Of course, the "Lifanovites" call the x60 their own development, but the genesis of the model is more prosaic - the second-generation Toyota RAV4 model was taken as the design basis. Apparently, unofficially: Lifan has no legal relationship with the Japanese company, and the Chinese are engaged in “imitation” at their own peril and risk. But it would be reckless to call x60 a copy of RAV4. Rather, it's "plot based": the design and layout is similar to the RAV4, but the dimensions have been changed, as well as the overall aesthetics of the car.
Lifan x60 - a machine with a load-bearing body and a transverse arrangement of the power unit. The engine is new, with a volume of 1.8 liters (133 hp), with a variable valve timing system. In the Chinese version, the phase shifter is abbreviated as VVT (Variable Valve Timing), which also echoes the “Toyota” development of VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing with intelligence). The 1.8 VVT LFB479Q engine was made in collaboration with the English company RICARDO, which is even mentioned on the official website of the British. Many other design details are also taken from European manufacturers, in particular from Bosch and Valeo. The Chinese are even proud of this, emphasizing the “new level of quality”.
The x60 design is quite typical for cars of this class: McPherson front suspension, rear - independent "multi-link", disc brakes on all wheels with 4-channel ABS. Steering rack and pinion, with hydraulic booster. The supports of the power unit are chosen correctly, no vibrations are transmitted to the body and controls. Even the air conditioning radiator is not rigidly fixed to the front beam, but through additional dampers and is separated from the engine radiator by foam rubber pads. A trifle - but nice.
The transmission is only a five-speed “mechanics”, neither a variator nor an automatic transmission is provided. Unfortunately, all-wheel drive is not provided, they are thinking about it, but there is no solution yet. It is expensive and goes beyond the x60 concept as an extremely cheap car. At the same time, the Chinese already have the design of the drive to the rear axle through the viscous coupling, the point is only in the economy of the project. Now it seems to Lifan marketers that the all-wheel drive version of the x60 may not be able to withstand the competition.
From this it is easy to deduce the market scope of the model: an urban SUV or even just a station wagon with increased ground clearance, in which there is more comfort, convenience and versatility than claims to conquer off-road. The salon is not made in Chinese quality, evenly, from good fabrics and plastics. There is a pungent smell in new cars, but these are not phenolic emissions, but the “aroma” of glue and sealants, which quickly disappears. We got used to the smell after half an hour of getting to know the car.
The architecture of the front panel is simpler than that of Toyota, for example, the Chinese did not reproduce the spectacular glove compartment with a sliding cover located in Toyota between the passenger airbag and the main glove box. The center console and instrument panel are different here. The RAV4 is only reminiscent of a similar arrangement of deflectors and climate control knobs. The transformation of the cabin is beyond praise: the rear seat can be folded separately and completely, while the pillows recline forward, and the backrests lie on the floor, forming an almost flat area. For rear passengers there is a large folding armrest with two cup holders. More of the little things: a 12-volt outlet in the armrest box at the front riders, cup holders in all side doors, a small folding niche to the left of the driver.
So far, the Lifan x60 is offered in two trim levels - LX and EX. The first - basic - includes two frontal airbags and ABS + EBD. Various nice little things are added to the EX, such as a two-din DVD audio system with a large screen, a navigator and visual parking sensors, a key with a remote trunk opener, a leather steering wheel, front seat belt pretensioners, climate control.
The test site of Lifan Motors, where it was proposed to try out new crossovers, is not very suitable for a full-fledged test drive, to put it mildly: it is extremely compact, representing only a road with three types of bumps and one “driving” hairpin turn. Therefore, about what x60 is in motion, so far we can only speak approximately.
The own weight of the crossover is 1330 kg, which is comparable to a conventional C-class car. Therefore, a motor of 133 hp. "Lifan" is more or less enough. The Chinese have not yet shown a graph of the dependence of torque on revolutions, but it is obvious that the motor reaches its maximum return at about 4500 rpm.
