Chery A3 Sedan sighted on the PLUS highway

Chery A3 Sedan sighted on the PLUS highway

Yet another Chinese make sighted on test in Malaysia – this time it’s a Chery A3 sedan and it was snapped on the PLUS highway near Perak by Kevin Lee.

This car is known with many different names in the markets where it is available. It’s been known to called the Chery Tengo, the Chery Chance, the Chery Niche, the Chery Skin, the Chery Orinoco, or good old alphanumeric codes like the A3, the J3, or the M11.

It’s powered by a range of Chery’s own ACTECO four cylinder engines such as a 119hp/147Nm 1.6 litre, a 132hp/170Nm 1.8 litre and a 139hp/183Nm 2.0 litre. Judging from it’s 2,550mm wheelbase, it’s a B-segment compact sedan like the Honda City and the Toyota Vios.

Chery hasn’t been doing too badly in Malaysia. The Chery Eastar MPV seems popular and has been selling relatively well in comparison to other Chinese passenger cars that have been introduced in Malaysia.

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • kucing on Jun 04, 2012 at 12:51 am

    Gen2/pesona tail lamp

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
  • tunguuu on Jun 04, 2012 at 1:01 am

    this has a better interior than the so called global preve…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 2
    • Sepot Reem on Jun 04, 2012 at 3:10 pm

      better? have you been inside this car? or have u driven it?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • Andaman on Jun 04, 2012 at 1:39 am

    The car actually looks good. Looks Korean and Continental-ish at the same time. Nice one Chery.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Lim Kopi on Jun 04, 2012 at 7:07 pm

      I am not a fan of chinese cars …. But with their arrival…

      Can only mean more threat for our Beloved Proton and Perodua

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
      • be sensible on Jun 04, 2012 at 10:54 pm

        proton better hv tough rivalry as we expect MORE from it…sth like solar rooftop to save energy, rear view mirror with blind spot & parking indicators or auto controller to darken / lighten the light passing through the window (just like the technology available in boeing 787)…proton shd be class leader…not copycat…

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • downsys on Jun 04, 2012 at 2:59 am

    Reminds me a bit of the Kizashi, which, I have yet to see on the roads.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • anyone notice no rear door handle? but its nice to have rear brake disc.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • there is a door handle hidden like the Alfa Romeos. look properly and u will see it.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • BeemerFreak on Jun 04, 2012 at 10:45 am

      It is Alfa style hidden in the C Pillar….pay close attention to it

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Cowabunga on Jun 04, 2012 at 8:41 am

    The E4G16 engine will not be available..sadly. And most variants are in 5-spd manual.

    C-NCAP safety 5 stars…if you want to believe chinese safety testing.

    oneshift.com reviewer spit off it bad fuel consumption…so..beware.
    the car also doesn’t pull greatly, but only after 3k+rpm, to take the 147Nm of torque.

    I do not think the rear seats fit in people with taller than 5ft 6in…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • beffy on Jun 04, 2012 at 8:43 am

    how’s its handling fair to vios, city, fiesta, mazda2 and persona?
    really want to know, please do a review

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • shawal on Jun 04, 2012 at 8:43 am

    rear door handles on the c pillar ,
    cohesive overall design
    dual tail pipes , fit & finish looks so so
    if performance, refinement, after sales service and reliability is up to standards, then its not a bad propsition , A major step this chinese automaker

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • clemenza on Jun 04, 2012 at 8:46 am

    better buy malaysian car than this piece of crap..no spare part, hard to find service center, buy today 60k tomorrow sell 20k, plus people will laugh at the owner..people with a less brain will buy this car, trust me!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
    • BeemerFreak on Jun 04, 2012 at 10:48 am

      trust me it is people like you who have no brain more so in 10 years time. Obviously you have not watched top gear, even Jeremy Clarkson who hates chinese cars admits at the rate they are growing, it wont be long before everyone would drive a chinese car. And if we had your kind of mentality those days before the Japanese cars became popular, then they wouldnt have been popular at all. Trust me YOU ARE THE STUPID one more so in a few years to come

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • babygrand on Jun 04, 2012 at 11:38 am

        Well said Bro and no need wait for few year he deserve his stupidity. Anyway no offense we are will wish him continue to success as same as proton. My very last words ” DARE TO CHANGE ” with the tiger logo

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
      • clemenza on Jun 04, 2012 at 9:02 pm

        forget to tell you..now we can find the spare part at RM 2.00 shop, if im not mistaken..coz the car smell like the RM2.00 shop!!!

