Chinese brand Beijing Automotive Co (BAIC) has officially launched the new B30. The new mid-size SUV is priced from R519,000 for the entry-level model and R689,900 for the range-topper.
The company says its third offering since entering SA in 2021 will be assembled at its plant at the Coega Industrial Development Zone in Gqeberha alongside its B40 and X55 cousins.
The new entrant measures is 4,730mm long, 1,910mm wide and 1,790mm high. The wheelbase stretches 2,820mm to accommodate four to five passengers.
Standard features across the board include LED lights, digital instrumentation, dual-zone climate control, a 14.6″ touchscreen infotainment system and 10.25″ digital instrument cluster, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, voice recognition, wireless charging, Bluetooth connectivity and more.
Heated and ventilated leather seats, a panoramic sunroof, multi-colour ambient lighting, and a three-memory driver seat with welcome mode are some of the amenities available for the Premium specification models.
Two powertrain choices are on offer and in both Elite and Premium guise. It’s a 1.5l four-cylinder petrol developing 138kW and 305Nm paired with a seven-speed automatic transmission driving the front wheels only for the entry-level Elite models.
The Elite HEV with a more powerful total system output of 301kW and 685Nm is also front-wheel driven, but the top-tier HEV Premium is equipped exclusively with all-wheel drive (AWD) underpinnings.
Both use self-charging hybrid systems rated with acceleration from 0-100km/h in 6.95 seconds and a 5.8l/100km average fuel consumption, with a driving range of up to 1,000km promised.
The AWD-equipped range-topper has terrain response modes of mud, sand, wading and snow, but all BAIC B30 models, regardless of engine configuration, benefit from a 215mm ground clearance and bumpers with 25° approach and 30° departure angles.
Safety and driver assistance include adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian-detection, 360° panoramic camera.
“Building the B30 locally is part of our belief that SA is not just a market — it’s a manufacturing hub,” says Ameena Hassan, brand and public relations manager at BAIC SA.
All new BAIC B30 models are sold as standard with a seven-year/200,000km and seven-year/90,000km service plan. The high-voltage battery is covered by an eight-year/150,000km warranty.
PRICING
B30 Elite Adventure FWD — R519,000
B30 Premium Adventure FWD — R549,900
B30 Elite Adventure HEV FWD — R639,900
B30 Premium Adventure HEV AWD — R689,900
