Changan CS15: small upgrades makes the difference

The Philippine market loves five-seater subcompact crossovers. On almost any thoroughfare in major local cities, we often see examples of the Toyota Raize, Geely Coolray, Kia Seltos, and MG ZS - among others. 

Inchcape Philippines is well aware of our penchant for small crossovers, so one of its brands, specifically Changan Motor Philippines, brought in the CS15 back in 2024 during that year’s Manila International Auto Show (MIAS).

Fast forward to the present, and the brand has rolled out an updated version of the Changan CS15, featuring significant improvements in build quality and features. This sounds good, but how does this five-seater subcompact perform as a daily driver? Zigwheels Philippines found the answer to the said question when we borrowed by CS15 for a couple of days. 

Powertrain, driving

Like its predecessor, the current version of the Changan CS15 is powered by a naturally aspirated 1.5-liter BlueCore gasoline engine. The said mill is paired with a five-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT), sending power to the front wheels. 

At maximum, the said powertrain can generate up to 105 horsepower and 145 Newton-meters of torque. 

With that kind of power output, the Changan-made five-seater is far from a sports car. There’s also the fact that many other nameplates within the same segment have far beefier engines, courtesy of forced induction. 

Then again, we utilized the Changan CS15 as a no-nonsense ride, with frequent shunts on Commonwealth Avenue and on C5. In this regard, the small crossover performed admirably, comfortably sitting at the speed limit and executing overtaking maneuvers smoothly. 

In pushing the car, however, we’ve found that there is a slight delay for its accelerator pedal when using the normal automatic shifting mode. Specifically, engine revolutions will only begin to climb up after a second of stabbing the pedal. This, however, only happens when pressing the pedal quickly, and it didn’t seem to have any negative effect during relaxed, regular driving. 

On the one hand, the model comes with a manual mode. Simply tap the shifter to the right (while in drive) to select gears. In this mode, acceleration feels snappier. Downshifting while in manual mode also feels quicker. 

Ride quality for the Changan CS15 also felt decent. The suspension system tends to lean toward the stiffer side, but it can handle road bumps and uneven road surfaces without jarring vibrations or noise. On that note, the CS15 takes corners at speed with minimal body roll.

We also found that the vehicle’s steering system was direct and was balanced with the right amount of weight. 

Stopping power and brake pedal feel were also nice and responsive. Its manual handbrake’s “bite point” felt a little too high; otherwise, it functioned reliably even when having to stop (while on a queue) on SM North’s steep main multi-floor parking area. 

Notably, a good amount of road noise can penetrate the cabin when travelling up to 80 kilometers per hour (kph) on Skyway. This, however, has more to do with its tires, as wind noise doesn’t creep in that much inside the car even at highway speeds. 

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Exterior

As mentioned above, the build quality of the Changan CS15 has taken a stride forward, and one piece of evidence of this is its paint. 

The test unit we borrowed came in Glitter Galaxy Silver Gray, which looked consistently well done throughout the vehicle, even under varying lighting conditions. 

Additionally, we commend the lack of gaps and misalignment on its panels. Admittedly, the vehicle doesn’t have the look that takes your breath away, but it is solidly built and appears to have more road presence despite its diminutive size. This, of course, is mainly thanks to its upright, sport utility vehicle (SUV)-inspired design. 

For reference, the Changan CS15 is 4,135 millimeters (mm) long, 1,740 mm wide, and 1,630 mm in height. Its wheelbase spans 2,520 mm, and it has a ground clearance of 150 mm. 

While a select few subcompact to compact crossovers offer more ground clearance and off-road panache than the CS15, 190 mm is more than enough for the roads we navigate daily here in the Philippines. 

Here are some noteworthy exterior features of the Changan CS15: 

• Power-adjust side mirrors
• Roof rails
• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Automatic halogen headlamps
• LED daytime running lamps
• Sunroof
• LED taillights
• Rear fog lamps

Interior

As mentioned above, the Changan CS15 has a five-seater interior layout. At a glance, it is well-arranged, and ingress and egress are relatively easy even for my five-foot, 11-inch frame. 

