Changan X7 Plus

With the addition of the “Plus” word as the suffix in its name, the Changan X7 Plus has become a seven-seater SUV from the five-seater Oshan X7. Changan has given the X7 Plus an all-black cabin, which features contrast red accents on the dashboard, door panels and leather seats, with the cabin having a couple of new-age design elements and features to appeal to the younger car-buying audience.

The cabin of the Changan X7 Plus has BMW vibes over its dashboard, which is evident by the trapezoidal cockpit housing two TFT screens – one 7-inch screen for the instrument console and a 12.3-inch screen for the touchscreen infotainment system. The flat bottom multi-functional steering wheel has a Y-themed design with silver accents below the spokes. The wraparound design for the AC vents features a dark chrome finish, which adds a much premium look to the dashboard.

The lower centre console on the dashboard of the Changan X7 Plus features trapezoidal AC vents in the middle and a cluster of buttons for the multi-zone automatic climate control on offer. The cabin is further equipped with features like a panoramic sunroof, wireless charger, front and rear centre armrests and powered driver’s seat.

With the facelift which its donor model, the Oshan X7 Plus, received in 2022, the Changan X7 Plus has become a modern-looking, large-sized midsize SUV, which looks edgy and new-age from many angles and has a proportionated stance. The SUV has crisp lines on the sides and smooth contours over its bonnet, which makes it a decent-looking SUV for its size.

The Changan X7 Plus has a wide trapezoidal grille at the front, which features a vertical diamond mesh design for the inserts within it. The upper edges of the grille are tapered, which are attached to sleek and angular housings for the dual-functioning daytime running LEDs. The main headlamps are housed separately in distinguished housings on the corners of the front bumper, which are further garnished with red accents below them.

The Changan X7 Plus has a good road presence when viewed from the side, with the large 18-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels and a sharp crease flowing from the edge of the headlamp to that of the tail lamp giving it a commanding look. The contrast red accents can be seen here also, over the door side mouldings and wheel arches. The X7 Plus also comes with silver roof rails, chrome garnish for the upper window frame and blacked-out garnish for the D-pillar, which gives it a floating roof effect.

At the back, the Changan X7 Plus looks wide, with the SUV having combination LED tail lamps which are further connected by a slim LED light bar. Between the license plate housing and LED light bar, the Changan X7 Plus gets a thick chrome bar, which runs between the tail lamps and adds a premium essence to the rear look of the SUV.

The Changan X7 Plus has been given three drive modes – eco, normal and sport, and in all the driving modes, the engine responses change from economy-oriented to sports-oriented. Like most of the modern crossovers, the Changan X7 Plus has a soft setup for the steering and suspension – independent Macpherson struts at the front and independent multi-link at the rear, which feel ideal and comfortable for low-speed driving, but do not give the needed assurance at higher speeds.

The Changan X7 Plus sources its power from a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, which is offered with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission as standard. This engine claims 185 bhp of power and 300 Nm of torque in the Changan X7 Plus, and while the numbers look impressive on paper, there is a noticeable turbo lag at lower RPMs, which dilutes its overall performance a bit.

The impressive list of safety features offered in the Changan X7 Plus includes safety aids like four airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, hill descent control, tyre pressure monitoring system, adaptive cruise control, reverse parking sensors and a 360-degree parking camera.

The Changan X7 Plus is a decent SUV when it comes to exterior stance, luxurious and tech-rich feel on the inside and low-speed ride quality, but is not a preferred choice for driving enthusiasts with inconsistent power delivery and body roll at higher speeds.