2022 Changan CS35 Plus Luxe Review | Philkotse Philippines

Car makers apparently found the winning formula when it comes to selling subcompact crossovers in the Philippine market. What we are talking about are the turbocharged, high-tech, relatively affordable models that have made a name for themselves locally. Examples of these include the Toyota Raize Turbo, Honda HR-V, the MG ZS-T, the Geely Coolray, etc.  

Better Crossover: Geely Coolray or Changan CS35 Plus? - Philkotse Comparison Review

In March 2022, the Changan CS35 Plus then entered the local market to compete in the same segment. In a nutshell, it's a subcompact crossover that offers largely the same characteristics as its rivals, whilst having a more subtle exterior design. 

The question now is, how does it stack up against its turbocharged crossover rivals? Does it provide the same amount of comfort as the other crossovers we’ve mentioned?  

We borrowed the CS35 Plus Luxe, the top-spec variant for a week to find out. Here’s Philkotse’s 2022 Changan CS35 Plus full review. 

Contrary to the prevailing design cues from other crossover models in the Philippines, the CS35 Plus takes on a subtle but stylish approach. 

The CS35 Plus Luxe from the front

One part of the vehicle that features this is its front end. On this section of the vehicle, it gets a pair of sharp daytime running lamps that extends via a light bar topping off the trapezoidal mesh grille. The main headlamp clusters are then positioned on the far sides of the front fascia. Found further below is a functional air vent. The said pieces all together, create a squared-up look that does not exhibit too much visual fuss.  

The side of the Changan CS35 Plus Luxe is particularly straightforward too. Present on this portion of the car is mostly straight lines, except for the deep kink on the lower portion of the front and rear doors.  

CS35 Plus Luxe from the side

Likewise, from the side, I saw that it gets a black-colored roof and black plastic claddings for each wheel arch. The two-tone look adds a bit of pizzazz to the CS35, while the claddings provide some degree of heftiness and SUV-ish presence to the vehicle. The Luxe variant then rides on a set of 18-inch alloy wheels, which also came in an understated design. Up top, it also gets a pair of beefy roof rails which makes it ready for a roof rack or a cargo carrier.  

Its rear end is likewise uncomplicated like the rest of the vehicle. The LED taillights, for instance, is a straight bar that spans the width of the car. Sure, it gets a spoiler and a dual-tailpipe setup, but those are balanced out by the flat-looking diffuser and curved, smooth rearmost pillars.  

As someone who prefers the new Honda Civic Type R over the old Civic Type R, I rather like how the CS35 Plus detracts from the complex exterior looks of other crossovers present in the market. It might mean that it isn’t as strong as other models in turning heads, but those looking closely will instead see its perfectly aligned straight lines and pleasing proportions. 

CS35 Plus Luxe from the rear

Practical features are likewise found in this crossover model. For example, loading and unloading the trunk is made easy thanks to the power tailgate function. The cargo area is also quite spacious. At default, it has 403 liters of space which is enough for one or two regular-sized travel bags. One can then fold the rear seats, resulting in up to 950 liters of space. 

Note also that the CS35 Plus Luxe I got to drive for a week came in red. For the other color options, the red trims on the front and side also add an attractive contrast to the crossover.  

When I first opened the doors of the Changan CS35 Plus, I found its interior to be a good contrast to the subtly designed exterior. In other words, its interior is a feast for the eyes. 

Plenty of pleasing design details are present inside this model. From the way the seamless lines flow inside the front cabin, down to the abundant splashes of colors from the leather seat trims and the interior door cards.

A inside the front cabin

In my case, the seats and interior door cards were given red accent pieces. This gives life and youthfulness to the mostly grey and metallic vehicle interior.

Another example of why I think its interior looks great is its multi-tiered dashboard. It exhibits a sculpted shape, that’s decorated with plenty of metallic trim pieces. The attractive dash is then topped off by a dual-screen setup, which provides something similar to a panoramic display. That’s something seldom seen on a model within the CS35 Plus Luxe’s price range.

