BAIC BJ20

The pleasant surprise continues when we move inside the BAIC BJ20. The seats feel plush and premium and wrapped in micro fiber leather in the Luxury variant. The rear seats end at the same point where that large C- Pillar begins, making for a good view of the outside. The panoramic sunroof in the Luxury takes this one notch higher. The five people occupying it will have enough space in every way. The driver seat is 6-way adjustable (electric in the Luxury) and the passenger seat is 4-way adjustable. The rear seats get a center armrest with cup holders in the Luxury variant. These seats are also 4/6 foldable to make extra room for luggage, should the need arise. Up front, the driver is greeted by a multi-functional 2-way adjustable steering wheel (Leather in Luxury). The driver can also rest his or her hand on the center armrest. Infotainment options are also well catered for with 6 speakers connected to the radio equipped with USB connectivity. The Luxury variant is fully appointed with a 10.1” touchscreen with Bluetooth, HDMI and smartphone connectivity. The Luxury variant is also equipped with automatic air conditioning with an air quality sensor and an air purifier and red accents on the air vents. The overall cabin is well built with good fit and finish. Certainly, a very nice place to be.

The BJ20 like many Chinese cars does seem inspired by more famous western SUVs. The overall profile resembles the Toyota FJ Cruiser and from the rear three quarters, it looks like the Range Rover while the grille resembles the Vitara. But we are certainly not complaining. The BJ20 does look distinctive and takes a more rugged approach to crossover design which is very welcome indeed. The front end gets eyebrows in the form of LED DRLs and eyes in the form of almost circular blue-tinted headlights. The tiny grille is dwarfed by the big black polymer bumper that extends to the cladding on the wheel wells. The flanks are chiseled to look masculine with deep straight character lines. The styling is made even more rugged with visible rivets holding the cladding in place. The same style carries over to the rear with a high polymer bumper and exhausts peeking from the protective undercarriage. Small details like the slim and long hood mounted intake and ridges, roof-mounted luggage rails and the large C-pillar make the design even more rugged. Special mention goes to the really stylish 18” aluminum alloy dual tone 10 spoke alloys wrapped with large 225/55 tires. Black pillars make the boxy shape of the SUV appear compact despite its dimensions of 4451 mm (L) x 1845 mm (W) x 1700 mm (H). The four colors on offer – Aurora Green, Agate Red, Graphite Black, and Snow White – compliment the SUV’s rugged style well. Overall a very good effort that stands out from its competitors.

With the power being sent to the front wheels, this is no full-blown off-roader. But with a 24-degree approach and 30-degree departure angles, 215 mm of ground clearance and independent suspension front and rear, it can certainly make a decent effort. The CVT even has support for auto hold and hill hold control. This is the kind of SUV that you will keep you comfortable with normal and bad roads and allow you to wade into puddles without second-guessing. This pretty much covers all the possibilities for modern crossovers.

Powering the BJ20 is a proven Euro 5 compliant Mitsubishi 4A91T inline 4 Turbocharged DOHC gasoline engine. Equipped with MIVEC VVT system, this engine produces 147 hp at 6000 rpm and develops 210 Nm of torque between 2000 and 4500 rpm. The impressive torque figures are backed by the turbocharger that comes into play when the driver pushes the pedal to the metal. It can take the nearly 1500 kg car to a top speed of over 170 kmph. While many drivers are going to miss the manual transmission or even a 5 or 6 speed automatic, the CVT is very well appointed for the job. It also allows you to stay on the power and keeping the turbocharger spooled up for longer. The average fuel efficiency of 13.15 kmpl with a 60 L fuel tank also means that it has good range.

There is a whole gamut of safety equipment on board for both variants. ABS with EBD and brake assist, traction control, and electronic stability are standard on both. The Standard variant gets rear parking sensors while the Luxury gets both front and rear along with a reversing camera. Dual airbags are standard across the two, but the Luxury also gets front side airbags. Apart from these, there are a host of alarms for seatbelts and what not along with a tire pressure monitoring system.

There is certainly a lot going for the BAIC BJ20. Is it enough to match its competitors on price? Is it enough to look past the Chinese reputation of build quality and reliability? Is it enough to look past that unfortunate name? Only you can decide.