Add the Qoros name to the various automotive brands that you did not know existed. Qoros is a new marque, a Chinese brand that is jointly owned by Chery Automobile and an Israeli technology company. The all-new Qoros 3 Sedan made its debut at the Geneva Auto Show in 2013, a five passenger front-wheel drive model that is being built in Changshu, China, and will go on sale this year.
Engine Choices
The Qoros 3 Sedan is powered by a 1.6-liter four cylinder engine. Two engines are available actually — one is normally aspirated, the other is turbocharged. The standard engine makes 126 horsepower and delivers 155 foot-pounds of torque. The enhanced engine makes 156 horsepower and bangs out 210 foot-pounds of torque. Both engines are paired with a six-speed manual transmission or can be optionally outfitted with a six-speed dual clutch transmission.
Besides showcasing its first model, Qoros announced that additional engines are on the way. Working with AVL, a three cylinder 1.2-liter turbocharged engine is under development as is an all-new 1.6-liter turbocharged four cylinder engine. At the Geneva show, Qoros also displayed a concept hybrid, a crossover model with an advanced drivetrain.
New Design
The Qoros 3 Sedan is a clean sheet design which means that it was not ported from another car company or earlier vehicle layout. This is significant as few homegrown Chinese cars have striven for an original design, with Qoros happily breaking from that mold.
The exterior of the sedan offers a fairly nondescript look with functional though not highly flowing body lines. Its design is not unlike an earlier Mazda or a current Volkswagen — not radical, but certainly not boring. An elongated wheelbase makes it seem larger with the benefit of this design most richly felt by rear seating passengers.
Inside, the cabin employs soft touch materials and bright highlights throughout. The dashboard is clean and features an eight-inch capacitive touchscreen, an in-house design that seeks to minimize driver distraction. Instead of fumbling for endless and sometimes confusing switches and knobs, the touchscreen brings all driver secondary controls to the screen. Social network connectivity, navigation and service monitoring are among the features of this system.
Future Models
Future models are in the planning stages and may include coupe and wagon variants of the 3 Series. Vehicle hybridization, electrification and diesel models are expected to become part of the Qoros line up. Once the Qoros 3 Sedan goes on sale in China it will be readied for the European market where it is expected achieve the continent’s highest safety ratings. As for a North American debut, no plans have been announced just yet. However, with partner Chery longing to enter the US market, a Qoros introduction may only be a matter of time.
