Test drive Custu: It may be the biggest surprise of Beijing Hyundai this year!

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This week, I interviewed Beijing Hyundai 4S Store. I didn't expect Kustu to test drive to the store, but there was only a 2.0T top model. How does this car drive? After the first experience, share it with everyone.

Accurate positioning of home use

Custu is an interesting car. It looks small, but its actual size is very large.

The length, width and height of Kusitu are 4950/ 1850/ 1734 mm, and the wheelbase is 3055 mm, which completely surpasses the Odyssey (the length, width and height of Odyssey are 4847/ 1820/ 1702 mm, and the wheelbase is 2900 mm). Its wheelbase is only more than 3 cm different from that of ES Luzun of GL8 (GL8 wheelbase is 3088 mm). In terms of size, it is stuck between Odyssey and GL8.

But with such a large size, it feels a little small visually. The reason may be its front face. Custu's front face contour lines are "retracted" as a whole, which makes the front air intake grille particularly eye-catching, but at the same time weakens the presence of headlights. The whole face is biased towards SUV.

If it is a business MPV, it will enlarge the outline of the front face as much as possible and make a "Chinese face" to highlight the business temperament as much as possible. For example, Chuanqi M8 and GL8 are all in this style. However, it is obvious that the design starting point of Cool Map is home use, so reducing the impact area, reducing wind resistance and fuel consumption are the primary considerations.

In addition, its daytime running lights, like Tucson L, also adopt a hidden design, which is integrated with the grille when it is not lit, and will stand out when it is lit. This has become the iconic design of modern families.

Another highlight of the exterior is the use of electric sliding doors on both sides of Coustou Road. In addition to pulling the button to drive a car, there is a third way, which I think is very convincing: remote key opening.

There are two holding buttons on the key. Long press can remotely open and close the two sliding doors, and complete all operations when the vehicle is turned off. Compared with Honda's magic induction door, remote key opening is obviously more convenient and practical, and it is also more ceremonial.

There are surprises in the second row of seats.

Although in terms of appearance and size, the style is more home-oriented. However, the second row seat in Coustau gave me a real surprise-let's just say that this Coustau is full of tricks, creating a sense of ceremony and comfort for the second row passengers.

First of all, this co-pilot seat not only has the functions of ventilation and heating, but also has the function of "rear entry". Click and touch on the central control screen of 10.4 inch, and the co-pilot seat will automatically move forward, and the back of the chair can be folded forward at a certain angle, leaving enough space for the second row of passengers to get in and out.

(Press "Back row in and out" and the second row of seats will move forward automatically)

Secondly, in addition to the electric adjustment of the front and rear and backrest angles, the two seats in the rear row also add a "leisure mode" and a "sleep mode". Both functions can be operated by the front passengers on the central control screen, and there are corresponding start buttons on the armrests of the rear seats.

(1 is leisure mode, 2 is sleep mode, and the reset button is on the right).

I tried to click on the "leisure mode" of the right back seat, and found that at this time, the co-pilot seat will automatically move forward and the back of the chair will tilt at a certain angle-at this time, the right back seat will move backward first, and then the whole seat will tilt backward. The leg rest will also pop up automatically. Turn into a "lounge chair."

If "Sleep Mode" is turned on, the right rear seat will first move to the middle, and then close to "lying flat", becoming an approximate "single bed" (but not completely lying flat).

Designs similar to "backward" and "one-button lying flat" are still very rare in previous MPV models. Custu is the first to lead the trend this time.

The seating space in the third row is also better than expected. First of all, the floor sinking design makes the height of the seat at least 30 cm, which is much stronger than many 7-seat SUVs. Secondly, there is enough legroom, so it is more comfortable to sit with three adult men.

Equipped with bright spots

Rich configuration has always been the advantage of Korean cars. This Cousteau top model has a full set of voice control, parking assistance, panoramic sunroof, electric adjustment, heating, ventilation and front wireless charging position. The main driver's seat provides seat memory.

The glass on both sides of the second row is also equipped with a sunshade curtain, which gives consideration to privacy and heat insulation. There are independent heating, ventilation and wireless charging in the back row.

Custu has independent air conditioning in the third row. From my practical experience, it is very important to have independent air conditioning in the third row, because MPV has a large body, and it is difficult for cold air to blow to the third row quickly when the weather is very hot. And there is independent air conditioning control, which can make the third row more comfortable.