The first two gears are quite short and fast, and the third is long, with a claim to efficiency. With a sufficiently “sharp” steering wheel (a little more than 3 turns from lock to lock), the steering wheel lacks sensitivity. The position of the steering wheel at "zero" is fuzzy and there is not enough feedback. This does not add confidence in high-speed maneuvering.
Third gear, about 4000 rpm, “gas to the floor” - and at the apex the engine starts to subside: it lacks traction. In general, Lifan x60 has a weak handling character, unsuitable for active driving. But economical urban movement is his element. Hence the excellent fuel consumption indicator: 8.2 liters per 100 km (according to the passport). The 1.8 VVT engine is the only one in the Lifan range that is controlled by an electronic gas pedal and complies with Euro-4 standards.
From April, Lifan x60 will be produced in Russia at the Derways plant in Cherkessk. The scale of the project has not yet been determined, even the Chinese themselves do not know in what trim levels the car will enter the Russian market and at what prices. The future name of the novelty is also unknown. Although the "Lifanovites" in Russia give their cars more poetic names than digital indices. The price will be more affordable than that of the main competitor - Vortex Tingo. The latter in a mono-drive version is now sold for 500 thousand rubles.
With all-wheel drive for the x60, there is no clarity yet, but the “automatic” for the car is not provided in principle. And this is a big marketing blunder of the Lifanovites. It will be very difficult to sell the planned 25 thousand cars without a "machine". It is this amount of x60, according to the Chinese, that the Derways conveyor is able to provide. In China itself, by the end of this year, only 10 thousand cars will be assembled, half will be exported.
In the dusty haze raised by trucks, a traffic light floated by like a ghost from nowhere. Visibility is close to zero, we go almost on instruments. "Conde" is switched to recycling, on a broken gravel grader the car shakes with the whole body, stones hit the wheel arches like shrapnel. The organizers did not lie about the off-road section on the test route! Only who could have known that he would pass along the usual, "civilian" road from Tuapse to Khadyzhensk?! Either they repair it like that, or it always looks like this ... It's very our way: either asphalt, or a minefield under the wheels. On these "unexpected" roads, the first crossover of the Chinese company Lifan, the X60 model, is to be driven, to get acquainted with which we came to the Krasnodar Territory.
What do you expect from X60, - a colleague asked me before the test? Good question! To be honest, I definitely don’t expect much from the “Chinese”, because the Chinese auto industry is relatively young and is still learning to make high-quality cars. And the Lifan company, by world standards, is a baby at all: founded in 1992, it started with motorcycles, and they began to produce cars here only in 2004! But the company has enough ambitions, besides, we all remember that the Chinese who are starting a new production do not hesitate to borrow technologies from others and train on them if they themselves do not yet know how. Why, they say, reinvent the wheel and go at random "their own way", if there are already proven solutions?! Well, it's logical. Moreover, suing the Chinese for "copyright" is still useless.
The serial Lifan X60 debuted in the summer of 2011 at the Shanghai Motor Show. Sales in Russia began in October 2012, and our X60 market comes from the Derways plant in Cherkessk, where the assembly of a new crossover began in the fall of the same year. In terms of components, the degree of localization is still close to zero (all parts are brought from China), but in Cherkessk they cook, paint and assemble the bodies on their own. In addition to the X60, Derways also produces Lifan Breez, Solano and Smily.
So Lifanovites sculpted their first X60 crossover, figuratively speaking, on the "technology base" of the Toyota RAV4 of one of the past generations. In appearance, it even turned out to be somewhat original, although something is still visible in the appearance from the same RAV4 of the second generation, and from the past Hyundai Santa Fe. Well, okay, it's time to get on board, on the road we will continue to figure out what happened to the Chinese.
I’m going to throw my backpack into the car, I pull the trunk lock once, twice ... It wasn’t there! It turns out that in order to open the trunk from the outside, you must first unlock its lock from the key fob or open the door from the button on the center console. (During the two days of the test, I more than once "kissed the breakdown" like this, going out to open the trunk and forgetting about the tricky ritual). And the fifth door itself had to be opened and especially closed with almost two hands - the mechanism turned out to be so tight, and not only on our X60! Either the "iron" has not yet got used, or is it a "compliment" from assemblers with suppliers - but the beginning is cheerful ...
