BYD's New Ti 6 SUV Spied Testing as Smaller, Cheaper Defender-Style PHEV

BYD is testing a new boxy SUV positioned as a smaller, lower-priced sibling to the Ti 7 (Tai 7). Here’s our first look at it.

BYD begins testing new Ti 6 SUV

The Tai 6 will be the fourth model from BYD’s sub-brand Fang Cheng Bao’s Titanium lineup in China, following the Tai 3, Tai 7, and most recently, the Tai 9.

While it’s sold under the Fang Cheng Bao brand in China, BYD rebadges it under its own brand and sells it as the Ti 7 in Europe, the UK, and other global markets.

Earlier this week, the first image of the Ti 6 surfaced online. Although it will serve as a smaller, more affordable option to the Ti 7 (Tai 7), it doesn’t look small by any means.

The photo, posted on China’s Autohome (shown below on the left), shows a rugged, boxy SUV design similar to the Ti 7 (Tai 7 shown below on the right). Like its bigger sibling, it adopts a Land Rover Defender-like shape.

The vehicle is still heavily disguised, but you can see a few details, including new headlights and a LiDAR on the roof. It’s expected to be a larger 5-seat SUV, rather than a 7-seater like the Tai 7.

BYD has yet to announce the new model or any details, so information is still limited. Given the Tai 7 starts at 179,800 yuan ($26,500), the Tai 6 is expected to start closer to 150,000 yuan ($22,000).

In China, the Tai 7 is available with battery electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains. In the UK, the Ti 7 is sold exclusively as a PHEV, with a pure-electric WLTP range of up to 74 miles. In the city, it gets up to 102 miles of EV range.

Based on its Super Hybrid DM technology, the setup uses three electric motors and a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, delivering a combined 402 hp (408 PS). The engine primarily powers the 35.6 kWh BYD Blade Battery.

BYD’s Ti 7 SUV starts at £47,995 ($65,000) on the road in the UK. That’s less than the plug-in Defender 110, which starts at £71,840 ($97,000) in the UK. Plus, the Defender offers a WLTP electric range of only 31.1 miles.

Following its debut as the Fang Cheng Bao Tai 7 in China, we should learn more about the global version. We’ll keep you updated as new information is released.