If you were in any doubt that the Chinese manufacturers are here and ready to make big waves in the European car sales market, then might we introduce you to BYD? Or, to be precise, the BYD Tang SUV.
BYD Tang
- What is the BYD Tang?
- What’s the BYD Tang like inside?
- What’s the BYD Tang like on the road?
- Verdict
- Fact File
What is the BYD Tang?
The Tang isn’t coming to the UK for the foreseeable future, but it is possible that it may join the UK range within a few years, following a planned facelift. The BYD Atto 3 crossover is the first car from BYD to go on sale in the UK, and is being sold through established, independent dealer showrooms as of 2023.
For now, the BYD Tang is interesting as it shows what this brand is capable of in more premium classes, which is what it’s up against in the various markets where the Tang and it’s even more luxurious executive sibling, the BYD Han, are sold. Those include markets such as the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Denmark, which are already dominated by electric vehicles.
For a bit of context, BYD is no start-up manufacturer. It has been one of the world’s largest battery producers for decades, and the biggest manufacturer of electric cars and plug-in hybrids in China for some nine years. It sold some 650,000 vehicles so far in 2022, so while it’s new to Europe and the UK, it’s got phenomenal manufacturing might behind it.
In fact, it’s in the fairly unique position that it produces almost everything on its cars in-house, including the batteries. Indeed, BYD says only the windscreen glass and tyres are sourced externally. BYD is also well into discussions regards building European factories to support its sales in western markets.
As for the pure electric BYD Tang itself, this big, seven-seat SUV takes on the likes of the Volvo XC90 and Audi Q7. Power comes from an 86.4kWh capacity BYD Blade battery, which uses cobalt-free, lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery technology. That gives it a WLTP combined electric range of 248 miles of zero-emission driving, despite a 0-62mph time of 4.6 sec courtesy of twin electric motors that deliver active all-wheel drive and 510bhp. Charging speeds of up to 120kW are a bit paltry next to the higher fast charging rates of some rivals, especially Tesla, but plug the BYD Tang into a CCS-compatible DC charger and you’ll still get a 10-80% battery charge in around 40 minutes.
Prices in most European countries start at the equivalent of some £55,000, making it a much cheaper proposition than most premium rivals, especially other electric seven-seaters like the Tesla Model X, although the Mercedes EQB is a seven-seat electric car that’s similar money to the BYD Tang, albeit a more compact passenger car that’s less spacious inside.
What’s the BYD Tang like inside?
Generally very smart, with tactile materials and a smart layout that does make the Tang feel classy as soon as you slide into the electrically-adjusted, leather driver’s seat. It’s not quite up there for overall finish and quality if you compare it to Volvo, Audi, BMW and Mercedes, it has to be said, but it’s not far off and it’s certainly a match on this front for the likes of Tesla.
A huge touchscreen infotainment system sits at the centre of the dashboard and can be positioned portrait or landscape. It’s your portal to all of the Tang’s functions, including the drive modes and climate control, which can be fiddly to adjust when you’re driving. Mind you, the graphics are brilliant and the voice control is reasonably good at responding to temperature commands. There’s no Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity at the moment, but it’s said to be coming via over-the-air software updates later this year.
There’s masses of space up front in the BYD Tang EV, and also in the middle row where you’ll find a three-person bench that folds and slides in a 60/40 split. Pull a lever and the outermost seat tilts and slide forward to give access to the third row of seats, although – as with almost all seven-seat cars – you’ll need to be fairly dexterous to step up and through the available gap.
Once you’re in, headroom is actually fairly decent and there’s enough legroom for a shorter adult to be okay over short distances. Ultimately, there’s a similar amount of room back there as in an Audi Q7, BMW X5 or Volvo XC90. As with those alternatives, it’s best to leave the occasional third row of seats for the kids, which is exactly who’s most likely to be using them. The rearmost seats fold up and down easily, too. With them raised there’s still space for a lightweight single buggy or a few soft bags, while the boot is more than spacious enough for a big double buggy and additional luggage when it’s in five-seat mode.
What’s the BYD Tang like on the road?
Pleasant, but it is definitely one of those electric cars that doesn’t need such phenomenal accelerative potential. The steering is light but precise enough to make this electric SUV feel reasonably wieldy on tight roads, the dual-motor AWD provides plenty of grip and traction, and the car stays very calm and comfortable on the motorway. There’s a fair bit of tyre and wind-noise at higher speeds, and some suspension thump at lower speeds, but even with these niggles the Tang feels confident and refined enough to worry those premium manufacturers that we’ve already mentioned.
Put it in Sport mode and the steering weights up noticeably, which lends a greater sense of directness, but ultimately you’re still conscious that this is big, heavy, high-riding SUV. Hence, if you bury the accelerator in a straight line you get a shocking burst of speed and that’s certainly fun, but in truth the BYD Tang never feels like a car that you relish driving on a good road. Rather it’s a car that you relish getting in, turning on the heated seats, streaming your podcasts or music and just making easy progress in a classy, comfortable environment. We’d add that the same can be said of most of the BYD Tang’s rivals, including the Tesla Model X.
Verdict
The BYD Tang might be a bit forgettable-looking, but the technology and capability that it showcases is already seriously competitive next to established premium brands.
It really is a sophisticated, competent, pure-electric seven-seater SUV, and we suspect that BYD could sell it in the UK right now if it was minded to. For now, we’ll have to wait and see how the BYD Atto 3 does as it enters the UK market, but rest assured that the Atto 3 won’t the be the last that you hear of BYD.
Fact File:
- Fuel type: Electric
- Powertrain: Dual electric motors, four-wheel drive, 86.4kWh lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery
- Power: 510bhp
- Torque: 680nm / 502lb ft
- 0-62mph: 4.6 seconds
- Range/efficiency: 248 miles / 2.9m/kWh
- Verdict: The BYD Tang is a really credible offering the pure electric seven-seater class, which is a strangely unrepresented sector in the UK so it’s a shame that it’s not yet confirmed for sale over here.