Let's see what will "amuse" the salon. The phenolic smell characteristic of the "Chinese" is still present, but it no longer knocks down as before, and quickly disappears. What else? A massive two-story dashboard with smooth contours and large climate control buttons is frankly "copied" from the third generation RAV4. True, the Lifanovites still slightly changed the location of some buttons and that part of the panel where the radio is located, plus they diluted the design with their own instrument panel with a "well" in which the "eye" of the digital speedometer flaunts. It looks perky, it is even more convenient to perceive numerical speed readings, but the tachometer is already read worse due to the small scale and small arrow.
The Chinese engineers borrowed the general architecture of the instrument panel from the Toyota RAV4, but somewhat diluted the design with their own instrument panel.
I liked the large mirrors and the number of containers for small things. But then ... Copied from Toyota - this is not quite Toyota. Here and inside the X60 it is felt that it is not yet "Japanese". The plastic is rough in places, some knobs-buttons dangle in their sockets, decorative panels fall off on the thresholds of the body in the cabin, and the screw heads in the door handles were covered with rubber bands, which looked like hand-cut scissors!
The front seats were not very welcoming. Height settings were not found even for the driver, but there is a “warm up”, however, also only for the one who is driving. At the same time, the backrest is not the most pleasant, "pushing out" profile, but it will not work comfortably to lean back on the headrests: they are strongly shifted back and you will have to sit strongly bent over. What else to complain about? The platform for the left leg is a bit high, the handbrake works hard, the radio control buttons on the steering wheel would not interfere, and the steering wheel itself clearly lacks the adjustment for the flight. In general, the Chinese still have something to improve.
On the back sofa in the X60 there is almost a limousine space! At the same time, the separate seatbacks are adjustable in angle, and when folded they form a flat cargo area.
Shall we move back? Wow! That's what I definitely did not expect from the X60 - it's a reserve of space in the back! There is so much space that you can almost stretch your legs or even throw one on top of the other. At the same time, the passenger in front is not restrained at all and sits freely!
Beckons, beckons the back row is almost a limousine space! Eh, it would be imposing to fall apart here now ... But it's time to get behind the wheel. Only our car seems to have run out of gas! Look, the arrow is at zero and the light is already flashing! But the Lifanovites embarrassedly explained that the tank was full, and this was just "fooling" the fuel sensor. "Happiness" does not end there ... Okay, then we'll shoot a video for YouTube, as Lifan made a car that can drive on an empty tank. You just have to start the engine first. I hope there are no surprises?
It worked! Turning the key - and under the hood a 1.8-liter gasoline engine with the long name LFB479Q purred. In the descriptions of the crossover, the Chinese proudly declare that this motor was created jointly with the British engineering company Ricardo. Although it’s more correct to say it’s not “created”, but “adapted”: the basis of the Lifan engine is again the “legacy” of Toyota. Namely, the 1.8-liter unit of the 1ZZ-FE series, which in different years was installed on Toyota Corolla, Avensis, Celica and even Lotus Elise. The motor has an aluminum block and heads, 4 valves per cylinder and a camshaft chain drive with a variable valve timing system on the intake valves. For the Lifan X60, 128 hp was removed from the engine. and 168 Nm at 4200 rpm. The drive is only front-wheel drive, the gearbox is a 5-speed "mechanics". The X60 itself weighs 1330 kg in running order and 128 "horses" accelerate it to a maximum speed of 170 km/h.
The 1.8-liter gasoline engine Lifan X60 is based on Toyota technology. But the layout of the engine compartment raises some questions. For example, it is not very convenient to "light up" or change the battery, which is hidden under the windshield panel (pictured in the upper left corner). But the generator is high, the probability of flooding it in a deep puddle is already less.
