Car "Photon Savannah": owner reviews

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

Many brand "Photon" is known for commercial vehicles. However, an SUV of this brand has recently appeared on the Russian market. What is remarkable: the car is not a novelty - the car was presented back in 2014 at an exhibition in Guangzhou. However, in Russia, he appeared only now. What is Photon Savannah 2017? Owner reviews, description and specifications - later in our article.

Design

How do the reviews of the owners characterize the appearance of the Chinese SUV "Photon Savannah"? Many compare it with the Toyota Fortuner. The car has the same muscular silhouette and look of the front optics. But if the "Japanese" costs about 60 thousand dollars, then the "Chinese" is many times cheaper (we will tell you about prices in detail at the end). According to reviews, the Photon Savannah car has a pleasant appearance. Although by 2017 it is slightly outdated (at home, in the Middle Kingdom, this jeep has been “stamped” for the third year already). The car looks better than"Hawal" or "Lifan" performed by "crossover".

Front, the car received halogen optics and a large bumper with a chrome grille. Fog lights - lined, with neat stripes of running lights. The Photon Savannah discs are no less attractive. Owner reviews say that with them the car looks like a Japanese Prado. Cast wheels 17 inches with a high profile give the car brutality and a real, masculine look. The side mirrors are chrome-plated (Prado-style) and there are roof rails for attaching an additional trunk.

As for the metal itself on the Photon Savannah SUV, owner reviews note high corrosion resistance. This was partly achieved thanks to high-quality body painting. The car withstands winter operation well.

Dimensions, ground clearance

As noted by the reviews, "Photon Savannah" has large dimensions. The SUV belongs to the middle class SUV. The length of the body is 4.83 meters, width - 1.91, height - 1.89 meters. Ground clearance is one of the main advantages of the Photon Savannah SUV. Reviews about the car say that the jeep copes well with pits and bumps.

Clearance of 22 centimeters is enough for off-road and driving on snowy roads. The SUV is able to overcome fords with a depth of 80 cm. The maximum climb angle is 28 degrees. Departure angle - up to 25.

Interior

Reviews about "Photon Savannah" 2017years show that the car has a lot of free space inside. The salon is much more spacious than in the "Duster" or the same "Patriot" - motorists say. The car in expensive trim levels has a rather pleasant interior with leather trim. The reader can see a photo of such a salon below.

The front panel has a smooth overhang, and a large multimedia complex is placed on the center console. It is slightly recessed inside, which made it possible to place buttons and "twists" to control the radio right at the bottom of the screen. On the sides there are two vertical deflectors that are adjustable in two directions. Also on the console there is a climate control unit. It can work both in manual and automatic mode. A little lower is a 12-volt outlet and a niche for small things - everything is like a standard, full-size SUV. The gearshift lever is slightly shifted towards the driver, which is very convenient. When switching speeds, you do not need to reach for the handle - reviews say. Auto "Photon Savannah" is equipped with a comfortable three-spoke steering wheel with recesses for the palms. Additionally, there is a plastic insert "aluminum" and multimedia control buttons. Of course, it was not without an airbag - it comes already in the basic configuration. Belts - three-point, with pretensioners. On the passenger side is a huge glove box. True, it is not refrigerated and does not lock with a key.

About shortcomings

Despite the ever-increasing pace of development, the Chinese are not able to "catch up" with Japanese manufacturers. Qualityassembly is significantly inferior to Toyota, as many motorists talk about.

On the other hand, for such a price, you simply won't be able to find something better. In terms of comfort, the car lacks electric drive and steering wheel adjustment. The latter is not adjustable for reach - only for height. The manufacturer promised to take into account these shortcomings and correct this situation.

Trunk

As noted by the reviews of the owners, "Photon Savannah" has a roomy trunk. This is a huge plus, since the car is mostly family-owned. So, with a five-seat layout, the trunk size is 1510 liters. If you fold the rear row of seats, the volume will increase to 2240. A seven-seater version will also be available to customers. In the trunk area there is a small bench for two passengers (however, adults will no longer fit here). In this case, the trunk volume will be 290 liters in a three-row version.

Many complaints from the owners causes a full-size spare tire. It is not on the back cover and not even under the floor. The spare is located under the bottom. This is very inconvenient. If such a car gets stuck on off-road, it will be very difficult to get the wheel out. On the other hand, with this decision, the Chinese got rid of the lack of free space in the trunk and the ever-sagging loops (as happens on the Patriot). After all, the weight of the spare wheel is about 25-30 kilograms.