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
      • Check out the prices of used Chery Alados in the classifieds, u will probably suffer heart attack

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • Jeremy Clarkson is a clown, don’t believe him at all

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • 4G63T DSM on Jun 04, 2012 at 12:27 pm

      I wont be so fast to dismiss chinese marque. While I would still prefer to get a Malaysian made car at current generation, given how fast the chinese have been improving on each generation (ignoring any copy -paste accusations), it wont be long that chinese cars would improve exponentially. Granted, most of what you see of chinese cars have been quite rubbish but the better manufacturers will get better and the bad ones will go the way of the dodo. Natural selection automotive style. Not to forget, the newer Chinese cars has a lot of european input.

      Not long ago the same was said about the Koreans (and not that long ago, the Japanese), and for all intents and purposes, the Chinese are out developing the Koreans in terms of scale and sheer quantum of improvement at each generation.

      What they lack now is local support in terms of parts and service. Once the principals improve infrastructure, Chinese cars will gain momentum. The Eastar wasn’t a bad car. A bit plasticky on the inside and build quality is hit and miss, but the first generation 4G64 powered unit were quite reliable. Not tried their new ACTECO 2.0 so can’t comment there yet.

      Give the chinese 2 more generations (and that like what? 5 years..LOL)and I would not be surprised if they made a better car than what proton could muster.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • Whynot on Jun 05, 2012 at 3:50 am

        Copycats or not, soon when not much of a new design or of difference, everyone is near to a copycat. I don’t mind buying a copycat as long as its suit my budget. How I wish everyone can copy Lotus, Lambo or Ferra as soon as possible and sell it cheaply. Then every poor men dream are realized. Aren’t you all happy?

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • babygrand on Jun 04, 2012 at 9:06 am

    This is how people to compete global automobile, very nice B – segment Car. Proton so called 20 years experience try to look at this B segment car and please review again your so proud prever, If u still can’t found anything please close down the factory don’t ever wasted tax payer hard earned money. Again your prever door welding help malaysia to get the world record.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • zidane on Jun 04, 2012 at 9:32 am

      buy this car than talk…

      just because you hate proton, doesnt mean that it is the worst of all cars in the world…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
      • Peter on Jun 04, 2012 at 10:55 pm

        Proton, not yet the worst, but almost (pls check user feedback on Preve at any forum). It’s not the technology draw back. It’s the quality & QC.

        Proton is improving, this’s true. But the rate it grows is slower than other competitor. Pls … don use “buy this car than talk” such wording. Anyone can giv opinion without anyone’s qualifying.

        Cheers

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • “Proton, not yet the worst, but almost (pls check user feedback on Preve at any forum). It’s not the technology draw back. It’s the quality & QC.”

        only small problems but toyota and honda have massive recalls all over the world, more serious problems, some regarding safety

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • What a brilliant guy!

      You haven’t yet seen the car, haven’t tested it and it’s even not yet sold in Malaysia and you can already conclude that it’s a very nice B-segment car and start to ask other people to close their factory.

      Don’t worry, I’ll pick you up as my CEO when I open up my new car factory. Please say my new car is very, very nice…………………………. even if you haven’t seen it.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • cl_qwertyuiop on Jun 04, 2012 at 10:35 am

      Enough of the door wielding complain. My Honda Insight too having this kind of crap wielding and I didn’t brag about it for its still provide a safe crash rating.

      If any of you who afraid that your car would rust when getting a funny wielding job, rest assure that all modern car body had gone through an anti corrosion treatment by submerge the entire car body frame into the anti rust liquid pool before proceed on paint job.

      Please search it in Google or Youtube for the topic “How a car is made”. 10q.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • what’s so good about this car?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • mrkthxbai on Jun 07, 2012 at 7:00 pm

      1) anti – gov
      2) anti local product
      3) ah beng?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • I admit Chery Easter MPV is much better looking than Exora, but this Chery A3 sedan is not attractive if compare to Preve. Preve has more continental look and has a audi-ish front design ;)
    Last time many ppl don’t like Preve’s ugly rear design, IMO this Sedan is more ugly lolx, …

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • are u blind or what?the new Exora Bold looks stunning compare to Eastar

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • i think its not perfect time to sell chery A3 here. I think they will lose to Preve’. high spec at very affordable price. I think A3 can make a good step for chery if they sell it 5 month before Preve’ launch. i think its directly compete to persona la.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • cheary eastar got no turbo
      boooo!!!!

