Beijing X55 (2024) Price & Specs

Gqeberha-based BAIC South Africa has refreshed its Beijing X55 small crossover for 2024. The revised model features a few styling and specification tweaks and now bears the Plus suffix. We summarise what the refreshed variants offer – and cost.

BAIC South Africa recently invited us to drive its upgraded B40 Plus off-roader in Gqeberha, which is where the Chinese brand is believed to be ramping up local production of the Beijing X55 (now -Plus).

To recap, the Beijing X55 Plus is based on the firm’s BMFA (Beijing Modular Functional Architecture) platform and stands 4 620 mm long, 1 886 mm wide, 1 680 mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2 735 mm (for the sake of comparison, it’s slightly bigger than the Haval Jolion, which was also updated recently.

#CarsAwards judge and Cars.co.za video presenter Jacob Moshokoa reviewed the BAIC Beijing X55 last year, which was about a year after it debuted in Mzansi. The model is powered by a 130 kW/305 Nm 1.5-litre 4-cylinder turbopetrol engine paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. BAIC claims an average fuel consumption of 7.7 L/100 km and a 0-100 kph time of 7.8 seconds.

In a fiercely contested compact family car market (which recently welcomed the GAC GS3 Emzoom), the Beijing X55 Plus stands out courtesy of its futuristic, coupe-SUV-esque exterior execution. Edgy design details include hidden door handles (much like the Range Rover Velar) that pop out of the bodywork and hidden windscreen wipers, as well as LED head- and tail lamps (including a high-mounted stop lamp).

For 2024, the Beijing X55 gains revised “blade wheel” alloys and a quad-exhaust configuration. It’s available in Scarlet Red, Polar White, Electric Yellow, Metallic Grey, Krypton Grey, and Turquoise Blue.

The extroverted theme continues inside, where the Beijing X55 Plus is equipped with “space engine-style” air vents, an aircraft-style transmission lever, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, smartphone mirroring, and voice command recognition (said to be capable of managing over 200 functions, BAIC says), as well as a soft-touch dashboard.

What do the Beijing X55 Plus variants offer?

1.5T Dynamic

Apart from the interior features we mentioned earlier, the entry-level variant comes fitted with (inter alia) 18-inch alloys, auto lights and wipers, keyless entry and start, a multifunction steering wheel (attached to a tilt- and reach adjustable steering column), front and rear centre armrests, 6-way manually adjustable driver and front passenger’s seats, selectable drive modes (Eco, Comfort, Sport and Smart), cruise control, manual aircon, pollen filter, refrigerated storage bin, one-touch electric windows all round.

What’s more, a Type C USB port, front- and load-bay-located 12V outlets, rear PDC and a reverse-view camera, a rear ventilation outlet and a 60/40-split rear seatback are also standard on the 1.5T Dynamic. 

1.5T Elite

According to a spec sheet supplied by BAIC, the mid-range Beijing X55 1.5T Elite comes fitted with the following over and above the 1.5T Dynamic’s spec: 19-inch alloy wheels, seatbelt pre-tensioners at the front, front parking sensors (in addition to the rear PDC and camera), heated-, electrically adjustable and auto-folding side mirrors, a panoramic sunroof, roof rails, automatically deploying hidden door handles, a powered tailgate, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, 6-way electrically adjustable front seats, a wireless charging pad, a 6-speaker (as opposed to 4-speaker) audio system and dual-zone climate control. 

1.5T Premium

The top-of-the-range 1.5T Premium, in turn, also features upgraded leather trim, heated and ventilated electrically adjustable front seats (with memory function for the driver), a reclining rear seatback, an 8-speaker audio system, driver and front passenger’s lighted vanity mirrors, ambient cabin lighting, a 360-degree camera system, more seatbelt pre-tensioners (also includes the rear outer seats), as well as the following advanced driver-assistance systems: adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning- and keep assist, blind-spot detection, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and forward-collision warning. 

Watch Jacob Moshokoa’s video review of the 2023 BAIC Beijing X55:

Comprehensive safety spec

Whereas there are notable spec differences between the three 2024 Beijing X55 variants, their safety equipment lists are virtually identical (apart from the ADAS on the 1.5T Premium): ABS with EBD and brake assist, electronic stability programme, dual front-, side and curtain airbags, electric parking brake with auto hold and hill-start assist, a driver-fatigue detection system, as well as tyre pressure monitors. 

How much does the Beijing X55 Plus cost in SA?

Beijing X55 Plus 1.5T DynamicR429 900
Beijing X55 Plus 1.5T EliteR469 900
BAIC Beijing X55 Plus 1.5T PremiumR509 900
BAIC Beijing X55 Plus 1.5T Premium (with a 2-tone finish)R514 900

The prices above (correct in September 2024) reflect that BAIC South Africa has priced the new Plus 1.5T Dynamic and Plus 1.5T Elite variants identically to their pre-update predecessors, which is laudable. The model comes with a standard 5-year/150 000 km warranty, but a 5-year/60 000 km is optional.

New BAIC Beijing X55 specs & prices in South Africa

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