But about the dynamics of acceleration to "hundreds" Lifanovites in the official performance characteristics do not report a word. Are you shy? What, you ask, to hide? After all, from the X60 you do not initially expect any driver's revelations. The 1.8 liter engine is not enough in terms of the thrust of the stars from the sky and is unhurried in the set of revolutions, this is especially felt in the string of climbs on the serpentine. For a leisurely driver, the engine as a whole is enough, but a spur lover needs to look for another car or not be lazy to constantly “turn” the engine, patiently and tirelessly wielding a long-stroke gearshift lever and no less long-stroke clutch, which “grabs” almost at the very top.
The power steering and the brake pedal were not overburdened with particular sharpness and sensitivity. The independent suspension (McPherson struts at the front and a three-lever rear) is remembered for its rigidity with a simultaneous noticeable roll in corners. But it partly takes its toll on bad roads. So, on broken asphalt and graders, we "bludgeoned" boldly and almost in a rally style, without fear of breakdowns. The only thing that held me back was the fear of cutting tires on stones and the fact that at times you drive like on a vibration stand! On a crushed stone grader, riders are shaking great, the steering wheel and interior vibrate ... Although on our roads such a condancy of the suspension is partly even a plus: it will live longer!
The minimum ground clearance for the X60 is 179 mm. The list of options includes aluminum or steel protection for the engine and gearbox, as well as plastic fender liner for the rear wheel arches.
Summing up, I’ll say that the first crossover “pancake” came out at Lifan, albeit not the smoothest, but not quite lumpy either. It turned out to be a quiet family car, without any frills, but with a spacious interior, a roomy trunk, a high-set body and a hardy suspension - something that we just appreciate. And as for "stocks" ... The Chinese are not yet without it, as already noted, they are still learning, breeding their "breed", but they learn quickly and work on quality.
Let's not forget that the Lifan X60 plays in the budget league, which partly justifies the comments on it. So, now this crossover is offered in Base and LX trim levels. The cheapest version of Base costs 500,000 rubles. The equipment is not rich, but not quite "naked": there are servos for windows and mirrors, central locking, a light sensor, roof rails, audio preparation with two speakers, two airbags and ABS with EBD force distributor. Salon - fabric, rims - steel. The LX equipment tested by us is estimated at 600,000 rubles. There is already air conditioning, a leather interior with a heated driver's seat, heated mirrors, parking sensors, a CD / MP3 radio with 6 speakers and 16-inch alloy wheels.
In Russia, the Lifan X60 is now sold in Base trim levels (500,000 rubles) and the LX version shown in the photo (600,000 rubles). In 2013, two more new performance lines will appear.
By the way, it is noteworthy who Lifan considers the first competitor of the new X60. Of course, a little more compact, but close in price, the front-wheel drive "Chinese" Chery Tiggo and Tagaz's Vortex Tingo immediately come to mind. The first is equipped with a 1.6 liter engine (119 hp) with "mechanics" and costs from 516,000 rubles. The second has 1.8 liters (132 hp) under the hood and is paired with a manual transmission at a price of 500,000 rubles.
However, Lifanovites consider their number one rival not Chery and Vortex, but Renault Duster comparable in size! The swing is serious, because with a front-wheel drive, a 1.6-liter engine (102 hp) and a manual gearbox, this most popular crossover is even cheaper: the factory claims a price of 449,000 rubles. True, in reality, cheap cars without dealer markups have long been perceived as a sweet myth, and due to the huge queues for purchase in Russia, Duster managed to get the nickname "Zhdaster". And against this background, the Lifan X60 does not look like the worst alternative.
Yes, someone may remember that Duster and Chery Tiggo also have such trump cards as all-wheel drive versions, while Duster and Vortex Tingo also have versions with automatic transmission. But the Lifan X60 will have all this: in 2013 it should receive a CVT variator, and an all-wheel drive transmission is promised a little later.
And finally. At the end of 2011, Lifan became the most successful Chinese brand in Russia, having sold almost 18,000 cars. And given the popularity of crossovers in our country, the new X60 will clearly add new customers to the company: Lifanovites expect that the new model will account for up to 30% of the total output. In addition, in 2013, the X60 configuration will be replenished with an intermediate Comfort version and a top-end Luxury version. In general, the Chinese are gaining momentum. Not without reason, Lifan is translated from Chinese as "to go under full sail."
