By Theodore Opara

THE luxury automobile segment is becoming quite competitive these days. Gone are the days when only a few automakers dominated the luxury vehicle segment. More manufacturers from Japan, China, Korea, and the United States, are now competing in this segment. They are making automobiles more comfortable than ever before.

It is like the kind of revolution Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Bentley, and a few others experienced when they ventured into the sport utility vehicle segment some years ago, and the competition brought the best for customers.

Today, it is no longer surprising that the Chinese are building luxury vehicles that compete favourably with the likes of Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Lamborghini, and Aston Martins. Changan Motors has joined the league of car makers that produce luxury cars. The recent introduction of the Changan UNI-K SUV is a testimony that Changan has truly arrived in the luxury vehicle segment, too. You don’t need to be a car freak to fall in love with this powerful machine, which boasts unique features. Changan UNI-K has got it all: beautiful design, luxury, powerful engines, and top-notch safety features.

And in Nigeria, the elusive UNI-K can only be found at Mikano Motors, where they are holding on to the Uni-K like the joker- the trump card, introducing it to the few who understand the real meaning of luxury. With a price tag running into tens of millions of naira, the Changan UNI-K, which has the semblance of the Porsche Cayenne Coupe, though more contemporary, in my view, will no doubt send a signal that the car maker is set to compete favourably  in the luxury car segment. The first model of UNI-K was launched in 2020, and it has continued to make waves; winning the Best 4X4 Premium SUV of the year 2022 in Qatar.

The Changan UNI-K is a mid-size crossover SUV available in two trims:Signature and Bespoke, and it is powered by a 2.0L turbo-charged 4-cylinder engine. The Uni-K is a beauty to behold. Exterior dimensions are a 486.5-cm length, a 194.8-cm width, a 1700-cm height, and a 289-cm wheelbase. The front features a huge front grille, LED headlights, daytime running lights, and front fog lights. The sides feature 21-inch wheels with 265/45 tires, electrically retractable body-coloured door handles, and body-coloured power folding and adjustable side mirrors with turn signals. The rear of the Changan Uni-k features LED taillights, rear fog lights, four huge exhaust tips, cargo access, and a roof spoiler.

Changan engineers demonstrated their high level of creativity in the interior of the Uni-K, which features quality leather seats, a multifunctional leather steering wheel, adjustable driver and front passenger seats, foldable rear seats, a front centre armrest with storage and cupholders, ambient lighting, power windows, a panoramic sunroof, and dual-zone automatic climate control with AC vents. The technology and infotainment features in the Changan Uni-K are world  class. They include a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, a 3.5, 10.25, or 9.2-inch connected info cluster, a navigation system, Bluetooth, voice command, and a Sony 12-speaker sound system. Just speak to Uni-K to turn on the A/C, play music, and close the panaromic roof, and it is done. 

The Changan Uni-k’s 2.0L 4-cylinder turbo engine generates 233 hp and 390 nm of torque. The engine matched with an 8-speed automatic transmission and a 4WD drivetrain that accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.8 seconds, with a top speed of 200 km/h. You are protected in the Uni-k with the best that modern technology can offer. Safety and driver assistance features in the Changan Uni-k include airbags, tire pressure monitoring systems, antilock braking systems, stability control, electronic brakeforce distribution, traction control systems, hill start hold control, electric parking brakes, front and rear parking sensors, and 360-degree panoramic view cameras. Safety also includes front collision warning, integrated adaptive cruise control, and lane departure warning.