The model, while tiny for a crossover, also offers decent head- and elbowroom. The author’s girthy gut and relatively wide shoulders fit comfortably on the CS15’s front and rear seats, although larger adults may limit the rear row to just two. Children and smaller adults, however, will have ample space in the rear seat. 

Finding one’s desired driving position was also easy despite the lack of front-seat electronic adjustability. The same goes for its steering wheel, which only had a tilt-adjust column. 

As we’ve pointed out, everything inside the Changan CS15 is logically arranged and quite easy to find. We highly commend Changan, however, for its decision to provide the CS15’s air conditioning (AC) system with physical knobs. 

The aforementioned contrasts with the vast number of other brands that have opted to relegate AC controls to the car’s touchscreen. The ones on the CS15, in contrast, are much easier to manipulate while driving as we found that we didn’t have to take our attention away from the road when adjusting the system’s temperature and fan speed. 

Like the previous version, the Changan CS15 has a digital gauge cluster. Then again, the brand had opted to give it a much larger and more capable 10-inch infotainment central display, which is light-years ahead of the older version’s rather rudimentary seven-inch central display. 

To note, the new screen now has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto - a key improvement and an attention-getter for those who depend on smartphone connectivity while on the go. The model’s speakers were likewise upgraded, as it now has sufficient bass levels and none of the scratchy peaks that the previous set had. 

Due to the larger display, the vehicle’s rear camera now has a clearer and crisper video feed. Its quality still takes a nose-dive at night, but it is a marked improvement over the smaller display’s video quality. 

Other amenities available inside the Changan CS15 include, but are not limited to: 

• Type A and C USB ports
• Reading lamps (front cabin)
• Leather upholstery
• 12-volt accessory outlet
• Particulate matter (PM) 1.0 filter

Safety

As an affordable and highly accessible five-seater crossover, the Changan CS15 doesn’t have a suite of advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS). Otherwise, its safety kit covers all the basics. 

For reference, the Changan CS15 was kitted out with a standard cruise control system, dual front airbags, side airbags, anti-lock braking, electronic stability control, hill hold control, a reverse camera, rear parking brakes, ISOFIX child seat anchors, a keyless entry system, and a central locking system. 

Ready to buy a brand-new Changan CS15? Check out these exclusive offers from Zigwheels Philippines.

 

Changan CS15: specifications

Model	Changan CS15
Exterior
Dimensions (L x W x H, in mm)	4,135x1,740x1,630
Wheelbase (mm)	2,520
Ground clearance (mm)	190
Wheel size	17-inch
Lighting system	Halogen
Interior
Material	Leather
Amenities	Automatic headlamp function Power-adjust side mirrors Roof rails Seven-inch digital gauge cluster USB ports PM 1.0 filter Cruise control Rear window defogger 12-volt accessory outlet Tilt-adjust steering column Four-piece speaker set
Infotainment system	10-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Seating capacity	Five
Powertrain
Engine	1.5-liter BlueCore gasoline
Drivetrain	Front wheel drive
Transmission	Five-speed DCT
Horsepower	105
Torque	145 Nm
Technology
Safety	Dual front airbags Side airbags Anti-lock braking Electronic stability control Hill hold control Reverse camera Rear parking brakes ISOFIX child seat anchors Keyless entry system Central locking system
Price	P850,000

Final thoughts

With the update, the Changan CS15 retains its potential to be a fairly comfortable daily driver that is well-suited to local roads. As of the present, however, the vehicle now has a few tricks up its sleeve - its larger infotainment display and its wireless smartphone connectivity functions. 

The aforementioned might not sound too groundbreaking for oil-soaked gearheads, but the bog-standard car buyer will definitely appreciate their addition. 

Moreover, the Changan CS15 is still a sub-P1 million vehicle - a key strength for the nameplate, considering that most other models with a similar price are smaller hatchbacks. 

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