In Europe, it has long been fashionable to experiment with the creation of “pseudo-crossovers” - ordinary cars that are dressed up in a plastic body kit and sometimes increase ground clearance. Moreover, most often there is no question of any all-wheel drive. For example, the Volkswagen CrossPolo, which we do not have, is made using this principle. The Chinese Chery has decided to occupy the empty niche of compact cars with a crossover orientation in Russia with the IndiS model. Chery decided to introduce its new product at the Myachkovo autodrome. Apparently, this was supposed to demonstrate that IndiS is not afraid of either sharp turns or high speeds.
As Gennady Pavlov, head of the Russian office of Chery, explained the name of the new product, IndiS means independence, individuality and special.
When looking at the IndiS, one immediately recognizes the features of the subcompact hatchback Kimo/A1, a further development of the QQ. True, there is a station wagon body, larger dimensions, and the ground clearance is quite large - as much as 180 mm. IndiS is positioned as a car for, so it has unpainted bumpers, a ground clearance of 180 mm, and plastic trim on the wings. In urban environments, compact dimensions should be of benefit. However, the tall and narrow body immediately raises skepticism: how stable will this car be in corners?
The mirrors and door handles are not painted, the rear door handles are located unusually - vertically. The trunk opens only after pressing a button in the cabin - not very convenient if you approach the car, say, with bags from the store. 275 liters of useful volume is not too much for a crossover, albeit a compact one, but with the rear seats folded down the volume can be increased to 1000 liters. Summer residents will appreciate roof rails that can withstand 45 kg.
The salon is as ascetic as possible, but quite cozy, made in light gray tones. There will only be room enough for two people in the back. The center console is as simple as five yuan: all the levers are cheap and light, made of thin plastic. The instruments are located in the center, under the windshield: on the left is a small tachometer, on the right are fuel level and temperature indicators. A fashionable solution - a digital speedometer with an electronic tachometer line running above it - looks fun. This screen did not cause any drawbacks during the day; it did not glare in the sun, but the poisonous blue backlight is unlikely to be comfortable for the eyes at night.
Finding a comfortable seating position is not so easy, despite adjusting the steering wheel for reach and height: sometimes your arms stretch to the steering wheel, sometimes your legs feel cramped. And the manual transmission lever is located too low.
Under the hood of Chery IndiS there is a 1.3-liter engine producing 83 hp. – not so much for a car weighing 1175 kg. Out of habit, many stalled - at low speeds the engine does not work at all, you constantly need to rev up the gas. The operating range is small: only at 3500 rpm you begin to feel that the wheels are finally getting traction, and at 4000 the plaintive howl of the engine makes you look at the tachometer in horror - is it already in the red zone?
In principle, there are no complaints about the box itself - you can’t miss the switches. If you are not used to a long-travel clutch, you can release the pedal early and the car will jerk, but this is a matter of practice.
I have never driven a budget car on the highway to Myachkovo. Naturally, the IndiS has neither stabilization systems nor complex suspensions: McPherson in the front, semi-independent in the rear. However, the little car coped well with the task: of course, the high body rolls noticeably in fast turns, the car slightly drifts off the trajectory, but in urban modes this is unlikely to bother the driver, especially since the engine and transmission do not provoke sports records. The steering wheel pleases with adequate feedback.
In addition to the track, there were such “obstacles” as a rocky surface, an overpass and a “swing” - nothing that a passenger car could not cope with. Over bumps that imitate tall hatches on city roads, the IndiS rides well, although it does shake passengers inside the cabin a little.
Of course, one of the main issues for a Chinese car is safety. Chery IndiS is equipped with two airbags, ABS, and an electronic brake force distribution system. As representatives of Cherry Automobiles Rus reported, the body structural elements are made of high-strength steel, the doors are equipped with steel impact bars, which allow maintaining living space in the cabin in the event of an impact. The crash test of the car, according to Chery representatives, was carried out in China in the presence of independent experts from England using the EuroNCAP method, and its results were positive, but a video of the crash test could not be found. As for daily use, as part of testing the IndiS car, it drove 50,000 km on Russian roads, and not only in the capital, but also in other regions.
