Story & photos by Patrick Tulfo
BYD, which stands for Build Your Dreams, is a privately owned Chinese company wherein noted American billionaire Warren Buffet decided to invest some of his hard-earned money. If this writer were to base his opinion on the S6, then he can safely say it was a wise decision, indeed.
The unit lent to this writer had the top-of-the-line 2.4-liter engine with DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) and black paint job that further enhanced its already elegant look. After getting the vehicle at BYD’s dealership on Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong City, last week, I found myself stuck in a bumper-to-bumper traffic along Edsa, which was probably brought about by an unusual number of people scurrying for a ride home as it was a holiday the following day.
The S6 BYD’s lone entry in the highly competitive sports-utility vehicle (SUV) segment is a good-looking vehicle, as attested to by the fellow motorists, who were also stuck in traffic, and craned their necks to get a better look at it. The exterior design is very similar to the Lexus RX-350, which is not a bad thing. The RX-350 also has no copies in the present crop of SUVs in the market today aside from the S6. It is obvious that the designers at BYD chose to play it safe in this area.
Parking the vehicle between two Japanese SUVs inside the mall parking lot further reinforced my opinion on the S6’s looks. It didn’t look out of place or trying hard beside the Japanese makes. This also gave me the opportunity to compare the length of the S6 parked side-by-side with the two Japanese SUVs. The S6 was longer by a couple of inches.
The 4,810-millemeters length translated into a roomy interior for all five passengers. Thumbs up to BYD for not trying to cram in a third row on the S6. This also resulted in a large cargo area for all the carrying needs of its owner and, if that is not enough, there is a roof rail that can accommodate an aftermarket roof rack to further increase its capacity.
Driving the S6 to Tagaytay on the following day gave me the opportunity to stretch out the legs of this SUV. The modern 16-valve gasoline engine that powered this brute was designed by Bosch. It’s good for 165 hp and 234 Nm of torque and, more important, it is Euro 4-compliant. Power is more than adequate to move the vehicle around even when going uphill. Although there is a one-second interval for the power to kick in when pressing the accelerator pedal; I was informed by BYD technician about this in a short briefing, when I fetched the vehicle from their showroom.
The engine has also had some slight vibrations when accelerating hard and the automatic transmission also exhibited some harshness, whenever the vehicle comes from a full stop. It is not worrisome though, it just doesn’t have the smoothness of its gasoline-powered peers, specifically, the ones from Japan. One may even mistake it for a diesel engine, but at cruising speed it was quiet and refined.
Another surprise for would-be buyers is that the engine was quite frugal despite having a large displacement. At first I didn’t believe the fuel consumption quoted to me by the technicians at BYD, which they put at 8 to 9 kilometers (km) per liter for city driving, depending on one’s driving habits. But based on my estimate, it did an average of at least 8 km per liter fuel during city driving. The fuel needle didn’t move at all in two days of driving around the traffic-choked NCR. It only moved slightly after the Tagaytay jaunt and even after the Bulacan trip to my mom’s house the following day.
There was more than half a tank of fuel left in the 72-liter tank. The suspension, meanwhile, soaked up most bumps, while the hydraulic power steering provided a good feel of the road.
Inside, the vehicle is an all-leather affair. Even the sidings were stitched, lending the vehicle a luxurious feel. It is also equipped with an integrated multimedia system with a 7-inch monitor, built-in global-positioning system, aux port, USB port, SD card port and built-in Bluetooth for hands-free calls. The single in dash CD/DVD player played all the DVDs we brought along for the trip, much to the delight of my kids.
It also has a Dual Mode Sun Roof, which is quite rare in its price range. There is also built-in camera attached to the right-side mirror, obviously to guide drivers when parking beside the curb and a rear camera with a parking guide on the screen. But one of my favorite feature was the built-in sensor on the front bumpers, aside from the rear that warns the driver if it’s very near an object. But be warned, though. It takes some getting used to as it’s so sensitive that even when you’re just paying at the toll booth or getting a toll card, it sounds off incessantly.
There is also a smart key for keyless entry and start/stop button. Safety-wise, it has one of the most number of air bags in the category—six (four at the front and two side-curtain air bags). It has also garnered the highest rating with five stars from China New Car Assessment Procedures in the collision test.
For those still skeptical about BYD’s longevity, Solar Transport and Automotive Resources Corp., the exclusive distributor of BYD vehicles in the country, has launched BYD 5 Customer Service Program early this year. The program increased the warranty coverage of BYD vehicles from three to five years or 100,000 km, whichever comes first.
The availability of original spare parts in case the need arises, service facilities with the latest tools and manned by top-caliber technicians, and BYD Response Operation, which ensures that a response vehicle is available if something goes wrong with yours.
They’ve even thrown in a free membership with Automobile Association of the Philippines for good measure. SUV buyers at this price range of P1.258 million should definitely take a look at the S6.
Image credits: Patrick Tulfo
1 comment
well chinese product. NOT INTERESTED.