priced at an equally bargain-basement $20,990.

Despite the keen pricing, the two-door V240 will come standard with twin front airbags, ABS brakes with electronic brake-force distribution, a drop-side alloy tray, air-conditioning, alloy wheels, power steering, remote central locking, CD player and power mirrors.

Like all Great Wall models in Australia, the V240 is backed by a three-year/100,000km new-vehicle warranty and 24-hour roadside assist and loan car programs.

Without its tray, the V240 single-cab measures 4825mm long, 1800mm wide and 1662mm high, while the tray measures 2400mm long, 1842mm wide and 250mm high. The two-door V240 rides on a 3050mm wheelbase and has 1515mm front and 1525mm rear wheel tracks.

Both 4x2 and 4x4 versions also come with minimum ground clearance of 194mm, a 12-metre turning circle, a 30-degree approach angle and average fuel consumption of 10.7L/100km.

Kerb weights range between 1387kg (4x2) and 1507kg (4x4), while GVMs are listed at 2705kg (4x2) and 2825kg (4x4).

As with the V240 dual-cab, the single-cab is powered exclusively by a 2.378-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with long-stroke 87 x 100mm cylinder dimensions, which delivers 100kW at 5250rpm and 200Nm of torque between 2500 and 3000rpm.

Wheels and tyres on both variants are 16x7.0-inch and 235/70 R16 respectively, while braking is via front discs and rear drums, and suspension comprises independent double wishbones with torsion bar springs up front and leaf-sprung live axle at rear.

An automatic transmission will not become available for either of Great Wall's ute models, but a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine delivering 100kW at 4000rpm and 310Nm from 3000rpm and matched with a six-speed manual transmission is eventually due to join the range, and should appear first in the V240 dual-cab by mid-2011.

"The twin-cab V240 has proven to be extremely reliable and very popular with a wide range of customers over the past year," said Ric Hull, the managing director of Great Wall's Australian importer, Ateco Automotive.

As we've previously reported, Ateco has targeted sales of between 200 and 300 per month for the V240 single-cab, which will not be available with a style-side tray - on top of an average of 500 sales a month for Great Wall's V240 and SA220 (4x2 and 4x4) dual-cabs.

"We are optimistic that this very keenly priced single-cab V240 will be embraced just as enthusiastically," said Mr Hull.

Tamworth City Times - 12 May, 2010 - By David Ellery

THE biggest threat to the success of the Great Wall X240 on the Australian market is going to be snobbery.

Do you have the gall to drive around in a "cheap" Chinese car?

That is the unspoken question many buyers will be asking themselves when they go shopping.

Like the first Japanese and Korean cars to reach our shores, The X240 is not a vehicle intended to sell on the strengths of groundbreaking design, Lexus levels of quality or BMW X5 performance.

While it is a smart looking, well made, sensibly designed and very honest vehicle, it will always be a car people look at because of its price.

The $23,990 driveaway sticker makes it the cheapest five-door fourwheel drive wagon on the market.

For the money you get a full five seater that is a little smaller than a Toyota Kluger and perhaps a little bigger than a current RAV 4.

The difference is that while the Toyotas' offer 200kW V6 engines, the Great Wall makes do with a 100kW Mitsubishi 2.4 litre four cylinder.

While the donk - the venerable 4G69 SOHC unit launched in 1988 - is an honest toiler, it has its work cut out to haul 2.32 tonnes of car around.

The lacklustre performance (in comparison to its V6 and turbo diesel powered rivals) will put some buyers - particularly those looking for a vehicle to tow with - off.

Personally I didn't find it an issue.

If you want a race car, buy a Porsche. This has sufficient go for a family wagon that can also handle farm paddocks and building sites.

It is a pleasant and comfortable drive. I found the gearbox precise and easy to use - but with a long throw on the lever.

The clutch was lighter than I expected.

Handling is acceptable but there is body roll if you try to corner at speed.

The ride is firm but comfortable on the highway. It can be choppy in the rough.

The X240 could easily and safely ferry kids to school and parents to work during the week with the capacity to go a fair way off road - including through snow, sand and mud - on the weekend.

Ground clearance is good, approach and departure angles are better than some "serious" offroaders and, unlike most of the sub-$40k "soft roaders" the X240 has both high range and low range four-wheel-drive.

Selection is via a simple knob on the console. You can change from two-wheel-drive to four-wheeldrive on the fly.

Low range first is a crawler. The power is more than adequate for most off-road challenges as long as you choose the right gear.

I was also mightily impressed by the standard features you get for the money.

