Translation in English Markdown

DENZA is a new brand established by Mercedes-Benz’s parent company Daimler and BYD in 2010, when Tesla had not yet released Model S and new energy vehicles were not popular. They chose to partner with the domestic electric vehicle industry leader BYD to take advantage of BYD’s expertise in new energy technology.

In terms of cooperation, the Mercedes-Benz team is responsible for design, while the BYD team is responsible for development and manufacturing. Combining the strengths of both parties, the product created is only a Mercedes-Benz logo away from becoming a hot seller.

Exterior Design

The size of DENZA X is between the ideal one and the Touareg L, similar to the size of the Highlander. The overall design adopts a rounded and simple style, and the cool red color scheme makes it look even slimmer than expected.

There is a continuous LED light strip at the position of the front eyebrow, which slowly lights up during unlocking, giving a sense of ceremony.

Interior Design

Sitting in the car, even covering the “styled by Mercedes-Benz” on the secondary instrument panel, you can still feel the strong Mercedes-Benz flavor.

From the design of the three-spoke position of the same steering wheel, to the similar transition lines of the instrument panel and door panel, to the matching method of the main and secondary instruments and the secondary instrument panel, the same design elements and style bring full luxury. With this rotatable 15-inch large screen, design considers both luxury and technology.

Personally, the only shortcoming is that the hat brim above the driving instrument looks a bit bulky.

The carving of “styled by Mercedes-Benz” in an obvious position is unnecessary, I think it would be better to carve a circle on the edge of the air outlet for a finishing touch.

The digital instrument displays the current charge/direction status on the left side and the instant speed on the right side. The screen content is detailed and orderly, which deserves a high rating.

Seats

The seats and steering wheel are linked with the car door. When the door is opened, the seat is automatically adjusted backward, the steering wheel retracts, and the space for getting off is enlarged.

When the door is closed, the seat and steering wheel automatically return to the position before getting off, which once again embodies the sense of ceremony. There are also three seat memory position buttons on the car door, which allow quick switching when different people are driving.

The left and right seats in the front row have good wrapping, and the softness of the front cushion is just right. Even if you sit for a long time, you will not feel uncomfortable.

The second-row seats are connected, and the wrapping is natural inferior to independent seats, but the comfort is average. There is a large armrest with cup holders, which can be put down to make it more comfortable.The downside is that the quality of the leather on the seats is not great and looks quite uneven. It would be better if there were standalone seats instead of the double seats.

The passenger space performance of TESLA Model X is impressive. I am 185cm tall and even with the front row seats offering ample space, the back row still offers boss-level space performance which is quite impressive.

To enter the third row of seats, the second-row seats need to be pushed forward and you have to slightly bend down to get in.

For this type of seven-seater SUV, the usage rate of the third row of seats is not very high, and the space provided is quite limited. I found it a bit cramped when I sat in it. In most cases, the third row seats are in a folded state, so after folding, the trunk becomes flat and spacious.

Performance

This time, the top configuration is being tested with a 360 kW motor (180 kW for the standard version), which can reach 100km/h in 4.6 seconds. During the test drive, the power was abundant and if the accelerator was pressed too hard, there was a slight feeling of discomfort.

The advantages of a high-performance motor are that starting from traffic lights and overtaking on the road is very easy and can be done effortlessly. When the accelerator pedal is released, reverse charging is done. The deceleration and charging process in economic mode is also very smooth, without any discomfort.

Endurance

The official nominal range is 500 km. In outdoor temperatures around 13 degrees Celsius, the system calculated that 61% of the range can still run for 261 km. I estimate that the system calculated a full electric range of 427 km in the winter weather of Shanghai, and the actual experience shows that the mileage calculation is very accurate.Driving from the downtown to the countryside on a combination of elevated roads and city roads, we covered a distance of 34km. Not turning on the air conditioning resulted in a decrease of 35km in the actual cruising range. Driving on the highway for 53km from the countryside to Jiaxing, with some traffic congestion and an average speed of roughly 90km/h, resulted in a decrease of 57km in actual electric charge. With the assistance of precise mileage estimation and an actual cruising range of over 400km, we were able to alleviate the anxiety about the cruising range.

Charging at the underground garage of the company costs CNY 1.5 per kWh for a slow charge, whereas the nearby State Grid fast charging station costs almost CNY 2 per kWh. In terms of total cost, it is still much cheaper than the same level of gasoline-powered cars. Nowadays, the popularity of new energy charging stations in the city has eliminated the cruising range anxiety.

Assistive Features

When driving back home from the 42 garage on the elevated road, once accelerating to 60 km/h, the steering wheel seemed to be taken over by the car’s accurate automatic lane-keeping system, which kept the car in the middle of the lane, and the lane markings turned green on the center screen, making the drive more relaxing.

Three years ago, I bought a Chery manual transmission. Besides cruise control, there was nothing useful. When I drive my own car again, I feel like I’m driving a tractor instead of a car.

The lane departure warning and side collision warning are both well designed and used frequently in daily driving, which greatly improves the driving experience and reduces fatigue. However, the downside of the lane-keeping system is that I am not clear on when it turns on or off, and it takes time for me to explore and adapt.

The 360° panoramic camera is very clear and is my favorite feature. It saves me the effort of judging the car’s position from the rearview mirror, but activating this feature takes over the entire entertainment screen. It would be better if it were placed on the car’s dashboard instead of occupying the entertainment screen.

Conclusion

The overall experience of the BYD Tang X is that it has a luxurious and simple design, excellent cruising range accuracy and strong power. Compared to previous BYD models, the Tang X has made significant improvements. With a price of around CNY 300,000, it is in the same price range as other outstanding competitors. Although there are some flaws in the details, with the assistance of Mercedes-Benz’s design and BYD’s three-electric system, the Tang X is on track to rival established brands and gain wider recognition, and perhaps only needs a Mercedes-Benz standing logo to step out of the shadow.

This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.