Chery IndiS's closest competitor is perhaps. “French” loses in price - the most affordable version costs 453,000 rubles - 90,000 rubles more expensive. The basic configuration does not differ much in terms of the set of options, except that there are also heated front seats, but the 1.6-liter engine, although it develops almost the same 84 hp, drives much more cheerfully and responsively, and the car itself is more stable on the road . In addition, Lada Kalina can boast of similar technical characteristics. Even though it doesn’t try to seem like a crossover, it has even more ground clearance - 185 mm, and the Russian car costs less, even in top trim levels with ABS. Its top version with air conditioning, full power accessories and an audio system will cost RUB 347,800.
Svetlana Aleeva
If you really want to buy at least a small crossover, then Chery Indis may be an interesting option. The car has an interesting exterior and, although not too spacious, a quite comfortable and practical interior. The quality of Chinese cars no longer raises such concerns and is quite consistent with the cost. The only thing that still confuses potential buyers is the safety of equipment from the Middle Kingdom.
Chery Indis has not been independently tested
Chery Indis did not pass independent tests not only according to the European Committee Euro NCAP system, it was not even tested according to the internal Chinese C-NCAP method, so there is not a lot of objective information at all. During the presentation for the domestic market, company representatives limited themselves to statements about equipping their creation with a sufficient set of modern passive safety equipment.
Some idea of the car's safety can be gleaned from factory testing, following the C-NCAP methodology, of a prototype codenamed Riich X1. Before you buy Cherry Indies, you should familiarize yourself with their results.
The windshield didn't even crack
Frontal impact tests at a speed of 50 km/h were successfully completed. Despite significant damage to the front end and a hump on the hood, the interior capsule remained intact. The windshield wasn't even cracked, the pillars weren't deformed, and the doors opened without any extra effort. The airbags worked fine.
The strength elements on the underbody have been slightly reduced. This had an impact on the test results. The sensors on the standard mannequins did not detect any serious injuries to the head, arms or chest. Slightly worse results were obtained for the legs and hips.
However, one can only guess about the “health” of the dummies after a collision at a speed of 64 km/h, as is customary for the European methodology. Increasing the initial speed can make adjustments.
How to enroll in a driving school?
By calling or leaving an online request, we will help you choose a group with a convenient class schedule for you.
When and what documents need to be submitted to a driving school?
a) application - to be filled out during the first lesson
b) a photocopy of the passport and identification code is given in the second lesson
c) photo 3 x 4 cm. two pieces, served in the second lesson.
d) medical certificate - doctors come to the driving school and conduct an examination on the spot.
What is the training period?
The training period is three months.
When do you need to pay for training?
The first three weeks of training are free, then payment will be made in stages.
What cars are you training on?
You can study and take exams in cars with both manual and automatic transmissions (driving school cars: MERSEDES, HYUNDAI, DAEWOO, KIA, SKODA, CHEVROIET, LADA, OPEL)
Is it possible to study and take exams without Kyiv registration?
You can conduct training and take exams at any service center, regardless of your place of registration.
Driving school "Zhaivoronok" is your reliable driving teacher on Kyiv roads
Buying a car in our time is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. But it’s not enough to buy a car, you also need to learn how to drive it competently. And at this stage, the issue of selecting a good driving school in Kyiv and, accordingly, an instructor who will help you master all the intricacies of driving a car becomes acute. What should be your top priority when choosing a driving school? The first thing, of course, is to read the reviews about the school you have chosen.
There is usually plenty of such information on the Internet, unless of course the driving school has just opened and is not a dark horse. Secondly, check which fleet of vehicles the driving courses own and whether they have a training driving facility. And what training conditions are offered to you? Also a very important point is the number of hours planned by the driving school for the student’s practical training. Driving schools often provide 10 hours of driving, which at first glance seems to be enough, but in practice this is negligible and the student simply does not have time to master driving skills and subsequently has to hire an instructor for a fee.
If you are a resident of Kyiv, and you are familiar with Svyatoshinskyarea, then you're in luck. After all, it is in this area that the Zhayvoronok driving school is located. The driving school has a convenient location, namely between the Zhitomirskaya and Akademgorodok metro stations.
