The Chery A5 is a compact sedan that Chery produced from 2006 to 2010. It was based on the General Motors J platform and was a facelift of the Daewoo Lacetti, and it was sold in Russia first as the Chery Fora assembled at Avtotor and then as the Vortex Estina built at TagAZ.
Chery A5 at a glance
| Maker | Chery Automobile, Wuhu, China |
|---|---|
| Production | 2006–2010; Cowin 3 facelift 2010–2013 |
| Basis | General Motors J platform, facelift of the Daewoo Lacetti |
| Engines | 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0-litre Acteco, designed with AVL |
| 1.6-litre | 87.5 kW (119 PS), 147 N·m, 180 km/h, 6.6 l/100 km |
| 1.8-litre | 97 kW (132 PS), 170 N·m, 185 km/h, 6.8 l/100 km |
| 2.0-litre | 102 kW (139 PS), 182 N·m, 230 km/h with manual gearbox |
| Gearbox | five-speed manual, four-speed automatic |
| Brakes | ventilated front discs of 275 mm, rear discs of 255 mm |
| Russia | Chery Fora (Avtotor) 2007–2008, Vortex Estina (TagAZ) 2008–2012 |
| Other names | Chery Elara in Ukraine, Speranza A516 in Egypt, MVM 520/530 in Iran |
| Hybrid | A5ISG and A5BSG |
History of the Chery A5
A Lacetti in Chinese dress
The A5 was introduced in 2006 and built until 2010, as a sedan on the General Motors J platform that also underlay the Daewoo Lacetti. Its styling owed much to the Nissan Altima and Maxima of the time, although the cars were unrelated. A facelifted version was sold as the Cowin 3 from 2010 to 2013. Three Acteco engines were offered, all developed with the Austrian engineering company AVL: a 1.6-litre with 87.5 kW (119 PS) and 147 N·m for a top speed of 180 km/h; a 1.8-litre with 97 kW (132 PS) and 170 N·m; and a 2.0-litre with 102 kW (139 PS) and 182 N·m, which reached 230 km/h with the manual gearbox and 180 km/h with the automatic. ABS, EBD and ESP were part of the specification.
In Russia
Between 2007 and 2008 the car was assembled in semi-knocked-down form at the Avtotor plant in Kaliningrad and sold as the Chery Fora; 6,995 were sold in Russia in 2007 and the assembly ended in April 2008. From August 2008 the model was built at TagAZ in Taganrog under the Vortex brand as the Vortex Estina, at first from kits and later with full welding and painting. It was offered in three trim levels with a manual gearbox only, from 379,900 to 429,900 roubles, positioned between the Hyundai Accent and the Hyundai Elantra. In the first ten months of 2009 5,433 Estinas were sold, making it the most popular Chinese model in Russia, and by the autumn of 2012 more than 13,900 had been delivered. A facelifted Estina FL-C followed in 2012.
A hybrid and other markets
The A5 was also sold as the Chery Elara in Ukraine, the Speranza A516 in Egypt and the MVM 520 and 530 in Iran, and it was replaced in the Chery range by the Chery E5. A hybrid version named the A5ISG or A5BSG was produced as well, and is considered the first mass-production hybrid designed in China.
Design and features
- General Motors J platform: the basis shared with the Daewoo Lacetti.
- Three engines: 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0-litre Acteco units from 119 to 139 PS.
- Safety equipment: ABS, EBD and ESP in the specification.
- Hybrid version: the A5ISG and A5BSG, described as China’s first mass-production hybrid.
Chery A5 versions
- Chery A516, A518 and A520: the 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0-litre versions.
- Chery Fora: the Russian car assembled at Avtotor in 2007–2008.
- Vortex Estina: the TagAZ-built Russian version from 2008, later the Estina FL-C.
- Chery Elara: the Ukrainian name.
- Cowin 3: the facelifted car sold from 2010 to 2013.
The A5 was the larger stablemate of the Chery A3 and was replaced in the range by the Chery E5, a development of the same car. More models are in the Chery collection.
Sources
- Chery A5, English Wikipedia: production, platform, engines, hybrid
- Chery A5, Russian Wikipedia: Russian assembly, sales figures, brakes and dimensions
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