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • ss427 on Jun 04, 2012 at 10:04 am

    Do you guys really have to spend $$ on these pirated Chinese cars? :( Do you enjoy things breaking down on you, and sometimes, literall break OFF from you just 1-2 months of ownership?

    In SG, Chinese Crap cars have all but died off already… thank god! :D Only Chery is ard but theyr’re selling 0 cars per year so that’s the fun of it. :D

    Come to SG and check out this A3 lor… Pics can be super decieving… the build quality is horrible, panel gaps is as wide as the Singapore River, there’s rough orange peel in the paint on some panels, the plastic used is just laughable..

    Yet its not much cheaper than a Forte 1.6SX in SG…

    Parts is very expensive and no stockist will carry them… so you die die have to buy from dealer, and they too faced parts shortage for Chinese car companies are more interested in your initial purchase than after sales support

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Value Car on Jun 04, 2012 at 1:53 pm

      from your comment i can see you are from SG or have live there sometime.
      Forte 1.6 is one of the cheapest car over there which price lower than Proton Saga and Perodua Myvi.

      Your comment on China Car does make good reference for Malaysian.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • ss427 on Jun 04, 2012 at 2:51 pm

        Well the Myvi and Saga is still cheaper than the Forte 1.6SX here… but like I said, even when COE prices were less crazy 2 yrs ago, Myvi and Saga were so cheap that nobody buys them :D

        Yes I’m from sillypore :)

        Driving and owning a chinese pirated car in SG is most sucidal.. By logic, you buy them only because you can’t afford anything better.

        YET…. the utter lack of reliablity and the dearth of spares in SG will make sure that owning that cheap tin can on wheels can be as complicated as owning a super exotic car. :D

        Geely, Greatwall, Wuling, etc had left SG already. owners who are still driving cars from these companies can really bang wall. I heard they have no choice but to find parts on Alibaba or Taobao.com

        The irony is that, chances of finding parts is slim and you may end up buying pirated parts too! Yes, the car itself is already a rip off from established manufacturers…. yet there are pirates in China that will pirate parts for these pirated cats!!

        China is such a great place to live in…:D:D

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Value Car on Jun 04, 2012 at 10:08 am

    Seems nice and probably nice price as well at RM40k range.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • This is our 2nd comment hoping that the price will be within the RM40k range.

      Now, go back and pray hard for the the pigs to fly. Maybe then will they offer this unproven car at RM40k.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • sleepwalkerz on Jun 04, 2012 at 10:17 am

    I can smell RM2 shop when I enter any chinese car. Will this car be in my list?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • zanggief on Jun 04, 2012 at 10:39 am

    A younger manufacturer than our so call global player that have longer experience…yet the gap is already narrower and believe this can be easily overtook…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • The interior, especially the dashboard and tacho actually look pretty good for a cheap B-segment car

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • After looking at it from the front, rear & interior.. I must say the Chinese is really smart!!!
    Considering that Hyundai is doing well in North America, Euro.. ops! I should say GLOBAL, the Chinese imitating subject change focus on that. The first look on is it a Booted Hyundai i30, even the interior design hint a little (especially on the air cond design)..
    Looking forward to test drive one.. even though I’m a little skeptical on Chinese product but as of now, they growing very fast to meet the market’s needs..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • kamaji on Jun 04, 2012 at 11:54 am

    Overall package not really impressive, to survive sell it dirt cheap with pricing lower than P1’s saga or P2’s myvi and most important good after-sales support with reasonably priced spares.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • wolfsburg on Jun 04, 2012 at 12:40 pm

    Proton really need to learn from them… The design is a lot more cohesive than the Preve

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • fuuuuyoooo A3!!!

    beli.. pakai.. rosak.. buang

    awesome; good job!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • ben yap on Jun 04, 2012 at 3:03 pm

    the 2.0 and 1.8 variant is too low horsepower on paper. it should put out more hp.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Mcron on Jun 04, 2012 at 3:21 pm

    The proudest moment of owning this car ” I drove an A3!”

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • The interior looks good. Can’t say the same about the exterior though.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • nighttrain on Jun 04, 2012 at 4:40 pm

    MAKE IT STOP! Send the uglies back to Mainland!!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • This manufacturer cannot be trusted one. Even the name also they cannot decide.

