The Proton Exora is starting to really show its age after 11 years of being in production. Strong indications are that the follow-up Exora model will be based on the Geely Jiaji. With that in mind, we’re quite interested in seeing what Chinese customers have to choose from in this segment.
Turns out there’s quite a lot of options out there. One of the more recent additions to the MPV segment in the Chinese automotive industry is the Wuling Victory. Wuling is a relatively new player that was reestablished with Shanghai Automotive Group (SAIC) and General Motors both having some interest in the brand.
While the Victory probably isn’t going to directly compete against the Jiaji (as it has 6 seats instead of 7), it’s still a relatively large MPV, possibly fitting into the larger mould of the Kia Carnival or Honda Odyssey rather than the Proton Exora.
Like so many modern Chinese vehicles, the Wuling Victory gets its power from a 1.5-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. Two power outputs are available – either 145 horsepower or 174 horsepower. No word on torque figures nor what sort of gearbox the Victory will get.
The Victory is particularly interesting due to its high equipment level. Just like the Geely Jiaji, this MPV is particularly obsessed with delivering clean air to its occupants. Its got a negative ion generator and a PM2.5 air filter that ought to keep most pollutants at bay.
Road safety is also at the forefront. 6 airbags are standard on the Victory, along with more Advanced Driver Assist Systems. Using four HD cameras and 6 radar sensors, the Victory delivers autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping assist and adaptive cruise control. You also get some other ‘premium’ goodies such as a 12.3″ infotainment screen and a digital instrument cluster. It also helps that the designers made an effort to keep the design uniform and clean throughout.
The front grille is particularly impressive. It’s as large as anything else we’ve seen from premium makes but it looks particularly aggressive. Kind of like a cheese grater.
The real ‘headline grabber’ is the fact that the Wuling Victory comes with the largest sunroof in the MPV segment. We purposefully put this at the end because it’s not something most Malaysians would see as attractive given our weather.
