Qoros Sedan Qoros 3

The Qoros 3 Sedan at a glance

Who made the Qoros 3

Qoros began in December 2007 as Chery Quantum Automotive Corporation, a 50:50 joint venture between the Chinese carmaker Chery and Quantum, part of Israel Corporation's Kenon group. It took the name Qoros Auto in November 2011. The goal was ambitious: a Chinese brand built to European standards, sold in China and Europe. The company hired experienced engineers and designers from European carmakers, worked with Magna Steyr from 2009 and appointed Gert Hildebrand, previously head of Mini design, as design chief. The background of one parent company is in Chery's history.

Qoros 3 design and interior

The Qoros 3 has a clean, restrained shape with bi-xenon and LED headlights, a small chrome grille and LED tail lights. Wheels range from 16 to 18 inches. Inside, it uses soft-touch plastics, fabric or leather trim and an 8-inch touchscreen with USB, Bluetooth and navigation, mounted in a simple, uncluttered dashboard. The steering wheel has a flat-bottomed rim and adjusts for height and reach. A long 2,702 mm wheelbase gives generous rear legroom, and adults up to about 1.90 m sit comfortably in front. In the back, the low roof and upright backrest are the main limits.

Qoros 3 engines, gearboxes and performance

Both engines have start-stop and sit transversely at the front. Performance figures are Qoros's launch data. Qoros quoted combined fuel consumption of about 6.0–6.4 l/100 km. For 2021 the range was updated with a 1.5-litre turbo from Chery and a CVT automatic. The engine data are also in the Qoros 3 specifications.

The chassis uses MacPherson struts at the front and electric power steering. Disc brakes measure 305 mm at the front and 285 mm at the rear, and ABS and stability control are standard.

Qoros 3 dimensions and boot space

By our catalogue data, the Qoros 3's 2,702 mm wheelbase is 51 mm longer than that of the Volkswagen Jetta VI (2,651 mm), which explains its generous rear legroom. Rival saloons can be set side by side in the 1cars comparison tool.

Euro NCAP: a first for a Chinese car

In September 2013 Euro NCAP awarded the Qoros 3 Sedan five stars, the first time a car built in China had reached the top rating. It scored 95 % for adult occupant protection, 87 % for child occupants, 77 % for pedestrian protection and 81 % for safety assist. Standard equipment included front, side and curtain airbags, seat-belt pretensioners and load limiters, ISOFIX child-seat anchors, a seat-belt reminder and electronic stability control.

The result attracted wide attention because Chinese cars had previously done poorly in European tests. It showed that Chinese factories could build cars to the highest safety standards, and several Chinese brands, among them Geely's European offshoots, have since earned five-star ratings too.

Variants and later development

The range later added the Qoros 5 SUV (2015–2016) and the Qoros 7 (2020).

What happened to Qoros

Sales never matched the plan. Qoros sold fewer than 7,000 cars in 2014 against a capacity of 150,000, about 14,000 in 2015 and 24,188 in 2016. European sales began as a pilot in Slovakia but never expanded, and in April 2017 the company said it had no plans to sell in Europe for the foreseeable future.

In December 2017 the Chinese property group Baoneng took a 51 % stake, rising to 63 % in January 2019, with Chery keeping 25 % and Kenon 12 %. Baoneng's financial problems hit Qoros hard: in 2022 reports spoke of its dissolution, equipment auctions and vehicle seizures, while after-sales service continued. According to reports, a court accepted a bankruptcy application in January 2026, and the company entered bankruptcy proceedings.

Should you buy a used Qoros 3?

The Qoros 3 Sedan is a well-built, safe and roomy compact. The risk lies in the brand's future. With the company in bankruptcy proceedings, parts supply and dealer support are uncertain, so the car suits buyers who have an independent specialist nearby and can accept that risk. Choose a car with full service records and, ideally, the simpler naturally aspirated 1.6 with a manual gearbox. All models are listed in the Qoros catalogue.