The B70, as a mid-size car of a domestic brand, was first born in 2006 and has gone through 17 years of time so far. In order to maintain excellent product strength, it has undergone several facelifts and updates. Recently, the B70 has undergone a new round of updates, with extensive optimizations in both interior and exterior design, space, and intelligence. The new car is expected to be officially launched in early December 2023. Prior to that, we had the opportunity for a hands-on experience to see what surprises the updated B70 will bring us. The new exterior design is youthful yet still has some stability.
The new car has been equipped with the brand new “Vigor, Purity, and Excellence” family design language of the FAW brand. At the front, we can see that it adopts a borderless style front grille, a through-type light strip, and a split-type headlight assembly, which can be said to bring together various trendy elements and apply them very appropriately, making it look very coordinated.
Then visually, the new car has a characteristic, which is that the entire front end looks “heavy”. In recent years, many new cars have been pursuing a low-slung style. But as a B-class car, the editor believes that many consumers, while pursuing a youthful experience, also want some relatively stable elements, and the new FAW B70 is like this.
The grille features five horizontal chrome strips inside, with a slender design that adds a certain delicacy without being too flashy. It avoids any greasy feeling and maintains a consistent style with the integrated light strip.
The side adopts a dual waistline design, with the upper waistline running from the front of the car to the rear, and the waistline position is relatively high, which can bring a more confident visual feeling, and the presence is also relatively strong.
The youthful side is mainly reflected in the sleek back design, with the roof line almost sliding down from the top of the B-pillar, shifting the visual center of gravity towards the rear and providing some assistance to the second-row and luggage space.
The new car has undergone some changes in overall dimensions, with a length, width, and height of 4855×1840×1455mm and a wheelbase of 2800mm. Compared to the current model, the body length has increased by 45mm, which is a significant improvement. Most of the competitors in the same price range are compact sedans, so in terms of size and space, the B70 will have a competitive advantage.
In terms of details, the door handle adopts the common traditional structure instead of the current popular hidden door handle. The editor thinks this is still good, especially for the relatively traditional B-class car users, most of whom still prefer this traditional structure.
The rear end features the popular through-type taillights, with dual exhausts at the bottom, and the overall hatchback structure gives it a very youthful and coordinated look.
The liftback structure not only looks younger visually, but also brings a larger opening for the trunk, making it more convenient to put in and take out items. There is no doubt that practicality is better.
In addition, the FAW Besturn B70’s second row supports full folding, which can create a flat luggage space like many SUVs. Combined with the large opening of the tailgate structure, the practicality of the space is indeed superior in the same class. The interior details and quality have been improved.
The overall layout of the interior has not changed, but there have been many adjustments to the details. Compared to the current model, the quality and technology of the interior of the new B70 are noticeably better.
The first thing that catches the eye is the 12.3-inch integrated folding dual-screen design, which is not stunning. In the current market trend, it is a relatively common and safe choice. Whether it is a full LCD instrument panel or a central control screen, the display effect is a fairly good standard.
On site, the focus was on experiencing the in-car system. The specific configuration and processor information are not yet known, but the performance of the system was smooth and the application loading speed was also very fast. In terms of functionality, we saw Gaode maps, Tencent Video, the app market, and HUAWEI HiCar, among others, demonstrating a comprehensive range of features.
The shifting structure is paddle-type, similar to the structure currently widely used in the Volkswagen series, but the Borgward B70 is larger, making it easier to operate blindly.
The central control area has undergone many optimizations, with the secondary dashboard, air conditioning control area, and control buttons all being redesigned, resulting in a noticeable improvement in both visual and practical usability.
Furthermore, the new model has removed the previously large air conditioning control area and replaced it with a huge wireless charging pad for mobile phones. The interior has also been treated with anti-slip treatment, making it convenient to use and reducing the large area of piano lacquer panels that are prone to fingerprint smudges, making it more user-friendly to maintain.
In terms of space, the FAW B70 performs outstandingly. There is no need to say much about the front row, as both head and leg space are not a problem.
In the second row, most of the competing cars in the same price range are better, with spacious legroom, a flat floor, and equipped with air conditioning vents and a 12V power supply.
The second row central armrest and middle headrest are also not absent. The only thing worth nitpicking in terms of second-row configuration is, the editor believes it would be even better if a Type-C interface could be added.
Summary: Currently, there is not much information about the power of the car. It is expected that it will be consistent with the current model, offering a choice of 1.5T and 2.0T engines for consumers, with the former matching a 7-speed wet dual-clutch transmission and the latter matching an 8-speed automatic transmission. After this update, it is believed that the new car’s interior and exterior design has been significantly improved, making it visually appealing and competitive in terms of space performance within the same price range. The new car is expected to be officially launched in early December, with the current model’s manufacturer’s suggested retail price ranging from 10.59 to 14.49 million yuan. It is personally predicted that the price range of the new car will not fluctuate too much, and will still be between 100,000 and 150,000 yuan (20990$).