This $11,000-To-$15,000 GM Chinese SUV Doesn’t Seem Half Bad

Liuzhou Wuling Automobile Industry Co., also known as Wuling Motors or simply Wuling, is a Chinese automaker founded 14 years ago and currently based in the city of Liuzhou. It produces mostly cheap and simple vehicles designed with the only mission to transport people and cargo from point A to point B. With one of its latest models, though, Wuling seems to have entered relatively more luxurious territories.

A new video from the Wheelsboy channel on YouTube introduces us to the Wuling Asta, the company’s new crossover for the Chinese market. The high-riding people carrier wears the brand’s silver badge instead of the red badge seen on the cheaper models, signaling the Asta’s more premium aspirations. With a price range between RMB 69,800 and RMB 99,800 (approximately $10,800 to $15,400), it’s surely not expensive, though.

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The video review emphasizes the fact that the Asta has a more conventional design with no sloped roofline, which makes it look a little boxy. However, the two-tone exterior builds a more modern overall appearance. One thing worth pointing out at the back is the lack of any visible exhaust pipes, making the crossover look like an electric vehicle.

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There’s nothing electrifying about the powertrain, though, as there’s a General Motors-sourced 1.5-liter turbocharged engine under the hood. In fact, Wuling is part of a joint venture with SAIC Motor and General Motors, which easily explains the origins of the combustion engine. In the new Asta, the four-cylinder unit with 145 horsepower (108 kilowatts) and 184 pound-feet (250 Newton-meters of torque) is mated to a CVT gearbox. 

Gallery: 2021 Wuling Asta

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There are no official numbers about the 0-62 miles per hour (0-100 kilometers per hour) sprint and the host of the video summarizes that the crossover is “very, very slow” as “this is one of the places where you actually see the money being saved to get to this price point.” Surprisingly, however, the interior feels pretty nice for such a cheap vehicle. Learn more in the interesting and entertaining video at the top of this page. 

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