Baic Beijing X55 Plus is a treat, but that infotainment system needs an upgrade
The Baic Beijing X55 quickly became a favourite after its release in 2022.
It was crowned the winner of the compact family car category at the South African Car of the Year awards in 2023 and also received the 2023 Readers' Choice Award from Top Gear South Africa.
Besides being a truly attractive vehicle, it offered some really cool features such as the pop-out door handles that have become common now, a tonne of advanced safety features and also had a beautiful drivetrain with a 1.5 litre turbocharged engine paired to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that delivered 130kW of power and 305Nm of torque.
Baic decided to expand on the success of the Beijing X55 in the third quarter of 2024 by releasing the Beijing X55 Plus, which includes sharper exterior styling and updated technology.
The upgraded model comes with 'Sporty Blade' alloy wheels (18-inch or 19-inch) and features a revised rear diffuser, home to a set of double exhaust tailpipes, while still maintaining the overall aggressive look of the vehicle.
The interior gets a pair of leather bucket seats in the front and a spacious and comfortable back that offers enough headroom and legroom for adult occupants.
The dashboard has a real sporty feel to it and completes the interior magnificently.
There is also a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Easy Connection, which allows users to mirror their smartphone screens for seamless access to apps and entertainment.
This is where I was slightly inconvenienced by this vehicle. The Beijing X55 Plus does not come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Sure, these features are not a deal breaker, but at the same time it makes life so much easier when driving, especially because of the connection most of us now have with our smartphones.
The Easy Connection service offered in the Beijing X55 Plus does mirror the phone screen to the infotainment system, but it does not allow you to use the screen to navigate around things like Google Maps or Spotify. You still have to use your phone.
The infotainment screen also felt a touch unresponsive at times. Again, it is not a deal breaker, but because every setting is located in that infotainment screen, it becomes slightly inconvenient.
The interior of the Baic Beijing X55 Plus
However, that is about as bad as it gets. The Beijing X55 Plus has a sophisticated voice control system that is extremely responsive. It can be activated by simply saying the words 'Hello Baic'.
I didn't try it out at first, but I was at a complex and the security guard who was checking my licence decided to try it out. Before I knew it, he had opened the windows and the sunroof.
When driving the Baic Beijing X55 Plus, it is slightly punchy, but extremely smooth and it has enough power on the open road, great handling and terrific suspension.
The MacPherson strut front suspension and a multi-link independent rear suspension is said to be inspired by Mercedes-Benz technology, reflecting a partnership Baic has with the German carmaker in China.
Baic has claimed a fuel consumption of 7.7 liters per 100 kilometres. I managed just over 8 litres per 100 kilometres.
Baic has also not compromised on any safety features in the Beijing X55 Plus.
It comes equipped with a 540 degree 4D transparent chassis panoramic view camera and active driver aids such as blind spot detection, intelligent cruise assist, lane keep assist, autonomous emergency braking and forward collision warning.
Pricing and verdict
The Baic Beijing X55 is available in three variants: the dynamic priced at R469 900, the elite priced at R509 900 and the premium priced at R514 900.
The upgraded X55 Plus really still offers value for money. The drivetrain is probably one of the best from the Chinese manufacturers in the compact SUV segment, but the infotainment system is something that is integral to your experience in the vehicle and just feels inconvenient at times.