The Chinese auto industry is experiencing years of rapid prosperity, as evidenced not only by the growth in sales, but also by the regular expansion of the model range. So, at the Moscow Motor Show in 2012, the Russian public was presented with a new front-wheel drive crossover "X60", the assembly of which was almost "immediately" established in the city of Cherkessk at the Derways plant.
This compact SUV, as conceived by Lifan engineers, should be considered an SUV, but it may be that way in China, but definitely not now and not in Russia.
In our country, the novelty clearly fits into the concept of “urban SUV” - which does an excellent job with not ideal roads of avenues and “broken” yards, but loses its “patency” in blurry rural and country “directions”. The reason for this "trouble" is the lack of all-wheel drive, which, according to the management of Lifan, "will appear in future trim levels of the novelty, but only if there is significant demand."
So, let's take a closer look at the Chinese newcomer on Russian roads. When developing the appearance of the Lifan X60, the designers borrowed a number of details from the Toyota RAV4. In fact, the front of the car is almost completely copied from the “Japanese” and received only a modified chrome grille, which gave the “X 60” some Chinese originality, and slight changes in the lines of also high-set optics.
Slightly inflated and large wheel arches give the car a special charm and importance, visually making the Lifan X 60 much wider. The front arches flow smoothly from the massive bumper, then sharply turn into convex sills, which in turn also sharply turn into slightly smaller rear arches. The back of the body has a fashionable now peculiar slope, topped with a factory spoiler.
The crossover is made in the form of a five-door body - t.s. "high station wagon", has dimensions: 432.5 centimeters long, 179 centimeters wide, 169 centimeters high, as well as a ground clearance of 17.9 centimeters.
It is worth emphasizing that, unfortunately, according to the old "good" Chinese tradition, the quality of body production and its final assembly are at best a mark of "three" (on a five-point scale). In some places, even with a cursory examination, obvious inconsistencies in the individual elements of the decorative body kit are noticeable, as well as large gaps between the body panels.
Inside, the Lifan X60 looks very stylish, delighting with some original design solutions and at the same time upsetting with obvious plagiarism from the same Toyota RAV4. If you look closely, the center console is here, and most of the elements of the front panel are copied from the "Japanese" with an accuracy of 99%. On the one hand, this indicates that Chinese designers do not have their own ideas that can satisfy consumer interest, but on the other hand, it guarantees that the owner of this Lifan will have at his disposal a car whose interior has already been successfully tested and recognized as successful.
The interior of the Chinese SUV is five-seater and quite spacious. True, it is worth noting that the front seats are practically devoid of lateral supports, and their shape is far from ideal, i.e. during long trips, the driver and front passenger will clearly feel tired and tense in the back. But the rear passengers on long journeys will feel much more comfortable, even if there are three of them.
In addition, the novelty also has a fairly roomy trunk, with a volume of 405 liters, which will easily fit all passenger luggage.
Unlike the body and external parts, the interior of this car is made much better, apparently the desire to reproduce the interior of the “Japanese original” as much as possible has affected. All parts, even minor ones, are securely fixed in their places, obviously defective gaps are not seen anywhere, and when the car is moving along a flat road, the interior elements do not emit extraneous squeaks and other noises. The only disappointment is that the use of cheap materials, in particular plastic, fabric upholstery and plain leather, is far from being of the highest quality. By the way, in a complete set with leather upholstery, they are immediately noticeable, albeit slight, but wrinkles.
It is worth taking a closer look at the suspension of this Chinese crossover. At first glance, it looks quite high quality: the well-proven McRherson struts are in front, and a reliable independent three-link suspension is in the back. But with the suspension adjustment and the selection of the stiffness of individual elements, the Chinese engineers clearly missed, because when cornering the car rolls very strongly, and on especially sharp bends in the road it seems that the Liafn X60 will now fall on its side, so after several such sharp turns a reflex is subconsciously developed, forcing to slow down even before minor turns. You can’t clearly write down such behavior of the suspension as a plus.
