TANG’S ZEST
It’s good to be the king—right until someone wants to depose you. That’s the enviable position of the Toyota Fortuner, the perennially best-selling SUV in the Philippines. While few would say that the Fortuner is the best at everything, the vehicle is just good enough to attract the most buyers. Similar logic benefits the other pickup-based SUVs in that category.
Upstart BYD (if you can call China’s number-one car brand an upstart) is releasing what it hopes will be a Fortuner killer: the BYD Tang DM-i plug-in hybrid. Wait a minute, you might say…the Tang has been in BYD’s lineup for years now. Indeed it has, in the guise of the Tang EV. As BYD’s flagship SUV, the Tang EV has performance and range to spare. But as “flagship” implies, it’s pricey, at above P3.3 million.
Enter the Tang DM-i (Dual Mode-intelligent). As part of BYD’s continued push into the mainstream market, the Tang SUV is now available as a plug-in hybrid (with longer total range than the Tang EV), at a much lower price.
BYD Tang DM-i measures 4870mm long x 1950mm wide, with a 2820mm wheelbase, making it just slightly longer (+75mm) and wider (+95mm) than the Fortuner. Ground clearance is 182mm.
The Tang DM-i’s plug-in hybrid system uses a moderate-sized battery and electric motor, coupled with a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine. The gasoline engine acts as both range extender and propulsion unit, giving the Tang a combined 271ps and 315Nm. This allows the Tang DM-i to sprint to 100kph in 7.5 seconds, on to a top speed of 200kph.
With the 21.5 kWh battery, the BYD Tang DM-i has an all-electric range of 110km. For many city trips, you can go all-EV and not fuel up for a long time, as long as you can charge every day. (For comparison, the Seagull EV packs a 30 kWh battery.) Range anxiety is not a factor, as with the gasoline engine, the Tang DM-i can go up to 1160km on a full tank of gasoline.
Thanks to the electric motor, the Tang DM-i’s acceleration is brisk—nearly instantaneous, and especially when the gasoline engine kicks in, there’s plenty of overtaking power on tap. There are several options to configure the powertrain’s behavior to your liking. You can go full EV, as long as there’s sufficient charge. You can build up battery charge by setting a minimum percentage, using the large center screen. Or just let the system decide how to optimize fuel efficiency. The wide digital screen that acts as a gauge cluster can be configured to show which power component is operating, and how efficiently you’re driving. When you’re coasting, kinetic energy is recaptured and fed back to the battery: it shows up as a negative kilowatt figure on the display.
During our drive, which included city traffic, the NLEX and stretches of the SCTEX, and mixed traffic on the roads of Bataan, we recorded mileage of 20.83 km/liter. The most efficient driver in our group got 21.7 km/liter. Including the electricity consumed, we drove the equivalent of about 7km/liter.
Charging time for the BYD Blade battery varies from 3 hours (AC 7kW, 15% to 100%) down to just 30 minutes (DC 40kW, 30%-80%). The car has a vehicle to load (V2L) function, allowing the Tang DM-i to power a small campsite or provide power in an emergency.
Inside, the BYD Tang cabin feels bright and airy, thanks to the thoroughly modern layout, elegance-leaning design, light leather trim, and panoramic glass sunroof. Almost all functions are accessible only through the 15.6-inch touchscreen (unusually for a BYD, it’s non-rotatable). EV mode and various driving modes (sport, normal, eco) can be toggled via two small switches behind the gearshift. Premium features include ventilated and power-adjustable front seats, dual-zone climate control, ambient lighting, and wireless phone charger. The Dynaudio system provides clear, thumping
The Tang DM-is a seven-seat SUV. The second row can slide forward to increase kneeroom for the third seat people. Even then, it’s a tight fit, and even harder to get in and out of the third row. Only children and petite, fit adults should apply.
Advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) includes level two autonomous driving (acceleration, braking and steering with driver supervision), adaptive cruise control, , blind spot monitoring, lane departure assistance, and door opening warning.
Launch colors will be: pearl white, silver sand black, and moonstone gray. Moonstone gray will feature blacked-out grille and wheels.
So is the Tang DM-i a category killer, aiming not just for the Fortuner, but the Montero Sport, Terra, and Everest? For just the right motorist, it can be. Because it’s a plug-in EV, it’s far smoother, more responsive, and quieter. Third-row space is nothing to write home about, but with the third row folded, there’s loads of cargo room. The ride is not plush by any means, but it’s far more comfortable than the pickup-based SUVs. The Tang DM-i can even do light off-roading, such as traversing gravel and mud on your way to a campsite or country home. The SUV acquitted itself well, even with 20-inch road tires. The 360-degree monitor with front “see-through” function helped a lot here. One thing’s for sure: If you’re considering a vehicle in the P2.4 million range, you should test drive the Tang DM-i.
