Details of Cars

Chery Eastar: the mid-size Chery with a limousine in the range

CHERY

Chery Eastar, front view
A 2006 Chery Eastar. Photo by Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The Chery Eastar is a mid-size car from the Chinese manufacturer Chery, sold at home as the Oriental Sun. Its first generation was criticised for looking much like the first-generation Daewoo Magnus, and the range later grew to include a limousine, a facelifted car sold as the Cowin 5 and a second generation.

Chery Eastar at a glance

Chery Eastar key facts
Maker Chery Automobile, Wuhu, China
Chinese name 东方之子, Oriental Sun
Class mid-size car
First generation styling close to the Chevrolet Epica and Daewoo Magnus
Body styles saloon, limousine, parade car, estate
2012 facelift also sold as the Chery Cowin 5
Second generation Chery Eastar II (E8), from 2012
Estate Chery Eastar Cross
Engine 1.8 97 kW (130 hp), 170 N·m
Engine 2.0 102 kW (137 hp) at 5,750 rpm, 182 N·m at 4,300–4,500 rpm

Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Eastar describes the two generations in a few short sections and gives no performance figures.

History of the Chery Eastar

First generation

The Eastar was Chery’s entry into the mid-size class. Its styling was controversial because it closely resembled the first-generation Chevrolet Epica and Daewoo Magnus saloons. Besides the standard car, Chery built a limousine version and parade cars. In 2012 the model received a major facelift and was also sold under the Cowin sub-brand as the Chery Cowin 5, alongside the other Cowin products.

Chery Eastar II, front view
A 2015 Chery Eastar II with the 1.8-litre engine. Photo by Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

Second generation

The Chery Eastar II, also called the Chery E8, went on sale in 2012. It was offered with a choice of two four-cylinder petrol engines: a 1.8-litre with 97 kW (130 hp) and 170 N·m of torque, and a 2.0-litre of 1,971 cc developing 102 kW (137 hp, 139 PS) at 5,750 rpm and 182 N·m between 4,300 and 4,500 rpm. An estate version with the same mechanical layout was sold as the Chery Eastar Cross.

Design and features

  • Limousine and parade cars: body variants built alongside the standard saloon.
  • Cowin 5: the 2012 facelift sold under Chery’s Cowin sub-brand.
  • Eastar Cross: an estate version of the second generation.

Chery Eastar versions

  • Eastar: the original mid-size saloon.
  • Eastar limousine and parade car: long-wheelbase and open versions.
  • Cowin 5: the facelifted first generation from 2012.
  • Eastar II (E8): the second generation from 2012.
  • Eastar Cross: the estate version of the second generation.

The Eastar was the largest saloon in the Chery range alongside the Chery A5, and it shared the showroom with the small Chery QQ3. More models are in the Chery collection.

Video: Chery Eastar (тест-драйв)

Video by Vito StreetLife on YouTube.

Sources

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