As compensation for the above inconvenience, Chinese engineers offer X60 buyers reliable disc brakes on all four wheels that do their job on a solid five, and decent ground clearance, making it easy to park in the “wrong place”, bypassing the curbs. The steering column setting is also at a high level - the wheels clearly respond to the rotation of the steering wheel, providing ease of control when performing maneuvers of any complexity.
Continuing the talk about technical specifications- the engine for this "Lifan" was designed by Chinese developers together with the engineers of the British company Ricardo. As a result, they got a 133-horsepower gasoline engine equipped with four cylinders, sixteen valves and variable valve timing. The engine has a displacement of 1.8 liters, a torque of 168 Nm at 4200 rpm and an in-line arrangement of cylinders.
Engine power is enough to accelerate the car to 100 km / h in optimal conditions in 11.2 seconds, as well as provide a top speed of 170 km / h.
The CO2 emissions of the novelty fully comply with the EURO-4 standard, and the Chinese crossover prefers A-95 gasoline as fuel.
The high-quality engine is complemented by a no less reliable, five-speed manual transmission, which has “long” gears that allow significant fuel savings, as a result of which the average fuel consumption of the Lifan X60 is only 8.2 liters per 100 km.
Prices and equipment. And of course, one of the main advantages of the Lifan X60 SUV is its price. In the Russian market, this car was originally offered in two trim levels: the basic "Basic" at a price (at the beginning of 2014) from ~ 500,000 rubles and the improved "Standart" (LX), the price of which is from ~ 560,000 rubles. It is worth noting that the basic package includes: ABS + EBD, central locking, two airbags, power windows, an audio system (radio, 2 speakers), roof rails, halogen headlights with a corrector, electric drive for side mirrors. The Standard package additionally includes: front foglights, air conditioning and an audio system (radio + CD / mp3, 4 speakers), decorative wheel covers.
By the end of 2014, 2 more configurations were added - “Comfort” (to the equipment of the “Standart” configuration, the following were added: “chrome package”, heated side mirrors, alloy wheels and engine protection, leather interior, more options for adjusting the driver's seat and heating it, parking sensors, and the audio system is here with 6 speakers) and the top-end “Luxury” (in addition to what is available in “Comfort”, there is also a “multi-steering wheel”, a heated passenger seat and a sunroof). The cost of these configurations is ~585 and ~605 thousand rubles, respectively.
You can buy a new or contract Lifan X60 engine in our store. The engine (ICE) on the Lifan X60 is usually bought if the repair of the old engine is not possible. In addition, if, for example, only the nominal dimensions of the piston group go to the engine, and the crankshaft needs to be sharpened, then there remains only the option of buying another engine.
You can buy an engine (ICE) for Lifan X60 in the following options:
1. Used engine Lifan X60- this is an engine that was removed from another car and presumably it can work. As a rule, such engines are removed from broken cars. Some have mileage data, some don't. Used engine warranty - from 5 to 30 days from the date of purchase. In fact, the warranty ends at the time of installation and testing of its performance.
2. Moved engine Lifan X60- this is an engine that had problems that the client did not want to fix or the delivery time of spare parts was very long. The client leaves such an engine to the minder, and he slowly buys the necessary spare parts and makes repairs. As a rule, in addition to new parts for the previous problem, all gaskets and seals are changed on the engine. Overhauled engines are usually sold without attachments. This is the rarest type and if it is available, it is better to buy such an engine right away. The warranty for the rebuilt internal combustion engine is 3 months or 20,000 km. run.
Every year, representatives of the Chinese auto industry are gaining new leadership positions in the market. With the growth of positions, there is also a strengthening of motorists' confidence in SUVs and crossovers from China. A large private company, Lifan, was one of the first to volunteer to dispel negative perceptions about the reliability and quality of products from China. In 2011, the company presented a compact crossover called the Lifan X60. In a relatively short period of time, the car was able to get into the main car charts, including the list of the best Chinese crossovers.
Why did the domestic drivers like the model? Everything is extremely simple. Lifan X60 is an inexpensive and affordable mid-size crossover with good dynamic performance. The car is quite simple in terms of design: 1.8-liter Toyota gasoline engine, reliable mechanical 5-speed gearbox, front-wheel drive. It is pleasant to drive such a car in the city, and you can drive along a country road with relative comfort. But, before buying a crossover, it is best to immediately find out what the life of the Lifan X60 engine is.
