About a year ago, the FAW-owned luxury brand Hongqi (we decided to officially call it “Honchi”) came to Russia with four models at once and, like other Chinese, set its sights on strengthening itself on new ground. Now they are joined by the compact crossover HS3 – one of several new products prepared for the Russian Federation. The cost of the most affordable Hongqi ranged from 3,990,000 to 4,590,000 rubles. For comparison, for the closest priced pre-restyling HS5 they ask from 4,590,000 rubles.
HS3 is the latest Hongqi model, presented in Shanghai only in 2023. The first generation, which debuted in 2018, was fully electric and was called E-HS3. However, demand in the crowded Chinese electric car market left much to be desired, so in the second generation FAW decided to place the crossover in a less competitive environment, switching to gasoline.
Despite the fact that the HS3 is positioned as a starter compact cross, it is a rather large car: its length is 4.65 meters, width is 1.9 meters with a 2.8-meter wheelbase. That is, the HS3 is larger in all respects than the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Max and similar to the new Geely Atlas or Haval Dargo.
Hongqi HS3
Hongqi 
Hongqi 
Hongqi 
Hongqi 
Hongqi
The appearance is designed in the style of the “older” models with a full set of signature features: there is a large radiator grille with vertical sections, and a “Red Banner” stripe (as translated from Chinese Hongqi), dividing the grille in half and extending onto the hood, and red decor on the fenders/doors. The optics, as expected, are “two-story”, but the DRLs are more intricate than others, and resemble a stretched and flattened letter C. At the rear, the motif is picked up by connected lamps of complex shape.
In Russia, the compact cross will be offered in two versions: Comfort and Deluxe with two turbo-four engines. The first and cheapest one has a 1.5-liter engine with a capacity of 156 horsepower (252 Nm), a seven-speed automatic transmission with two clutches and front-wheel drive, the second has a two-liter unit with 245 horsepower (380 Nm), a classic eight-speed Aisin automatic transmission and a all four wheels.
In the home market, both units are traditionally more powerful. The 1.5 engine produces 169 forces, and the 2.0 – 252, and the latter is also combined with a single drive. And at the end of last year, the gasoline-electric HS3 with a 190-horsepower unit became available to the Chinese.
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Buyers will be able to choose from six exterior colors, including three two-tone, and four interior design options.
In addition to HS3, Hongqi has a number of other premieres planned for Russia. The all-wheel drive seven-seat all-terrain vehicle HS7, which is going to be adapted to our conditions, all-wheel drive modifications of the H5 and H9 sedans, as well as the 5.3-meter L1 sedan and the luxurious HQ9 minivan will be brought to the market.
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