Everyone remembers their first car; and whatever the make or model, there are always fond memories attached to them. In my case, the most vivid ones were those associated with learning to drive. My dad’s Corolla bore the brunt—stalling the clutch, almost hitting curb. Though I’ve driven other cars since, my most memorable four-wheeled experience always goes back to this gutless 55 horsepower, beat-up 4-door tin can.
In the decades that followed, cars have become more powerful and complicated. In the process, the once character-filled basic transportation models have lost what’s most important: their soul. In 2008, you have to spend at least a million to get something that’s fun to drive and well, cheerful. Well, maybe you haven’t met the Chana Benni.
Walking up to the Benni at the Focus Ventures office (Chana’s Philippine distributor), it certainly looks familiar like seeing an uncle during those annual family gathering. It can’t be helped. Uncle Benni has some hints of Chrysler, Honda and even Mercedes-Benz built into its city-car profile. It’s certainly lanky with a high roofline and narrow footprint. There are attempts to mask it by the blacked-out trimmings, but you cannot deny its city car looks. Upfront, the headlamps are nicely detailed with projector-type low beams that have fog lamps as standard. Large rhomboid brake lamps dominate the rear, and though they don’t use LEDs, the three-bulb pattern does a good job mimicking it. Benni’s sporty too with the standard rear spoiler and rear fog lamp at the back and the 14-inch shoes on each corner.
But like some relatives you meet during those reunions, Benni has a somewhat darker side: it’s interior. While the exterior is modern in execution, the interior’s somber and shiny. Even with the gray fabric seats and silver trimming, it does little to uplift the cabin. Though the materials are made of cost-cutting hard plastics with exposed screws everywhere, generally the build quality is good—on par with the Koreans. It looks fairly modern too with the curved treatments on the dash and center console.
Though you won’t want caught dead riding Uncle Benni (shame on your dirty minds), a 170-cm frame fits comfortably on the front seats. Though the cushion’s on the flat side, the tight fit assures support in most of the needed areas. The driving position, though nowhere near as perfect, is at least designed for Homo sapiens. And Benni wants you to be fit and sporty too, so those with sumo-sized frames will certainly not fit. Though it’s a five-door, it’s best to call Benni a 2+2 since the rear seats are best left for kids and the vertically challenged. That said, at least everyone gets their own seatbelt.
Also favorable with the Benni is the impressive list of standard features. It boasts of an electric power steering system, driver’s airbag and front vented disc with ABS and EBD. Inside, the power windows and door locks are supplemented by a 1-DIN stereo/CD with four speaker system, a 60/40 split-fold rear bench with luggage cover, a digital trip meter with fancy day/night reversing lighting scheme and a keyless entry system. If you’re picky, the only thing lacking are power side mirrors. A very minor offense given the amount of things plopped in it as standard.
While the Benni has this air of familiarity like a family relative, what’s really striking is the driving dynamics, which are reminiscent of my first car. Memories started to flood in the moment I cranked the Suzuki-sourced 1.3-liter engine to life. With 84 horsepower and 110 Nm of torque, it’s not exactly an ’82 Corolla. In fact, it’s more powerful, preppy and actually fun to drive hard. But the overall character is more or less the same.
The engine isn’t refined by today’s standard, so cue in all the harsh droning of a four-cylinder engine. But the way the Benni thrashes to 4,000 rpm is reminiscent to those old 2A Toyota engines. Still, the Benni is rev-willing and the five-speed manual, though notchy, at least feels solidly connected to the engine. The clutch engagement is easy to modulate. Focus Ventures quotes a top speed of 145 km/h, but it’s best to quote them on that as anything beyond 120 km/h is scary stuff. This is because of the narrow footprint and tires (165/60). In city traffic, the Benni feels surefooted and stable, but quick turns may upset it a bit (again because of the tires). The brakes bite hard with a good pedal feel. Focus Ventures quotes a fuel economy mileage of 22.72 km/L, but we managed around 16.35—not bad considering the thrashing it underwent.
Although Chana cannot boast to be the country’s first Chinese car brand, the Benni can actually be the first to stir it up. While other Chinese cars are recognized for being dirt cheap, the Benni offers a more modern design and execution while maintaining a more palatable price (P 438,000 for the manual and P 495,000 for the automatic). Chana has poured lots of engineering money into the Benni and it shows. The shell feels sturdy and solid—as it should, since it passes the European NCAP crash tests (well, at least its Chinese equivalent). And it’s covered by a comprehensive three-year / 100,000 kilometer warranty.
Though the Benni may be recognizable to me, it may not be the same case with you. But in a few years time, who knows? Try out the Chana Benni, and you might end pleasantly surprised in the end.
By Ulysses Ang | Photos by Ulysses Ang
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