The Land Rover Defender is a British icon, but on its home market it will soon face a serious rival. And it’s not the Ineos Grenadier. It’s about the BYD Ti 7, which will arrive in January.
Price and positioning
The Ti 7’s exterior resembles the result of a strange experiment between a Defender and a Hyundai Santa Fe, but its main advantage is the price. The model starts at £47,995 (approximately $64,702), which is £16,320 ($22,000) less than the Defender 110.
Despite its rather controversial design, the crossover features LED lighting, tinted glass, and 20-inch alloy wheels. Add to that a panoramic glass roof, mirror-area lighting, acoustic windshield, and acoustic front side windows.
Equipment and trim
For the UK, the Ti 7 will be offered only in the Excellence AWD version. According to BYD, this will provide:
“a level of equipment that surpasses everything competitors can offer at this price”
And that’s not an exaggeration. The seven-seat vehicle comes standard with a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 15.6-inch multimedia system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Inside, there are leather seats with heating and ventilation for the first two rows.
The equipment list also includes a refrigerator, a dual 50 W wireless charger, and three-zone climate control. The audio system has 18 speakers, and the heated cup holders will keep coffee warm. In addition, the Ti 7 supports Vehicle to Load technology, which turns the car into a large external battery.
Hybrid powertrain
The Ti 7 is equipped with the DM-p Super Hybrid system. It consists of a turbocharged 1.5-liter petrol engine, two electric motors, and a 35.6 kWh battery. BYD calls the car a plug-in hybrid, but in reality the system works almost like an electric vehicle with a range extender. After all, the manufacturer itself notes that the engine
“mostly”
generates electricity for the battery.
The system’s total output reaches 402 hp (300 kW / 408 PS). This allows the Ti 7 to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (0–100 km/h) in 4.8 seconds, and the top speed is 118 mph (190 km/h). Quite fast, especially considering that the car can travel about 74 miles (119 km) on electric power alone.
Comparison with the Defender
For comparison, the Defender 110 S in standard trim gets a 3.0-liter six-cylinder diesel with 250 hp (186 kW / 253 PS). This version accelerates to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 7.9 seconds, and the top speed is limited to 117 mph (188 km/h).
If you want a Defender with a plug-in hybrid, you’ll have to pay £71,840 ($96,851). This version develops 300 hp (224 kW / 304 PS) and accelerates to 60 mph in 7.4 seconds. The electric range is only 31.1 miles (50 km).
Ordering and sales launch
The BYD Ti 7 is now available to order in the UK. The company will also match a £500 ($674) deposit if the buyer makes the same deposit.
This move by BYD looks quite logical. The British market is very sensitive to the cost of ownership, so a lower price combined with better dynamics and richer equipment could be a serious argument for buyers. Even though the Defender has iconic status, it is the price-to-capability ratio of the Ti 7 that will make many people think twice. Especially if buyers care about low running costs, electric range for the city, and modern technologies that traditional competitors simply do not have.