All Baic Beijing X55 Plus models come with a five-year/150,000km warranty and five-year/60,000km service plan.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald
4 hours ago
- The Herald
Lotus Challenge to add spice to Scribante Race Day
The Lotus Challenge Racing SA Series, based in Gauteng, will have their second away race of the season when they join Algoa Motorsport Club at Aldo Scribante Raceway for their regional and club championship event this weekend. After already having had three rounds of their series at Redstar Raceway near Delmas, one at Zwartkops near Pretoria and one a Dezzi Raceway near Port Shepstone in KZN, round six will see them in action at Scribante. The 2.48km circuit is ideally situated for the lightweight Lotus cars with its tight technical stretches that ensure that the racing is close among the 15-strong field that is divided into two different classes, class B and the Locost class. Having secured the sponsorship of Dunlop and ATS Motorsport Supplies, the Lotus Challenge Series, which was started in 1996, continues to flourish and has had 311 different drivers taking part since its inception. With the season at the halfway stage now, Jeff Gable has a healthy 62-point lead in the Class B championship standings with JP Nortje in second place and David Jermy a further 9 points adrift. Nick Hodgson is the runaway leader in the Locost Class, enjoying a massive 73-point lead over Sean Hepburn in second, with Andy Fulton 19 points off in third. Saturday's racing action will see the Lotus series taking part in three 8-lap heats, and hopefully the weather gods will be kind to the competitors in their open cockpits. With rain forecast for most of the weekend, spectators can watch from the comfort of their vehicles parked around the circuit and listen to the live commentary on their radios. Included in the busy race schedule on Saturday is round four of the Algoa Motorsport Club championship that includes modified saloons, Advance Horizon Coastal Challenge for historic, classic, retro cars, as well as street and fine cars, CBR 150/250 motorcycles and the open motorcycle class. Qualifying is scheduled to start at 8.15am on Saturday with the first race at 10.15am and the race day will end with the Bronscor Ingco 45-Minute Endurance race that continues to grow in popularity, with the winner of the index-of-performance during the endurance race winning an Ingco 400NM impact gun. Upcoming events July 5: Algoa Motorsport Club – Main Circuit racing round 4; Dirt Oval Racing at Victory Raceway, club championship round 6 July 18: National Extreme Festival, East London Grand Prix Circuit July 19: Dirt Oval racing at PEOTR, Club Championship round 6 July 24-26: Algoa National Rally in Uitenhage & Longmore Forest July 26: Rhino Night Relay Enduro at Rover Motorcycle Club July 27: British Classics Show Day at EP Veteran Car Club. The Herald
The Herald
4 hours ago
- The Herald
BMW X3 M50 balances power, comfort and efficiency
The interior is smart and polished in feel and build quality, while the electric seats are comfy and generously padded. Standard amenities are generous but you'll need to raid the options catalogue for more. From behind the multifunction helm you get the sense that you're driving a premium car and you are driving an X3 that's larger than any model before. The new iteration stretches 4,755mm in length, 1,920mm width and 1,660mm height, making it 34mm longer, 29mm wider and 16mm taller that the previous X3. You notice the growth spurt everywhere, especially between the lanes, where it can drive autonomously. Occupants enjoy more leg, head and shoulder room, and more luggage can be swallowed by the expanded boot with a power tailgate. At times it felt like commanding an X5 but it's nicely measured and feels poised, refined and powerful, thanks to the 280kW and 580Nm 3.0 l twin-turbo straight-six petrol engine that's paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and xDrive all-wheel drive system. It has a mild-hybrid 48V system injecting 13kW to the mix and silently powering the car at crawl speeds. It kicks out a combined 293kW and can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 4.6 secs to run out of steam at 250km/h. It's a tarmac bruiser when you need it to be that also corners keenly.
The Herald
a day ago
- The Herald
These were SA's top-selling cars and bakkies in June
South Africans continued to flock to car showrooms last month, driven by decreasing interest rates and an influx of affordably priced imported models. According to automotive body Naamsa, June's new vehicle market grew for the ninth consecutive month to 47,294 units, an increase of 18.7% compared to June 2024. Year-to-date sales for the first half of the year are 13.6% up to 278,911 vehicles. Last month the passenger car segment moved 32,570 units, a 21.7% increase over June 2024. Light commercial vehicles, bakkies and minibuses sold 12,129 units, a gain of 14.9% over the same month last year. A wave of new models and brands continued to stimulate interest in the under R400,000 price band, said Brandon Cohen, chair of the National Automobile Dealers' Association (Nada). 'Most of the growth we're seeing is centred in the sub-R400,000 segment,' Cohen said. 'The price point remains critical for volume, affordability and trade-ins, with a direct knock-on effect on pre-owned sales performance. The used vehicle market is benefiting from improved affordability metrics, driven by softened interest rates, favourable vehicle pricing and the rollout of the two-pot retirement savings reform.' The interest rate reprieve since September 2024 has lifted some burden on indebted consumers and stimulated demand for credit and consequently new vehicles, said Lebo Gaoaketse, head of marketing and communication at WesBank. 'The SA Reserve Bank has lowered rates 0.75% over the past nine months but may become more cautious with further cuts given global economic turmoil.' While lower rates have eased affordability marginally, motorists continue to face budget constraints. Despite low inflation, the average contract term continues to increase while the amount of credit reduces, he said. 'South Africans want new cars but they're spending less on them. This has been enabled to some extent by the entrance of new brands to the market at aggressive price points, but also by innovative and attractive incentives on the dealer floor.'
