After many years, Changan returns to SA, this time with Saudi-founded Jameel Motors as its official distributor. Jameel oversees the national network, including the flagship Pretoria showroom, and is responsible for rolling out Changan’s local dealer and after‑sales footprint in South Africa. Is the new Alsvin going to break sales records among Bolt and Uber drivers? Let's take a look.
Styling
The Alsvin seems like a blend of almost every budget-oriented sedan you've ever met, with a distinct Korean and Japanese influence and a smidge of German design. I see some earlier Hyundai Accent, Elantra, and Volkswagen Polo Vivo in its appearance, inside and out. There's even a bit of Lexus-inspo in the grille's shape. It's by no means an unsightly car; it's just very generic.
The Alsvin's look is enhanced by its daytime running lamps, alloy wheels, and swooping roofline. It also comes with an electric sunroof, a nice little luxury feature in this segment.
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Interior
The dashboard features a flowing, asymmetrical design with blue trim around the volume button, a 7-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth and USB connectivity (no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto), and physical buttons for most controls. The seats are wrapped in faux leather, while material inserts are placed higher up. I wonder if the design team realised this is actually a very practical way to keep your back cooler in summer.
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On the topic of temperature, the air vents are horizontal, with circular Audi/Mercedes-inspired turbine-style vents on the outer edges of the dash. The air-con blows ice-cold and cools off a hot cabin completely in under a minute.
Ergonomics is a little odd. There's really nowhere to put your phone except the central cupholders when it's plugged in to charge; the binnacle below the USB-A port is just too small. There's an armrest storage cubby between the two front seats where you can hide valuables, including your phone, if you want it completely out of sight. Or you can place your phone in the door card, but this isn't a good option if you need to charge it.
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Space and Comfort
Up front, it's roomy, and row two is also quite spacious; sitting behind myself, my knees didn't touch the driver's seatback, and I'm 173 cm. Unfortunately, there are no rear air vents for rear passengers, and while the middle seat is wide enough for another set of buttocks, they would have to be satisfied with a lap belt. All four windows are electric. Another USB-A port is available to rear passengers.
The infotainment system may be basic, but it sounds decidedly better than one would expect at this price point, and the rear camera's image is good quality. The only pain is that the system tends to default to the radio source even though you paired your phone to the Bluetooth system. This means that every time you get in the car to drive somewhere, you almost have to re-pair your phone, even though it clearly showed on my iPhone that I was already connected to the Changan system. Maybe it just doesn't play well with the iPhone.
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The infotainment system may not be super advanced, but it does the job well enough.
The boot is massive and easily swallowed a wheelchair when I had to take my elderly dad to the doctor. The downside is that you can't open the boot from the inside; you have to press the remote's button twice. This agitated the kids a bit during school runs, and my daughter moaned about the lack of a mirror on the front passenger's side, but these are first-world problems!
The Drive
The Alsvin is pleasant enough in town and on the highway, with pliant suspension for everyday comfort. The steering is quite vague, and corrections have to be made to the steering wheel the entire time, but other than that, the drive is good, if not outstanding. Noise is also quite well-suppressed, and the turning circle is small, enabling you to make a quick U-turn if you drive up a cul-de-sac by mistake.
Performance
The Alsvin (with 78 kW and 145 Nm) isn't built for Kyalami, but it has some power if you need it, and the DCT gearbox does its job without too much noise or frustration, though its responses aren't the quickest. For what you'll probably be using the Alsvin for, it's sufficient.
There's no official claim for its 0-100 km sprint time, but overseas models run it in around 11 to 12 seconds.
Fuel Consumption
Changan claims 6.9 L/100 km but we averaged around 6.5, and driving on the highway made it drop to 5.9; doable if you're not flattening your right foot often. However, when I went to put in petrol, I pulled the latch below the dashboard to release the fuel flap on the outside, but it wouldn't budge. Eventually, a pump attendant reached in and pulled the exposed cable by hand because I didn't have my glasses on. It's not the end of the world, but it dents the impression of overall polish; it feels like the kind of small quality control or design niggle that doesn’t strand you, but absolutely wastes your time – and it’s the sort of detail Changan still needs to tighten up if it wants to be taken as seriously as the Japanese stalwarts.
Price
The Alsvin in top-spec 1.5 CE trim retails at R271 200. It's not too much, considering the spec sheet, but is it good value? Yes, but there are bugbears.
In South Africa, the Alsvin is sold with a 5‑year/150 000 km factory warranty and, on the 1.5 Auto, a 5‑year/75 000 km service plan with 15 000 km service intervals, plus 24‑hour roadside assistance as part of Changan’s “Journey/Changan Care” after‑sales package
Safety
The CE model comes with a tyre-pressure sensor, 2 airbags, cruise control, Bluetooth, child locks, a rearview camera, parking sensors, and Isofix. There is no indication of stability/traction control in the spec sheet, which is a little disappointing.
There is no publicly available Global NCAP or Euro NCAP rating for this SA‑spec car. An earlier Chinese‑market Alsvin managed three stars under the C‑NCAP protocol, and some regional marketing even quotes ‘5‑star NCAP’ without naming the test body. In other words, there is some crash‑test data in the background, but nothing as clear‑cut or independently verifiable as the latest Global NCAP scores.
Competitors
The Suzuki Dzire (read our review) and Honda Amaze spring to mind as its most-feared competitors. After the Dzire achieved a 5-star crash-test safety rating, I must admit that I would probably spend my money on this Japanese marque. The Alsvin still feels too much like a wild card in SA, even though it's been available overseas for a long time (it's currently in its third generation).
| Model | Transmission | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Changan Alsvin 1.4 | Manual | R238 000 |
| Changan Alsvin 1.5 CE | Auto (DCT) | R271 200 |
| Suzuki Dzire 1.2 GA | Manual | R217 900 |
| Suzuki Dzire 1.2 GL | Manual | R234 700 |
| Suzuki Dzire 1.2 GL Auto | Auto | R254 900 |
The Verdict
The Alsvin has a lot going for it, but I am not a gambling woman, and I will have to wait and see how its owners truly feel after a few thousand kilometres before I can recommend it to South African buyers with a clear conscience.
