Chery Eastar

The interior styling of the 2019 Chery Eastar isn’t necessarily awe-inspiring, but it certainly isn’t dull, either. The large, swooping design of the dashboard not only looks quite fancy but it also adds a sense of width to the cabin. The centrally-located instrument cluster is another instant eye-catcher, and is unlike most cars out there. There are also some faux wood and satin silver trim pieces to liven up the mood, and while the design is pretty decent, the same can’t be said about the poor quality of build and materials that are used.

Space for occupants is a complete non-issue, though the last row is only really comfortable for kids. The Chery Eastar comes with most of the basic features that one can expect, including power windows, electrically-adjustable ORVMs, leather-wrapped steering wheel, keyless entry, leather upholstery, electric sunroof, dash-integrated infotainment system, automatic climate control etc.

Most MPVs aren’t especially gorgeous or even a sight to behold. Designers prioritise practicality and user-friendly ergonomics over head-turning styling cues. While some MPVs look moderately stylish and suave, the 2019 Chery Eastar isn’t one amongst them. The front fascia on certain trims of the Eastar may remind you of an Audi RS5 from the mid-2000s. The long snout is characterised by a big (seemingly) single-piece grille with some chrome surrounds. The large, double-barrel headlights flanking the grille look purposeful, though not particularly tasteful. Finally, there’s a well-moulded bumper that features a couple of integrated foglights and air intake vents at the bottom.

The relatively bland-looking side profile of the Chery Eastar won’t stand out in a crowded parking lot, but the ‘sporty’ side skirts, chunky 16-inch alloy wheels, flared fenders, and some noticeable chrome detailing does spice things up a bit. Meanwhile, the rear window is flanked by a pair of vertically-arranged, partial-LED taillights and a high-mounted LED stop light. A protruding rear bumper with integrated foglights and a discreet single exhaust pipe finish off the whole package.

The 2019 Chery Eastar shares its basic underpinnings with the E8 mid-size sedan. However, the 1,560 kg, seven-seat Eastar is obviously larger and thus sports dimensions of 4,662 mm in length, 1,820 mm in width, 1,590 mm in height, and its wheelbase measures 2,800 mm.

The Chery Eastar features a fully-independent McPherson setup at the front and semi-independent ones at the back. Its softly-sprung suspension results in a comfortable ride without compromising highway stability. As expected, handling isn’t the Eastar’s strong suit, with enough body roll around bends to deter one from any kind of spirited driving. The cabin NVH levels are low enough at city pace, but they get irritable at highway speeds.

Under the bonnet of the 2019 Chery Eastar is a naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre four-popper that develops 134 hp and 180 Nm of torque. Not exactly an earth-scorcher, a 4-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive layout of the Eastar mean a top speed of 170 kmph. Meanwhile, fuel consumption stands at around 14 kmpl.

The Chery Eastar comes equipped with all-around disc brakes with ABS and EBD for improved braking performance. Other safety features include dual front airbags, high-strength steel impact protection beams and crumple zones resulting in a 4-star NCAP safety rating.

In conclusion, the 2019 Chery Eastar offers a fair package, especially if you’re on the lookout for a compact MPV around the RM 81,000 range. However, it’s certainly now quite old in the tooth, not the best-in-class, and doesn’t offer anything particularly special.