Dongfeng Aeolus Huge

How many variants are there in the Dongfeng Aeolus Huge?

A single full-fledged variant of the Dongfeng Aeolus Huge is on sale in the Philippines. It comes with a petrol-electric hybrid powertrain as standard. 

How much is the price of the Dongfeng Aeolus Huge in the Philippines?

The single variant of the Dongfeng Aeolus Huge 1.5T Hybrid on sale in the Philippines is priced at PHP 1,888,000. This Chinese hybrid SUV competes with a range of other petrol and hybrid midsize SUVs at this price.  

Which is the most value-for-money variant of the Dongfeng Aeolus Huge?

Given that the Dongfeng Aeolus Huge is being offered in a single 1.5T Hybrid variant, it becomes the de facto hybrid midsize SUV variant. For those who prefer a practical blend of luxury, efficiency, and features, this sole variant of the Dongfeng Aeolus Huge has been priced sensibly, giving it an edge over other conventional petrol SUVs.

What features does the Dongfeng Aeolus Huge get?

The Dongfeng Aeolus Huge has a majestic road presence, which only gets better with some attractive-looking design elements on the outside, including the wide 'Storm Torrent' chrome grille. The Dongfeng Aeolus Huge gets all LED lighting for the exterior, including the LED headlamps with full-length LED Connected light bar with illuminated Aeolus logo and full-width LED tail lamp, which have attractive welcome and departure animations. The variant also comes with 19-inch machined alloy wheels as standard.

On the inside, the Dongfeng Aeolus Huge has two leather upholstery options – All-Black Vast Ocean Star' and black-and-beige 'Obsidian Spirit'. This luxurious and feature-packed cabin has various feel-good features like a panoramic sunroof, Nappa leather seats, 10-speaker audio system, wireless charger, ambient lighting, electrically-adjustable front seats, reclinable rear seats, PM2.5 air filter, and LED cabin lighting. There are twin 12.3-inch screens, each for the instrument console and infotainment system, in the driver's cockpit behind the multi-functional steering wheel.

The Dongfeng Aeolus Huge also has dual-zone automatic climate control, which has multiple air ventilation modes, such as baby care, rain and snow mode, smoking mode, smog mode, and custom mode. The rear AC vents further enhance the cabin cooling, and the Dongfeng Aeolus Huge also has a powered tailgate for easier access to the boot compartment.

How spacious is it?

With a wheelbase of 2825 mm, the Dongfeng Aeolus Huge is one of the most spacious five-seater midsize SUVs in its price range. This SUV has ample knee room, headroom, and legroom to make five passengers comfortable. The Dongfeng Aeolus Huge measures 4720 mm long, 1910 mm wide, and 1702 mm tall.

What engine and transmission options are available?

Under its hood, the Dongfeng Aeolus Huge has a petrol-electric hybrid powertrain paired with a multimode e-CVT. This powertrain combines a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, a front-mounted electric motor, and a small lithium-ion battery. In the combined mode, the system outputs of this petrol-electric hybrid powertrain include a maximum power output of 245 PS and a maximum torque output of 540 Nm. 

The Dongfeng Aeolus Huge is a front-wheel-drive hybrid midsize SUV with Macpherson struts at the front and multi-link independent suspension at the rear. It offers three driving modes—Comfort, Sport, and Adaptive — for a personalised driving experience. The SUV also has an auto brake hold and an electronic parking brake. 

What's the mileage of the Dongfeng Aeolus Huge?

Dongfeng hasn't claimed any fuel efficiency figure for the Aeolus Huge midsize SUV. However, the initial users have reported achieving 17-18 kmpl efficiency in regular driving conditions, with it going up to 21-22 kmpl on longer highway runs. 

How safe is the Dongfeng Aeolus Huge?

The extensive list of safety equipment available in the Dongfeng Aeolus Huge has features like six airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist, electronic stability control, traction control, hill start assist, hill descent control, 540-degree parking camera, reverse parking sensors and tyre pressure monitoring system. The ADAS suite of features in the Dongfeng Aeolus Huge includes forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control – stop and go, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, lane centring assist, traffic jam assist, highway assist, and intelligent high beam control. 

How many colour options are there?

The Dongfeng Aeolus Huge range comes in six colour options for the Philippines car market: Aurora Green, Gentry Ink Blue, Ceramic White, Galaxy Grey, Inkstone Black, and Blue/Silver. The Blue/Silver option is a dual-tone offering, while the rest are single-tone colours. All the colour options of Dongfeng Aeolus Huge are priced equally. 

Should you buy the 2024 Dongfeng Aeolus Huge?

For a five-seater midsize SUV, the Dongfeng Aeolus Huge offers ample space and practicality. It is packed with all the latest comfort and convenient features, justifying its premium positioning. The Dongfeng Aeolus Huge's biggest strength is its petrol-electric hybrid powertrain, which gives it efficiency figures comparable to an entry-level hatchback, making it economical to run. 

What are my alternatives?

At its price point, the Dongfeng Aeolus Huge competes with many other petrol, electric, and hybrid midsize SUVs and MPVs, such as the Honda CR-V, Toyota Zenix, Volkswagen Tharu, Hyundai Tucson, Mazda CX-5, KG Mobility Torres, GWM Haval H6, Geely Azkarra, Chevrolet Trax, and MG ZS EV. You can also look at bigger ladder-on-frame SUVs like Toyota Fortuner and Nissan Terra at the price for which the Dongfeng Aeolus Huge is on sale. 

Other things to consider

While the Dongfeng Aeolus Huge looks excellent on paper and has many core strengths, one should be aware of Dongfeng's limited presence and brand strength. The long-term reliability of the Dongfeng Aeolus Huge is not proven yet, and as a Chinese SUV with all the bling, it might not match the snob value of other established Japanese and European rivals. However, Dongfeng does offer a vehicle warranty of 5 years or 150,000 kms and a battery warranty of 8 years or 170,000 km, which do seem a bit reassuring in its long-term reliability.