The Brilliance FRV is a China Car Times favorite, or at least the GT version that was spied is!
Final production photos of a base model FRV have been leaked onto the internet, where Chinese auto fans were able to comment on it. The comments were largely in favor of the car, many saying they believe Brilliance to be one of the best automotive companies in China.
The production model shows that the interior has been given a serious look at by Brilliance - Brilliance were often criticized by foreign automotive media who believed the interior design could have been better made. As we have seen with the Brilliance Wagon, Brilliance are clearly heading in the right direction when it comes to car interiors, and exterior designs!
The aesthetics of the interior look fine but if you have a closer look the materials seem as if they might be below standard as per usual. In particular look at the electric mirror control and the air vernts.
The interior has a look of the 90’s about it especialy the dash/instruments - very mamahuhu!
Actually is it me or doesn’t the whole car look rather from that era? I can’t but help thinking of a Golf MK III or similar vintage Astra when I look at it.
The Golf MKIII might not have been a classic like the MKI, but it was still miles beyond most cars at the time. Especially the MKIII GTi. VW had awesome soft plastics on their interiors back then that was decades beyond whatever the Japanese were doing with their Civics at the time.
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This looks more like a loaner Kia Rio I had to drive once when my car was in for service. Actually, no, it’s better than the POS Rio (someone pull up a pic from the web!), but it’s definitely not as good as a MKIII.
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Then again, the GTI cost about $20k CAD back in ‘94-95, and the Brilliance only costs an equilavalent of $8k in ‘08!
yes it does-nothing new or special about it at all. Chinese seem to be able to design / build either very bland or very bloody ugly or copy - nothing that sticks out as new, innovative or interesting-one day perhaps.
The recent Geely showings at the Beijing Auto Show were a good glimpse into the future!
where dogtucker comes from, the ppl kid themselves that the Holden (practically Daewoo) Commodore is a very bloody ‘good’ car. Yet it exerts nothing new, nothing innovative - infact its based on an american engine and powertrain - but no, thats better than copying, outsourcing that is. and please dont get me started on its interior, the Roewe 550 might as well be a Ferrari compared to it. If chinese cars are crap (which a majority car) the same can be said of Holdenwoo, whos been making the same shitty model of a car for yonkers and still cant get it right…and thats the ONLY car it makes…on that note, its not even as diverse as Brilliance….
YEsh im expecting the moderator this delete this now….well cmon do it, cos we all know how good of a thing censorship is….the Chinese government censors on a regular basis, western countries complain that there is no free speech…well oddly enough, the same can be said of this site hosted in the US….keep censoring, be a hypocrite
Rude Idiot, Im sure that you mean well-but not all of the people think Holden Commodore is a very bloody good car. It is a bloody good workhorse and has NO relationship to Daewoo at all, apart from the fact GM own both makes. Im not a great fan of Holdens but they are better than the local (Oz) ford products. Have you actually been inside or driven a Commodore let alone seen one? Or are you just shooting from the hip?
OK, so maybe the interior doesn’t QUITE have the personality of the Coupe (or even the Junjie)…….but it still offers ABS, dual airbags, automatic climate control - and the base model is ONLY 58,800rmb!!! You want a fully loaded version (1.6l AT)??? 79,800rmb!!! This is a BARGAIN and one of the best deals on the market right now - if I have to deal with some air conditioning vents that are a little dated, so be it. The Buick HRV doesn’t really look any better on the inside, AND you’re going to pay almost 20,000rmb MORE than a comparably equipped FRV. The BYD F3R?? Not even close. Even the new Geely HRV can’t stand up to this (although their AT version will be about 8000 rmb less in price). The FRV MIGHT also give some potential Honda Fit owners some competition…..the entry level 1.3 MT Fit is about 73,000rmb. I’ll be seeing this car (and many others) next week at the Shenzhen Auto show……I’m REALLY looking forward to it!
The interior is a tad on the oogly side…then again if the rumor is true, and there will be an option for a 1.8t, that’ll make up for it…mostly
OK….I FINALLY saw it, sat in it, got a feeling for it - WHAT A CAR. There was only one at the Shenzhen show (a red 1.6AT model) and although I’m not really a fan of the FRV in red, it was STILL a beautiful car to look at. It is DEFINTELY smaller than the Junjie, but it doesn’t look or feel small. VERY comfortable to sit in the interior, and LOTS of rear seat leg room. One of the coolest features I saw is in the rear hatch area - on MOST hatchbacks when you lift up the “floor” of the hatch area, you immediately see the spare tire and tire jack…..but NOT with the FRV. When you lift up the “floor” of the FRV, you see 4 decent sized carpeted storage areas, and then underneath them is the spare tire. A VERY thoughtful feature and a easy way to hide valuable and/or private things if needed! I REALLY enjoyed seeing this car in person, and I can’t wait to test drive it……this car could EASILY be a BIG success here in China.
I think the 1.8T GT version is going to be a BIG Winner as well!
I hope they are still planning on a 1.8t - there doesnt seem to be much news on it…. just the 1.6?….
Maybe there will be engine upgrades to the coupe this coming year, and then the 1.8t will trickle to the FRV? Would seem kinda silly of them to have their economical hatchback be just as fast/faster than their “sports” coupe?
Tomorrows news!
HA! Keeping my fingers crossed…
A faster coupe would be much welcomed - though a 1.8t FRV sounds more “practical”
I can see a 1.8t FRV being popular with the racing crowd…perhaps this can be one of the cars that lead to an extensive performance market for Chinese cars…kinda like what the Civic (though Im sure there has to be other Japanese Cars that were before it, or atleast helped) did for the Japanese performance market…
Saw one today on the road.
Beats the Golf/Polo in terms of looks.
So it’s on sale already?
yeah, dealerships are full of them.
Ill review one when I get back from England.
No where near the Cashcow tho Ash!!
You think so? I think the Qashqai design is an acquired taste!
I should be able to pick mine up on Monday, what color is yours?