BYD M6

Long-awaited and highly-anticipated, the Chinese automaker’s latest model release officially launched in Malaysia (fourth), the new BYD M6.

An all-electric MPV (Multi-Purpose Vehicle), the C-segment contender underpins BYD’s Blade Battery Technology, and is based on BYD’s second-gen facelifted e6 model (China-launched).

Fully-imported (CBU - China), available via Sime Darby Beyond Auto (BYD distributor) are two variants (Standard Range - MYR 109,800, Extended Range - MYR 123,800).

Prices (OTR, w/o insurance) cover vehicle (six years/150,000 KM), blade battery (eight years/160,000 KM), and drive unit (eight years/150,000 KM) warranties.

Four (single-tone) exterior colours (Crystal White, Ink Stone Blue, Cosmos Black, Harbour Grey). One (dual-tone) interior colour (Black-Brown).

The new M6 gets a cascading-concave and tiered dashboard, linked to a low-rising-wide centre console (ball-head gear shifter, wireless charger).

Soft-/hard-touched, it sees a two-tone scheme (Black - dash/Black-Brown - centre console, door cards) with trims (Silver - dash, steering wheel, centre console, door cards).

Centre-staged is a floating and rotating touchscreen (landscape/portrait - infotainment), flanked by a dash-integrated driver display (instrument cluster).

Inclusively, the layout is ergonomic and non-cluttered, with accessibilities purposefully-arranged (driver-centric, user-friendly).

Mounted for the driver is a 5.0-Inch Multi-Information Display (MID) digital-analogue instrument cluster.

Comfortably-plush, the interior sees synthetic leather upholstery in a two-tone colour scheme (Brown - seats/Black-Brown - centre console, door cards).

The first-row gets manual-operated (driver/passenger-six-way - Standard Range) and electric-powered (driver-6-way, passenger-4-way, ventilation - Extended Range) ergonomic seats.

The second-/third-row (Standard Range, Extended Range) gets manual-operated (split-fold - 60:40/50:50) ergonomic bench seats. 

Included are armrests (first-row - centre console, second-row - centre seat fold-out), and a panoramic glass sunroof (electric - slide/tilt, sun shade - Extended Range).

The seven-seater (2-3-2 - layout) e-MPV offers generous cabin space, providing comfortable seatings with ample interior mobility. 

Generous head-, shoulder-, and leg-room. 

Practical spaces available. E.g., centre console caverned/partitioned spaces, a glove box, and seat back/side door pockets.

Mounted is a three-spoke-flat-bottom steering wheel, wrapped in synthetic leather (Black) with trimmings (Silver).

Features are multi-function buttons (media, voice assistant, Bluetooth, and column adjustments (tilt, telescopic). 

Aiding the drive is an Electric Power Steering (EPS) system.

Provided are four cup holders (two - first-, second-row) and four bottle holders (one - side doors).

Installed are one 12 V power socket (first-row), four USB ports (two - first-, second-row), and one wireless charger (first-row - Extended Range).

Also included is a 3.3 KW Vehicle-To-Load (V2L) function for powering of external devices.

Accessing its electric-tailgate (Extended Range - one-touch open/close, remote/key fob, button) opens up to 180-Litres (second-/third-row seats up) and 580-Litres (third-row seats down) of load capacities.

Weighing in at 1,800 KG (Standard Range) and 1,915 KG (Extended Range), the new M6 stands at 4,710 MM in length, 1,810 MM in width, 1,690 MM in height, and with a wheelbase spanning 2,800 MM.

Aerodynamically-sleek, the exterior adopts BYD’s Dragon Face 3.0 design language, exuding clean- and sharply-sculpted lines.

The front-end sees a moulded-bonnet, roundly-angular fenders, a bar trim (Chrome - BYD script), and a flying-wing-shaped (Black - vented - corner/centre) bumper (grille-deleted).

Accentuations are body cladding (Black - bumper, side mirror arms), body trimmings (Silver - bumper, side sills, window surrounds), and roof rails (Silver).

Aerodynamically-smooth, it continues the design language, emphasised by seamlessly-jointed and horizontally-aligned contours.

The rear-end sees a mildly-dipped roofline, a roof-edge spoiler, a slanted-tailgate (Chrome bar - BYD script), and a contoured bumper (indented surfaces).

Accentuations are body cladding (Black - spoiler bottom-section, D-pillars), body trimmings (Silver - bumper, side sills, window surrounds), and roof rails (Silver).

Fiercely-inward-tilted, the ‘Diamond Starlight Levitation’ headlamps are framed and connected with a slit-like lightbar. Installed are full LED units.

Features are dynamic turn signals, LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL), automatic On/Off, Intelligent High Beam Control (IHBC - Extended Range), unlock/lock ‘breathing’ animation, and Follow-Me-Home function.

Sleekly-slim and elongated, the tail lamps are in a lightbar design. Centre-slim with slightly broad wrapped-around edges.

