BYD Song PLUS test drive: What’s more surprising than the appearance is the power
On the evening of September 16, BYD’s Song PLUS fuel version was officially launched. The new car is available in four models equipped with a 1.5T engine. The official guide price range is 115,800 yuan to 143,800 yuan.
It is not difficult to see from the pricing that Song PLUS is positioned between Song Pro and Tang, filling the gap in the product line between the two and providing consumers with richer choices.
Song PLUS is a model with many highlights. In addition to its eye-catching appearance, the first-ever Snapdragon high-power 1.5T engine has a maximum power of 185 horsepower and 288 Nm. The peak torque can be said to be one of the best among current self-owned brand engines of the same displacement, and it is also matched with a brand new 7-speed wet dual-clutch gearbox.
So, what is the actual performance of Song PLUS? With such questions, I took a test drive of Song PLUS and found the answer.
In terms of appearance, BYD Song PLUS adopts BYD’s latest Dragon Face 3.0 family design language. The dot-matrix polygonal front air intake grille is enlarged by chrome-plated decorative strips and narrow dragon claws on both sides. The light groups are connected and have a full sense of class.
The dragon-claw-shaped headlight set not only has sharp visual effects, but also has a quite complex internal structure. The "777"-shaped daytime running lights have an electric blue effect. Both high and low beams are LED light sources and support automatic driving. It adapts to high and low beam technology, and can adjust the height freely at the same time. It has rich functions and is not just a flower shelf.
The lower enclosure adopts the popular three-section structure. The chrome-plated decorative strips on the air intakes on both sides resemble the "fangs" of a dragon, adding a sense of ferocity to the front face. Moreover, the turn signal is also integrated into the "tusk", but unfortunately it does not support the water steering function.
Looking from the side, the shape is concave and convex, with a waistline extending from the headlights to the taillights, making the body look more slender without losing a sense of stability. Chrome strips are also added around the windows for decoration, further increasing the sense of class. The shark fin on the roof is the finishing touch, emphasizing the sporty feel.
The roofline slopes slightly downward starting from the B-pillar. Although the visual effect is not as sporty as the fastback shape, the advantage of this is that it can fully ensure the headroom of the rear passengers, allowing the rear passengers to Platoon is not so depressing.
The real model uses 20-inch double five-petal shaped wheels, the tire specification is 245/45?R20, and the standard equipment is Continental tires, which are quieter and more comfortable. .
The exterior rearview mirror adopts a two-color design and supports functions such as heating, electric adjustment, and automatic folding when the car is locked. The exterior rearview mirror on the driver's side also has an NFC function, which can unlock the vehicle through a mobile phone (the mobile phone must support the NFC function, and in the BYD compatibility list, many models from Huawei, Xiaomi, vivo and OPPO currently support it. this function).
In terms of tail styling, the through-type blackened taillight set is a very popular design language at present. BYD also added through-type chrome strips for decoration, which further increases the horizontal visual width of the tail. The spoiler part is also equipped with a high-mounted brake light. The length is said to be as high as 1011mm, which is officially called the "skyline".
The lower surround has a diffuser feel, which further increases the sense of movement. Decorative openings on both sides are also designed to echo the front face, which also stretches the horizontal visual width of the rear of the car.
Slightly regrettable is that the exhaust pipe adopts a hidden layout, which is not necessary for fuel vehicles. I believe users still prefer the shape with exhaust ports, even if it is only for decoration.
I believe many netizens are familiar with the interior. Yes, Song PLUS adopts a design style similar to the flagship sedan Han, which will also become BYD's new generation family language. The large-sized floating central control screen, full LCD instrument panel and electronic gear knob create an excellent sense of technology.
The test drive model adopts an interior scheme of ink brown and basalt black. The gradient door panels and seats are very special and eye-catching. In terms of materials, suede material is used in a large area, which creates a sense of class and luxury.
The steering wheel adopts a new flat-bottomed shape, and also uses an ink-dip brown gradient color scheme, and is wrapped in softer leather fabric for a comfortable grip.
The size of the central control screen reaches 12.8 inches. The screen made of IPS material has a very large viewing angle and a very delicate display effect. In terms of functions, it supports online navigation, online music, and voice control functions.
The electronic gear lever has a relatively compact shape and is officially called the "BYD-Heart". Functions such as one-button start, electronic handbrake, automatic parking, and steep slope descent are all concentrated in it. This area is decorated with chrome-plated materials, which shows an excellent sense of class.
Due to the electronic gear handle, a hollow area is provided below the gear handle. The two USB interfaces in the front row and the 12V cigarette lighter interface are located in this area, and it can also be used for storage. The function of grid.
The design of the LED light panel in front of the co-pilot is very interesting. You can freely set the displayed text, or display weather and other information by default.
Unfortunately, because the panel is made of a high-gloss material similar to piano paint, it is more likely to be stained with fingerprints and is not very convenient to take care of.
It is worth mentioning that the armrest box of the test drive model also comes with a wireless microphone, which can be used with the online music function of the central control screen to realize karaoke in the car.
