Definitely a rare “true friend”.
By: Xiong Ruifeng
“Either music, or travel, there is always one part of the body and soul on the road” – This is what I believe in when it comes to life and work.
Whenever I wake up under the clear sky, my wandering heart always makes me full of energy. Thanks to Qianmo Transportation, nowadays, it’s easy to “just go” with just a car and one person – there’s nowhere I can’t go.
And today’s protagonist, although not dressed in fancy clothes, gives me the same passion for a “common cause”. It is the new SUV from BYD – Yuan PLUS.
Three evolutions, almost perfect
At first sight, compared to the “straight male” image of the first generation Dragon Face, the exquisite and fashionable sense brought by Dragon Face 3.0’s three evolutions is self-evident.
Although the Yuan PLUS may still look familiar at first glance, subtle changes can be seen upon closer inspection. The newly designed central grille uses three horizontal gaps and is connected to the two wing-shaped daytime running lights on both sides. The LED light strip next to the grille and the luminous “Yuan” LOGO further accentuate the overall texture of the vehicle.
The design of the front headlights on one side is inspired by wings, and the colorful blue color is dotted in just the right place. Under the illumination of the newly designed LED light source, it not only has a breathing dynamic light effect, but also can achieve a maximum illumination width of 16.7 meters.
On the side, if you think the smooth lines are too generic, the silver trim on the D-pillar can be said to be the finishing touch, and the creative gradient dragon scales relief highlights the attitude of the Yuan PLUS and young people towards life not being “monotonous”.
The tail of the BYD Yuan PLUS showcases the brand’s most impressive craftsmanship with its ultra-narrow border, integrated molding, color injection process, and piercing taillights. The originally monotonous appearance is now revitalized with a minimum glowing strip of only 5mm in width, which tests the strength of the manufacturing process. When the taillights are turned on, they unfold gradually and gracefully, like wings expanding.
As the name “PLUS” suggests, the Yuan PLUS occupies a higher market segment than its A0-class predecessors, boasting larger dimensions of 4455/1875/1615mm and a wheelbase of 2720mm. These figures put the Yuan PLUS in direct competition with other A-class electric vehicles such as Aion Y and XPeng G3, to name a few.
The creativity and innovation of the Yuan PLUS reflect the brand’s dedication to a vibrant and energetic lifestyle, which is embodied in the watercolor-style interior design. The gym-inspired interior is refreshing with its dynamic curved elements, diverse materials, and ingenious layering. Remarkably, the Yuan PLUS features a cloud and mist texture on its high-grade leather decor, which provides a silky and smooth touch, marking the first time such material has been used in BYD’s vehicles.
The details of the Yuan PLUS demonstrate the brand’s departure from traditional standardized flow-line manufacturing. Instead, the Yuan PLUS integrates various vivid shapes and designs throughout the car, and these elements bring a unique aesthetic to various car components, including door handles, air conditioning vents, and so on. Regrettably, the door handle design may pose a safety hazard to children, as it lacks child-proof features. It is hoped that BYD will make the necessary adjustments to ensure customer safety.
In most cases, people don’t really care about the door panel trim, after all, it only serves as a storage space and it’s hard to be interested in it. However, the unique piano-string design of the BYD Yuan PLUS is quite distinctive, with three red elastic cables that are so different that they can even produce musical sounds when lightly touched.
Smart technology has always been BYD’s strong suit, and the Yuan PLUS is no exception. Equipped with a 15.6-inch rotatable screen, a mainstream Qualcomm Snapdragon 8-core processor, and a 6+64G memory combination, the smoothness is beyond doubt. Thanks to the latest generation of DLink 4.0 smart network system, human-machine interaction has also been greatly improved, supporting advanced features such as mobile KTV, split-screen applications, and smart voice.
