Over the past decades, many new automobile brands have appeared on Russian roads. First, old cars were imported from abroad. Later, new machines that just came off the assembly line appeared. In domestic realities, SUVs were the most popular. The last type of supply to date has been screwdriver assembly (SKD) assembly at Russian factories for products primarily from the Korean and Chinese automobile industries.
Car history
The Derways-Aurora car (313150) was presented at the Automobile World international exhibition in St. Petersburg in April 2006 by the Russian automobile company Derways. And the first sample came off the assembly line in June of that year.
A private company that was established in 2002, three years later began to work with Chinese suppliers of components and car kits. At her automobile factory in Karachay-Cherkessia, they first assembled a Cowboy car of their own design, which had no commercial success, and then switched to SKD-assembly of Chinese pickups and SUVs.
One of the flagships of the line was the Derways Aurora car, created on the basis of the Chinese SUV, which was produced by Liaoning Shuguang Automotive, somewhat modernized and adapted for operation in Russian climatic conditions.
In the summer of 2007, the production of the restyled Aurora II model began in three trim levels. The SUV is slightly different from its predecessor in appearance with the amount of chrome trim on the front bumper and grille. The factory index remained the same (313150), neither the dimensions nor the main technical characteristics of the car changed.
Vehicle description
Aurora cars of Sino-Japanese-Russian and even a little Korean origin are assembled on a rigid frame, which leaves an imprint on their appearance. Five-door cars with all-wheel drive are designed for off-road use, but they behave well on city streets.
The Korean component is represented by external resemblance to the outdated SsangYong Rexton model, including a kind of spoiler on the tailgate. And if in the first issues the number of chrome parts in the exterior trim was reduced, then in the restyled model this omission was eliminated by the large chrome trim on the front bumper and grille.
Chassis, powertrain originally from Japan, assembly and painting - Russian, and everything else belongs to China.
Vehicle interior
The first thing everyone pays attention to when they look at the Derways Aurora interior is the color scheme, which is very reminiscent of Land Cruiser Prado. The front panel and the central tunnel made of black plastic with aluminum trim look solid. The drivers, according to reviews, are puzzled by the very fair skin on the gear lever (it is changed to a more practical one immediately), soft cream artificial leather of seats and easily soiled carpet on the floor.
Neither the driver nor the passengers are happy. If there is enough space in the back seats: there is where to place the legs, and even the head of a tall person does not rest against the ceiling, then without a habit it’s hard for a driver to not only fit in the cabin, but also drive a car. Not only not enough space is available, the steering and seat adjustment ranges are limited. The advantage of the Derways-Aurora SUV, reviews confirm this, consider the convenient location of all buttons and keys and their functionality.
A comfortable and large trunk is closed with a curtain, most likely, from the eyes of the curious passengers of the SUV itself, since from the outside you still can’t see anything through the factory-darkened glass.
Powertrain and Transmission
The Derways-Aurora is equipped only with the Japanese Mitsubishi 4G64S4 engine , the volume of which is 2.4 liters and the power is 126 liters. from. In the Russian version with such a gasoline engine, it is possible to install a five-speed manual gearbox, in which there is no downshift characteristic of SUVs. This engine is not new, old enough, but reliable, time-tested.
The Chinese counterpart is also available with automatic transmission and a 2.2 liter gasoline engine or 2.8 liter diesel. Rear wheel drive is also possible.
The Mitsubishi engine runs on petrol no lower than the A-92 and consumes 11-15 liters of fuel per 100 km, like many SUVs. The maximum speed of Aurora is 160 km / h, the car accelerates to 100 km / h in 13 seconds.
The brake system includes front ventilated disc and rear drum brakes. The front suspension is torsion independent on double wishbones, the rear is spring dependent. Drivers of the Derways-Aurora SUV pay attention to it.
Specifications
Fans of off-road driving do not consider Derways-Aurora a full-fledged SUV. The front axle is optionally connected, the rear differential is self-locking, the clearance is 220 mm and the high wheel arches that allow the installation of larger diameter wheels are all the hallmarks of the SUV class.
Dimensions "Aurora" (length × width × height) - 4.8 × 1.8 × 1.9 m, front wheel track - 1.5 m, rear wheel - 1.49 m, wheel size - 235/65, alloy wheels R17.
The curb weight of the vehicle is 1.7 tons; the permissible weight is 2.45 tons.
SUV Options
In the basic configuration of the Derways-Aurora car, a leather interior, an airbag, climate control, information about the operation of which is displayed, an electric steering column and front seat adjustment, a central locking with remote control, fog lights, parking sensors, a multi-disc player (CD -Changer), turn signal repeaters in the rear-view mirrors, too bright according to the reviews of the owners.
In general, the poor basic equipment can not be called.
The restyled version has a 2DIN radio, and two more configurations have appeared, except for the basic “Standard”. The Comfort set does not have a limited-slip differential, the suite is equipped with an elegant leather interior and a sunroof, and the Comfort and Suite trim levels have an ABS braking safety system.
SUV reviews
Drivers respond to the Derways-Aurora with some leniency. Chinese roots speak for themselves. Therefore, they do not expect anything supernatural from the car, which means there are no disappointments. Everyone visually likes the interior decoration, but it is noted that the seats are hard and slippery, the head restraints are low and uncomfortable.
Increasingly more or less tall drivers complain about the lack of free space for them, both when landing and when driving.
Those who are often forced to transport bulk cargoes are surprised why the back seat does not fall flush with the floor, as in all modern SUVs, but note the convenience of having a window in the rear window.
Some say that the stream of heated air from the stove under the front passenger seat quickly reaches the rear sofa, and the interior warms up just as quickly. But there are also opposing reviews.
What is still important for Russian drivers is repair. Derways-Aurora is a fairly reliable car, but drivers note that there are still problems with spare parts, they often have to be ordered and waiting for delivery.
There is no consensus on the review from the driver's seat. It is located in the Aurora high enough, but the front pillars are quite wide, and the shape of the rear view mirrors is not very good.
Test Drive
The Derveis-Aurora car, according to experienced drivers, behaves best on country roads. The transmission works well, and engine power is enough. And off-road qualities are rated mediocre.
In the city, neither the engine nor the manual gearbox are satisfactory.
As for the behavior on the highway, all drivers are unanimous - for high-speed trips Aurora is not intended. Lack of steering (poor feedback), which is not critical on the streets, becomes critical on the road. In addition, the car is swinging, yaw is quite noticeable, control becomes difficult even at speeds of about 100 km / h.
Summing up, we can say that the Chinese SUV of the Russian assembly with the Japanese engine has many shortcomings, but there are many advantages in it. One of the main ones is affordable prices with a fairly rich configuration and build quality.
Especially poetic reviews draw analogies in name to the historical cruiser. Be that as it may, Aurora has been on the market for ten years, and whether it will develop further, time will tell ...