Thanks to this location, our driving courses will be close to people living both in the Borshchagovka area (Sofievskaya Borshchagovka), and Belichi and the Chaika residential area.
Location of Driving School classes in Kyiv
Class No. 1: st. Semashko, 9, (metro Akademgorodok)
Secondary school No. 200. Entrance from the left side of the building (from the side of building No. 24)
Class No. 2: st. Lvovskaya, 25. (metro Zhitomirskaya)
Gymnasium of Oriental Languages No. 1 Entrance in the center of building No. 25
Class No. 3: Grigorovich-Barsky street 5, (Borshchagovka)
Near the Ring Road and the bus stop. tram. No. 1
Class No. 4 Autodrom: st. Verkhovynna 44. (metro station Svyatoshin)
Territory of the gymnasium of oriental languages No. 1, entrance from Verkhovinnaya street
Over 40 years of successful work, 17,000 drivers have left our walls, for whom we are not ashamed. When you come to our driving courses, be sure that upon completion you will be a good driver and will be able to avoid accidents on the road. Our professional instructors will make every effort to achieve this.
Emergency training courses
Our driving school educates drivers who are not scary to be around on the road. Unlike most driving courses, where they teach how to pass exams in the traffic police, we value our reputation and teach how to drive a car and avoid accidents on the roads. Having studied the statistics of road accidents, a disappointing conclusion was made that the largest percentage of accidents occurs among drivers whose driving experience is no more than three years.
In order to avoid students getting into such an unpleasant situation, in our driving school you will take courses on emergency training. This is a very important point for the modern driver. The quality of the roads and the skills of the drivers who surround us often leave much to be desired.
It is for this reason that it is very important to be prepared for an unpredictable situation. A professional instructor will teach you how to drive a car in an emergency situation, such as ice, as well as the correct behavior and competent control of a car when skidding and drifting off the road. With an instructor, you will learn to predict and calculate the situation on the road in advance, thanks to which you will subsequently be able to avoid an emergency situation.
It is very important to consider and understand the main causes of road accidents and analyze them with a professional instructor in a driving school, and not take them to the road, going through this school at the cost of your own car, and sometimes your health. Also, during the emergency training course, you will have the opportunity to study and work out the rules for accident-free parking and high-speed taxiing using specialized simulators.
40 hours of driving with an experienced driving school instructor
In our driving school you will receive 40 hours of driving, and this is important practice that is necessary for a novice car enthusiast. After all, for a beginner, the main thing is experience and skills that can only be acquired with practice and nothing else. An experienced instructor at our driving school will help you avoid mistakes on the road and tell you how to protect yourself from them in the future. The instructor will share not only his knowledge, but also his experience, and this will help in the future to avoid troubles on the road.
Own racing track
Another advantage of the driving school in Kyiv “Zhaivoronok” is the presence of its own racing track. Not every driving school can boast of having a high-quality racing track. If not at the racetrack, where else can you practice your driving skills? After all, many of you will be driving for the first time and will need to start with the very basics of driving, and training these skills on the city streets can be unpleasant, and in some cases even dangerous. Of course, we won’t spend all the time at the race track, driving will also take place on the streets of Kyiv, but this will happen after you get comfortable in the car and feel more or less confident behind the wheel. Also, thanks to the presence of a racing track at our driving school, you will not have to wait for your turn to perform a maneuver and your driving practice will be fruitful.
Driving school "Zhaivoronok" is located in the Svyatoshinsky district of Kyiv, near the Akademgorodok and Zhitomirskaya, Nivki metro stations. Thanks to this location, we are easily accessible to residents of nearby areas. Belichi, Novobelichi districts, Chaika, Svyatoshino and Borshchagovka residential areas. We will also be glad to see residents of more remote areas of Kyiv. We will help you become a really good driver. After all, we are never ashamed of our graduates. And we are calm when drivers trained by our driving school meet on the road. After all, we are confident that these people really know how to behave on the road and how to drive a car correctly and react in emergency situations.
We train drivers with whom we can ride on the same roads!
