[Autohome?Original test drive]?In the just-released Chinese brand sales rankings for the first half of 2020 (Portal), the Geely brand won the crown with 474,500 units. Although this is not a particularly dazzling number for Geely, under the influence of the epidemic this year, it is gratifying to achieve such sales. As the sales person in charge of a Chinese brand, it is obviously impossible without some hard power. Therefore, in addition to the regular test drive, this article will also reveal to you some hard power parts - Geely Automobile's Seat Technology Center. The center's full name is "China Intelligent Modular Seat Technology Center" and is located in Hangzhou Bay. This is the first time that Geely Automobile has opened this location to the media. The 2021 Geely Jiaji (hereinafter referred to as the "new Jiaji"), which was tested simultaneously with it, also carries the slogan of "zero-pressure comfortable MPV". Will this car perform as well as the slogan? Let's continue looking down.
Introduction to the Technology Center In the new era of car manufacturing, we often hear the word "modularity", and Geely Automobile's product research and development direction in the past two years has also been based on this guideline. The so-called modularization is to split a whole project into small items and merge similar items between different models to achieve the optimization effect of seeking common ground while reserving differences. Like the entire vehicle, the development of individual components can also be modularized. For example, under Geely's FSP/FSP-R architecture, the seat R&D processes of multiple car series at different levels can be integrated, thereby realizing the development process and The entire vehicle is synchronized and has strong function expansion capabilities. In short, for car companies, tedious processes are saved, and for users, there are more realization possibilities. As we all know, the seat of a car is the component that has the most contact with the human body while driving. Its comfort is self-evident for humans who stay in a relatively closed and small cabin for a long time. At the same time, as a high-speed moving object, the parts of the car that come into contact with people should also ensure sufficient safety. Therefore, comfort and safety are very important in the seat development process. In terms of comfort, the new Jiaji has a V-shaped patented frame, a unique foaming formula and a fully automated welding line. It should be said that it has the basic factors to produce an excellent set of seats.
Introduction to some tests During this visit to the technology center, we visited the following tests. The first was the body pressure distribution test related to comfort. The principle is very simple. An electronic pressure pad is placed on the seat, and then the tester rides on it to obtain the pressure values ??at different points on a surface, which are shown in different colors in the chart. There is no doubt that a good seat design should be designed to evenly distribute pressure, so that it is the most comfortable and relaxing to the human body, and can also greatly relieve the fatigue of long-distance riding. Judging from this picture, the seats of the new Jiaji have been optimized to a relatively good level. The crucial safety tests are divided into several aspects, but they all revolve around one basic point - collision. In a car collision at any angle, head restraints will be an important line of defense to protect passengers. One part of the test is to hit the headrest with an object to test its impact buffering effect. The evaluation standard is that the duration of head rebound acceleration exceeding 80g does not exceed 3ms. The lower the rebound acceleration, the better the buffering effect and the more adequate protection. In addition, all Geely Jiaji's main-selling models are equipped with front side airbags, so testing the explosion time and inflation speed of the airbags is also part of the test. The new Jiaji's seat airbag can complete explosive inflation within 2ms after encountering danger, and ensures that the splash produced is within 5g to avoid secondary injuries. Below is the video:
More exciting videos, all in the Autohome video channel. After talking about head restraints and airbags, it’s time to talk about seat belts. The most common type of seat belt in cars is a three-point seat belt, two of which are on the B-pillar, and the other point is fixed in the seat belt buckle on the seat, so the pull-resistant ability of the buckle also needs to be tested. The tester shown in the picture above can exert a maximum force of 13500N on the seat belt. During the test, the surrounding area is allowed to be permanently deformed or cracked, but the connection should be ensured to be firm.
After the force is removed, the occupants can unlock the seat belt locking device by themselves and leave the vehicle. The tour ended with tests involving durability. Similar to the entire vehicle, the vehicle's seats will be used individually for vibration tests simulating mixed road conditions. In the technology center, we learned that the ambient temperature inside the test bench is as high as 60°C, which imposes more stringent requirements on the quality of the seats. A tough challenge.
Having talked about so many theories about the seat experience, let’s get back to the car. The new Jiaji we tested this time is a six-seater model, and I was impressed by its second row of seats. Especially deep impression. From the appearance, there is basically no difference from the front seats, and the riding experience is also very similar. The filling of the seat itself is not soft, but it has very good support, and both the shoulders and legs can be effectively supported. , which is of course inseparable from some of the excellent ergonomic design we mentioned earlier. When it comes to the third row, it should be said that the comfort of the seat itself can still be affirmed, especially at this price point, even an MPV can hardly achieve a very comfortable ride in the third row. Based on this expectation, the performance of the new Jiaji is satisfactory. The slight drawback is that the seat cushion is still closer to the floor and the leg support is not very good.
Vehicle Static Review The new Jiaji has no obvious changes in its internal and external design, so we will briefly summarize the static part, mainly focusing on the following points: the appearance design is pleasing enough and breaks away from the inherent ideas of an MPV. It highlights the streamlined shape; the interior of the car has a strong visual sense of class, with many details, but not too messy; the car system has rich functions, quick response, and good user experience.
Power system The test car we got this time is a 1.8T 7DCT power combination. Although it looks like an "old partner", this is the first time they have "cooperated" in Jiaji. The previous 1.8T The model is equipped with a 6AT gearbox. In fact, in previous tests, the power performance of Jiaji's 1.8T model left a deep impression on us. Its 0-100km/h acceleration time was 8.82 seconds, which also made us think about the dual-clutch gearbox. The new car is full of expectations. In terms of actual experience, the power reserve of Jiaji is indeed relatively sufficient, but the actual feeling is not as strong as expected. The main reason is that the overall throttle adjustment is gentle, and the turbine intervention is not obvious. The advantage is that this setting is very suitable for an MPV, and the driver can easily drive the vehicle smoothly. Dual-clutch gearboxes are no longer a rarity in Geely vehicles. When it comes to the new Jiaji, it is basically in line with my expectations. It focuses on smoothness and does not pursue absolute shifting speeds. The test drive route included a lot of mountain roads. I specifically experienced the vehicle starting on a low-speed slope and accelerating with a small throttle. It should be said that it is not comparable to the smooth and natural experience of an excellent AT/CVT gearbox, but it is still possible. Well done, the clutch engagement is not abrupt. The chassis and steering are both clichés. They are completely calibrated for family cars, comfortable, easy and easy to drive. Of course, it should be pointed out that the suspension settings are not blindly compromising comfort, but retain a little road feel and have good cornering support. On this basis, such an MPV is not clumsy to drive. Finally, there is the quiet performance. In my impression, this has always been the most important point of the Geely brand. The performance of Jiaji also did not disappoint. Judging from the road conditions of today's test drive, it did not make any obvious disturbing noise, especially The engine sound insulation is very good, I commend it.
Full text summary: The MPV priced at more than 100,000 yuan is itself a blue ocean market. There are not many competitors at this price, but the market demand is real. It should be said that Jiaji still shows a very balanced strength under limited costs, and today's focus on experience seats also reflects the research and development standards that the Geely brand should have. In any case, the core purpose of an MPV should be implemented for every passenger in the car and even the whole family, so a quiet and comfortable cabin is the best interpretation of this in my opinion. (Text/Photo/Photo by Autohome? Jiang Yichen)
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