Caoa Changan CS55 Infinity: positives, negatives and direct competitors

Caoa Changan chose the intermediate Infinity version of the CS55 to open sales of the model for a market positioning strategy. While the Prime (R$ 144.990) and the PHEV plug-in hybrid (R$ 189.990) are sold by reservation, the intermediate in question costs R$ 154.990 and is the only one ready for delivery. In practice, anyone who wants the brand’s new flagship will now take this configuration. But let’s be frank: for the price and package, it’s a very balanced option.

What it delivers is a 4.55-meter medium SUV, with a 525-liter trunk and a list of top-of-the-line equipment, for a price that, in the Brazilian market, usually buys a compact SUV. Does this SUV live up to these qualifications?

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The positives start with the size for the price

The CS55 is 4.55 m long, 1.86 m wide, 1.67 m high and has a wheelbase of 2.65 m. These are medium SUV measurements, a segment in which most rivals start above R$ 170 thousand. The Jeep Compass, a reference in the category, has a wheelbase (what matters most for internal space) of 2.64 m and the Volkswagen Taos offers 2.68 m.

The point is that the two competitors are much more expensive, starting at R$ 174.990 for the Compass and R$ 199.990 for the Taos.

The mechanical set follows the size: independent suspension on all four wheels (McPherson at the front and multilink at the rear), disc brakes at all four corners and 19-inch alloy wheels with Pirelli 225/55 tires in all versions — on the Infinity, with a two-tone diamond finish.

Caoa Changan CS55 Infinity trunk is larger than that of direct rivals

The declared capacity is 525 liters, which reach 1,415 l with the rear seat folded down. The number puts the CS55 ahead of competitors of equivalent size: the Taos takes 498 l, the Toyota Corolla Cross, 440 l, and the Compass, 410 l in the VDA standard — Jeep discloses 476 l, but measured in liters of water.

Against compact SUVs that compete in the same range of R$ 150 thousand, the difference is even greater: most are between 370 and 420 liters. For those who want a suitcase that every space counts, it can be a differential.

The equipment list is the strongest point

The Infinity brings together what usually appears only in the top-of-the-line versions of rivals: integrated 24.9-inch dashboard, 14.6-inch multimedia with wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, eight-speaker sound, full LED headlights, panoramic sunroof, two-zone air conditioning, electrically opening tailgate, leather upholstery and electrically adjustable front seats, ventilation, heating and memory for the driver.

The assistant package is the ADAS Level 2+ package, with forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane keeping assistant and adaptive cruise control. The set allows the car to act at the same time on highway steering and speed — a feature that, in Compass and Corolla Cross, requires much more expensive versions.

Seven-year

warranty

The factory warranty is seven years or 150,000 km, a period that helps reduce the natural insecurity of buying a newcomer brand model. The car is produced in Anápolis (GO), which also counts in favor in the availability of parts.

The dual-clutch transmission starts the list of attention

The transmission is a seven-speed dual-clutch automated, which is not a problem per se. However, prejudice against the gearbox may be something to consider.

The solution is efficient in consumption and quick in changes, but historically some models such as Ford’s well-known PowerShift have given the type a bad name. The point is: the old American had a dry coupling, this new Chinese is lubricated. However, fame can lead interested parties to protect themselves.

Caoa Changan CS55 Infinity prices are promotional launch

The brand itself communicates the values as promotional, which means that the table can go up after the first batches. The house’s recent history recommends caution in the opposite direction as well: the CS75 was R$ 20 thousand cheaper shortly after being launched, a move that penalized those who paid the full price in the pre-sale.

Engine that doesn’t let you down, but doesn’t stand out

The 1.5 Turbo TGDI flex yields 180 hp and 29,2 kgfm, with 0 to 100 km/h in 8,1 seconds. Even if it’s nothing exorbitant or very sporty, these are numbers that fulfill their role and can perform any urban or travel function.

Even so, it comes out above competitors such as the Compass 1.3, with 176 hp, and the Corolla Cross 2.0 (175 hp). Torque also draws attention in the CS55, with a greater offer compared to Compass (27,5 kgfm), Boreal (27,5 kgfm), Corolla Cross 2.0 (21,3 kgfm) and Taos (25,5 kgfm).

Network, resale and future value are big issues

Although Caoa already has a consolidated operation in Brazil, Changan is a novelty and the CS55 has no history of devaluation, cost of revisions or capillarity of dealerships.

Compass, Corolla Cross and T-Cross start with a wide advantage in this regard, and the price difference at the purchase can shrink — or disappear — at the time of exchange. It’s the point that the price list doesn’t show.

The competitors

Here’s Caoa Changan’s move: for size, the Infinity fights with medium SUVs; for price, it lands in the range of compacts and entry-level versions of mediums.

In the comparison by size, the Jeep Compass starts at R$ 174.990 in the table, with campaigns that reached R$ 147.990 in cash in September. The Toyota Corolla Cross XRE costs R$ 194.790, advertised for R$ 179.990 in a promotional action of the month. The Volkswagen Taos is above R$ 190 thousand. All are more expensive in the table, smaller and less equipped at the same value – but offer a consolidated network, known dealership and, in the case of the Toyota, a hybrid option.

Within the group itself, the Caoa Chery Tiggo 7 is the most uncomfortable rival: the Sport version costs R$ 147.990, below the Infinity, and the line goes up to the Pro Plug-in Hybrid of R$ 209.990. The internal fight is real, and the Tiggo 7 already has years on the market and a history of resale in Brazil.

In the exact range of R$ 150 thousand, the CS55 still finds complete compacts such as Volkswagen T-Cross, Chevrolet Tracker, Hyundai Creta, Honda HR-V, Nissan Kicks and Fiat Fastback. All are smaller, have smaller trunks and, in general, deliver less equipment for the same money. It is against this group that the argument “more car for the same value” works best — and it is from this that Caoa Changan wants to take customers.

The Infinity delivers space, trunk, power and a list of equipment that no SUV in price offers in the country today. On the other hand, those who think about resale and a network of consolidated dropouts may not find what they expect.