Changan BenBen History
Catalog record
This is a brief catalog introduction with limited source documentation. A licensed, identity-checked lead photograph has not yet been added for this page. Detailed year, configuration and ownership coverage must be identified separately; this page is not a complete vehicle catalog.
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The BenBen debuted at the 2006 Beijing Auto Show as Changan's affordable compact city car, styled by Italy's I.DE.A Institute with a rounded silhouette, short overhangs, and a high roofline to maximise interior space. Priced from around 39,800 yuan, it targeted urban buyers seeking a practical, fuel-efficient small car.
A mid-cycle facelift arrived in 2010 under the BenBen Love name with revised front and rear styling. A second-generation BenBen followed in 2014, debuted at the 2013 Guangzhou Auto Show. As the market shifted toward crossovers and electric vehicles in the late 2010s, the BenBen line was retired around 2019, with its electric successor rebranded as the BenBen E-Star.
Generations
First generation (BenBen I) · BenBen I
The original I.DE.A-styled city hatchback; facelifted as the BenBen Love in 2010.
2009 Photo: “2009 Chang'an Ben Ben, front 8.3.18.jpg” by Kevauto / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Second generation (BenBen II) · BenBen II
Redesigned second-generation city hatchback, debuted at the 2013 Guangzhou Auto Show.
2014 Photo: “2014 Chang'an Ben Ben IMT (front).jpg” by User 3204 / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
2016 Photo: “2016 Chang'an Ben Ben 1.4L, front 8.8.18.jpg” by Kevauto / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
2018 Photo: “2018 Chang'an Ben Ben 1.4L, front 8.11.18.jpg” by Kevauto / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Body styles
- 5-door hatchback
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