Lifan X60: Which Version Should You Buy?
The Lifan X60 choice comes down mainly to transmission, production period, and weight because every listed version uses the same 1,794 cc Gasoline engine with 128 hp and FWD. The 2012–2015 range offers 1.8 MT and 1.8 AT, while the 2015–2016 restyling and the restyling introduced in 2016 offer 1.8 MT and 1.8 CVT.
The Lifan X60 choice comes down mainly to transmission, production period, and weight because every listed version uses the same 1,794 cc Gasoline engine with 128 hp and FWD. The 2012–2015 range offers 1.8 MT and 1.8 AT, while the 2015–2016 restyling and the restyling introduced in 2016 offer 1.8 MT and 1.8 CVT. The manual is the most consistently documented option and, where kerb weights can be compared, the lighter choice. The later restylings add ventilated front disc brakes, but their stated torque falls from 168 Nm to 162 Nm. Price data is not provided, so no version can be recommended on purchase price.
Lifan X60 generations and versions
The Lifan X60 has one generation represented in three stages, all with an SUV 5-doors body and two versions per stage.
The original 1 generation ran from August 2012 through June 2015. Its versions are 1.8 MT and 1.8 AT. Both produce 128 hp at 6,000 rpm and 168 Nm at 4,200 rpm. The 1.8 MT uses a 5-speed Manual, while the 1.8 AT uses a 4-speed Automatic.
The 1 generation, restyling ran from July 2015 through November 2016. It replaced the listed 1.8 AT with 1.8 CVT, while retaining 1.8 MT. Both versions have 128 hp and 162 Nm, and both weigh 1,330 kg in kerb form with a gross weight of 1,705 kg.
The 1 generation, restyling 2 started in December 2016, with no end date stated. It again includes 1.8 MT and 1.8 CVT. The 1.8 MT has a 1,405 kg kerb weight and 1,705 kg gross weight; the 1.8 CVT has a 1,425 kg kerb weight and 1,725 kg gross weight.
Lifan X60 engine and specs comparison
All six listed applications of the Lifan X60 engine share the same 1,794 cc displacement, 128 hp output, 4 cylinders in an Inline layout, 4 valves per cylinder, no boost, multi-point distributed injection, 95 fuel, and FWD. That works out to approximately 71.3 hp per litre. The principal mechanical distinctions are the transmission, the 6 Nm torque difference between production stages, and the change from front discs to ventilated front discs after the original stage.
| Production stage | Version | Power | Torque | Displacement | Fuel | Cylinders/layout | Boost | Gearbox | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 2012–June 2015 | 1.8 MT | 128 hp | 168 Nm | 1,794 cc | Gasoline | 4, Inline | No | 5-speed Manual | FWD |
| August 2012–June 2015 | 1.8 AT | 128 hp | 168 Nm | 1,794 cc | Gasoline | 4, Inline | No | 4-speed Automatic | FWD |
| July 2015–November 2016 restyling | 1.8 MT | 128 hp | 162 Nm | 1,794 cc | Gasoline | 4, Inline | No | 5-speed Manual | FWD |
| July 2015–November 2016 restyling | 1.8 CVT | 128 hp | 162 Nm | 1,794 cc | Gasoline | 4, Inline | No | Variable | FWD |
| From December 2016 restyling 2 | 1.8 MT | 128 hp | 162 Nm | 1,794 cc | Gasoline | 4, Inline | No | 5-speed Manual | FWD |
| From December 2016 restyling 2 | 1.8 CVT | 128 hp | 162 Nm | 1,794 cc | Gasoline | 4, Inline | No | Variable | FWD |
The engine is front-mounted and transverse in both restyled 1.8 MT and 1.8 CVT versions and in the original 1.8 MT. The engine position for the original 1.8 AT is not measured. Compression ratio is not measured for the manual and CVT versions; the original 1.8 AT has a compression ratio of 10.
Lifan X60 performance and fuel economy
The original 1.8 MT, both restyled 1.8 MT versions, and both 1.8 CVT versions accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 14.5 seconds. The 0–100 km/h time of the original 1.8 AT is not measured.
Every listed version has a top speed of 170 km/h. Consequently, choosing the 1.8 CVT instead of the corresponding 1.8 MT does not buy a higher stated top speed or a better stated 0–100 km/h time. Likewise, the later restylings retain the original manual version’s 14.5-second acceleration figure despite having 162 Nm rather than 168 Nm.
