2022 Kaicene CX70

It would be impossible to find an SUV, whether a five- or seven-seater priced under one million pesos, even if you go back to 2005. Heck, even the first-gen, entry-level Fortuner started at P1.195 million.

Kaicene may be a relatively new brand, but it is attempting to make a big impact in the segment by introducing a seven-seater SUV that massively undercuts competitors, several crossovers, and even MPVs. Check out the CX70, priced at exactly P879,000.

If the front looks a little familiar, that’s because it is Kaicene’s interpretation of a few Range Rover design cues like the flat hood, the form and mesh of the grille, and the shape of the fog lamps’ housing. It comes with typical SUV accouterments like body cladding, roof rails, a sunroof, a rear spoiler (with a high-mount stop lamp), and a rear underbody cover.

I like the turn signal lamps integrated into the side-view mirrors and even a rear window wiper. But I wish they’d upgrade the halogen projector headlamps (with daytime running lamps) to LEDs and give it bigger wheels (it uses 17s now) and tires in the facelift.

The whole design isn’t striking and may even feel a little old compared to the competition. It is big, wide, and tall, which are proper SUV proportions, and also makes ingress and egress easier for the more mature crowd.

It comes with a smart key like the pricier SUVs. But there’s just a tiny bit of a delay after the button (on the handle) is pressed before the doors lock or unlock.

Tall and large windows let plenty of natural light into the cabin, and since there is only a handful of equipment in the cockpit, the whole interior looks and feels roomy.

Plastics used on the dashboard and door panels feel cheap, but it’s barely noticed because designers did a great job with the shape and layout, even adding chrome and bronze accents. Plus, the color perfectly matches the leather on the multi-function steering wheel and manually-adjustable seats (with red stitching), so your brain tricks you into assuming it is covered with soft-touch material too.

The start-stop button is oddly located at the bottom of the center stack, just in front of the T-shaped gear shifter, but everything else is pretty much conventional, including the vertically-positioned eight-inch infotainment display (with Bluetooth).

Aircon vents are big, so the cabin cools faster. But while it has second-row vents, there aren’t any at the very back. The sunroof could be a little wider to make it to the second row, it could do with more than one USB port, and more cupholders would be great as well.

Like the exterior, the cabin isn’t fancy as well. It is basic but spacious and more importantly, quick to cool even on a hot summer day. There’s no CarPlay or Android Auto, but the touchscreen looks nice because of the orientation, although the interface of the climate control system could be better.

It is pretty agile for a mid-sized vehicle at low speeds, even if it is powered only by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. The 230-Nm of torque does an excellent job making it feel light from a standstill. But, there was significant turbo lag when I mashed the throttle for quick acceleration to overtake at city pace. 150 horsepower is more than enough for the city and maintains 100 km/h on the highway with the engine breathing at just 1,900 RPM.

The six-speed gearbox is smooth but needs a light foot for fuel efficiency because this has a small 48-liter tank. That is partly why its consumption is only at around 8.2 km/l in mixed driving conditions. I was expecting much more because of the small displacement engine. According to Kaicene PH, it could be a break-in issue as their customers have seen significant improvements after the first 5,000 kilometers.

Steering feedback is perfect as the weight and heft are communicated, but there is a small dead spot at the center at highway speeds. Surprisingly, it is much easier to maneuver than other established SUVs, but understandably, its height doesn’t inspire high rollover resistance.

Comfort is very good as it handles potholes and deformed humps gently and even keeps noise, vibration, and harshness levels very low. What I’m impressed with are the front and rear disc brakes. They bite softly, but early and firmly. It also helps that the body somehow slightly dips as it comes to a halt.

This young seven-seater gets a few things right but will also need improvements on several other aspects. The best thing about it is the price. For what it costs to buy a subcompact sedan, you can get a bigger, more powerful vehicle. Kaicene may not be a household name just yet, but making the CX70 affordable is the right first step.