The Automaker BAIC has been in SA for a few years now, but have not had much traction in the market to date. Things will change for the better now with the introduction of the BAIC Beijing X55
The X55 will compete in the extremely competitive Compact SUV market with the likes of the HAVAL Jolion, Chery Tiggo 4Pro, Toyota Urban Cruiser, Suzuki Vitara Brezza and Kia Sonet to just name a few.
For those not familiar with the BAIC brand, BAIC is a Chinese Automaker which shares technology with Mercedes-Benz Daimler from their factory in Beijing China. BAIC and Mercedes has had a joint venture in China since 2005 and the factory in Beijing produces all the locally sold Mercedes-Benz vehicles in China. BAIC is also the largest shareholder in Daimler.
So is the X55 a re-badged Mercedes ? Not exactly. According the BAIC Beijing the 1.5-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine used in the X55 does share parts, if not the whole architecture, with the current 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder Mercedes engine.
Does the X55 drive like a Mercedes ? Also not, but pretty close. Differences would be that the equivalent Mercedes has a conventional automatic gearbox whereas the X55 uses a dual clutch setup DCT gearbox. So gearshifts and power delivery is not as smooth as a Benz, but still very good. Steering is compliant and takes the corners well, but with slight body roll.
The 1.5-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine used throughout the whole X55 range produces an expectable 130kW and 305Nm of torque sent through the above mentioned 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. Fuel economy is claimed at 7.1 L / 100km but expect around 8.5 L / 100km on the combined cycle.
The X55 in my opinion looks great, similar in design to HAVAL’s H6 GT and let’s not forget the Lambo Urus. It really looks sexy and aerodynamic, love the sharp-shaped headlights and the blacked-out grill. The door handles are hidden and pops out when you unlock the X55, it looks stylish, but I am not specifically a fan of the door handles, not because it does not look good, more because what would happen when it goes wrong. But I am sure there would be a work around.
On the inside the cabin feels solid and luxurious, as we got accustomed to in the other Chinese rivals in the segment. Soft-touch materials are used in all the touch points throw-out the interior of the X55. Soft two-tone grey leather seats add to the luxury feel and comfort. As with many new cars today, the centre console has a minimalist design and only uses a touch screen controls. I would have loved some buttons or dials as using a touch screen only can be distracting.
Pricing:
Beijing X55 1.5T Dynamic – R394 900
Beijing X55 1.5T Elite – R424 900
Beijing X55 1.5T Elite – R454 900
*Pricing as at Nov 2022
The X55 is well priced and competes with its Chines rivals and as with most of the Chinese brands for sale the pricing is significantly better than its other rivals in the market and has superior levels of Tech specifications.
Would I buy one ? Yes indeed, if not for anything else, but for looks alone I would consider one.