To meet the needs of “on the road”, in addition to having a personalized design, sufficient space and riding comfort are also important evaluation criteria. In practical experience, the Yuan PLUS’s front seats embody a sporty style with a one-piece sports-style design that caters to the taste of young consumers, while the soft fabric and filling provide a good riding experience.
However, the door handles on both sides of the car door are too prominent, which has a certain impact on the lateral legroom of the front row.
Although the wheelbase is less than 2.8 meters, it still provides ample rear seat riding experience, and the central floor is almost flat. The overall vehicle space performance is among the top models of the same level, even compared with Japanese brands such as Honda and Nissan, which are extremely focused on space utilization.
Although not the best, but just love it
BYD’s Dolphin pure electric exclusive e platform 3.0 platform is undoubtedly familiar, and the power system of this Yuan PLUS is also composed of an 8-in-1 electric powertrain + efficient heat pump + blade battery pack.
The front and rear permanent magnet synchronous motors have a maximum power of 150 kW (204 PS) and a peak torque of 310 N·m. The official 0-100 km/h acceleration time is 7.3 seconds. Paired with the lithium iron phosphate blade battery, it can achieve a range of 430/510 km under different configurations (CLTC standard). It’s worth noting that this lithium iron phosphate blade battery can be cycled more than 3,000 times, supporting a mileage of more than 1.2 million kilometers.
In actual driving experience, the EUNIQ PLUS can be described as “nimble” on initial use. In NORMAL mode, every time I step on the accelerator pedal linearly, the power is released as if agreeing with my feet in advance, and it is easy to control the “acceleration”. However, unlike other pure electric models of other brands, the EUNIQ PLUS did not completely maximize the sensitivity of the accelerator pedal. Even when facing deliberate teasing, it still exhibits a “calm” attitude, which makes the EUNIQ PLUS more capable of coping with congested urban roads.
When the accelerator pedal is deeply pressed, the EUNIQ PLUS can achieve instant power surge from 0-60 km/h, and overtaking on urban roads is effortless. At a speed of 80-100 km/h, the ample power output is also impressive, and the power output remains linear. However, when the speed exceeds 100 km/h, the power noticeably declines.
In addition, the EUNIQ PLUS can adjust between “standard feedback” and “larger feedback” for kinetic energy recovery. Thanks to the CST Comfortable Parking Automatic System, the vehicle will adjust its intensity according to different conditions such as speed and road conditions. The kinetic energy recovery is almost non-existent at speeds below 20 km/h, and the drag sensation at speeds of 20-70 km/h is also very slight, and only at speeds exceeding 70 km/h can the braking effect be clearly felt, which is similar to the experience of a fuel car.
For turning performance, the BYD Yuan PLUS is like most of its peers, with a light and linear feel that makes it easy to complete wide turns. “Even with slight deviations, it still fits its positioning as a city SUV after adaptation.”
The most surprising thing about the Yuan PLUS is that, compared with other torsion beam competitors in the same category, such as the XPeng G3i and AION Y, it actually adopts a front MacPherson independent suspension and rear multi-link suspension.
However, in terms of chassis experience, the Yuan PLUS is at a mediocre level in terms of overall stability and solidity, although it can still reduce swing to a certain extent even with bumpy roads or dense speed bumps, there are still slight residual vibrations. In sharp turns, the car body has good support, and even sitting in the backrow, one would not feel too much side tilt.
Conclusion
After experiencing the BYD Yuan PLUS, my impression of it is as I said at the beginning. “It’s not just a car, it’s more like a close friend of ours.”
With a “full of vitality” appearance and interior, every outing feels fresh, and everywhere you look is unique, breaking my confinement to traditional cars. Especially with the outstanding performance of the e-platform 3.0, the Yuan PLUS combines many advantages, particularly the perfect combination of low energy consumption and high endurance, which has resolved many car owners’ worries. Plus, with a price range of RMB 119,800-155,800, the Yuan PLUS is definitely a rare “best friend.”
Now, I want to travel with it.
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.