BAIC X55 attracts with its unusual design, bright colors, stylish interior and good dynamics. But he is still a very rare guest on the roads. Why?
Last year, another brand was “registered” at the Russian automobile plant – large-unit assembly of Chinese cars from the BAIC company began at the Kaliningrad Avtotor. And several models at once! We have already carried out a test drive of the BAIC BJ40 SUV, and the next one to come to the editorial office of Auto Mail.ru was the BAIC X55 crossover. What kind of animal is this and why is it still in the exotic category?
BAIC X55: what kind of car is it
The history of the BAIC company deserves special mention – the fact is that in 1958 the company BAW (Beijing Automotive Works) was founded in Beijing, which produced… licensed Soviet Volgas and GAZ-21s! The reboot happened in 2010. And here in front of us is a BAIC crossover with a Russian VIN. An unexpected turn of fate.
There are only five colors: two shades of gray, yellow, red and white pearl. Some of them can be ordered with a contrasting black roof
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In China itself, this crossover has been sold since 2022 under the name Beijing Mofang (therefore, there is only one small BAIC nameplate on the body). Beijing is Beijing, and Mofang translates to “Rubik’s cube”! It is not clear what in this car should have something in common with the world-famous puzzle – the cells in the LED optics or, perhaps, the palette of body colors, where there are bright yellow and red shades? One way or another, we sell it under the faceless index X55.
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The appearance does not cause rejection – the 4620 mm long crossover (about the same as the Toyota RAV4 and Nissan X-Trail) pleases with the absence of pretentious details; the chrome “saber” is clearly visible on the contrasting black roof. And the “squinted” LED headlights are reminiscent of the Iron Man mask. Especially in red!
BAIC X55: what options does it have?
There’s a lot of red in the interior too (there are also more conservative colors). For example, spectacular chairs with integrated headrests. Styling it to look like sports seats, of course, will warm the soul of the owner, but in fact it is an imitation – there is not enough lateral support, and the profile is too flat. And the bright inserts in the deflectors of the ventilation system are not perfectly aligned – and this is noticeable.
The main design feature of the interior is the central tunnel, the upper part of which is not connected to the front panel. This solution has no ergonomic advantages, but it really looks impressive. It’s a pity that there are practically no hardware buttons in the cabin – almost all actions are carried out using the touch screen or drums on the steering wheel. And the “emergency light” was completely hidden on… the ceiling!
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The multimedia complex can only be praised for the clear logic of the menu layout, but otherwise the system is rather weak by modern standards – the screen is simple, the image from the all-round cameras leaves much to be desired. There is no support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, only the “clumsy” CarbitLink protocol.
Adaptation to Russian conditions is also not going smoothly yet – although they produce the BAIC X55 in Kaliningrad, it only has heated front seats. And they are working on this issue, so that in the near future the package of “warm” options will become more complete. For example, the BAIC U5 Plus and X35 Plus models already have heated windshield washer nozzles and a 5-liter tank.
BAIC X55: crossover characteristics
The X55 has only front-wheel drive, which, however, is typical for most Chinese crossovers. Under the hood is a four-cylinder one and a half engine, which also shouldn’t be surprising, but this is the first Chinese engine to have a variable geometry turbocharger installed. The characteristics of the BAIC X55 are not bad for such an engine size – 177 hp, 300 N∙m, while the manufacturer officially allows it to be filled with AI-92 gasoline.
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The X55 takes off from a standstill without dramatic delays – the seven-speed robot with two clutches is configured surprisingly adequately, but on wet asphalt the traction control system immediately kicks in – we were unlucky with the weather during the test drive of the BAIC X55, so it was useless to measure the dynamics. I can’t believe the claimed 7.8 seconds to a hundred, but 8 “and a penny” no longer looks like a figment of a fevered imagination – the X55 drives really assertively.
And one could even classify it as a “driver’s” crossover, but the steering discourages all desire to drive quickly. I approach a section of a winding road that I know by heart, turn the steering wheel and… I’m frankly surprised at the rapidly disappearing feedback! The steering wheel becomes so “empty” that you drive not even by touch, but by “your eyes.” You get used to it, but the residue remains.
Although the rest of the BAIC X55 is not bad – the smooth ride does not make you bounce on hatches and joints, and the crossover does not sway too much on the waves. The brakes (adjusted for winter) are also flawless. Tire noise, of course, penetrates the cabin, but does not reach an uncomfortable level.
How much does BAIC X55 cost?
There are only two trim levels – Comfort and Elite. But buying the starting version for 2,950,000 rubles does not make any sense, because to get the flagship you need to pay an additional 300 thousand, and this amount includes a huge set of additional equipment!
There is a lot of space in the back, but there are minimal additional amenities: air ducts for the ventilation system and a single USB charger. The front seats look nice, but they don’t support the body well.
Judge for yourself: front seats with electric adjustments, heating (yes, it is not included in the basic configuration) and ventilation, leather interior, panoramic roof, 19-inch wheels instead of 18-inch ones.
Also appearing are side airbags and air curtains (there are only two of them in the “base”), an alarm system, an electric tailgate, a set of driver assistants, all-round cameras, atmospheric interior lighting, wireless charging and a panoramic roof.
But so far the BAIC X55 is rarely seen on the roads, although it has been on sale for more than six months. And the reason for this is not only small production volumes, but also the fact that well-promoted competitors also attract prices. The front-wheel drive Geely Atlas with a 200-horsepower engine costs from 3.2 million, and the flagship Jetour X70 Plus can be bought for 3,299,900 rubles.
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Add another 200 thousand – and the large Chery Tiggo 8 Pro and Geely Okavango appear as alternatives. And for 3,349,000 rubles you can buy a Haval F7 crossover in the top Tech Plus configuration, and at the same time it will have a 2-liter engine and all-wheel drive.
Ratings based on the results of the BAIC X55 test drive
Below are the BAIC X55 crossover scores for our Chinese car rating. Follow this link to learn more about the scoring method.
See table BAIC X55
Dynamics
Acceleration6Handling6Brakes7Comfort
Landing behind the wheel 6 Interior space 7 Noise isolation 7 Smooth ride 6 Trunk 6Technologies
Electronic assistants6Cameras6Multimedia5Equipment7Let’s try it on ourselves
Subjective rating on a 10-point scale6 Sum of points81 Final rating on a 100-point scale67.5
2024-03-29 14:45:06
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