What engine is under the hood of the Lifan X60?
Chinese engineers do not hide the fact that during the design of the car, their views were focused on the bestsellers of the automotive world - and Hyundai Santa Fe. As a result of the Japanese-Korean symbiosis, something in between came out, but it is worth saying that outwardly the model turned out to be attractive. In addition to the design, the technical component was also borrowed: a 1.8-liter 1ZZ-FE engine was installed under the hood of the crossover, which became legendary when it was used on many Japanese cars that traveled 500 or more thousand kilometers with great success. True, the motor before installation has undergone some changes.
The British company Ricardo was engaged in optimizing the engine for the Chinese crossover. The engine was equipped with a variable valve timing system, the installation itself received a transverse arrangement. The powertrain index is LFB479Q. The changes also affected the control unit - it was equipped with a different firmware - and the Chinese developed some of the layout elements on their own. At the output, the engine received 128 horsepower at 6000 rpm.
Specifications LFB479Q:
- type - four-cylinder, in-line engine;
- number of valves - 16:
- compression ratio - 10;
- preferred gasoline - AI-95;
- piston stroke - 91.5.
The non-alternative front-wheel drive modification of the crossover indicates that the car has been adapted to Russian operating conditions, but, nevertheless, not to the full extent. If the “Chinese” overcomes potholes and small potholes without problems, then he cannot cope with heavy off-road. For urban use, the model is best suited. Due to electronic fuel injection, it was possible to reduce the level of fuel consumption of the installation by as much as 3%. At the same time, the motor is 8% more powerful than similar engine options thanks to Delphi and Bosch control systems.
Potential resource
The LFB479Q motor adopted from the parent in the face of 1ZZ-FE not only the main advantages, but also disadvantages. Chinese engineers, together with British designers, have done a lot of work in improving the motor, they really managed to increase power and reduce the "appetite" of the unit. There are not so many chronic diseases in the Toyota engine. Motorists note a slight overspending of oil after 150 thousand kilometers. And this is a fact proven by the practice of operating a car with motors of the VVT-I series. It is almost impossible to influence this process, since the level of lubricant consumption is largely predetermined by the design feature of the engine.
When the LFB479Q starts to "eat" oil, many owners decide on a not the cheapest procedure - replacing the catalyst with a flame arrester. With excessive consumption of engine oil, the failure of the catalytic converter is a matter of time. For this reason, the first problems with the engine can begin after 150-200 thousand kilometers. In China, car owners have found the following way out of the situation: switch from the recommended mineral lubricant to semi-synthetics.
LFB479Q Maintenance Operation Rules:
- The first MOT to take place after 3000 km of run - completely change the engine oil;
- Do not exceed 3500 rpm of the crankshaft during the first 1000 kilometers;
- During the break-in period, the car should not travel long distances;
- Do not tow the car;
- Refuel with the recommended AI-95 fuel, otherwise there may be problems with the engine at an early stage;
- Follow manufacturer's guidelines for engine oil selection and oil change intervals.
The LFB479Q is driven by a heavy duty chain. On average, it serves for 100 thousand kilometers. It is necessary to periodically check its condition, due to unfavorable operating conditions of the car, early stretching of the product is possible. With timely and high-quality maintenance, the life of the Lifan X60 engine will be 300 - 350 thousand kilometers.
Reviews of car owners
The Chinese are strong in the quality of the service and service provided, thanks to these advantages, against the background of other representatives, today they manage to win an increasing number of customers. There are plenty of parts and components in Russia for the Lifan X60 in every city. At the same time, Chinese car manufacturers are largely focused not only on the domestic market, but also on the external market, in particular, on the Russian one. Domestic buyers have access to various car configurations: from basic to luxury. What is the resource of the Lifan X60 engine in fact, the reviews of the owners will tell in detail.
