GadgetWheels
Wheels of the Week: Get on your BAIC!
You may not have heard of it, but the BAIC 55 just took a key prize in the South African Car Of The Year awards. ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK tried it out.
One of the biggest surprises of last week’s South African Car of the Year (COTY) announcements, aside from the Ford Ranger winning the overall award, was the winner in the Compact Family category: the BAIC Beijing X55.
A Chinese compact SUV first released in 2021 and launched in South Africa in late 2022, it is the first Chinese winner in the COTY awards. The fact that it won a hotly contested Compact Family category, said the organisers, was “a sign that automotive brands from China are taking the world by storm, as it is also evident on South African roads”.
What is the fuss about? We tried it out and were knocked out by two stand-out elements: astonishing value, and high-end infotainment as standard.
It is available in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations and is powered by a 1.5L turbocharged engine that produces 170 horsepower. It starts at R420,900 for the base Comfort trim level, with a mid-range Premium starting at R454,900, and the top-of-the-line Flagship trim starting at R509,900. In other words, it peaks where most other mid-range SUVs start.
The infotainment system is the heart of the BAIC 55’s tech. Features include a clear and responsive 10.25-inch touchscreen, a six-speaker sound system that offers clear and crisp sound quality, and a clear rear-view camera with a decent wide angle. A suite of advanced safety features includes forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and lane keeping assist.
The automatic emergency braking system is also quick to react, the lane departure warning and lane keeping assist systems are helpful, and the forward collision warning vital both on long trips where once can lose concentration on the cars ahead and in urban settings where cars suddenly stop up ahead.
Other safety features include six Airbags, ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), EBD (Electronic Brake-force Distribution), EBA (Emergency Brake Assist), BOS (Brake Override System), ESP (Electronic Stability Program), HAC (Hill-start Assist Control), HDC (Hill Decent Control), a TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System) and a Drowsy Driver Warning System.
A large and responsive touchscreen means it is easy to control audio, navigation, and climate control.
Its biggest shortcoming is that it does not offer Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, and one needs to download the CarbitLink app to access Android functionality.
On the other hand, it includes convenient features such as Keyless Entry, two ISOFIX baby seat mounting points and speed-induction door locks.
Basil Costa, business development director of BAIC South Africa, says: “The Beijing X55’s design resulted in the lowest NVH performance in its class, and its extensive list of safety features for peace-of-mind motoring led to this compact family SUV being awarded the C-NCAP Five-star Safety Design,” says
In terms of performance, it is not the quickest SUV on the market, but provides adequate acceleration and passing power, a comfortable ride, and relatively fuel-efficient use.
And yes, we concur with the COTY judges: it is excellent value for money, with a great infotainment system at the price, and an affordable compact family SUV.
