By Otsile Kadiege

BAIC unveiled a stylish new mid-size, urban-off-road SUV called the Beijing BJ30. The newcomer enters the crowded and competitive mid-size SUV segment boasting off-road looks with modern touches, a contemporary and practical interior, an ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) and HEV (Hybrid Electic Vehicles) powertrain, as well as 2WD and 4WD drivetrain options.

Rugged looks

Outside, the Beijing BJ30 sports a tough-looking exterior with numerous modern touches. Highlights include a squared front-end with five rectangular shapes on the grille which connect with the LED headlights and C-shaped LED daytime running lights. More highlights include a contrasting front bumper with LED fog lights, contrasting wheel arches with additional integrated lighting, alloy wheel sizes ranging from 18- to 19-inches, side steps, functional roof rails and stylish vertical LED taillights.

The Beijing BJ30 measures 4 730mm long, 1 910mm wide ,1 790mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2 820mm. It also has a ground clearance over 215mm and approach and departure angles of 25 and 30 degrees respectively.

Functional, modern interior

The interior of the BJ30 also mirrors the modern and rugged styling of the exterior. Highlights include a somewhat minimalist, ‘skateboard-inspired’ dashboard panel which houses a customisable 10.5-inch digital instrument cluster, a multifunctional flat-bottom steering wheel and a 14.6-inch infotainment display with an 8155 chip and offers multiple custom modes.

More highlights include rugged styling on the door panels, a large panoramic roof, a wireless charging pad, an aircraft-like gear lever, a rotary dial on the centre console and a luggage capacity of 1 496 litres with the rear seats folded down.

Powertrains

The BJ30 is available with both a combustion engine and a hybridised version of it. Underneath the hood is BAIC’s A156T2H 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine. The non-hybrid, front-wheel-drive BJ30 churns a healthy 138kW of power and 305Nm of torque. The 2WD hybrid derivative delivers a total system output of 246kW and 550Nm thanks to a front-axle-mounted electric motor which solely produces 130kW and 315Nm.

With an additional electric motor on the rear-axle, the 4WD hybrid BJ30 delivers a whooping 301kW and 685Nm. The hybrid is paired with a 2-speed DHT (Dedicated Hybrid Transmission) while the turbo-petrol is paired with a 7-speed wet DCT gearbox. BAIC claims the hybrid BJ30 has a claimed combined fuel consumption of 6.45l/100km and a total driving range exceeding 1,000 kilometers.

Availability

The new BAIC Beijing BJ30 is yet to be confirmed for the South African market.