Only the August 2012–June 2015 1.8 MT has fuel-consumption figures: 9 l/100 km in the city, 7.8 l/100 km on the highway, and 8.2 l/100 km combined. City, highway, and combined consumption for the original 1.8 AT are not measured. All three consumption figures are also not measured for each restyled 1.8 MT and 1.8 CVT.
Lifan X60 dimensions, weight, clearance, and tank
All versions have 179 mm of ground clearance and a 55-litre fuel tank. Wheel sizes are not measured for any listed Lifan X60 version. Both front and rear suspension are Independent, spring throughout the range.
| Production stage | Version | Kerb weight | Gross weight | Weight per hp | Ground clearance | Tank | Wheel sizes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 2012–June 2015 | 1.8 MT | 1,330 kg | 1,705 kg | 10.39 kg/hp | 179 mm | 55 litres | not measured |
| August 2012–June 2015 | 1.8 AT | not measured | not measured | not measured | 179 mm | 55 litres | not measured |
| July 2015–November 2016 restyling | 1.8 MT | 1,330 kg | 1,705 kg | 10.39 kg/hp | 179 mm | 55 litres | not measured |
| July 2015–November 2016 restyling | 1.8 CVT | 1,330 kg | 1,705 kg | 10.39 kg/hp | 179 mm | 55 litres | not measured |
| From December 2016 restyling 2 | 1.8 MT | 1,405 kg | 1,705 kg | 10.98 kg/hp | 179 mm | 55 litres | not measured |
| From December 2016 restyling 2 | 1.8 CVT | 1,425 kg | 1,725 kg | 11.13 kg/hp | 179 mm | 55 litres | not measured |
The second restyling’s 1.8 MT is 75 kg heavier than the preceding restyled 1.8 MT, despite having the same 128 hp and 162 Nm. Within the second restyling, the 1.8 CVT is 20 kg heavier than the 1.8 MT and has a gross weight that is also 20 kg higher. Its weight-to-power figure is therefore about 0.15 kg/hp higher.
The original 1.8 MT and both versions of the first restyling have the best documented weight-to-power ratio at approximately 10.39 kg/hp. Their 1,330 kg kerb weight is 95 kg below that of the heaviest listed version, the second-restyling 1.8 CVT.
The original versions use disc brakes front and rear. Both restyled stages retain rear disc brakes and use ventilated front disc brakes. No stopping-distance figures are measured, so the brake specification should not be converted into a claim about shorter stopping distances.
Which Lifan X60 version should you buy?
For the strongest numbers-based all-round case, choose the July 2015–November 2016 restyled 1.8 MT. It combines the range’s joint-lowest documented kerb weight of 1,330 kg with the 5-speed Manual and ventilated front disc brakes. It also has a measured 14.5-second 0–100 km/h time and the common 170 km/h top speed. Its trade-off against the original 1.8 MT is 162 Nm rather than 168 Nm, a reduction of 6 Nm.
Choose the July 2015–November 2016 restyled 1.8 CVT if a Variable transmission matters more than having a Manual. It matches the contemporary 1.8 MT at 1,330 kg, 128 hp, 162 Nm, 14.5 seconds to 100 km/h, and 170 km/h. On the supplied figures, transmission type is the meaningful difference; fuel consumption is not measured for either version, so an economy advantage cannot be claimed.
Choose the August 2012–June 2015 1.8 MT when documented fuel economy and the higher torque figure matter most. It is the only version with measured consumption—9 l/100 km city, 7.8 l/100 km highway, and 8.2 l/100 km combined—and it produces 168 Nm. It also weighs 1,330 kg. Against the first-restyling manual, however, it has front discs rather than ventilated front discs.
The original 1.8 AT is the option for buyers specifically seeking the listed 4-speed Automatic and 168 Nm combination. Its top speed is 170 km/h, but its 0–100 km/h time, fuel consumption, kerb weight, and gross weight are not measured. Those omissions make it harder to compare objectively with the manual and CVT alternatives.
Within the second restyling, the 1.8 MT is the more favourable numerical choice. It is 20 kg lighter than the 1.8 CVT, while both have 128 hp, 162 Nm, a 14.5-second 0–100 km/h time, and a 170 km/h top speed. Buyers who prefer a Variable transmission can still choose the 1.8 CVT, but the supplied data shows no performance or economy gain for its additional weight.
No Lifan X60 price, used price, service-manual information, reliability record, or problem data is supplied. For that reason, the “extra money” attached to any version cannot be quantified, and no claim about value, maintenance, reliability, or comparison with another model can be supported here. On specifications alone, the first-restyling 1.8 MT offers the clearest balance; the first-restyling 1.8 CVT is the closest alternative for buyers who do not want the Manual.