Installed are full LED units, featuring dynamic turn signals, automatic On/Off, unlock/lock ‘breathing’ animation, and Follow-Me-Home function.

The side mirrors (two-toned - Black, body-coloured) are electronic-powered (auto-fold, adjust), with dynamic turn-signals, blind spot-indicators (Blind Spot Detection - BSD - Extended Range).

Mounted is a set of ventilated (front) and solid (rear) disc brakes. Drive is aided by Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold and regenerative braking systems.

Sportily-designed, fitted is a set of 17-Inch dual-tone (Black-Silver) twin-star-spoke alloy rims, rubbered-up in 225/55 R17 (front, rear) GitiControl P10 tyres.

The new M6 features variant-specific ‘BYD Intelligent Driving System’ sets of Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS). 

Grouped (Extended Range) are Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Door Opening Warning (DOW), Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC), Front Collision Warning (FCW), Rear Collision Warning (RCW), Blind Spot Detection (BSD), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Rear Cross Traffic Brake (RCTB), Lane Departure Assist (LDA), Emergency Lane Keeping Assist (ELKA), and Cruise Control (CC - Standard Range).

Other standard systems (Standard Range, Extended Range) are Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS), Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), Vehicle Dynamic Control System (VDC), Hill-Hold Control (HHC), Brake Disc Wiping System (BDW), Coordinated Regenerative Braking System (CRBS), Roll Movement Intervention (RMI), Brake Override System (BOS), and Surround View Monitor (SVM - 360-degree camera).

Passive safety consists of six airbags (driver-passenger, front-sides, front-rear curtain), seat belts (pretensioners, anchors, reminders), ISOFIX (second-row - outer-seats), automatic door locks (speed-sensing), parking cameras (reverse, 360-degree), parking sensors (four - rear), Intelligent High Beam Control (IHBC - Extended Range), Electric Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold, and Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).

Installed is a 12.8-Inch intelligent rotating (landscape, portrait) touchscreen infotainment unit. 

The system supports Bluetooth, voice assistant, satellite navigation, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto (wireless).

Entertainment is channelled via a standard sound system (six speakers).

Churning the setup is a single-speed automatic transmission.

Power is transmitted to the front wheels, via a Front-Wheel Drive (FWD) system.

0 to 100 KM/H acceleration is done in 10.1 seconds (Standard Range) and 8.6 seconds (Extended Range). 

Top speed maxes out at 180 KM/H (Standard Range, Extended Range).

Powered by BYD’s Blade Battery Technology, featuring a Blade Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery (55.4 KWH - Standard Range, 71.8 KWH - Extended Range), providing a total driving range (NEDC) of 420 KM (Standard Range) and 530 KM (Extended Range).

DC charging (CCS2 - 89 KW/115 KW - Standard Range/Extended Range) takes 40 minutes (115 KWH) for a 10% to 80% State of Charge (SoC). 

AC charging (7.0 KW - Type 2 - Standard Range, Extended Range).

Included is a 3.3 KW Vehicle-To-Load (V2L) function for powering of external devices.

The new M6 features these conveniences.

E.g., keyless entry/start system (entry, engine Start/Stop button), portable card key (NFC - side mirror sensor), voice assistant, dual-zone automatic air-conditioning (rear-vents, PM2.5 air-filter), steering wheel (multi-function, column adjustments, voice assistant, EPS), side mirrors (blind spot-indicators, auto-fold/adjust), electric-powered (driver-6-way, passenger-4-way, ventilation - Extended Range) ergonomic seats (first-row), armrests (first-row - centre console, second-row - centre seat fold-out), panoramic glass sunroof (electric - slide/tilt, sun shade - Extended Range), electric-tailgate (one-touch open/close, remote/key fob - Extended Range), parking cameras (reverse, 360-degree), parking sensors (four - rear), LED interior lighting (reading, boot), Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold, Vehicle-To-Load (V2L) function, wireless charger (first-row - Extended Range), automatic headlamps (On/Off), Intelligent High Beam Control (IHBC - Extended Range), automatic wipers (rain sensing, intermittent), and automatic windows (one-touch up/down, anti-pinch).

Ride comfortability feels flexible and firm at the same time. The e-MPV delivers a comfortable and light steering feel, smooth overall electric performance at all speeds.

Propping-up the chassis is a suspension setup of MacPherson strut (front) and multi-link (rear).

Good sound insulation with most of the NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) aspects accounted for. The ride is quiet, refined and the road noise is mostly muted.

The new BYD M6 exudes a sleek and energy filled outlook. Its ‘Dragon Face’ design language that features smooth and seamless body contours just speaks electric.

Interior-wise, its innovative layout with many elements of advanced sophistication, gives a sense of airiness and easy connectivity to the occupants in the vehicle.

Ultimately, inside and out the build quality is satisfactory, and with its distinctive outlook and energising powertrain, the BYD M6 is truly a contender in its segment.