Let’s talk about showy cars, fellow car lovers, this is what Weibo is talking about. As a domestic hard-core off-road vehicle, BAIC BJ (40) PLUS has attracted a lot of attention since its launch. This summer, BJ (40) PLUS was tested on an off-road field at the “United Off-Road” in Hongtugou, Henan. Because the difficulty of this field tends to be moderate, there is not much challenge for BJ (40) PLUS. All the projects are also very easy to complete, especially when going down a steep slope, the “slope descent” function is very useful and impressive. Off-road is only a part of BJ (40) PLUS, in fact, the most driving range is still on urban roads, which is also a concern of many riders. Today let’s talk about how the BJ (40) PLUS performs on urban roads.
Compared with urban SUVs, hard-core off-road vehicles give the first impression of roughness. The change of BJ (40) PLUS this time is to reverse this concept. Although the body is wide and square, it looks tough, but every detail is handled more delicately, and the refinement will not be reduced because of its own “hardness”.
The iconic Great Wall Arrow Stack five-hole grille is treated with metal chrome plating, and the bottom layer is equipped with a bright black center grille. The overall structure of the LED point light source headlights is exquisite and highly recognizable. The fog lamps and daytime running light strips are also LED light sources. A large area of chrome-plated material is used on the bottom surrounded by the front of the car, and the matte red tow hook is also a symbol of the hardcore BJ(40)PLUS.
The body of BJ (40) PLUS is straight and square, with a minimum ground clearance of 220mm and an approach angle of 37° and a departure angle of 31°, which have advantages among off-road vehicles of the same level. Although the body is very tall, it is assisted by the pedals on the car, and this kind of high body and high sitting posture has obvious advantages in driving perspective compared with ordinary SUVs. The 17-inch two-color aluminum alloy wheels are matched with all-road condition American Cooper tires, and the tire specifications are 265/65R17.
The spare tire of off-road vehicles must be full-size, and BJ (40) PLUS still maintains an external spare tire. The taillights are all LED light sources, and the chrome-plated red tow hook on the lower part of the rear surround echoes the front part. The chrome-plated fuel tank cover engraved with Beijing LOGO is also very individual and conspicuous.
The tailgate adopts a double-door structure. Because the body is relatively tall, the volume of the trunk can reach 532L when the tailgate is opened, and the maximum volume can reach 965L when the rear seats are down. The trunk floor is very flat, which is good for storing items. But because the body height is higher than that of ordinary SUVs, it takes more effort to carry some heavy objects.
BJ (40) PLUS interior has also improved a lot in terms of refinement. The top of the center console and the armrest area of the inner door are all covered with soft materials. The stitching between parts, the treatment of stitches, and the details of workmanship are also excellent.
The central control LCD screen is 10 inches in size, with relatively complete functions and a high degree of integration. Car WiFi, cloud service, intelligent network connection, mobile phone interconnection, navigation, multimedia, reversing image, etc., basically the commonly used functions are covered. There is no problem with the sensitivity and response speed of the touch screen operation, but the surface does not deal with reflections very well, especially under strong light.
Below the central control screen is the electronically controlled four-wheel drive knob, and there is also a one-button start. The electronically controlled four-wheel drive is very convenient to use. The two-wheel drive mode on urban roads is fine, and the high-speed four-wheel drive on moderately difficult off-road roads can fully handle it. If there is a need to get out of trouble, just switch to the low-speed four-wheel drive.
The leather multifunctional steering wheel has been perforated at the 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions. The overall steering wheel feels good, and the anti-slip effect is also very good. The 12.3-inch full LCD instrument panel is a bright spot, which is relatively rare among models of the same level. The display effect of the LCD instrument panel is good, the color saturation is high, and the response speed is also fast.
The improvement of BJ (40) PLUS in terms of comfort, the contribution of the seat is very large. The electric 10-way adjustable leather seat, the size, thickness, and softness of the seat cushion are relatively good, and the wings on both sides of the backrest support the waist and back well. Basically, riders who have taken BJ (40) PLUS will feel that the comfort of the seat has reached a very high level. The space in the driving position is also unobstructed, with a large headroom, and there is also 4 fingers in the legroom in the rear relative to my position.
The power system of BJ (40) PLUS is a 2.3T turbocharged engine with a maximum power of 184 horsepower and a maximum torque of 350 Nm. The maximum torque range is from 1900 to 4500 rpm, and the matched gearbox is 6AT.
This powertrain has no problem pushing the two-ton BJ (40) PLUS. The low-torque release is sufficient. Coupled with the wide body, the sense of power brought by the start is very good. Because it is an off-road vehicle, the throttle adjustment stroke will be longer (this is different from ordinary family cars or ordinary SUVs), but the overall acceleration is very linear, and the power transmission is also very uniform.
The power reserve in the middle section is completely sufficient, and the speed-up performance is also very simple. However, during the rapid acceleration while driving, the downshifting response of the gearbox is not decisive enough. If it is overtaking on the high-speed road, it is necessary to take action in advance.
The front suspension of BJ(40)PLUS is upgraded to double wishbone coil spring independent suspension. The flexibility is very high. The steering wheel is very light, and the feedback force is relatively uniform. Although it is impossible for a hard-core off-road vehicle to achieve the precise direction of a performance car, its maneuverability can meet the different requirements of drivers on various road sections.
For non-paved roads in cities (such as embankment dirt roads), BJ(40)PLUS has a very strong passing ability without any obstacles. In this environment, ordinary urban SUVs may have to slow down, but BJ (40) PLUS can pass quickly without any suspense.
In conclusion, BJ(40) PLUS incorporates multiple changes, the details have been significantly improved, and the refinement has been greatly improved. Seat upgrades, front suspension upgrades, etc., not only meet the strong passing ability of the hardcore personality, but also take into account the comfort and ease of use of urban road driving.
