Gasgoo Munich-On September 22, the new Chery QQ3 Modern Edition officially hit the market with an MSRP of 88,900 yuan, 86,900 yuan for existing owners, and 83,900 yuan for trade-ins. As an official tuned special edition of the QQ3 family, the Modern Edition centers on a Neo Retro design language, delivering a systematic upgrade in appearance, interior, and detailed texture.
Meanwhile, since its March launch, the new QQ3 has sold over 10,000 units for five straight months. August sales hit 19,103 units — a 64.07% jump from July. A classic IP that once defined the "people's car" is finding its rhythm again in the electric era.
What Makes the Modern Edition "Modern"?
The most immediate change in the new QQ3 Modern Edition lies in its design language. Building on the new QQ3's "square-round" aesthetics, it introduces a Neo Retro retro-futurism concept, fusing classic automotive elements with contemporary craftsmanship. Measuring 4,229 × 1,812 × 1,573 mm with a 2,700 mm wheelbase, it retains the standard footprint of a small EV.
Exclusive exterior features include Time Badge wheels, wind-trace racing livery, Golden Era grille, flowing chrome trim, and retro white bumpers, giving the vehicle significantly higher recognition than the standard version. Color options include two exclusive shades: "Modern Times" and "Annie Pearl." The paintwork has also received attention, utilizing six-layer 2K high-quality paint from brands like Kansai and PPG.
The interior upgrade aims to "bring haute couture details into a small car." The Modern Edition introduces a new "Cloud Velvet Beige" cabin color scheme, with houndstooth haute couture textures integrated into the control panel, door inlays, and seats. Seats and the center armrest are accented with modern contrast webbing. The headliner, A/B pillars, and sun visors for both driver and passenger are upgraded to velvet wrapping, offering a much finer touch than the standard version.
The logic here is clear: cabin texture in small EVs has long been criticized as "cheap," and the Modern Edition attempts to address this by shifting fabrics and textures.
Intelligent features retain the new QQ3's basic architecture. A 15.6-inch 2.5K central screen pairs with the Qualcomm 8155 automotive-grade chip, running the Carmind large model that supports AI natural language interaction, smart vehicle control, and route planning.
For parking, it offers 540-degree panoramic imaging, 12 ultrasonic radars, and automatic parking for over 100 scenarios. Level 2 driver assistance covers 15 functions including cruise control, collision warning, and lane assistance. OTA capabilities are being continuously delivered; an August update added exterior voice control and a 540-degree AVM rain-night mode.
In terms of power and chassis, the Modern Edition uses a rear-motor, rear-wheel-drive layout with a 90 kW motor and a CLTC range of 420 km. The Rhino battery comes standard, with fast charging from 30% to 80% taking as little as 16.5 minutes, along with standard 6.6 kW vehicle-to-load capability.
The chassis combines front MacPherson with rear multi-link independent suspension — a rarity in this segment. A turning radius of 5.2 meters preserves the agility needed for weaving through city traffic.
On safety, the five-longitudinal, eight-transverse cage body consists of 82% high-strength steel and 16% hot-formed steel. The integrated hot-formed door ring boasts a strength of 1,300 MPa, complemented by six airbags and six-dimensional electrical safety certification.
Overall, the Modern Edition is not positioned as a volume driver but rather as a "quality anchor" for the QQ3 family. With a full suite of exterior kits and interior upgrades, it pushes the price to 88,900 yuan, testing the upper limits of quality in the small EV segment.
From "People's Car" to 10,000 Monthly Sales: What Did QQ3 Get Right?
To understand the new QQ3's current market performance, we need to return to its origins.
In 2003, the first-generation Chery QQ launched for less than 50,000 yuan. In an era dominated by the Jetta, Fukang, and Santana, it broke the monotony of China's black, white, and gray market with vibrant colors and a "smiling face" front end.
Before production ended in 2014, the QQ series accumulated over 1.6 million in sales, selling in more than 100 countries and regions — becoming an early example of Chinese automaker branding. The QQ's significance wasn't in leading technology, but in making car ownership feel attainable for ordinary families.
On March 30, 2026, the new QQ3 returned as a pure EV. Blind orders hit 10,000 in 20 minutes and totaled 27,319 in three hours. That opening proves nostalgia still carries weight. Yet, whether a car can hold its ground depends on the product substance delivered after the initial sentiment fades.
The new QQ3's approach was to retain the brand's approachable DNA while elevating space, intelligence, and safety specs to the top of its class. A 2,700 mm wheelbase, 70-liter front trunk, Qualcomm 8155 chip, L2 driver assistance, and rear multi-link suspension — these specs on a pure EV starting under 60,000 yuan have indeed created a differentiated product perception.
Sales data confirms this. April deliveries hit 13,612 units, followed by 10,425 in May and 10,524 in June. By August, volumes surged to 19,103 units — including 13,911 domestically and 5,192 overseas.
Simultaneous growth at home and abroad suggests the QQ3's product definition resonates not just with domestic demand for "boutique small cars," but also finds acceptance in markets like Southeast Asia. Cumulative orders quickly surpassed 20,000 after presales in Thailand and Indonesia, signaling positive early feedback from overseas markets.
The reason behind five straight months of sales exceeding 10,000 can be broken down into three layers. On the product level, the new QQ3 offered targeted solutions to core pain points in small EVs — insufficient space was solved with a longer wheelbase, weak intelligence with the 8155 chip and large screen, and safety concerns with high-strength steel and six-dimensional electrical safety certification.
On pricing, the main range of 58,900 to 78,900 yuan uses a configuration that is "adequate yet exceeds expectations" to attract price-sensitive first-time and incremental buyers who still demand quality.
On the brand level, cumulative sales of 1.54 million units and over two decades of national recognition lower the barrier for new users to discover the car, while providing an emotional anchor for existing ones.
The launch of the Modern Edition represents an upward probe on this foundation. It doesn't carry the burden of volume, but its presence influences where the entire QQ3 lineup sits in the consumer's mind. When a small EV is willing to invest in paint, headliner fabric, and interior textures, the default expectation for such vehicles is slowly being raised. That may be more significant than selling a few thousand extra units in a single month.
