Lifan Solano

Lifan Solano at a glance: one car, several names

The Solano is the same car as the Lifan 620; only the badge changes with the market. In China it was the Lifan 620, cars assembled by Derways in Russia were badged Solano, and the version built in Tunisia by the Italian importer Martin Motors was sold as the MM620, added to that company's line-up in 2012.

Lifan itself started as a motorcycle repair business founded in Chongqing in 1992 and moved into car production in 2005, as our history of Lifan Industry explains. In the range the 620 sat above the small Lifan Smily hatchback.

Besides the main plant in Chongqing, the 620 is listed as assembled by NAZ in Nakhchivan (Azerbaijan), in San José (Uruguay), in Tunisia and by Kerman Motor in Iran, where a modified version used a different engine.

The car launched in China in 2008: a 30 September 2008 report describes it as introduced earlier that year, and China sales tables show 986 cars registered in 2008. Some sources give 2009, but 2008 is the better-supported date. The end date is less clear. One set of sources stops the 620 in 2015; others run production to 2018, when Chinese sales finally tailed off.

China-market sales

China-only figures compiled by carsalesbase show how quickly the car rose and faded:

The total is our sum; exports and overseas assembly are not included.

The three stages: 620, 630 and 650

The Solano family has three visual stages on the same 2,605 mm (102.6 in) wheelbase, so "one generation" is a simplification.

The 630 arrived as a 2014 model year car, with a grille usually described as Lexus-style; it was built from 2013 to 2016, and an electric version also existed. In some markets the 650 is referred to as the Solano II, although that name rests on catalogue listings rather than a factory source.

The body was also used for the ChangJiang 360e electric car of 2016, with a 100 kW (134 hp) motor and a kerb weight of 1,850 kg (4,079 lb).

Engines, gearbox and performance

The original Solano uses a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine of 1,587 cc (96.8 cu in) with 16 valves, derived from the Tritec design and rated at 85 kW (116 PS). Later cars switched to Lifan's own 1.5-litre engines.

Market tunes vary. The Philippine 620 1.6 was listed at 78 kW (104 hp) at 6,000 rpm and 149 Nm (110 lb-ft) at 4,500 rpm. For the Uruguayan 2017 model year, the 1,498 cc (91.4 cu in) 1.5 VVT with multipoint injection was quoted at 100 hp (about 75 kW) at 6,000 rpm and 128 Nm (94 lb-ft) between 3,500 and 4,500 rpm, the same LF479Q2 family Lifan used in other models.

Every version we could source has a 5-speed manual gearbox and front-wheel drive. A CVT is mentioned in some listings, but we found no reliable confirmation, and there was no all-wheel-drive version. The Iranian-assembled car was the exception on engines: it used the 1.8-litre unit from the Lifan X60 SUV.

Lifan claimed a top speed of about 160 km/h (99 mph). We found no independently measured 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) times, so we do not quote any.

Dimensions, interior space and boot

The Solano is 4,550 mm (179.1 in) long, 1,705 mm (67.1 in) wide and 1,495 mm (58.9 in) tall, on a 2,605 mm (102.6 in) wheelbase.

The 650-litre (23.0 cu ft) boot is the figure every market quoted, and it was the car's clearest practical advantage. Ground clearance is listed at 150 mm (5.9 in) and the turning circle at 11 m (36.1 ft).

Key specifications: Lifan 620 / Solano 1.6

Kerb weight figures in circulation do not agree and some look like gross weights, so we leave weight out.

Fuel economy and running costs

The only consumption figure we could tie to a source is Lifan's own claim of 7.8 L/100 km (36.2 mpg UK, 30.2 mpg US) combined for the 1.5-litre car, published for the Uruguayan 2017 model year. Expect more in real driving. The fuel tank holds 58 litres (12.8 UK gal).

Warranty terms depended on the importer. In the Philippines, for example, the 620 came with three years or 100,000 km (about 62,000 miles). We found no independent data on servicing costs or long-term reliability, so we do not estimate running costs.

Versions and equipment by market

Equipment was set market by market, so a Solano's kit depends on where it was first sold. The Uruguayan 2017 car came in a single LX trim with dual front airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist, disc brakes on all four wheels, ISOFIX child-seat anchors and 15-inch alloy wheels. The Philippine LX listed driver and passenger airbags, manual air conditioning and 15-inch alloys.

Safety: what is and isn't known

We found no published Euro NCAP, C-NCAP or IIHS crash-test result for the Lifan 620, 630, 650 or Solano. Older claims that it "passed a crash test" are not backed by any report we could find.

One rating is often confused with it. In December 2014 Latin NCAP gave zero stars for adult and child protection to the Lifan 320 in its base form without airbags, after a 64 km/h (40 mph) frontal test. That is the smaller Smily, a different car, and its result cannot be transferred to the Solano.

Rivals: how the Solano compares

The Solano competed as a roomy budget saloon against cars such as the Renault Logan, the Hyundai Accent, the Kia Rio and the Geely Emgrand 7. Its case rested on space: a long body for the class and a 650-litre boot.

The Geely is the closest comparison in concept, as another Chinese compact saloon of the same period. Against all of them, the Solano's weak point is the missing crash-test record, so buyers who rank safety first had better-documented choices. The Rivals and Compare blocks on this page show the catalogue figures side by side.

Within Lifan's own range, the Lifan Cebrium (720) was the larger saloon above it. The full line-up is in our Lifan catalogue, and similar cars are grouped under sedans.