BYD takes the high road with new Ti7 SUV in China

TAGONG GRASSLAND, Sichuan – BYD has raised the bar for test drives.

The Chinese carmaker took 30 journalists and content creators from across the Asia-Pacific region to the Tagong Grassland in Sichuan, China, to sample its latest models from Sept 21 to 24.

The famed grassland, in the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, is a plateau about the size of Singapore and sits at about 3,800m above sea level – roughly the elevation of Mount Fuji in Japan.

Getting there was an adventure in itself.

Journalists and influencers from Singapore flew to Chengdu via Hong Kong before embarking on a two-day road trip to the highlands. There was an overnight stop near Hailuogou Glacier Park, at about 2,900m, to allow participants to acclimatise gradually to the thinner air.

The journey was made in a convoy of BYD vehicles, including the Denza B5, B8 and Z9 GT and BYD Ti7, with participants rotating among the models each day.

BYD went as far as applying for temporary Chinese driving licences for the Singapore participants. Curiously, however, none of us was allowed behind the wheel on public roads or highways – something that is common practice at international test drives in Europe and the United States.

The road trip was memorable nonetheless.

Part of the journey took in sections of the storied Highway 318 in Sichuan province.

At about 5,500km, it is China’s longest national highway, stretching westwards from People’s Square in Shanghai to Tibet. The highway crosses eight provinces and takes in everything from coastal cities and plains to the highlands of Tibet.

It is longer than the roughly 4,000km US Route 66 between Chicago and Santa Monica, California.

At elevations of around 3,000m, the convoy passed through low-altitude clouds, creating an almost surreal – and at times slightly foreboding – experience as visibility deteriorated.

In Tagong, BYD rolled out five models for a day of driving: the Denza B5, B8 and Z9 GT, the BYD Ti7 and Shark 6.

Of these, the Denza B5 is already available in Singapore, while the Z9 GT is expected here in early 2027. The B8 and Shark 6 are unlikely to be sold locally.

The most intriguing model of the lot is the Ti7.

BYD Ti7 coming to Singapore

The BYD Ti7 sport utility vehicle (SUV) is expected to arrive in Singapore in 2027.

Measuring 4,999mm long, 1,995mm wide and 1,865mm tall, it is a substantial machine. Its height, in particular, means owners will have to pay close attention to height restrictions at older Housing Board multi-storey carparks.

From a distance, its boxy silhouette and squared-off wheel arches give it a passing resemblance to a Land Rover Defender. However, the Ti7 offers a subjectively more modern interpretation of the rugged SUV design, featuring clean surfaces, softer edges and a broad, upright stance. 

In the cabin, the cockpit is dominated by a 15.6-inch touchscreen and 10.25-inch instrument display.

The car can be configured with five or seven seats, broadening its appeal to families of different sizes. 

In Singapore, the Ti7 is likely to sit towards the top of BYD’s expanding range, at least alongside the Sealion 8 DM-i.

It is also significant because it is BYD’s first model here with a distinctly rugged appearance – a departure from the more urban styling of its existing SUVs.

In China, the Ti7 is made and sold under BYD’s Fangchengbao, or Leopard, brand.

It comes in three plug-in hybrid variants, with either a 35.6kWh battery or a larger 50kWh unit. The smaller battery version drives the front wheels, while the larger battery can be paired with either front- or all-wheel drive.

The petrol engine acts as a range extender, with the smaller battery version offering a claimed electric range of about 200km on a full charge and the larger battery version about 315km.

Should the all-wheel-drive version make it to Singapore, it would be the first BYD model here with genuine off-road ability, although the B5 – sold under the upmarket Denza brand – already occupies that territory.

The Ti7 could, therefore, find itself up against models such as the mass-market Jaecoo J8, while its rugged styling may also appeal to buyers who might otherwise consider something like a Land Rover Defender, which starts at over $500,000 in Singapore.

But the Ti7 is not intended to be a hardcore off-roader.

