The self-branded plug-in hybrid SUV market has been dominated by the early debut of BYD Song PLUS DM-i and Song Pro DM-i, which has naturally expanded their market share, making competitors like Geely Motors decide to compete with BYD’s “Song” with the Galaxy L7 plug-in hybrid SUV.
In a one-on-two battle, the Galaxy L7 is completely confident. Specifically, the price of the Galaxy L7 is comparable to the Song Pro DM-i Champion Edition, and the body size is comparable to the Song PLUS DM-i Champion Edition. Geely is fully prepared this time. Because price is a key consideration for many people, this article mainly discusses the Galaxy L7 and Song Pro DM-i at the same price point.
Since it is a big fight, how to choose between the Song Pro DM-i champion version and the Galaxy L7? The author will analyze for everyone from the aspects of price, endurance, configuration, and power that everyone cares about. The guide price of Song Pro DM-i is 12.98-15.98 million yuan. In order to sprint the year-end sales, the 71km model of Song Pro DM-i has a cash discount of 8,000 yuan (1120$) in December, while the 110km model has a cash discount of 10,000 yuan (1410$). After the discount, the price directly becomes 12.18-14.98 million yuan, which also saves nearly 2 years of insurance costs for users.
The MSRP of the Galaxy L7 is 13.87-17.37 million yuan. Although the car company did not announce any discounts, the author learned from the dealer that there is a public discount of 8000 yuan (1120$). If there is a plan to book a car, there is still room for negotiation. After this discount, the price of the Galaxy L7 is 13.07-17.77 million yuan.
It has to be admitted that BYD has a strong ability to control costs, and it can support a monthly sales of 300,000 units with just affordable prices. But the Galaxy L7 is not to be underestimated, it is larger than the Song Pro DM-i, and it is normal to sell at a high cost. Currently, the monthly average sales of Galaxy L7 are around 8,000 to 10,000 units, although it is not as amazing as BYD’s “Two Songs”, it has also captured their market share and gained recognition from more and more people.
The Song Pro DM-i outperforms in price. If we compare the product performance, how does the Galaxy L7 perform? The Song Pro DM-i has two versions with pure electric range of 71km and 110km, while the Galaxy L7 has two versions with 55km and 115km. Both cars use lithium iron phosphate batteries. Compared to the Galaxy L7, the Song Pro DM-i champion 71km version is cheaper and has a longer pure electric range, which will expand the commuting radius for many white-collar workers and reduce the frequency of charging.
In comparison to the 110km range of the Song Pro DM-i and the 115km range of the Galaxy L7, the Song is cheaper, but the Galaxy L7 has an additional 5km of range, which can be ignored. In terms of overall range, both cars can go over 1000km and have a fuel consumption of around 5.3L, making them equally competitive.
As for the configuration, the author compared the 71km surpassing model of the Song Pro DM-i with the 1.5T 55km AIR version of the Galaxy L7. Compared to the Galaxy L7, the Song Pro has additional front and rear head air curtains, built-in driving recorder, L2 level intelligent driving assistance system, and phone NFC key unlocking, while the Galaxy L7 has 19-inch wheels, passenger entertainment screen, induction wipers, and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chip. Overall, the Galaxy L7 has more abundant entertainment functions and a more powerful vehicle system, while the Song Pro DM-i focuses more on safety configuration.
It is worth mentioning that, although both cars are plug-in hybrid SUVs, their power systems are completely different. The Galaxy L7 uses a 1.5T+3-speed DHT power combination, which is more powerful than the Song Pro DM-i’s 1.5L+single-speed direct drive transmission structure, with 163 horsepower compared to the Song Pro’s 110 horsepower. In addition, because the Galaxy L7 emphasizes engine drive and has a 3-speed transmission structure, the driving experience of the Galaxy L7 at high speeds with direct engine drive will be better, and the probability of stalling is also lower.
The DM-i super hybrid system of the Song Pro has a more powerful motor, with 197 horsepower compared to the Galaxy L7’s 146 horsepower. In pure electric mode, the Song Pro accelerates more aggressively than the Galaxy L7, thanks to its powerful motor and lighter weight. However, once the engine kicks in, the Galaxy L7 delivers stronger and more linear power output compared to the Song Pro DM-i.
After a comprehensive comparison, it is found that the Galaxy L7 is not at a disadvantage in terms of power, fuel consumption, and endurance. Its weakness lies in being limited by cost, and its guide price cannot compete with the Song Pro DM-i. In addition, the configuration of the low-end models of the Galaxy L7 is relatively low, with only the Galaxy OS car machine system and the co-driver entertainment screen to show off. If Geely downgrades the safety and comfort configurations that users commonly use and care about, the competitiveness of the Galaxy L7 will be stronger.
However, when BYD’s plug-in hybrid SUV becomes popular, it’s not a bad idea to spend a similar price on a brand new domestic plug-in hybrid SUV – Galaxy L7, to experience a completely different driving experience and car life. After all, it can take care of the power and fuel consumption that everyone cares most about. Note: The pictures are from the internet, all rights belong to the original author, thank you! This article only represents the author’s personal views and does not represent the position of TSN Automotive.