Sollers Atlant – Almost Russian, but Still Unfinished

Back in the second half of the 1980s, many people dreamed of having their own van for business. Unfortunately, the Soviet economy was not designed for this – such cars were not sold into private hands. Moreover, even station wagons were rare. And it was simply impossible to buy a sedan or hatchback.


In the early 90s, the situation changed. Domestic car manufacturers suddenly realized what competition was. Previously, all cars were bought up and more were demanded. After the collapse of the USSR, they stopped buying them.

We had to urgently come up with and put new models on the conveyor. It didn't help much, although the low price and the habit of buying new cars saved us from bankruptcy.


But even in these difficult conditions, the Gorky Automobile Plant managed to create a bestseller – a truck that can be driven with a passenger category driver's license. This is the Gazelle and the Sobol family.

Years passed, Russian entrepreneurs had a good choice of vans - some were even assembled in our country. Ford Transit from Yelabuga was always considered one of the market leaders. But in 2022, due to economic sanctions, production was curtailed.

Fortunately, the management of the company "Sollers" quickly set up assembly of Chinese vans and more there. Today we will tell you about the most popular model in the line - Sollers Atlant.

Whose are you?

First, let's figure out where the hero of the article "has his roots". No one hides that this is a JAC Sunray by Sollers. But the origin of the "Chinese" is shrouded in darkness. More precisely, they give information that is not at all what seems to be on the surface.


The Chinese manufacturer claims that JAC Sunray is its own development, “born” thanks to the efforts of Italians and Japanese. And also under the strict guidance of masters from the Celestial Empire, who were guided by the models of leading European manufacturers.

But any driver familiar with commercial vans will immediately see the JAC Sunray and Sollers Atlant as a copy of the second-generation Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. Let's leave that to the manufacturer's conscience.

For interested buyers, we will note the advantages of the van, which are immediately obvious, you just have to look at it and read the technical specifications:

✅ Rear dual-wheel drive, hinting that you can load more than permitted
✅ Large volumes of vans
✅ Looks like a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

The last point warms the soul and allows you to brag when the opportunity arises. Like, this is a copy of Mercedes, only improved and refined.

Everything said about JAC Sunray is also true for Sollers Atlant. Although, it is not for nothing that it is called domestic.

What's Russian about it?

The first thing you need to know is that the plant in Yelabuga, where Sollers Atlant is manufactured, is not an assembly plant at all. The cars are made here in a full cycle, with body welding. By the way, the seams are glued, unlike in Chinese assembly.


The second nuance is the mastic in the hidden cavities of the body. It not only protects against corrosion, but also acts as a soundproofing agent. And the welds are periodically checked for rupture. The body is not destroyed in these places, which is good.

Robots also paint cars. And not only on the outside, but also on the inside. This means that there will be no errors caused by the human factor.


Summing up the results of finding out the Russian component in Sollers Atlant, it was possible to understand that this is a fundamentally different approach to assembly. So our van is definitely better than its Chinese "brother".

The technical component

Sollers Atlant is available in several modifications. They differ in length and height. According to the first indicator, there are three of them, according to the second, two – and combinations between them are also possible. And these are only vans, but there are also cargo and passenger modifications.


The first complaint is about the rear doors - they do not want to open a full 180 degrees. But there is trim and light in the cargo compartment. It's just a pity that they did not put in hinges and rigging hooks.

The interior of the new car greets you with a chemical smell of plastic. It seems that this was done to distract attention from the unevenness of the panel fit. And the driver's seat is uncomfortable for those accustomed to European vans. What can I say - even the Gazelle NN is much better in this regard. There are no steering wheel adjustments, cup holders, recesses for overhead...

The engines are only turbodiesel – with volumes of 1,9 and 2,7 liters. The power of the first is 136, the second 150 hp. They work in tandem with a mechanical six-speed gearbox.

Why buy Sollers Atlant

Russian drivers prefer foreign cars, but mostly take Gazelles. This is explained simply - by economic feasibility. But there is a category of clients who purposefully chose foreign cars.


Starting from 2022, the latter have a hard time. The vehicle fleets need to be updated, and apart from Gazelles and used cars, there are only "Chinese" ones. Of course, you can order the same Ford Transit via parallel import, but there will be no guarantee. And it will cost at least 50% more than Sollers Atlant.

And the Russian car with Chinese "pedigree" pleases with "Mercedes" article. That's why they buy it.

Complaints about the interior

Let's start with the advantages - because Sollers Atlant has them too. There is a lot of space in the cabin, the visibility from the driver's seat is excellent. That's probably all about the advantages.

The side mirrors are not heated, but have an electric drive. It's strange, why not do it if the wiring is there anyway? People often complain about the lack of cup holders. Of course, for "old school" drivers the latter even sounds funny, but on modern commercial vehicles this has long been the norm.


There is no soundproofing, in fact, and no mudguards either. Accordingly, sand from under the wheels hits the arches directly. Not only is it unpleasant, but it also peels off the paint.

Technical Highlights

It may come as a revelation to newcomers that a modern car often doesn't want to go uphill in winter. And not because it's wrong. It's just that rear-wheel drive in combination with an unloaded car always behaves this way.


The engine's fuel consumption at a speed of 100 km/h on the highway is 15 liters. And this is a diesel with a volume of 2,7, which, in theory, should be economical.

The loaded car lacks traction, especially with the "younger" 1,9 engine. And the "older" one behaves like a gasoline engine at low revs - you have to rev it up to high revs. Perhaps the problems are due to the gearbox settings.


There are many complaints about the standard headlights - they shine poorly, new bulbs do not help. The lighting equipment needs to be replaced, but dealers do not have such in stock. The electrics periodically glitch in damp weather and in winter - and this is almost on new cars!

In general, the Russian-Chinese Sollers Atlant is still far from the Gazelle NN. The car is frankly unfinished - it needs to be improved. But the vans are bought - mainly by companies and state enterprises.

But private owners are not happy. Some, who bought a Sollers Atlant instead of a Gazelle, are ready to exchange the “Chinese” for a time-tested one truck from GAZ.