Already used: Electric SUV Voyah Free: Chinese touch to Maserati

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Europe is in front of Chinese automakers’ eyes. Hardly a day goes by without an automaker from the Middle Kingdom announcing its move to the heart of the old continent. Some of these Chinese automakers are newly established and often disappear as quickly as they arrive.

But Dongfeng does not belong to this category. Dongfeng Motor Corporation is a major player in China, selling more than three million vehicles annually. And he’s not entirely inexperienced on the international stage, either. Dongfeng has had or currently has various collaborations with foreign manufacturers such as Honda, Nissan or Renault.

Dongfeng launches luxury SUV in Europe

However, it is not easy for Chinese automakers to transition to Europe. Especially here and in Germany, drivers are demanding. Unlike its Asian rivals, which want to achieve too much at once, Dongfeng carefully plans its campaign of conquest, launching its premium subsidiary Voyah only in selected test markets such as Switzerland, the Netherlands, Finland and Denmark.

«Voyah comes from Voyager. That’s why our Voyah Free vehicle is primarily about traveling comfort,” explains Daniel Kirchert, founder and CEO of Noyo Mobility, which organizes sales and service in Switzerland and Europe. Kirchert has been working for BMW, Nissan and Byton in the large Asian market for more than 20 years. Having worked there, he knows both cultures very well.

Voyah Free will probably launch with us next year. Now it’s time to take a closer look at the electric SUV. At first glance, the Free radiator grille reminds us of the front part of the Maserati Levante. The interior is dominated by three 12.3-inch monitors that occupy the entire width of the front panel. The instrument panel and comfortable seats are covered in leather; According to its technical specifications, it is more suitable for comfortable travel rather than chasing corners.

Luxury glider instead of racing machine

However, the 2,340-kilogram electric four-wheel drive vehicle with 489 hp (360 kW) and 720 Nm of torque is not underpowered at all. Voyah Free accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds and reaches a top speed of 200 km/h. Thanks to the large 106.7 kWh battery, Free will be able to travel up to 500 WLTP kilometers on a single charge. When it comes to fast charging, the Chinese SUV is average at best at 100 kW; 20 to 80 percent of the energy tank is filled in 45 minutes. Voyah provides an average consumption of 20.2 kWh/100 km. During our test drive (motorway, city and country road) we reached 22.1 kWh.

On the go, we like the adaptive air suspension with 100 millimeters of suspension travel, the double-wishbone front axle and the multi-link axle at the rear. The adjustment is comfortable but not soft. Therefore, even in long waves the hull does not shake significantly. The steering needs a little more direct response, but it moves much more compliantly than many other models from China.

There are six different driving modes, from Eco to Sport plus, including a self-adjustable individual mode. Funny detail: In the Sport program, the front panel moves downwards, similar to the McLaren 720 S, allowing a better view of the bodywork and the road. It’s a neat trick, but a head-up display would have been more useful. The process is a bit cumbersome: all individual settings have to be made via the main menu. The infotainment system uses floor applications as the first access level, but in principle the menus need to be structured a little more clearly.

Price starts from around 70,000 francs

Voyah Free, which is 4.91 meters long, has sufficient space, including head and leg room. The trunk has a capacity of 560 to 1320 liters. There is also another 72 liters of cargo space in the front for charging cables and other items.

Finally, there is the price, which should start around 70,000 francs. When it comes to service, Noyo Mobility relies on the increasingly popular communication model via app. Approximately 80 percent of repairs are performed at the customer’s site. Pickup and delivery service is also offered. For all more complex interventions on the powertrain and battery there is a competence centre, supported by a network of partner workshops.

Source: Blick