    But maybe they want to list it in Guiness Book as The Car with The Most Names.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Please stop flooding malaysia with these ugly car….even chinese people dont buy their chinese brand car in Beijing u can see a lot of VW, BMW & Audi.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • kereta cap ayam…far better p1 and p2 than this crap,how come can enter malaysian market

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • kereta cap ayam ? are you referring to proton ? or perodua ?

      Chery is far more advanced than your proton jaguh kampung …

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • raven on Jun 05, 2012 at 12:11 am

        “your proton jaguh kampung”???????? WTF???
        so where are u from?????

        this chery was from your country????????
        u must be from china rite????

        coz if not..
        u really make me puke…
        sick.. sick.. sick… people…

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • mrkthxbai on Jun 07, 2012 at 7:07 pm

        advance? r u dreaming. wake up ah beng!

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • omanjedi on Jun 04, 2012 at 6:05 pm

    I’ll be buying a Chinese Car in the future. Maybe Chery A3 Mark 4

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • can we not bring in these nonsense to malaysia?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • RedBeanBun on Jun 04, 2012 at 10:48 pm

    China attack!!!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Maybe can find spare parts in pasar malam only, beside those pirated dvd stalls

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • RejimKejamGanas on Jun 04, 2012 at 11:36 pm

    What all the naysayers don’t understand is that this car is on par or better than a Proton Saga. If Malaysians can put up with trash like that from Proton, they sure can put up with this.

    If the sales of Saga is any indication, we should see these quite often on the road. Unless Proton buck up, no amount of tax protection is going to fend of the onslaught of equal class competitors.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • yaks! ugly with pig-skin lining interior..hahah

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  • junjun on Jun 05, 2012 at 10:00 am

    TAIL LAMP LOOK LIKE 2012 HONDA CIVIC….MEHHH, CIVIC COPY THIS CAR TAIL LAMP OR THIS CAR COPY CIVIC TAIL LAMP….BTW I THINK THIS CAR BETTER THAN PLODON SAGA…DRIVE IT TO BELIEVE IT…MUAHAHA

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • I am beginning to like China made cars. Just love the design. Much much better than Preve

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • A number of people here always praise China-made cars and always condemn our local cars in all the threads.

    But I wonder, as of today, since China-made cars are sooooo good(to them), how many of them are willing to use their hard earned money to actually buy one China-made car.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • raven on Jun 05, 2012 at 2:16 pm

      trust me..
      THEY DONT DARE..

      here they just talk shit only..

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • RejimKejamGanas on Jun 06, 2012 at 2:35 am

        You mean you don’t see Malaysians driving China made cars on the road? I’ve seen more Eastar than Exora on the road.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • RejimKejamGanas,

        More Eastar than Exora on the road????

        You must have failed your Standard 1 math in school.

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  • i think they should bring in A3 hatchback version rather than sedan version bcoz lack of competition in RM 45, 000 – RM 60, 000 price bracket. only Satria Neo, Myvi, Swift will be close competitor but practicality, 5 door hatchback i think can sell well in Malaysia. for sedan i think they shoudl bring better design and better equip Riich G5 car to compate in C segment. size wise its between C and D segment car. price it between RM 75, 000 – RM 85, 000 (bcoz price in china near to MPV Chery Eastar), i think they can sell well in Malaysia.

    Riich G5
    http://www.cheryinternational.com/G5/

    A3 hatchback
    http://www.cheryinternational.com/A3-Hatchback/

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Dont be too positive on China cars thinking they can take over the world in 2 more generations, they cant even produce decent world class brand like tv and even handphones

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • nighttrain on Jun 06, 2012 at 12:00 am

    who the heck are these people defending Mainland cars.. come back when you get 5 star Euro NCAP and a 200hp 2.0 hot hatch. If Europe don’t want it, Malaysia don’t want it too.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • TAHIR PELIER on Jun 19, 2012 at 5:10 pm

    come anti-G supporter, proton and perodua is corrupted and cronies supporter. support mainland cars, buy it, u will be praised by your friends and neighbours because u have money to buy imported cars.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Saw this car @ 9th June when going to Melaka, it seems the car could really speed! Proof : http://imgur.com/8HHnt & http://imgur.com/2AZET

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • china car are not good handling,proton are better because lotus handling,campro are more power

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • hart932 on Aug 07, 2014 at 11:15 pm

    Are u aware that in actual 90% of equipment that most of us owned has a China made component inside? Irrespective of EU, USA, M’sia brand, a china made component is giving you the reliability & confidence..cause if it fails, the entire product becomes a lemon.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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