You’ve had the time to browse through our gallery of it, you might even have stumbled across ads of it on our sister classified site. Now, the Chery Maxime has been officially unveiled in Malaysia – the difference this time round is that it’s a world premiere for the seven-seat MPV.
Why us, you may ask? According to Chery Malaysia, our region is supposedly more interested in MPVs compared to China – resulting in priority given to the development of right-hand drive models. The locally-assembled (by Oriental Assemblers in Johor) MPV goes on sale in two different flavours, the Standard version that begins at RM86,800 while the Premium goes for RM93,800, on-the-road with insurance. A five-year/150,000 km warranty is included. Metallic paint adds RM600.
Opting for the Premium variant gets you a bodykit, tinted windows and leather seats, which are also optionally available a la carte on the Standard for RM2,300, RM1,200 and RM3,500 respectively. From an aesthetic point of view, you’d be forgiven for mistaking it as a heavily-revised Chery Eastar. It shares the Eastar’s wheelbase of 2,800 mm but that’s where the similarities end. The Maxime adds on 68 mm in length, totalling 4,730 mm while width is measured in at 1,823 mm.
The Chery Maxime is styled by a team comprised of Sergio Loureiro (formerly of BMW and Mercedes-Benz), Hakan Saracoglu (ex-Porsche) and James Brian Hope (ex-Daimler-Chrysler). While styling is definitely a subjective field, the combination of vertical LED daytime running lights (DRL) and an upswept headlight – which feature “Follow Me Home” and height-levelling capabilities – design lends it a distinctive look.
In profile, both variants get 16-inch alloy wheels, wrapped in 205/55 Goodyear Eagle NCT 5 tyres, while chrome strips help spice things up a little. The rear tailgate features an integrated third brake lamp with LED taillights and a rather thick chrome bar that dominates the number plate frame. Look closer and you’ll be able to spot the three-cell reverse sensors nestled between the rear fog lights/reverse lamps housing.
Under the hood, the Chery Maxime is powered by a 2.0 litre SQR484F four-cylinder mill with DVVT – variable valve timing on both the exhaust and intake camshafts. The four-banger, developed in conjunction with Austrian firm AVL, pumps out 136 hp at 5,750 rpm and 182 Nm of torque from 4,300 rpm to 4,500 rpm. A CVT with seven ‘ratios’ is the only transmission available while top speed is rated at 175 km/h.
At a constant speed of 90 km/h, official fuel consumption figure is quoted at 12.9 km/litre – the fuel tank holds 62 litres of petrol. In terms of safety equipment, both the Standard and Premium get discs brakes all round (ventilated front discs), two airbags, ABS, EBD, seat belts with pre-tensioners and Isofix seat anchors.
On the inside, the Premium variant receives the aforementioned leather seats while the former makes do with “advanced woven fabric” seats. The instrument cluster is reminiscent of the Eastar, with the addition of an instant fuel consumption readout. Across the board, sun visors with vanity lighting, adjustable headrests on all seats and a keyhole ‘halo’ indicator is featured.
Further standard equipment on both models include a radio/MP3 head unit with USB connectivity with six speakers and a manual air-con system (with rear under-seat vents). A leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel (a power-assisted hydraulic unit) with tilt adjustment, an eight-way adjustable driver seat, cruise control, one-touch lane change indicators and four power windows (no one-touch auto function) are to be found.
The second row of seats seats three with the middle occupant having to make do with a lap belt. It features a 60:40 split-folding capability and can be slid fore and aft. By bringing the seat bases forward, they can even be reclined or folded flat.
As for the third row, they seat two (each occupant gets a three-point belt) and feature a 50:50 split-folding configuration. Additional cargo space comes in the form of 24 storage places scattered throughout the car, including an underfloor storage space in the boot. A full-size spare tyre is to be found underneath the car.
Six colour options comprising of Snow White, Sapphire Silver, Sunbeam Silver, Brown Silver (yes, three ‘silvers’), Chilli Red and Mystic Black are featured. Need to know more about the Maxime MPV? Head on over to CarBase.my for a full rundown of the car.
Chery Maxime launch event, Chery Ampang Branch
Chery Maxime Standard
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AI-generated Summary ✨
Comments on the Chery Maxime MPV are mostly negative, highlighting structural design similarities to other vehicles, poor build quality, and frequent problems such as engine overheating, wiring faults, and gearbox issues. Several users express dissatisfaction with the reliability, spare parts availability, and after-sales service, with some advising to avoid the car altogether. A few comments compare it unfavorably with Japanese and Korean alternatives, criticizing high prices and safety concerns, and joke about rebranding or false similarities to premium brands. Despite some testers noting better handling and interior quality than previous models, overall sentiment is that the MPV is overpriced, unsafe, and unreliable, with many commenters warning potential buyers against purchasing due to ongoing issues and poor long-term value.