The center console is also interesting as it has an asymmetric design. This comes via a handle-like structure separating the front passenger’s leg space from the center console itself. 

It gets a large sunroof

Besides offering plenty of eye candy, I found the front seats to be comfortable. The seats were snug enough that they offered support when taking sharp turns and corners. At the same time, they were also soft and supple.  

I was also glad to find out that the controls for its single-zone automatic air-conditioning system were physical buttons. This makes them easy to adjust without taking your eyes off the road.  

Note also that its fan speed is positioned on the leftmost row of buttons. This is useful for drivers since this setting is most likely adjusted while out on the road. 

For the CS35 Plus though, be aware that pressing down on the fan speed button will go to a lower setting. Toggling it upwards will take it to a higher setting. Multiple options for the car’s air-conditioning system may also be adjusted or toggled via the touchscreen headunit. 

Cargo room inside the CS35 Plus is abundant

Another thing one thing to comment on, there’s the fact that the controls for the power-folding and power-adjustable side mirrors are positioned on the dashboard, on the left side of the steering column. On other cars, these are usually found on the driver’s side door window controls. Suffice to say, this took me a while to get used to. 

The driving controls, including the drive mode selector and electronic parking brake, on the other hand, were also physical buttons. These, including the center console’s cup holders, were also within easy reach for the driver.   

For the rear cabin, legroom and headroom were likewise plentiful for the large 5’11 frame. Plus, the sunroof, the foldable seat armrest, and the rear air-condoning vents provided plenty of enjoyment and comfort for the rear passengers. 

The CS35 Plus's rear seats

Of note, the Changan CS35 Plus can accommodate up to five individuals including the driver. Three regular-sized adults can fit comfortably inside the rear cabin. But for larger, wider folks, two occupants at the rear would be ideal.  

The only gripe I have with the CS35 Plus Luxe’s interior is the steering column for the flat-bottom steering wheel. Its tilt adjustability is good enough, but the telescopic adjustment could use a bit more range.  

Providing entertainment for the CS35 Plus Luxe’s occupants is a 10-inch infotainment touchscreen headunit. It comes with Bluetooth and USB connectivity. 

It likewise gets smartphone mirroring via the Easy Connection app. In my case, I found the process of linking my Android phone to the headunit easy enough. Regrettably, the headunit was not able to run crucial apps like Waze and Youtube.  

To this end, it would be ideal if the CS35 Plus got Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The touchscreen itself is already responsive and clear, and its audio system already sounds decent. So if those two features were added, what you’d get is a winning combination.  

The CS35 Plus Luxe's cockpit

On the flip side, I would like to commend Changan for providing the CS35 Plus with one of the clearest reverse camera video feeds I have ever seen on a subcompact crossover. Even at nighttime, the video feed was relatively clear and crisp.  

I likewise appreciate the 3D-rendered 360-degree view of the vehicle. Unlike other similar features found on other cars, this can be scrolled to display various view angles around the vehicle. This makes this feature capable of functioning as a video monitor for the car’s blind spots. I found this to be useful in tight traffic and reassuring to have when parking in tight areas.  

Keeping one’s smartphone powered up is also easy and convenient aboard the CS35 Plus. This is thanks to its wireless smartphone charger. Passengers in the rear cabin will also appreciate the USB charging ports positioned just below the rear air-conditioning vents.

A closer look at the CS35 Plus Luxe's 10-inch touchscreen headunit

For the driver, a 10-inch digital gauge cluster is provided. Like the main headunit that it’s attached to, this offers a clean, crisp display. It is also responsive to inputs, and it can be configured to display various driving information on the fly.  

Other safety features found on the CS35 Luxe include an antilock braking system, hill hold control, hill descent control, electronic stability control, ISOFIX child seat anchors, speed-sensing door locks, and a total of six airbags.  

