Can the Alto Happy Prince still be driven on the road?
2 Answers
Alto Happy Prince can still be driven on the road. Alto: A budget car brand under China Changan Suzuki. In the early 1990s, four domestic military enterprises—Chongqing Changan Alto, Hunan Jiangnan Alto, Jilin Jiangbei Alto, and Xi'an Qinchuan Alto—acquired the relevant technology and production equipment of the Alto model from Japan's Suzuki, enabling them to independently produce the Alto model. Happy Prince: The Happy Prince is the highest-configuration model in the Alto series and the only one among the four models equipped with dual airbags, providing relatively good protection for front-seat passengers. The Xiali N3 is equipped with a driver-side airbag but lacks a passenger-side airbag. The Chery QQ and Ideal have no airbags, making them relatively lacking in passive safety.
I've been driving for over 20 years, and the Happy Prince really brings back memories. But honestly, there probably aren't many Happy Princes still legally on the road now. Production stopped back in 2008, so even the youngest ones are over 15 years old - under current regulations they require biannual inspections. The biggest headache is emissions - they don't even meet China III standards, and many cities directly restrict their use. The other day I was helping a friend check out used cars, and the veteran mechanic at the repair shop just shook his head, saying all the rubber components in these old cars have deteriorated, the wiring is prone to short circuits, and key parts are no longer produced. If you ask me, they're fine as collector's items, but actually driving them on the road is both expensive and unsafe.