Specifications

For Photon Savannah SUV manufacturerprovided three power plants. This is one diesel and two petrol aspirated. The first is a unit from Cummins. With a working volume of 2.8 liters, it produces 163 horsepower. This motor is widely used on GAZelles of the Next and Business brands. This unit is characterized by low consumption and high resource. Mileage before overhaul - at least 400 thousand kilometers. But, unfortunately, this engine is not available on the Photon Savannah versions for the Russian market.

Now let's move on to gasoline units. The basic version offers a two-liter engine with a capacity of 200 horsepower. The Chinese managed to achieve such high performance through the use of a turbocharger and a direct fuel supply system. The torque of this unit is 300 Nm. Thrust is scattered over almost the entire range - from one and a half to four and a half thousand revolutions. This is a big plus, since there are no “blunts” during acceleration, motorists note.

In more expensive versions, a 218 hp engine is available. What is remarkable: this is the same two-liter gasoline engine, just more "bloated" software. The torque of the unit is 20 Nm more than its predecessor. The thrust is available in the range from 1.7 to 4.5 thousand rpm, which is also quite good.

Transmission

A six-speed manual transmission is provided for the 200-horsepower engine. It is made by ZF. A more powerful unit for 218 forces is equipped with an automatic transmission from the same manufacturer. Diesel versions canbe equipped with one of two gearboxes to choose from. But let's repeat: the diesel-powered Photon Savannah is not yet officially sold in Russia.

As an option, "Photon" offers the installation of a limited slip differential of the rear axle and all-wheel drive transmission TOD. Thus, the Savannah is transformed from an urban crossover into a real SUV with locks and all-wheel drive.

Performance

The car has acceptable dynamics - say the reviews. Acceleration to hundreds takes about 11 seconds on a 200-horsepower engine. In terms of fuel consumption, Cummins is the most economical. Diesel "Photon Savannah" consumes about 8.5 liters per hundred. For an SUV of this mass (about two tons), this is not bad. Gasoline versions consume about 10. In the city, this figure increases to 13, although according to passport data it should be 11. On the highway, the Photon Savannah with a gasoline engine spends about 8 liters. But off-road consumption can increase to 17.5.

Packages and prices

How much can you buy this car in Russia? The initial cost for the Photon Savannah SUV in 2017 is 1 million 454 thousand rubles. The car is assembled at the Stavropol Auto plant. Basic version includes:

• Air conditioner.
• Multi steering wheel.
• Front wheel drive.
• Audio system.
• Rear parking sensors.
• Two front airbags.
• 17" alloy wheels.
• Tire pressure monitoring and lift assist system.
• Electricpower windows for all doors.
• Power mirrors.
• Electronic stabilization system.

It will be a five-seat modification with a 200-horsepower engine and a manual transmission. The Comfort version with an automatic transmission and a 218-horsepower engine is available at a price of 1,620,000 rubles. For the seven-seat option, you will have to pay 40 thousand rubles separately.

The maximum configuration of "Luxeri" is available at a price of 1 million 705 thousand rubles. This price includes:

• Leather upholstery.
• Dual-zone climate control.
• Keyless entry.
• Four-wheel drive.
• Multimedia complex with a seven-inch display.
• Reversing camera with dynamic markings.
• Light and rain sensor.
• Climate and cruise control.
• Chrome trim on the rear bumper.
• Aluminum footpeg.

Regardless of the configuration, the Photon Savannah SUV is provided with a three-year warranty (three years or 100 thousand kilometers). The service interval is 10 thousand kilometers.

Conclusion

So, we found out what the Chinese car "Photon Savannah" is. Judging by the reviews, this is one of the most powerful equipped "Chinese" in its class. The car does not pretend to be a budget line, so it is easily bypassed by competitors - UAZ Patriot and Great Wall H5. Many are accustomed to associate China with cheapness. And taking an SUV for one and a half million rubles from China is strangesolution. However, those who have purchased "Photon" respond generally positively. The car is assembled much better than the Lifan, Haval, and much more reliable than the modern UAZ Patriot. But you have to pay for quality. In this case - from 1 million 454 thousand rubles.