FAW V5

FAW V5 at a glance

The V5 is a small family sedan for buyers who want a lot of car for little money. It belongs to the Vita (Weizhi) family that FAW Tianjin produced from July 2006: the hatchback ran until 2012, the C1 sedan from 2006 to 2012 and the V5 sedan from 2012 to 2015. The family replaced the FAW Vela and Vizi, and the smaller FAW V2 took over as the group's budget car. FAW's long history, from its 1953 founding to today, is told in the history of FAW, and all its models are in the FAW catalogue.

The Vita family before the V5

The first Vita models used Toyota-designed engines: a 1.3-litre 8A-FE and a 1.4-litre 4GB1 in the hatchback, and a 1.5-litre 5A-FE in the C1 sedan, sold as the CA 7130 and CA 7140. A crossover-styled Vita V2 Cross was planned in 2011 but never built. The V5 kept the sedan body and moved to FAW's own 1.5-litre 4GA5 engine with a more modern front end.

Exterior design

The V5's styling is restrained rather than adventurous. According to the old 1cars text, its headlights and unusually shaped grille sit above a bumper with fog lights and an air intake, and creases on the bonnet lead into the wheel arches. Base cars ride on 14-inch wheels. At the rear there is a large bumper, big lamps and a wide boot lid, and LED lights were not offered. Mirrors carry side indicator repeaters. The overall look is neat but conservative, and the old 1cars review saw a resemblance to the Volkswagen Polo in its proportions. Ground clearance is a modest 150 mm.

Interior and practicality

The cabin is built down to a price. The old 1cars review notes hard plastics and simple trim, but a clear instrument panel with three dials and adjustable brightness. The centre console carries a basic audio system with USB and four speakers. Front seats are soft and offer some side support. Neither the steering column nor the seat belts are adjustable for height.

Front space is adequate even for tall occupants. The rear bench has three belts but only two head restraints, and a floor tunnel makes the centre seat uncomfortable, so the car is best for two adults in the back. The boot holds about 420 litres, but the rear seat backs do not fold, which limits long loads.

Engine, gearbox and performance

The FAW V5 has one engine, the 1.5-litre 4GA5 four-cylinder petrol unit. It produces 75 kW (102 PS) and 130 Nm (96 lb-ft) and drives the front wheels. FAW Tianjin offered a five-speed manual and a four-speed automatic for the V5.

The suspension uses MacPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam at the rear. The old 1cars text describes the ride as soft and comfortable over poor road surfaces. There is no all-wheel-drive, hybrid or electric version.

Dimensions and boot

Safety and equipment

FAW marketed the V5's safety package as the I-Safe-System. On the passive side it includes a reinforced body, steel beams in the doors, energy-absorbing elements behind the front bumper, a collapsible steering column and front airbags. Active systems include ABS, electronic brake-force distribution, a brake override system that gives the brake priority if both pedals are pressed, and tyre pressure sensors. There are no rear airbags. No Euro NCAP or IIHS test was carried out; the old 1cars text notes that the car did not score well in Chinese C-NCAP testing.

According to the old 1cars text, the better-equipped versions came with air conditioning, power windows and mirrors, an electrically released boot lid and fuel flap, and an audio system with CD and USB. Rear parking sensors and a full-size spare wheel were also fitted, along with ISOFIX child-seat mounts and rear child locks. Alloy wheels, central locking and fog lights were options on some versions, and the top trim added leather upholstery and body-coloured mouldings. A plastic engine undertray was standard, with a steel one available.

Strengths and weaknesses

Owners and reviewers quoted in the old 1cars text praised the V5's useful boot, frugal engine, good standard equipment for the money and soft suspension. They criticised the poor noise insulation, hard plastics and build quality, limited rear headroom and rear visibility, and the lack of a height-adjustable steering column. Rear seats that do not fold and the absence of heated windscreen and mirrors were further drawbacks.

Rivals: how the V5 compares

The V5 competed with other low-cost sedans of its size, such as the Chery A13 (Fulwin 2), Geely Emgrand EC7, Toyota Vios and Volkswagen Polo. Its strengths are a large boot for the class, a frugal 1.5-litre engine and good equipment for the price. Its weaknesses are simple interior materials, weak crash-test results and limited practicality with fixed rear seats. Buyers wanting more space and comfort from FAW looked at the FAW Besturn B50 or larger Besturn B70.