A family-friendly and surprisingly refined plug-in hybrid crossover … well, mostly.
. Its styling is simple and attractive, and if you were to drive one into the parking lot of any mall or shopping center in the U.S., it'd likely receive no undue attention.
Like the other BYD vehicles we drove, we found the Song's interior classy, modern, and approachable. The centerpiece is a center screen that motors between landscape and portrait orientations. The Song features hard buttons for commonly used functions like controlling the stereo and turning the climate control system on and off. But for once, this is a car in which we'd rather use the screen—the graphics are beautiful, the movement is fluid, and the layout is logical.
The back seat offers plenty of stretch-out space, though the floor feels rather high in relation to the location of the seat cushion, likely a function of the large battery pack located underneath. Other PHEV SUVs place the battery in the cargo bay, eating up luggage space; given how roomy the Song's trunk was, we see the benefits of BYD's chosen layout. The cabin of the Song Plus we drove was done up in bright, attractive colors with contrasting-color stitching and genuine metal trim.
Acceleration was strong at the low end but trailed off at higher speeds —much as we expected given that the hybrid drivetrain is built around a relatively small 1.5-liter naturally aspirated engine assisted by a 177-hp electric motor. BYD claims a 0-100-km acceleration time of 8.5 seconds, and that feels about right. The Song Plus is offered with two battery choices, which supposedly provide 60 to 90 miles of electric-only driving, but that's as measured on the wildly optimistic NEDC cycle.
There was an excess of road noise, and although the Song didn't squeak and rattle like the other BYDs we drove, each bump was accompanied by a low-frequency resonance that stung the ears. Clearly, as with the other BYD vehicles we drove, a little more suspension refinement is in order, although we have trouble thinking of harsher road conditions than what we saw in São Paulo.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
BYD Tang First Drive: A $107,000 Chinese Answer to AudiThere’s plenty of Germanic influence in this three-row electric SUV.
Read more »
Fujii Kaze on the Creation of ‘Third Debut’ Song ‘Workin’ Hard’ & First International Tour: InterviewBillboard Japan spoke with him about the indelible tour and his new song, which represents a major turning point.
Read more »
Hear NSYNC reunite for the first time in 20 years on new song 'Better Place'Hear NSYNC's superb harmonies take center stage once again in 'Better Place,' the band's first single in 20 years.
Read more »
NSYNC releases first song in 21 yearsThe animated lyric video for the song features an assortment of wild-haired trolls singing and dancing to the song in a colorful world.
Read more »
NSYNC releases first song in 21 yearsThe animated lyric video for the song features an assortment of wild-haired trolls singing and dancing to the song in a colorful world.
Read more »