For me, the Chinese vehicle brand BAIC has always been a bit of an enigma. I’d heard about it, I’d seen the vehicles, but I’d never actually driven one. I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s very difficult to form an opinion of something you haven’t actually experienced first-hand, so I was rather excited when we received an invitation from BAIC for an “inside scoop” event at its manufacturing plant in Gqeberha.
That scoop turned out to be the opportunity to drive the BAIC B40 Plus 8AT on a shot 4×4 course at the plant, then on the open road, and finally on a trail at the Addo Wildlife Centre. All three scenarios showcased the vehicle’s capabilities and honestly, it’s not too shabby.
The important bits
Under the bonnet of the B40 Plus lurks either a 2-litre petrol turbo or a 2-litre diesel turbo power plant. The petrol unit delivers 160kW at 5 500r/min, while the diesel pushes out 110kW at 4 000r/min and has a torque peak of 350Nm available between 1 800r/min and 2 800r/min. Although we only sampled the eight-speed automatic transmission a six-speed auto and a six-speed manual are also available in the line-up.
All derivatives of the B40 Plus are packed with standard features that make both on- and off-road driving a safe and enjoyable experience. These include ABS, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) across all models.
Higher-specced models also have Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Traction Control System (TCS), Hill Ascent Control (HAC) and Hill Descent Control (HAC).
A ground clearance of 210mm, approach angle of 37 degrees and departure angle of 31 degrees means that the B40 Plus means that you can confidently tackle rough terrain, as we experienced on the media event.
Inside and out
The B40 Plus is undeniably an attractive vehicle. It’s sharp and boxy styling emphasises its adventure-oriented personality. BAIC claims that it is an off-road vehicle in every sense of the word, and if the exterior design is used as an indicator, I certainly believe them.
Likewise, the interior has a rugged yet comfortable look and feel. The driving position is acceptable, but because the pedals are set far back in the footwell and the steering wheel is not telescopically adjustable, you might battle to get comfortable if you have short legs … or a beer belly … Oddly enough, there is also not a footrest for the driver. As the B40 Plus was originally designed as a left-hand drive vehicle, the footrest is located in the far left-hand corner of the front passenger’s footwell. So, it’s basically useless.
All the usual bits and bobs are there, but I would have preferred to see more than one USB charging point.
In summary
We would like to spend some more time with the B40 Plus before we venture an educated verdict. What we can say is that, priced from R574 500, it seems to offer a value-for-money proposition. Of course, it remains to be seen if it is up to the harsh conditions of proper off-road and overland driving and there’s always the question of reliability and proper aftersales service. From our side then, it’s a wait-and-see scenario. For now, at least.