The front seats adopt an integrated sports-style design. I thought that this kind of seat would be average in terms of comfort, but after actually riding it, I found that this was not the case.
After being adjusted to the appropriate angle, this seat has good support for the waist and head, and the filling and fabric are relatively soft, making it very comfortable. The main driver's seat of the test drive model supports 6-way electric adjustment, and the passenger seat supports 4-way electric adjustment.
The same is true for the rear seats. Except for the middle armrest box area, the fillings in the rest of the seats are relatively soft, making the ride more comfortable. Due to the presence of the armrest box in the middle position, the tactile padding is hard and the comfort is average.
The rear row is equipped with independent air-conditioning outlets and two USB power interfaces, which take good care of rear passengers. Moreover, the central floor is nearly flat and does not affect the legroom of passengers in the middle position. The angle of the rear seat backrest can be adjusted, and the maximum inclination can reach 28 degrees, which is said to be the most suitable angle for Chinese people to ride.
Thanks to the 2765mm wheelbase, the rear space of Song PLUS is also excellent. Under normal riding conditions, the rear legroom is close to three punches, which is very abundant.
After talking about the static part, let’s introduce the dynamic part. As mentioned above, this 1.5T engine has a maximum power of 185 horsepower and a peak torque of 288 Nm. Compared with the Song Pro, The parameter improvement is very obvious for a 160-horsepower 1.5T engine.
And it should be noted that this engine is not as simple as increasing the amount of fuel injection to enhance power. It is equipped with a dual-flow turbocharger, an electronically controlled turbine bleed valve, and high-pressure direct injection. System and many other technologies, officials claim that the thermal efficiency can reach 38%.
It is matched with a 7-speed wet dual-clutch gearbox. Compared with Song Pro's 6-speed dual-clutch, it not only adds a forward gear to achieve a wider gear ratio, but also The electro-hydraulic actuator, shift fork and other components have been optimized, and the overall transmission efficiency is as high as 95%.
Officially, this gearbox has been upgraded in terms of smoothness, economy and durability compared to the previous 6-speed version, and is more in line with the usage habits of Chinese users.
In terms of actual driving, in the normal mode, the initial throttle adjustment is more sensitive, and the starting acceleration is stronger. The power feeling brought by the throttle is more obvious when it is basically more than 1,000 rpm. If you step on the accelerator deeply and let the speed reach more than 2,000 rpm, the explosive power of this engine will be fully demonstrated. The power reserve in the middle and rear sections is sufficient, and it is still relatively easy to overtake even after the speed exceeds 80 kilometers per hour.
After switching to the sports mode, the strength of this engine will be completely released, the power response will be more positive, the speed will increase faster, and basically no throttle lag will be felt.
It should also be noted that the accelerator pedal of Song PLUS adopts an organ-style design, which has a better foot feel than the previous suspension design of Song Pro.
As for the gearbox, although it is a newly designed 7-speed dual-clutch, there will still be frustrations in low gears. Fortunately, the body intrusion is not obvious and is within an acceptable range. After the gear is upgraded to third gear, the smoothness performance is very good, making the driver almost forget that this is a dual-clutch gearbox.
In addition, after taking off the accelerator to slow down and then stepping on the accelerator again, the connection of power is slightly uneven, but it has little effect on the overall smoothness. This gearbox is fully capable of giving high scores, and its performance in terms of driving experience far exceeds that of the previous 6-speed dual-clutch.
After switching to the sports mode, the response of the gearbox will be faster, the downshift will become more active, and the frustration at low speeds will also be significantly improved, and the connection from 1st gear to 2nd gear will be improved. Smoother.
In terms of suspension, Song PLUS uses the common front MacPherson + rear multi-link combination. The overall adjustment is biased towards comfort, but at the same time it also takes into account toughness.
When passing a speed bump, there is no extra bounce transmitted to the interior of the car, nor is it the "bang-bang-bang" feeling that is common in models of this level. The overall feeling of luxury is relatively strong. The roll when turning is not serious, which can give the driver enough confidence.
The steering adjustment is also focused on comfort. The steering wheel is relatively light and the steering is precise. Even a female driver has no difficulty in driving. In addition, the steering strength also provides a "sport" style option. After turning it on, the steering wheel will feel significantly heavier, which is more suitable for male users.
Another thing that must be mentioned is the assisted driving function of Song PLUS. Except for the lowest model, all other models provide lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, road traffic sign recognition, active braking, and full-speed automatic driving. Adapted to safety configurations such as cruise control and panoramic images, high-end models also include parallel assist. These functions can greatly improve driving safety.
Overall, Song PLUS performs very well in terms of comprehensive strength at the price of 100,000-150,000 yuan. The author is deeply impressed by its atmospheric appearance, exquisite interior and excellent power performance. impression.
If you plan to buy a self-owned brand SUV with large space, high configuration, and excellent power in the near future, then Song PLUS is definitely a choice worth considering.
This article comes from the author of Autohome Chejiahao and does not represent the views and positions of Autohome.