Unlike the Denza B5’s ladder-frame construction, the Ti7 uses a unibody chassis, with double-wishbone suspension in the front and a multi-link arrangement in the rear. The set-up is consequently better suited for a vehicle that has to spend most of its life on tarmac.

BYD’s test route made that point rather well.

Most of it consisted of unpaved or gravel tracks winding through undulating grassland, with herds of yaks grazing nearby. The Ti7 absorbed the bumps with little fuss, keeping the occupants relatively settled even as the surface became rougher.

It also felt composed as it threaded its way across the fields at speeds of up to 50kmh.

One section involved crossing a narrow bridge, about 3m wide, in the rain and with poor visibility. There was little room for error on either side. The Ti7’s high driving position and 360-degree camera system proved useful here, giving the driver a clear view of the surroundings.

The Ti7 has three conventional driving modes – Eco, Comfort and Sport – while the all-wheel-drive version gets four terrain modes: Sand, Mud, Snow and Mountain.

The latter are unlikely to see much use in Singapore. The regular driving modes, however, offer a degree of flexibility for everyday driving.

When it arrives in 2027, the Ti7 will further broaden BYD’s already extensive local line-up, giving the brand a more rugged-looking SUV and potentially offering some of the visual appeal of premium off-roaders without the price tag associated with them.

BYD Ti7 (provisional)

Price: Not available
Engine: 1,498cc 16-valve in-line four-cylinder turbocharged engine with 35.6kWh/50kWh LFP battery
Transmission: Single-speed; front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive
Power: 115kW (engine); 200kW (FWD), 360kW (AWD)
Torque: 315Nm (FWD), 620Nm (AWD)
0-100kmh: 7.5 seconds (35.6kWh battery, FWD); 7.9 seconds (50kWh battery, FWD); 4.5 seconds (50kWh battery, AWD)
Top speed: 190kmh
Power consumption: Not available
Agent: E-Auto

BYD models available only on special order

At the Tagong drive, BYD also put two models that are unlikely to be sold here through their paces to illustrate the breadth of the carmaker’s range.

The first was the Denza B8, which measures 5,195mm long, including its tailgate-mounted spare wheel. At 1,994mm wide and 1,905mm tall, it is the larger sibling of the Denza B5.

The plug-in hybrid SUV is designed for off-road use, but it is hardly spartan. Equipment includes a head-up display, Nappa leather upholstery and a panoramic sunroof.

During the road trip, the B8 impressed with its ability to cosset its occupants. The ride was comfortable, there was ample legroom, and both front- and second-row passengers could enjoy massage seats.

At 3,300kg, however, the B8 exceeds the 3,000kg unladen-weight limit for vehicles that can be driven by Singapore Class 3 and 3A licence holders.

For this reason, BYD Singapore managing director James Ng said it was unlikely to be brought here, although he left the door open for a particular set of buyers. “If I have a personal driver who has a Class 4 driving licence and I don’t need to drive the car, sure,” he said.

The other model was the BYD Shark 6, a plug-in hybrid mid-sized pickup and BYD’s first production light utility vehicle.

It uses a body-on-frame chassis and an off-road-oriented hybrid drivetrain related to the platform used by the Denza B5.

Singapore’s pickup truck market is niche. The Toyota Hilux is arguably the best-known model here, while other models that have been sold locally include the Nissan Navara, Isuzu D-Max, Ford Ranger and, briefly in 2021 and 2022, the Jeep Gladiator.

Double-cab pickup trucks have to be registered as goods-cum-passenger vehicles. Such vehicles are subjected to a 70kmh speed limit, which narrows their appeal as everyday transport. Buyers also need to have a company under which to register the vehicle.

Still, there will be a small pool of buyers attracted by the novelty of driving an uncommon model.

As long as these BYD vehicles remain in production, there is also the possibility that they could make their way to Singapore through special orders placed with the agent or via enterprising parallel importers.