Chinese brand BAIC has unveiled a bigger and more luxurious SUV model. Here’s all you need to know about the new BAIC BJ60.

The BAIC brand has been present for some time and there’s even a factory here in SA, churning out compact products, but you don’t see many of them on the roads nor do you see a growing dealership footprint. It’s odd, considering the rampant success of fellow countrymen Haval and Chery. Our only taste of BAIC locally was the launch of the B40 Plus, an interestingly styled and capable SUV offering.

What you see here is BAIC’s latest offering, a 7-seater offroad-ready SUV. The front is very Jeep-like, strapped to a body-on-frame chassis. At over 5 metres long and with a wheelbase of 2.8 metres, this is no compact offering and we reckon its about the same sort of size as the current Toyota Land Cruiser LC300. The model shown here features large 20-inch alloy wheels.

The cabin of the BJ60 looks upmarket, with an abundance of features, with white leather. The dashboard features a digital instrument setup and there’s a 12-inch infotainment touchscreen dominating the central column. Other noteworthy luxury features include a heads-up display, quality audio system, panoramic sunroof, and heated seats.

Now this is where it gets interesting, as there’s very little detail on the engine and transmission. It’s said the BAIC BJ60 is powered by a hybrid powertrain that has a total range of 1000 km and capable of hitting 100 kph in 6 seconds. We’re guessing there’s either a 4- or 6-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine under the hood, paired to an electric motor located on one of the axles. Some have said the new BAIC BJ60 will feature all-wheel drive and have offroad features like diff locks and 4×4 modes.

We’ll update this article if we hear anything from BAIC South Africa in terms of availability. We do recall at the presentation of the smaller B40 Plus that the brand is keen to expand its portfolio and given the success of products like the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro and Haval H6, this could prove a solid offering.

Further Reading

BAIC BJ40 Launch Review

Haval’s rapid growth in SA – we track the numbers