What does the term 'Three Aunties on the Road: Leiling, Sylphy, Corolla' mean?

[VanDelaney]

'Three Aunties on the Road: Leiling, Sylphy, Corolla' refers to the Leiling, Sylphy, and Corolla being likened to aunties. The reason for comparing the Leiling and Corolla to aunties is mainly because these cars accelerate too slowly, causing traffic congestion. Especially the Sylphy at traffic lights, its sluggishness is utterly frustrating. Below are the relevant details: Nissan's all-new Sylphy: After its launch, the all-new Sylphy directly dethroned the Volkswagen Lavida. It is equipped with a 1.6L naturally aspirated engine, delivering a maximum power of 135 horsepower, paired with a CVT transmission. The power output is moderate, offering smooth and easy driving, with an average fuel consumption of around 6.5-7L per 100 kilometers. FAW Toyota Corolla: The Corolla is powered by a four-cylinder 1.2T turbocharged engine, producing a maximum power of 116 horsepower, matched with a CVT transmission that simulates 10 gears. It tends to be sluggish at the start, and the transmission can feel slightly jerky, but the turbo kicks in relatively early, giving it more explosive mid-range acceleration compared to the all-new Sylphy's 1.6L engine. The rear independent suspension balances ride comfort and handling, with an average fuel consumption of around 7L per 100 kilometers, slightly higher in city traffic jams. GAC Toyota Leiling: The Leiling shares the same engine, transmission, and chassis as the Corolla, and the interior dashboard layout remains unchanged, though there are slight differences in small design details. Additionally, the Leiling's assembly quality is slightly better than the Corolla's. In fact, GAC Toyota models generally offer more satisfactory craftsmanship compared to FAW Toyota's models.

[OStephanie]

Last time I drove my friend's Levin through a traffic light, it drove me crazy. I stepped halfway on the gas pedal, but the car was still crawling at a snail's pace, and the taxi behind me started honking. The 'Three Aunties' veteran drivers talk about refer to the Levin, Sylphy, and Corolla trio—each one drives more 'zen' than the last. It's not that there's anything wrong with the cars; the manufacturers deliberately tuned the throttle response to be extremely sluggish to keep fuel consumption down to around 4-point-something. Especially the Sylphy's CVT transmission—the RPM just refuses to climb, as if saying, 'What's the rush? Take it slow.' But these cars are quite comfortable in traffic jams—the steering wheel is as light as a toy car's, and the seats are so soft you could fall asleep in them.

[AidenFitz]

I often hear the experienced mechanics at the repair shop mentioning the 'Three Aunties,' which actually refers to the most common cars on the road: the Levin, Sylphy, and Corolla. The throttle tuning on these three is way too conservative—light taps do nothing, while heavy presses make them lurch. Once, while repairing a Sylphy, I took apart the throttle body and found the electronic throttle delay was almost half a second. The funniest part was riding in a Didi Corolla and seeing the driver peeling an orange at a red light. But then again, these cars only consume about 5 liters per 100 km in city commutes, and the back seats are spacious enough to cross your legs. No wonder ride-hailing drivers love using them.

[LaAaron]

Just a couple of days ago, I finally understood the meme about the 'Three Aunties of the Road' when accompanying my buddy to check out cars. The 4S store salesperson even joked that these three models are like moving roadblocks, especially the X-Trail's accelerator which feels like stepping on cotton. But then the salesperson immediately showed me the data: these three cars combined sell over a hundred thousand units monthly. Most buyers are family users with both elderly and children to care for, and what they want are velvet seats paired with zero-gravity seats, driving as comfortably as sitting on a sofa. A Corolla owner even told me that the money saved on gas is enough to buy two extra packs of cigarettes each month.

[SanChristopher]

I've noticed that it's mostly young guys who complain about the 'Three Aunties' cars. Once, I took a colleague's Nissan Sylphy on a business trip, and when overtaking a truck on the highway, I had to floor the accelerator just to get up to speed. However, the aunties in the back kept praising how smooth the ride was, saying they didn't even need motion sickness pills. These three cars have very precise positioning: they prioritize fuel efficiency over acceleration, and smooth ride over road feel. I've fit four suitcases and a stroller in the trunk of a Toyota Corolla, and the Toyota Levin Hybrid can go 900 km on a single tank of gas. In the end, it all comes down to what the average person's wallet can afford.

[MacSpencer]

Driving my friend's Levin made me truly understand how fitting the 'auntie' nickname is. Its fuel efficiency shines in traffic jams, but when you floor it, the engine screams its heart out while the acceleration feels like a sloth taking a stroll. The classic moment was last year on the highway in a Corolla, getting overtaken by a Wuling Hongguang whose driver even gave me a peace sign as they passed. But let's be honest, these three models dominating the sales charts year after year isn't without reason. When I helped a relative pick up their Sylphy, I discovered the back seat could easily fit a child safety seat plus two dogs, and the suspension glides over speed bumps like they're butter.