How is the SUV that honors the best of the Chinese automotive industry?

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9 months ago

How is the SUV that honors the best of the Chinese automotive industry?

Due to its qualities, Block X55 II It is one of those vehicles that deserve to be known. And we say this because during the test drive it caught the attention of several who, with good eyes, tried to guess the make and model they were considering.

“Is it electric? What brand is Beijing? Is it sold here?” were some of the recurring questions we received during the test drive.

Let’s go by parts. Although it may seem like it, especially due to the eccentric futuristic design, the X55 II it’s not electric. This new generation is nothing like the previous one. It changed from end to end, grew in size and incorporated an arsenal of technology.

The brand lists it as the third generation, but the X55 Honor (launched in 2020) was nothing more than a redesign.

The BAIC X55 has a curiosity. Your identity in our country is not represented by the brand and model, but by your place of origin: “Beijing”.

On the outside, this legend has a prominent space both in the center of the nose and the tailgate, while inside it is present on the steering wheel and on the seat backs. And it has a reason for being, BLOCK is the acronym for “Beijing Automotive Industry Corporation”that’s why in China the model is called Beijing X6 or Beijing Mofang.

In our country BAIC is marketed by Grupo Belcastro. Together with Haval (represented by Grupo Car One) they are the two high-end Chinese brands, which is why the main rival of the X55 II is the Haval Jolion, another sophisticated and very well equipped SUV. Three others that could be added to this list are Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson y Ford Territorywhich is also manufactured in China.

The X55 has been the benchmark since the brand landed in the country in 2017. Today it not only reinforces that title, it is also a great exponent of the Chinese automotive industry.

For this year, BAIC plans to step a little stronger with the arrival of more models, highlighting the all-terrain models. BJ60 y BJ80 (they will join the BJ40) and the electric sedan EU5which achieves a range of up to 500 kilometers.

Evolution in a big way

Like any new generation, the changes with respect to its predecessor are huge. What strikes first is its modern design, with features that are usually seen in electric vehicles such as the blind grille and the voluminous bumper made up of small horizontal diamonds in relief.

Due to the design of its trunk, it looks like an electric vehicle.

The inductive handles stand out in the profile, which follow the same line of the body and automatically protrude when they detect the presence of the key. The 19 inch wheels on tires measuring 225/55.

At the back, the optical group is made up of a single piece that crosses it from side to side through a thin line. The gate has two hands-free opening systems: one, standing next to him for about two or three seconds; another, taking a few steps closer and further away twice in a row; That is, you have to repeat the movement. Every time the user approaches, always with the key on them, the system will recognize it by turning on the third stop light.

The BAIC X55 II is longer and wider than the previous model. It measures 4.62 meters in length (+14 cm) and 1.88 meters in width (+4 cm). The wheelbase also grew, and a lot: 70 centimeters (2.73 meters).

This logically favors interior comfort, where it enjoys great space in both seats. The X55 II can seat three passengers in the back. Whoever travels in the middle will have somewhere to put his feet because the floor is flatwhile its backrest, which also serves as a foldable coaster, is quite soft.

The quality of the materials in the cabin is very high level. Injected plastics on the front fascia and door panels, sporty style seats and leather upholstery with yellow stitching details. The floating-style console enhances the feeling of spaciousness by clearing space for storing objects. It is covered in non-slip rubber and includes wireless cell phone charger.

Las two 10-inch screens, one for the instrument panel and another for the infotainment system, maintain the modernity that the vehicle inspires on the outside. Although here we must stop.

The X55 II has so many features that it allows each user to customize it in their own way; from the colors of the interior ambient lights to the degrees of opening of the tailgate, through the selection of driving modes, the regulation of the climate control, the configuration of the dashboard view and the individual activation or deactivation of the multiple systems driving assistance, among others.

Here we find two cons. The first is that the lack of physical buttons forces you to focus your attention on the screen, and with so many options available, it is essential to take your eyes off the traffic.

The second is that the infotainment system does not offer Android Auto or Apple Car Play. In order to pair the phone it is necessary to download an application (CarbitLink), which mirrors the cell phone screen on the vehicle’s display and for it to work it is necessary to share data. Of course, both the image quality and its response to touch are very good.

Perhaps the strangest thing about the interior design is the place chosen to locate the beacon key: ceiling!. The first time we tried to activate it, it took us a few seconds to discover it.

Driving behavior and comfort

Another notable point is the new mechanical formulamade up of the 1.5 turbo gasoline engine that develops a power of 183 HP and 305 Nm of torque (previously 148 HP and 210 Nm) and is combined with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (previously CVT).

This duo allows the driving experience to be largely satisfactory. Driving in urban traffic is serene and silent, although when looking for an immediate reaction it more than fulfills it. The turbo starts to do its thing from 2,000 revolutions, always at a low noise level.

The gearbox, for its part, is smooth in changing gears but not as fast as one can expect from a dual-clutch one. On cobblestones or irregular surfaces, the work of the independent suspensions (multi-link rear) is remarkable, while the poise it provides on the road gives a remarkable feeling of security.

The X55 II is equipped with multiple driving assistance systems which practically turn it into a semi-autonomous vehicle. It takes some time to get used to driving when all these devices are active, because in certain situations (traffic on the highway, for example) the vehicle is in control.

The system allows them to be disconnected individually, thus being able to adapt it to the tastes and preferences of each user.

One last peculiarity: it costs $36,900about 26,000 fewer than when it was launched in mid-2023.