In addition, this full-speed adaptive cruise also left a deep impression on me. It can be turned on when it is still started, and it can also be used flexibly in downtown areas.

It doesn't drive like MPV.

This time, Costu launched 1.5T and 2.0T, all of which are equipped with 8AT gearbox. This is the first time in Beijing Hyundai. Although the ride comfort of modern 7-speed dual clutch is not a big problem in actual driving, "preconceptions" still make many consumers turn pale. But this time, the whole 8AT system also reassured many people.

The 1.5T, 2.0T and 8AT gearboxes on Kustu are all from modern Mobius, and the origin of "self-production and self-sale" ensures the maturity of its power matching.

Although this Kustu 2.0T+8AT combination has 236 horsepower output, the overall adjustment style of the engine and gearbox is not very radical and sporty. The sense of acceleration is very linear, the impact of shifting (or pushing back) is not very strong, and the overall smooth and comfortable guidance is very clear. This gearbox has a very detailed, dense and smooth shifting feeling whether it is accelerating sharply or going uphill. If you want to increase driving pleasure, using a shift paddle with a throttle can create some impact of shifting and feel some excitement of aggressive driving. But I found that when the speed is 80-90 yards per hour, the gearbox can already be upgraded to eighth gear.

In addition to the obvious noise when the accelerator suddenly accelerates, the noise control of this car in daily urban driving is excellent, and the tire noise and wind noise can be controlled to the extent of "you don't mention it, I won't pay attention at all".

As for the steering and chassis, my biggest feeling is that compared with the "big cars" such as GL8 and Ailishen, Kustu's overall feeling is more compact and flexible, unlike MPV, more like SUV, and there is no "dragging feeling" of traditional MPV. In addition, the relatively low driving posture also enhances this feeling.

Modern "Unexpected Joy" in Beijing

It is said that when Kustu was unveiled at Chengdu Auto Show this year, every store of Beijing Hyundai's Chengdu dealers received twenty or thirty orders, and the results even exceeded the expectations of the manufacturers. When the reporter interviewed Chongqing 4S store, the store also received more than a dozen orders. The sales manager of 4S shop told me that Custo really boosted the confidence of dealers.

"People who come to the store to see Kustu, the locked competing models are Odyssey, but our size and price are much better than Odyssey". The sales manager told me, "As for Chuanqi M8, there are basically no customers to compare."

The main price of Odyssey is in the range of 250,000-300,000 yuan. According to the current pre-sale price of Kusitou (17.58-2188,800 yuan), the difference between Odyssey and Kusitou is 70,000-80,000 yuan. This is almost the gap between two levels. What's more, the Custu is larger in size and higher in configuration (from the configuration of the top model).

Although the price is highly similar to that of Chuanqi M8 (lower than the starting price of M8), the style of M8 is closer to GL8, with stronger business attributes, which is not suitable for private use. However, Costo is obviously more home-oriented, which clearly distinguishes it from M8 and faces a completely different crowd.

Only Buick GL6, a smaller joint venture MPV, can really compete with Custus at this price, but the market share of these models is very low, and there are obvious gaps in size and specifications.

So, if you look around the market, Coustou really doesn't have a decent rival at the same price. Beijing Hyundai's product planning this time is quite successful.

Driving values

Custu's pragmatic pricing and accurate card position doomed this car to become the explosion of Beijing Hyundai. Although the MPV market is a relatively biased field for automobile manufacturers, for Beijing Hyundai, the arrival of Kusitou can solve at least three problems: enhancing the brand appeal of the 200,000-level market segment, increasing the passenger flow to stores, and boosting the profitability and confidence of dealers.

For consumers, MPV, as a non-main model of the car factory, generally does not have a large output. The relationship between production and sales determines that the terminal discount of this type of vehicle is often small, and even the demand is often in short supply. This is also determined by the limited attention paid by the car factory to MPV. Therefore, if the price of this car is not much different from the pre-sale price, it is likely that the supply will be tight. If you are in a hurry to use the car, you may wish to consider starting now and then consider whether to finalize it after the official listing.

Although MPV is not the main model, this Custu is probably the biggest surprise of Beijing Hyundai this year. Can it give consumers and Beijing Hyundai a surprise? Let's wait and see.

This article comes from the author's driving field Auto, and the copyright belongs to the author. Please contact the author in any form. The content only represents the author's point of view and has nothing to do with the car reform.