BYD Song Plus pricing, specs and availability announced

Chinese carmaker BYD will be launching domestic sales of its Song Plus SUV on September 16. Here are its main features and prices.

The off-roader comes priced between 118,800 and 146,800 Chinese Yuan (ca. 17,400 – 21,500 USD) and therefore sits between the Song Pro and Tang models. It uses a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine rated at 185 hp (138 kW) and 288 Nm (212 lb-ft) of torque as the only option. Seven-speed dual-wet-clutch transmission sends the momentum to the front axle, and there is no way you can persuade it to go AWD.

The new Song Plus shares the grille shape with the Song Pro, but not the pattern. The front bumpers are also identical, as are headlights (but the glass casings are different).  There are air vents below the taillights, and the protective inserts in the bumper also boast a fresh design.

The crossover is 4,705 millimeters long (55 mm longer than the Song Pro, but 165 mm shorter than the Tang), 1,890 mm wide, 1,680 mm tall and has a wheelbase spanning 2,765 mm.

Crack open the door to see imitation leather and Alcantara with contrast stitching, as well as numerous aluminum and glossy inlays. The center display measures 12.8 inches corner-to-corner and can rotate 90 degrees. The digital dashboard is 12.3-inch.

The battery-powered Song Plus EV is slated to arrive some time after its ICE counterpart, offering a choice between 163 hp (121 kW) and 184 hp (137 kW). Two battery sizes will give it either 405 km (251 miles) of 505 km (313 miles) of NEDC-rated range. The EV should reach the markets of Europe by the end of the year.