Author, Photo: Zeng Zhaoqing @ New Car Review
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Looking back on the entire year of 2021, bydir Song PLUS DMi is certainly one of the big hit cars in the car market. We have test-drove several Song PLUS DMis before, borrowed or rented, and they have left a very good impression on me. At the end of 2021, BYD launched a new SUV model of the DMi family, the Song Pro DMi, which was officially priced on December 22, and launched in Guangzhou on December 27 and delivered to the first batch of subscribers. I also took the opportunity of the Guangzhou listing ceremony to try this new car.
Why do we start by saying that we tried "several" Song PLUS DMi? Because although the mileage of those cars is different, the stability performance of the DMi power system is very consistent, and we have done performance tests such as acceleration and fuel consumption in several cars, and the results are highly close. This shows that BYD's DMi does not only exist in the manufacturer's PPT, but can really make those excellent performance achievements in reality.
The power system of Song Pro DMi is consistent with Song PLUS DMi, so in the process of test driving Song Pro this time, the power performance performance is almost "exempt" for me. Its power is also so smooth, and every time the engine intervenes, it is also so difficult to be perceived, so it is also quite advanced. In terms of fuel consumption, the organizers of this test drive also arranged the actual test fuel consumption link, and I opened a (all-loss) 4.4L/100km result. Before we tested the Song PLUS DMi, the results are basically around 5L/100km, so this score, to be honest, did not surprise me, DMi routine operation.
Compared with the Song PLUS DMi, the Song Pro DMi driving level has more similarities and fewer differences. The similarity is that both cars are very pure comfort-oriented cars, the power is smooth, the sound insulation is good, the chassis is comfortable with vibration filtering, and it is safe to open steadily, which makes people feel particularly comfortable. I also said before, don't talk about sports in any car, the most important thing about a car is the complete unity of the car, like BYD these DMi such undistracted comforts, the taste is also very right.
The difference between Song Pro DMi and Song PLUS DMi is partly not very obvious, or it is not easy for ordinary people to perceive, for example, Song Pro DMi's steering is lighter. The other part is the technical specifications, like the Song Pro DMi fuel tank is only 52L, smaller than the Song PLUS DMi, so the official standard cruising range is 1090 kilometers, less than the Song PLUS DMi's 1200 kilometers.
In addition, in the process of this test drive, I found that the Song Pro DMi is not much different from the Song PLUS DMi in terms of overall silent performance, that is, starting from about 80km/h, the tire noise of the Song Pro DMi is more obvious, not as quiet as the PLUS. In fact, the two cars are used by Giti's tires, the difference, Song PLUS DMi is 225 pattern and Song Pro DMi is 880 pattern, I don't know if it is due to different patterns caused by different tire noise, look forward to more test drive opportunities in the future to let me find the answer.
In the car, the song Pro DMi change is also quite large, after using BYD's new interior design style, the entire cabin looks more simple and refreshing. And at a glance, it is very similar to Song PLUS DMi, and the sense of grade is also close.
Inside the central control screen is the DiLink 4.0 system, which is BYD's latest generation system, which is newer than the 3.0 version of the Song PLUS DMi we test drove before. I think this new system is mainly in the layout of menus to be more simple and intuitive, the logic is easier to understand, and the difficulty of getting started is lower.
As for this suspension instrument, when the Song PLUS DMi was just unveiled at the Guangzhou Auto Show, many people felt dissatisfied, saying that it was not as large as the embedded full LCD instrument of Song PLUS. However, this time driving this car for a day, I think there is no problem with the clarity of the information read by this suspension instrument, and the only thing that may be that the visual grade is not as advanced as the instrument of Song PLUS.
In BYD's definition, Song PLUS is more inclined to the design of low-lying coupe, and Song Pro is the standard SUV style. So although the body size and wheelbase of Song Pro are smaller than Song PLUS, and the rear seat knee space is also smaller, through this experience, I found that the head space performance and tail opening size of Song Pro DMi are also a little advantage compared to Song PLUS, which is mainly a small dividend brought about by different model designs.
Speaking of which, everyone probably knows what I'm going to say, yes, the price difference between the two cars. After the listing of Song Pro DMi, everyone found that the difference between it and Song PLUS DMi was only about 10,000 yuan, and many people said that such a small price difference, buying Pro seems to be a bit worthless? Let's talk about this now.
First of all, according to my analysis and experience of the two cars, if you have a good budget, it is of course best to buy the high-end version of the Song PLUS DMi, because its specifications and experience in all aspects are more top-of-the-line.
But if you are extremely sensitive to the budget and originally only consider the 51 km version of song PLUS DMi, I suggest you, it is better to turn to consider the 110 km version of Song Pro DMi, or if the budget is really limited, but you have to have DMi, then it is better to choose the 51 km version of Song Pro, at least the price is lower, but the experience is not much discounted than PLUS.
At the same time, we should also note that Song Pro DMi occupies the advantage of being a latecomer, although its size and space are smaller, it uses some newer things, such as DiLink 4.0, such as lithium iron phosphate starting battery with the same life as the whole vehicle. BYD still hopes not to let everyone simply think that the Song Pro is a low-cost, smaller size Song PLUS, otherwise there is no need to launch this model.
For the layout of the entire BYD, we must also see one point: at this year's Guangzhou Auto Show, BYD has officially announced the launch of the marine network (although the e-network has existed for a long time before), and the Song PLUS DMi, as a net red car, has always been the sales responsibility of the marine network. This time, the launch of Song Pro DMi also allowed BYD's other sales network, Dynasty Network, to usher in the DMi family's capable players. There is a certain competition between these two networks, which may allow our consumers to enjoy better service, and perhaps, let us wait for the bus for a longer time.
No matter from which point of view, whether it is for BYD or for consumers, song Pro DMi is a model that should come and come in a timely manner. Competitors are now very nervous, because in this wave of domestic hybrid systems, BYD is indeed at the forefront of the product market layout. Catching up with it later is really not an easy task.
【BYD Song Pro DMi first test impression】
Outstanding advantages: the power is smooth enough and fuel-efficient enough; it can be charged quickly, with a green card; and the overall driving comfort is better.
Main shortcomings: Compared with the Song PLUS DMi, the rear seat is small, and the tire noise is large, and the price is not fully opened.
【New Car Evaluation Recommendation Level】