BAIC M20 Arrives In The Philippines - Priced At PhP 548,000

MANILA: BAIC or Bayan Automotive Industries Corporation is not a highly popular name in the Philippines automotive market as of now but the Chinese automaker is doing all the possible things to mark its virtue in the market. In this series, the company has now launched a new MPV which is better described as 'Versatile Lifestyle Vehicle'. Recently, Toyota also launched Calya, which is an LCGC MPV, in the Indonesian market and rumors are that the same will be introduced in the Philippines in some time.

The absolutely new M20 MPV, the newest addition to the BAIC fleet, is designed keeping the utility and functionality needs of the customers in mind and so it comes with a flexible cargo space and multi-seat layout options. The new BAIC MPV comes powered with a 1.5-litre 4-inline cylinders engine which is capable of knocking out 116 PS of peak power along with 150 Nm of peak torque. This power unit comes mated with a 5-speed manual gearshift for improved efficiency and performance. The base trim of this MPV carries rear leaf springs while the upper variant is blessed with five-link spring system for smooth drives on multi-terrains.

The styling of the new M20 is kept contemporary with some chrome work at the front radiator grille. The sharp and stylish headlamps complete this front face while the expanded lower radiator grille allows smooth airflow to encourage the efficiency of the engine. The rear has equally stylish tail lamps which expand and make their way towards the boot. A spoiler is also given at the rear which completes this profile in an efficient manner. The MPV counts to 4440 mm x 1700 mm x 1783 mm (L X W X H) at its structure and the pronounced wheel arches have 14-inch alloys beneath them with complementing rubbers.

With a decent exterior, the Chinese company has ensured an equally decent cabin. This MPV is available with a choice of 7-seater or 8-seater option across its trims. All the trims have urethane wrapping on the steering, power windows, rear window defogger and remote central locking as standard amenities. To add fun during drives, an advanced infotainment system comprising a touch screen, Micro USB, audio feature mounted on steering wheel, GPS support, SD card slot and Bluetooth is fitted.

The company, while engineering this family drive, has also taken great care of the safety and security of the occupants and hence have plotted decent aspects for the protection in adverse situations. The new BAIC M20 comes appointed with Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD), rear parking sensors, Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), rear fog lamps and anti-theft device for the safety. The company is yet to announce the availability of the MPV in the Philippines market but the bookings have been started for this model. The customers can own the base model for PhP 548,000 which is highly competitive in comparison to the other similar segment drives. It would be interesting to see if the strategy of the Chinese company works out and it can increase its stance in the Philippines market with the introduction of this new model!