OK, maybe we’re taking the wrong approach towards Chinese-built cars. Perhaps we should be looking at it as the glass being half full rather than half empty.
The Geely 1.3-litre LC hatchback on test here is a case in point.
Like most Chinese cars in our price guide the seduction starts with the price tag. The Geely LC - which starts at R80 000 for the entry-level GS, R85 000 for the GL, and R90 000 for this range-topping GT - should warrant a peek from most looking in the price-sensitive baby hatch market.
Geely is the biggest car manufacturer in China and has also recently bought Swedish carmaker Volvo. After the previous South African importer went bankrupt in 2009 the marque is now in new hands (a 50/50 shareholding between the Hallmark Motor Group and the Magic Group), with 45 Geely dealerships.
The LC is the new company’s first new product on the market and on paper it’s a tempting proposition on a cost-per-feature basis. Even the eighty-grand entry-level GS gives you ABS brakes with electronic brake-pressure distribution, front foglights, power windows, power steering, remote central locking, aircon and a radio with CD player, but no airbags. The GL and GT add alloy wheels, driver and front passenger airbags (side and curtain in the case of the range-topper), an MP3-capable radio, and reverse sensors (in the GT). A bonus safety feature is the fire extinguisher below the front passenger seat.
The LC is supported by a three-year or 100 000km factory warranty (with AA roadside assistance), and optional service packages (two-year or 60 000km costs R4 150, three-year or 90 000km R6 950).
In the metal though, it’s a mixed.
The LC looks cute enough to attract the attention of matric girls looking for their first car. Its face resembles China’s favourite bear, the cute and cuddly panda, and the theme extends to the rear tail lights which mimic a panda’s paw print, the panda ear side mirrors, and even a smiling panda face on the ignition key. In its home country the vehicle’s officially called the Panda, but the name isn’t used elsewhere so as to avoid Fiat lawsuits.
The car’s interior is a little more attractive and upmarket-feeling than much of the cheap and nasty Chinese fare we’ve experienced. There’s an acceptable tactile feel to much of the cabin, with decent dashboard quality and a very presentable layout, while a black and cream colour scheme adds some visual spice.
But attention to detail remains the Achilles’ heel of most Chinese carmakers, with the Geely LC no exception. In our test car there was evidence of quality shortcuts, including very flimsy-looking air vents. Also, the plastic cover on the inside of the rear wiper mechanism came off, and the airbag warning light came on intermittently. A design flaw is that the driver’s side mirror wouldn’t turn outwards enough, and left a big blind spot.
Rear seat space is tight but bearable, and so too the tiny boot (which at least has a full-sized spare). The miniature car is easy to park however.
The 1.3-litre 16-valve engine, good for a claimed 63kW and 110Nm, won’t exactly set your hair on fire, and feels no more powerful than one-litre cars such as the Peugeot 107 or Toyota Aygo. In truth the LC isn’t particularly sluggish in its primary city-commuting role, and has enough pep to get those tyres chirping. It’s on the open road where the little car struggles to get up to cruising speed and makes you question whether there’s really anything larger than 1000cc under the bonnet.
Fuel consumption, at 8.4 litres per 100km, was also high, most likely because the engine has to be worked quite hard to get up to pace.
We put the LC through some rigorous handling and brake tests and, unlike some other Chinese cars, it stood up well to punishment. The handling felt safe and predictable, repeated hard stopping failed to reveal any brake fade, and the gearshifter moved through its gate reasonably smoothly. The general refinement is acceptable too, with the exception of a noticeable whine from the gearbox.
VERDICT
The Geely LC proves that though they’re not quite there yet, Chinese cars are definitely getting better. The LC’s niggly quality issues still stick in the throat and we’re still at the stage where, even at this low price, we’d still rather spend the same money on a demo model from a mainstream competitor, or try to conjure up an extra ten or twenty grand for the likes of a new Chev Spark, Kia Picanto or Hyundai i10.
But this Geely gives us hope that in a few years time we might not be saying “not bad for a Chinese car”, like we’re saying now, but simply “not bad”. - Star Motoring