Changan UNI-K

Like the exterior, the cabin layout of the Changan Uni-K also impresses with its plush and fancy layout, with the quality fit and finish levels being exemplary for an SUV of this size and price. The cabin is finished in top-class, dual-tone black and beige leather upholstery, nicely contrasted by gloss black and satin silver touches at places.

The driver’s cockpit of the Changan Uni-K looks fancy with a unique-looking multi-functional steering wheel, which has flat surfaces at the upper and lower parts of it. Behind the steering wheel, the Changan Uni-K has a sleek and modern full-TFT instrument console, which is housed within a curved binnacle. The centre console of the dashboard here is dominated by a 10.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which serves as the window for the Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and 12-speaker Sony sound system.

The lower centre console of the Changan Uni-K looks premium with its wide layout, which houses sleek AC vents seamlessly integrated into the lower layer of the dashboard and touch-sensitive controls for the automatic climate control. The transmission tunnel also has a wide layout, while housing a chunky transmission lever and a host of cup holders and storage spaces. The cabin of the Changan Uni-K is further equipped with additional features like a panoramic sunroof, powered driver’s seat, powered tailgate and wireless charger.

Full marks should be given to Changan for designing the Uni-K as an eye-catching and aerodynamic SUV. This five-door midsize SUV from Changan looks attractive, especially at the front, with the overall design positioning it as a crossover rather than a traditional upright SUV. There are a lot of curves throughout the design of the Changan Uni-K, which makes it look heavily aerodynamic.

At the front, the Changan Uni-K has a huge trapezoidal area, which accommodates a uniquely designed grille with hexagonal-themed inserts, which partially is finished in the body-coloured treatment. The upper edges of this trapezoidal grille feature sleek-looking eyebrow-shaped headlamp clusters, which come with all-LED illumination. The massive front bumper, of which the grille is also a part, has Y-themed chrome inserts around the LED turn indicator strips, while surrounded by angular faux air dams.

The Changan Uni-K looks quite aerodynamic from the side, with the midsize SUV having a smoothly-contoured front bonnet, a nice and prominent shoulder line, and a mildly curved roofline. The stance of the Changan Uni-K looks commanding with the 21-inch machined alloy wheels on offer, while the flush-type door handles further amplify its modern appearance.

At the back, the Changan Uni-K continues its momentum as a sleek-looking SUV with stretched and curved, sleek-looking combination LED tail lamps, which are connected by an LED light bar running across the width of the boot lid. Another attention-grabbing element here is the airship-inspired roof-mounted spoiler, which is placed above the sharply-raked windscreen.

The Changan Uni-K comes with an all-wheel drive system as standard, which might not be giving it a full-blown off-road driving excellence, but enables it to maintain traction on uneven surfaces even at higher speeds. While the ride quality feels decent for its size, the steering feedback, especially at higher speeds, could have been better.

The only engine and gearbox combination offered in the Changan Uni-K is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The performance numbers of the engine – 229 bhp of maximum power and 390 Nm of maximum torque look impressive on paper, but the Uni-K doesn’t feel too peppy to drive out on the road with not-so-impressive turbo lag at lower RPMs.

The Changan Uni-K is armed with safety features like six airbags, ABS with EBD, brake assist, hill ascent control, electronic stability control, reverse parking sensors and camera, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and front collision warning.

The Changan Uni-K rides high on style, quality of components, and features on offer while also offering a pleasant driving experience in urban conditions with light steering and supple suspension.