Chinese SUVs are increasingly arriving with familiar shapes, with models from BAIC, GWM, Deepal, Jetour, Mengshi and iCar drawing comparisons to the Toyota Land Cruiser, Land Rover Defender and Jeep Wrangler while offering powerful electrified powertrains and long claimed driving ranges.
BAIC BJ40 Black Warrior
The BAIC BJ40 Black Warrior is an expansion of the current-generation BJ40 lineup and is packaged as a range-extended vehicle. Its design uses extensive black accents, including black wheels and black interior options, while its shape bears some resemblance to the Land Rover Defender and Jeep Cherokee.
Prices for the BJ40 Black Warrior can reach $40,000 in China. It uses a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine paired with an electric motor, producing a combined 524 horsepower and 483 lb-ft of torque.
BAIC claims a CLTC range of up to 807 miles combined and an all-electric range of up to 156 miles. The interior also features massive screens, extensive technology and black leather.
BAIC Taitan 700
BAIC’s Taitan name represents the auto group’s luxury off-roaders, with the name serving as a homonym for the English word “titan.” The Taitan 700 resembles the previous-generation Toyota Land Cruiser 250 and adds a Maybach-inspired two-tone paint scheme along with numerous screens and technology.
The top pre-selling price is about $57,870 in China. Unlike the Toyota, the Taitan 700 is a range-extended electric vehicle, using a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine and two electric motors to provide all-wheel drive.
The system produces 524 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. Its reported CLTC range is 832 miles combined, while the electric-only range reaches 136 miles.
BAIC Taitan 5X
Another Taitan model shown at Chengdu, the BAIC Taitan 5X takes design cues from the Land Rover Defender. Auto Home explicitly noted the similarity between the two off-roaders.
No pricing has been announced. The model was previewed with two powertrain choices planned: a pure-electric version and a plug-in hybrid. The electric model has a CLTC range of 388 miles, while the plug-in hybrid will have a pure-electric WLTC range of 144 miles.
Combined power output has not yet been revealed.
Deepal G318
The Deepal G318 is a new SUV priced at about $36,000. Its rugged, futuristic exterior combines a boxy shape with a rear-mounted spare tire, while its design also shows similarities to the current Land Cruiser 250.
Inside, the G318 features Nappa leather, multiple screens and technology designed to keep it competitive in the Chinese market.
The SUV uses a range-extended electric powertrain consisting of a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine and a dual-electric-motor system. Its battery pack has a capacity of 35.7 kWh, while combined output reaches 443 horsepower.
According to Deepal, the G318 can accelerate from 0 to 62 miles per hour in 5.9 seconds. Its claimed total range is 621 miles.
GWM Haval H9 Power Soul Edition
The GWM Haval H9 Power Edition resembles the Land Rover Defender from the rear, but it is based on the H9, a well-known SUV in China. This newly launched variant gives the model a more aggressive off-road character with racks, flaps, a ladder and even a snorkel.
The edition also receives a redesigned hood and grille and is available in yellow. Unlike several other SUVs featured at Chengdu, it does not use an electrified powertrain.
The H9 Power Edition is available with either a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission or a 2.4-liter diesel engine paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission.
The model has a standard towing capacity of 2.5 tons. The gasoline version produces about 241 horsepower and 280 lbs-ft of torque, while the diesel produces about 186 horsepower and 354 lbs-ft of torque.
GWM Haval H10
Another Great Wall Motors vehicle featured at Chengdu was the GWM Haval H10, which had not launched but was highlighted after GWM announced that it received 31,826 preorders within the first 24 hours of its official release.
The H10 is priced between $31,000 and $34,500. The mid-to-large SUV can be configured as either a five- or six-seater in the Chinese market.
It uses a hybrid range-extended powertrain with a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine and dual electric motors. Combined output reaches 590 horsepower and 532 lb-ft of torque.
The H10 also uses a four-speed hybrid-specific transmission and can accelerate from 0 to 62 miles per hour in 4.9 seconds. Its 42.8 kWh battery provides an all-electric CLTC range of up to 144 miles, while total CLTC range reaches 872 miles.
GWM Tank 300
The GWM Tank 300 draws more comparison to the Jeep Wrangler than any other SUV on the list. The model has become a major nameplate for the brand, which announced a 600,000-unit milestone for it this year.
The Tank 300 starts at under $30,000 and reaches $38,200 in China. At Chengdu, the focus was on the new Tank 300L variant, a plug-in hybrid featuring GWM’s Hi4-Z hybrid system.
At its highest trim level, the Tank 300 hybrid can travel up to 697 miles with a full tank and charge, while its full-electric range reaches up to 124 miles based on WLTC figures.
The hybrid system produces a combined 750 horsepower. The SUV also uses all-wheel drive and dual electric motors.
Jetour Traveler 7
Jetour, a sub-brand of the Chery Auto Group, also appeared at Chengdu with the Traveler 7. Because Chery has the strongest ties to the JLR group in China, the SUV takes significant design inspiration from its partner.
No price has been announced, although the brand appears to be accepting $115 deposits, equivalent to 777 Chinese Yuan. The display vehicle featured a Land Rover-esque color that resembles Gondwana Stone, a color that appeared on the first editions of the Land Rover Defender.
The Traveler 7 uses Jetour’s C-DM plug-in hybrid powertrain, while a gasoline version will also be available. The PHEV is expected to use a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine and three electric motors.
The system is said to produce 771 horsepower and 615 lb-ft of torque. Jetour reports a pure-electric range of 152 miles, with total range reaching up to 869 miles on a full charge and full tank.
Mengshi X700
The Mengshi X700 was among the newer and more distinctive SUVs shown at the event. The plug-in hybrid features unusual front lighting effects that resemble stars, while its rear storage compartment houses a large screen that is believed to allow the driver to relay messages and express themselves to people behind the vehicle.
The X700 uses a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine paired with a plug-in or range-extended system. Power figures for the full system remain unclear, while the plug-in variant is reported to produce 151 horsepower from its gasoline engine alone.
The electric motors add to that output, but the combined figure has not been revealed.
iCar V25
The iCar V25 is a midsize SUV positioned somewhere between the look of a Land Cruiser FJ and a G-Wagon. It features round headlights and a boxy exterior, while the model is packed with technology.
The launch is scheduled for November of this year, and no official pricing was available at the time of writing.
iCar has already disclosed the powertrain figures. The V25 is a range-extended vehicle with a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine and electric motors producing a combined 455 horsepower and 372 lb-ft of torque.
The pure-electric range is said to exceed 130 miles, while the combined range is more than 745 miles.
Chinese SUVs Embrace Familiar Shapes With New Powertrains
The SUVs displayed at Chengdu span a wide range of designs and powertrains, but many share familiar visual cues from established off-roaders. At the same time, several models pair those recognizable shapes with range-extended or plug-in hybrid systems, high power outputs and long claimed driving ranges.
