For decades now, the western world has widely regarded Chinese products to be of lesser quality. This is for good reason, the majority of products we received from China just didn’t seem to work as well as the rest. Generally speaking, they always felt cheaper and less thought through. So, when we mention a Chinese electric luxury sedan you might get skeptical. However, you would be surprised to know that the gap that once existed between Chinese cars and Japanese and Western cars is now significantly smaller. This is proven by the BYD Han – a competitor to cars like the Mercedes E-Class, Audi A6, Lexus ES, and others of a similar category. Even though this car isn’t available in the U.S. yet, its incredible quirks make it worth talking about. So, let’s go over everything you need to know about the BYD Han.
The BYD Han Is Unexpectedly Impressive
As mentioned in the beginning, expectations tend to be relatively low when revolving around Chinese products. However, the BYD Han proved that this shouldn’t always be the case. As soon as you step inside it, you are greeted with stitched leather, a nicely designed dashboard with an infotainment screen, a digital instrument cluster, and many other luxuries. The drivetrain is fully electric and like all EVs, can come in various levels of power. The base model produces 220 horsepower, and it is front-wheel drive while the top-spec vehicle is AWD and produces 520 horsepower. Now, one of the funniest quirks of this vehicle is the way it displays which kind of drivetrain the owner has gone for. You know, a brand like BMW will have a number (the bigger the number the more powerful the car) and the letter E next to it. Not here, the BYD Han states the 0-60 time. So, the lower the number the faster the vehicle. This is a design feature we have never seen before. It is also worth noting that in the middle of the trunk, the vehicle states in capital letters “Build Your Dreams.” This is what BYD stands for.
It Has A Karaoke Incorporated In The Infotainment System
This is perhaps the most insane quirk of any saloon. The BYD Han’s infotainment system comes with a pre-installed Karaoke system. As we are sure you are wondering, yes it even has a microphone. That microphone can be found in the center console. You just plug it in and use it to sing along to the music. Now, with the microphone, the BYD also has some fun cameras. First and foremost, it has one that is facing outside – in front of the vehicle. When you open it, the application on the infotainment screen looks exactly like the one you would find on your phone. You have the same buttons to take video, switch to photo mode or turn the camera around. What turning the camera around will do? Well, it switches to selfie mode in the interior. Yes, you can film yourself either in video or photos while driving the BYD Han. It is safe to say that this vehicle has plenty of distractions or entertainment functions. It all depends on how you see it.
The Rear Seats Of The BYD Han Are Even More Impressive
It is worth mentioning that having a driver in China is a common thing – even for the middle class. Therefore, it is expected that the BYD Han will be used as a vehicle to be driven in. This has led to an incredibly comfortable second row for its class. As soon as you get in the back, you are instantly greeted with ample amounts of space. Also, the leather and good design in general continue over to the rear. Now, as a passenger, you get heated and cooled seats and even a dedicated climate control that can be controlled via a screen behind the center console. Best of all, when you fold down the middle armrest between the two rear seats, you are greeted with another screen that also controls climate temperature but can also adjust the stereo (which will be annoying with kids sitting back there), ambient lighting, seat position, power sunroof, and the sunshade on the roof. Finally, rear seat passengers have access to front passenger seat controls in case they want to move it forward for some more space. You certainly won’t find such features on the E-Class.
Is The BYD Han Worth Buying Over Other Sedans?
While the BYD Han seems like an incredibly good try and is certainly miles ahead of Chinese products of the past, it is still no match to a Mercedes E-Class, Lexus ES, or any other mid-size sedan coming from one of the big manufacturers. The reason for this is that for the same price roughly €72,000 (approximately $78,500) you can also get into a fully loaded sedan produced by much more credible brands. The BYD Han isn’t as far behind as you may think, but it certainly falls behind when it comes to driving characteristics, materials, and layout. Also, if you were in America and had $78,00 to spend on a brand-new vehicle would you buy a BYD or a Mercedes? In most cases, the answer is the Mercedes. The brand states that it will be coming to the US, but a clever plan is needed in order for them to succeed. Just like Kia and Hyundai did, BYD will need to build a strong brand image and reputation before they can start selling in big numbers.