- Egor, Taganrog. Lifan X60 purchased in 2012 at a dealership. Served there for the first time. The break-in period went smoothly and without incident. After passing the first 3,000 km, the engine oil was completely replaced. The engine runs stably, the speed does not float. I am also satisfied with the dynamics of the car. Many complain about the lack of motor power. I don't agree with this. The car feels confident on the track. When overtaking does not suffocate. I try not to load the installation too much. Already passed 120 thousand kilometers. The oil does not “eat”, I change it according to the regulations. There were no problems with the car. Of course, the “Chinese” does not reach the level and status of the RAV-4 or Santa Fe, but it may well compete, for example, with the Kia Rio.
- Albert, Moscow. Before buying a crossover at an attractive price, I was interested in one question: “What engine is in the X60 Leafs?”. As a result, it turned out that the engine is Toyota. Without hesitation, he collected the necessary amount of money and went shopping. The car was purchased new in the cabin, it was in 2013. Since then, the car has covered 130 thousand km. Were there any problems with the engine? Absolutely none. I fill in the recommended lubricant G-Energy F Synth 0W-40. Oil is inexpensive, but sometimes it is not so easy to get it. As an alternative, I recommend Liqui Moly Longtime High Tech with a viscosity of 5W30.
- Sergei, Voronezh. The Lifan X60 crossover was given to me by my parents. I am not a fan of big cars, but I personally liked this model. I have been operating the car for 5 years, on the odometer now exactly 100 thousand kilometers. According to the manufacturer, the engine life is at least 200 thousand kilometers. But, it is quite obvious that the figure varies up and down depending on the timeliness of the maintenance. I monitor the condition of the motor, so there have never been any problems with it. I haven’t even changed the chain yet, but it may be necessary to do this work soon, since its service life is designed for exactly 100 thousand.
- Vyacheslav, Irkutsk. I got the car straight from China. For four years of driving the Lifan X60, I can responsibly say that the Chinese have seriously prepared for the release of this model, have spent a lot of effort and money to implement the idea. It turned out to be a good product, and the motor is excellent. Something, but the engine in this car is reliable. Slightly other components of the vehicle suffer - the suspension, there are flaws in the cabin. But these are trifles, given the cost of the Lifan X60. Recently I was at the service station, the masters carried out diagnostics, they said that the engine was in excellent condition, and this was after 95 thousand kilometers. Also in their words: the LFB479Q resource is at least 300,000 km.
- Valery, St. Petersburg. I was personally convinced more than once that cars with a 1ZZ-FE engine go half a million kilometers. As we know, LFB479Q is a prototype of Toyota engine. We can safely assume that the resource of the Lifan X60 installation is at least 300 thousand km. I have a crossover 2012 release in the maximum configuration. Machine I'm surprised in the positive sense of the word. The Chinese have really learned how to make decent SUVs and crossovers. To date, the mileage is 160 thousand. Oil from change to change.
- Kirill, Rostov. Nice car that I have been using since 2015. I took the car in the secondary market in excellent condition for a decent amount. At that time, the mileage of the car was 50 thousand km. Today already 110 thousand. The power unit is sensitive to the quality of fuel and engine oil. Refuel only at proven stations, and also follow the manufacturer's recommendations in terms of choosing engine oil. At least get worthy analogues. Otherwise, the oil scrapers will coke, the gaps will be broken, the valve mechanism will fly. Problems then can not be avoided. Personally, there were no problems with my car. It starts up in any weather, the oil does not “eat”, although they write on the net that the engine is characterized by an “oil burner”. Who knows, maybe the time has not yet come. But I am sure that with the proper attitude and breakdowns of the “heart” of the car will not happen.
The resource of the Lifan X60 engine is in strict correlation with the quality of service of the crossover. Many owners are trying to extend the life of the power plant through the use of repair and restoration compounds. In practice, such manipulations often lead to the desired result: compression is normalized, the engine noise level during operation is reduced, and the motor resource is increased by several tens of thousands of kilometers. The LFB479Q motor is designed for 300 - 350 thousand kilometers. It is very easy to develop all the potential put into the installation by the manufacturer, but it is not so easy to extend the service life of CPG parts.