The controls are simply laid out and easy to use.

Everything worked. Nothing squeaked, flexed or otherwise flagged the potential for problems down the track.

Interior materials range from the quality leather on the excellent and supportive, electricallyadjustable driver's seat to some fairly average plastic trims and fittings.

The overall impression is one of luxury, however.

On the road, the wagon is quiet with good under bonnet sound insulation and not much road noise from the Goodyear tyres.

The X240 is excellent value for the money and I suspect - the beginning of big things for GWM in this country.

I came away from this test significantly more impressed than I had expected to be.

THE most amazing thing about Great Wall's new 4WD is the price. At a drive-away $23,990 it sends a powerful message to cash-strapped families looking to update the family bus.

That gets you a goodlooking vehicle with leather upholstery and climatecontrolled airconditioning. The Chinese-built and badged five-seat compact offroader sits on the same chassis and shares the same powertrain as the recently released V240 ute.

It's powered by a 2.4 litre Mitsubishi four-cylinder engine and comes with a fivespeed manual only at this stage. It's even got low-range fourwheel drive so you can take it off-road with confidence. The ride is old school, harsh and jiggly like 4WDs used to be, but that's only on rougher roads.

What the X240, known as the Hover in its home country, misses out on is the arsenal of safety gear that has become par for the course these days - things like six airbags and electronic stability control.

The ute scored only two stars in crash tests. This vehicle does, however, score two airbags for the driver and front passenger, as well as ABS anti-lock brakes with brake force distribution.

Produced under licence, the 2.4 litre four is good for 100kW of power and 200Nm of torque between 2500 and 3000 revs. It's not going to set the world on fire, but does a reasonable job of moving the wagon's 1830kg bulk.

Fuel economy is rated at 10.4 litres/100km, but could go well over this figure if you flog it. It looks good and goes well enough but, like the ute, its main appeal is the price.

The 4WD system is a traditional part-time system and cannot be engaged on dry bitumen. The addition of low-range gearing is a bonus but, with only 175mm of ground clearance, its off-road exploits are going to be limited. High range can be selected on the fly and it comes with a fullsized spare.

As well as leather and air, you get a power-operated driver's seat, rear parking sensors and an eight-speaker CD/MP3 sound system with a USB port. Seventeen-inch alloys are also fitted. Colours available are white, black, silver and red, but anything except white adds $400 to the price.

The interior of the car will be finished in black, unlike the vehicle pictured. A sunroof is a $1000 option. The X240 is backed by a three-year/100,000km warranty, with 24-hour roadside assistance.

THE most amazing thing about Great Wall's new 4WD is the price. At a drive-away $23,990 it sends a powerful message to cash-strapped families looking to update the family bus.

That gets you a goodlooking vehicle with leather upholstery and climatecontrolled airconditioning. The Chinese-built and badged five-seat compact offroader sits on the same chassis and shares the same powertrain as the recently released V240 ute.

It's powered by a 2.4 litre Mitsubishi four-cylinder engine and comes with a fivespeed manual only at this stage. It's even got low-range fourwheel drive so you can take it off-road with confidence. The ride is old school, harsh and jiggly like 4WDs used to be, but that's only on rougher roads.

What the X240, known as the Hover in its home country, misses out on is the arsenal of safety gear that has become par for the course these days - things like six airbags and electronic stability control.

The ute scored only two stars in crash tests. This vehicle does, however, score two airbags for the driver and front passenger, as well as ABS anti-lock brakes with brake force distribution.

Produced under licence, the 2.4 litre four is good for 100kW of power and 200Nm of torque between 2500 and 3000 revs. It's not going to set the world on fire, but does a reasonable job of moving the wagon's 1830kg bulk.

Fuel economy is rated at 10.4 litres/100km, but could go well over this figure if you flog it. It looks good and goes well enough but, like the ute, its main appeal is the price.

The 4WD system is a traditional part-time system and cannot be engaged on dry bitumen. The addition of low-range gearing is a bonus but, with only 175mm of ground clearance, its off-road exploits are going to be limited. High range can be selected on the fly and it comes with a fullsized spare.

As well as leather and air, you get a power-operated driver's seat, rear parking sensors and an eight-speaker CD/MP3 sound system with a USB port. Seventeen-inch alloys are also fitted. Colours available are white, black, silver and red, but anything except white adds $400 to the price.

The interior of the car will be finished in black, unlike the vehicle pictured. A sunroof is a $1000 option. The X240 is backed by a three-year/100,000km warranty, with 24-hour roadside assistance.