Also present to assist the driver is a front collision warning system, automatic emergency braking, tire pressure monitoring, blind spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control.  

It was fortunate that I didn’t get to use the front collision warning system and the automatic emergency system present aboard the CS35 Plus Luxe. Then again, these did provide an extra sense of security whilst I was testing out the vehicle.

Its 10-inch digital gauge cluster

I did make great use of the adaptive cruise control, which I found to be quite responsive in its automatic braking function. I didn’t get to drive the CS35 on a long road trip, but I think this feature will be great at reducing driving fatigue as well. 

Powering the CS35 Plus is a 1.4-liter turbocharged inline-4 gasoline engine. At the most, this four-banger is capable of outputting up to 154 horsepower and 260 Nm of torque. Power is then sent to its front wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch wet-type transmission.  

The CS35 Plus Luxe's 1.4-liter turbocharged engine

To be blunt, I found that driving the CS35 Plus is a joy. Maneuvering it on tight city roads, particularly the traffic-plagued EDSA was easy thanks to its responsive and precise steering. Overtaking other vehicles on the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) was also easy thanks to its engine’s torquey nature.  

Note that the CS35 Plus likewise gets a Sports mode. In this case, acceleration becomes livelier, and the rpms stay longer on high revs, so do watch out when turning this on while driving in the city.  

I did find that its accelerator pedal was a tad too soft. But then again, I got used to that fairly quickly. I also found its default steering feel to be on the sensitive side. 

It gets a flat-bottom steering wheel

Thankfully, the car does come with three different steering modes which are adjusted via the driving menu on the touchscreen headunit. This allows the driver to adjust the amount of assistance the power steering system provides. There’s the default setting, the light setting, and the sport setting. 

The sport setting provides the firmest steering feel. The light setting, as per its name, provides the softest steering feel. The default setting meanwhile, sits somewhere in between the two. On my end, I prefer the sport setting. In this mode, I found that it perfectly maintains steering preciseness without being too unbearably firm or too light. 

The center console gets plenty of decorative bits

Noise and vibrations were also minimal when cruising at regular speeds. But if one turns on the sport mode, some engine noise will be heard in the cabin. Then again, I found this sound to be pleasurable, and not grating in the least.  

On the highway and city roads, the ride was smooth in both cases. On the poorly maintained Commonwealth Avenue and EDSA however, I did feel that its suspension system was a bit on the firm side. This is especially true when taking on bumps and shallow potholes. 

In the city, the Changan CS35 Plus returned an average of 8.2 km/l while driving at 10 to 15 km/h.  

For highway driving meanwhile, the said model’s fuel economy figures clocked in at 15.5 km/l at an average speed of 90 km/h. Note that for both tests, there was a single occupant inside the CS35 Plus.  

Compare that to the Toyota Raize, which returned a fuel economy of 12 km/l in the city, and 22 km/l on the highway. There’s also the HR-V V, which returned 11 to 12 km/l in the city, and 19.4 km/l on the highway.  
 

I find the Changan CS35 Plus to be on par with its rivals in providing comfort and practicality. To this end, I can confidently say that it can indeed function as a good daily driver for the local setting.

As further proof for the latter, I found that it handles the streets, and even some tight alleyways of Metro Manila quite well. Plus, it gets plenty of amenities that will please even the fussiest of backseat riders.

This Changan model is offering plenty for its price

What sets it apart from the competition, however, is the way it combines a subtle exterior design and driving performance. Come to think of it, it reminds me of those quiet-looking but agile beasts that come from Europe.  

That quality in a car is seldom seen in present models, and it’s a dying breed if you will. Sure, there are others that are more than a match against the CS35 Plus in terms of driving dynamics, but most of those come with a hypermodern, attention-grabbing design.  

So if you’re looking for a not-so-flashy ride that has performance, then the Changan CS35 Plus Luxe might just tickle your fancy. And for Php 1,209,000 (price as tested), it won’t break your wallet too.