DongFeng S30: which version to buy — 1.6 MT vs 1.6 AT
If you are choosing a DongFeng S30, the choice is between two versions of one generation, not between generations. Production ran from 2014-05-01 to 2017-05-31 as a Sedan with 2 factory versions: 1.6 MT and 1.6 AT. Both use the same 1556 cm³ Gasoline engine, the same 117 hp / 86 kW at 6000 rpm, the same 153 Nm at 4000 rpm, the same FWD layout, and the same 150 mm ground clearance.
If you are choosing a DongFeng S30, the choice is between two versions of one generation, not between generations. Production ran from 2014-05-01 to 2017-05-31 as a Sedan with 2 factory versions: 1.6 MT and 1.6 AT. Both use the same 1556 cm³ Gasoline engine, the same 117 hp / 86 kW at 6000 rpm, the same 153 Nm at 4000 rpm, the same FWD layout, and the same 150 mm ground clearance. The buy decision is therefore gearbox, mass, and measured pace — not a different engine family.
Specs that actually differ
| Version | hp | Nm | Displacement (cm³) | Fuel | Cylinders | Layout | Boost | Gearbox | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 MT | 117 | 153 | 1556 | Gasoline | 4 | Inline | No | Manual, 5 | FWD |
| 1.6 AT | 117 | 153 | 1556 | Gasoline | 4 | Inline | No | Automatic, 4 | FWD |
Shared on both: Front, transverse engine; Distributed injection (multi-point); 4 valves per cylinder; fuel 95; Euro 4; 51 L tank. Compression ratio: not measured. Bore and stroke: not measured. Wheel sizes: not measured.
Engine: same power, same litre — do not buy for a “stronger” motor
Power per litre is identical: 117 hp ÷ 1.556 L = 75.2 hp per litre. Torque per litre is 153 ÷ 1.556 = 98.3 Nm per litre. There is no turbo (Boost: No), so neither version buys you extra output for the same 1556 cm³.
If a listing claims a more powerful S30, it is not one of these two catalogue versions. 1.6 MT and 1.6 AT are both 117 hp / 153 Nm.
Weight per horsepower and what 10 kg buys
| Version | Kerb weight (kg) | Gross weight | kg per hp | Ground clearance (mm) | Tank (L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 MT | 1210 | not measured | 10.34 | 150 | 51 |
| 1.6 AT | 1220 | not measured | 10.43 | 150 | 51 |
1.6 AT is 10 kg heavier than 1.6 MT (1220 − 1210). That is 0.83% more kerb mass and 0.09 kg/hp worse (10.43 vs 10.34). Ground clearance does not change (150 mm). Tank does not change (51 L). Gross weight is not measured on either, so payload is not a reason to pick one over the other from this data.
Wheel sizes are not measured on either version, so tyre choice is not a factory differentiator here.
Performance: the only large gap in the numbers
| Version | 0–100 | Top speed (km/h) | City / highway / combined fuel | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 MT | 11 s | 187 | not measured / not measured / not measured | not measured |
| 1.6 AT | 12.5 s | 180 | not measured / not measured / not measured | not measured |
1.6 AT is 1.5 s slower to 100 (12.5 − 11) and 7 km/h slower at the top (187 − 180). Relative to 1.6 MT, that is 13.6% more time to 100 and 3.7% less top speed.
Fuel consumption (city, highway, mixed) is not measured for 1.6 MT or 1.6 AT. MPG cannot be used as a buy criterion from this catalogue: the figure is not measured, not “zero”. CO₂ is not measured on both.
What you can infer from the hardware that is listed: 1.6 MT has a Manual gearbox with 5 gears; 1.6 AT has an Automatic with 4 gears. Combined with +10 kg, that lines up with the slower 0–100 and lower top speed. It does not let you invent a fuel number.
Chassis is not a version fork
Front suspension: Independent, spring on both. Rear: Independent, torsion on both. Front brakes: Ventilated disc on both. Rear brakes: Disc on both. Clearance: 150 mm on both.
You are not choosing a different suspension or brake package. Reliability of hardware type is the same catalogue description for both versions.
Generations: there is nothing later to “wait for”
DongFeng S30 has 1 generation (key 1457), Sedan, 2014-05-01–2017-05-31, 2 versions. There is no second generation in this data, no restyling generation, and no post-2017 factory version here. Buying “the last generation” vs “the first” is the same car: this one generation.
Within that window both 1.6 MT and 1.6 AT share the same start and stop dates. You cannot pick a later engine by year from these records.
Which version to choose
Choose 1.6 MT if the numbers that move are speed and mass. It is the lighter car (1210 kg), the quicker 0–100 (11 s), and the higher top speed (187 km/h). You get 5 Manual gears instead of 4 Automatic. Power is the same 117 hp, so you are not giving up engine output — you are giving up two-pedal shifting.
Choose 1.6 AT if the gearbox type is the decision. You pay 10 kg, 1.5 s to 100, and 7 km/h of top speed for Automatic / 4 gears. Engine, drive (FWD), fuel 95, Euro 4, 51 L tank, and 150 mm clearance stay the same as 1.6 MT.
Do not choose between them on mpg, CO₂, payload, or wheels. Those are not measured (fuel use, CO₂, gross weight, wheel size). A paragraph that claimed better economy for the Automatic would invent a number this dataset does not have.
Power-to-weight recap for a pulled quote: 1.6 MT — 117 hp, 1210 kg, 10.34 kg/hp, 11 s, 187 km/h, Manual 5, FWD. 1.6 AT — 117 hp, 1220 kg, 10.43 kg/hp, 12.5 s, 180 km/h, Automatic 4, FWD. Same 1556 cm³ Gasoline Inline 4, Boost No.
There is no third S30 version in the data and no generation that changed displacement, horsepower, or drive. The extra you “buy” by moving from 1.6 MT to 1.6 AT is the Automatic gearbox and four ratios; the arithmetic cost is 10 kg, 1.5 seconds, and 7 km/h.