Recently, BYD’s DM technology has been making waves in the automotive industry. Whether it’s the new fifth-generation DM technology or the widely used fourth-generation DM technology, they have taken hybrid vehicle fuel consumption to new levels. Today, we will test the BYD Tang DM-i Honor Edition model to see how this mid-size SUV performs in terms of fuel efficiency.
This time we mainly tested urban road driving, although the total distance is only 55km, but we have to pass through 41 traffic lights, mountain roads, and national highways, which more realistically simulate the environment of our daily driving, with four people in the car. We are still testing the deficit fuel consumption this time, with 25% remaining battery power at departure and a fuel range of 929km.
For this test, we will use SOC 25% forced power protection, kinetic energy recovery is higher, driving mode is HEV, driving mode is ECO, air conditioning is kept at 24°. It rained all day on the day of the test, and the rain was not small, which also increased the difficulty of the test, after all, visibility and tire grip are affected on rainy days.
As a mid-size SUV, the vehicle’s weight is naturally large, especially with four passengers. The battery usage is relatively fast. After just one traffic light, the battery dropped to 23%. The engine immediately kicked in, but the transition was smooth. If you don’t pay close attention, you can hardly feel the switch.
During engine intervention, not only provides power for the vehicle to move forward, but also charges the battery, quickly increasing the power to 25-26%, then the engine will automatically stop working. In addition to charging the battery, kinetic energy recovery is also an essential helper. When we encounter a red light, just release the accelerator pedal in advance, kinetic energy recovery can quickly recover energy, ensuring not to waste any energy.
To get a good grade, driving habits are crucial. Maintain steady acceleration when starting, keep power consumption under 10kW, control your right foot during cruising to keep energy consumption around 5kW. When driving in the city, always observe road conditions and traffic lights to predict in advance, reducing fuel consumption.
As we leave the city, our display shows a combined fuel consumption of about 4.6L/100km. This is a very good result for such a large SUV. However, we will soon face the test of highways and mountain roads, so we are unsure of the final outcome.
The national highway was not crowded due to the rain, so we maintained a speed of 50km/h. This was fuel efficient, with consumption sometimes close to 4.0L/100km. However, when we reached the mountain road, the engine worked harder and fuel consumption increased. Fortunately, there were downhill slopes where we could use regenerative braking to recharge the battery.
After about 2 hours, we returned to the starting point. Our overall fuel consumption was 4.3L/100km. We think this is impressive, considering the challenging conditions of the test. The road conditions were responsible and similar to our daily driving environment. We are satisfied with this result.
Next, let’s briefly summarize the driving experience of the BYD Tang DM-i Honor Edition. The first impression this car gave me was smooth. Whether driving on pure electric power or with the engine kicking in, the overall driving feel is very smooth. It can quickly output power when accelerating to overtake or going uphill, without any sense of weakness or lack of power.
In terms of quietness, the car performs well as usual. When driving in the city and on mountain roads, there is almost no outside noise inside the car. The engine noise is minimal and can be completely ignored.
The suspension and handling performance of this car is very impressive, positioning it more towards family use. The chassis tuning leans towards comfort, but it provides great support when facing winding mountain roads, with minimal body roll. The handling is agile, the LCD instrument display is comprehensive, and when combined with the HUD head-up display, driving becomes safer and easier.
Finally, we’ll take a brief look at the exterior and interior design of the BYD Tang DM-i Honor Edition. The new car will continue to use the family-style front face design, with the DM-i model retaining the traditional grille, paired with diverse chrome decorations, making the whole front end look younger and more stylish.
The headlights still retain the classic design style, with side air vents on both sides of the front bumper. The front bumper also features more color combinations, which is more in line with the aesthetic needs of young consumers. The electric version uses a fully enclosed grille, which is the biggest difference between the two models.
The side design remains unchanged, with dimensions of 4870x1950x1725mm and a wheelbase of 2820mm, providing better interior space and a 7-seat layout. Compared to many new energy vehicles, the BYD Tang DM-i Honor Edition retains traditional door handle design for higher practicality.
The design of the rear end is familiar, especially the Chinese knot-shaped taillights, which are highly recognizable when lit up, showing BYD’s love for domestic elements. The bumper is more youthful, with side air vents and chrome decorations in the middle, echoing the front end.
There are no changes in the interior, with the LCD instrument panel and the 15.6-inch floating center screen still in place. The screen still features BYD’s DiLink system, with smooth operation and user-friendly layout and functions to meet daily needs completely.
The two-spoke steering wheel feels great, with physical buttons and Chinese characters for explanation. More physical buttons are retained in the central console, showing BYD’s user-friendly design. Despite most functions being on the screen, quick buttons are still available for convenient use.
The performance of the seats is commendable. The front seats are equipped with power adjustments, heating, ventilation, and welcome mode. The comfort level is high, even during long drives. No fatigue is felt.
Summary: The BYD Tang DM-i Glory Edition ranks top in terms of configuration, space, and fuel consumption among SUVs of this level. Especially in terms of fuel consumption, it only consumes 4.3L of electricity per hundred kilometers, a performance that traditional fuel or hybrid vehicles cannot match. Would you choose the BYD Tang DM-i Glory Edition as your first choice?