After BYD Fang Leopard 5 announced the price, judging from the feedback from car enthusiasts, the test drive experience was generally positive. At the same time, they also pointed out some shortcomings of the Formula Leopard 5 compared to competing products (especially Tanks 400-500). Now please listen to two test drive friends share their test drive experiences.
Car Friend 1: From blind order for test drive to large order
I personally have no off-road needs, I just like the appearance of the square box and the high sitting position. I drive on national highways every day and there are many vehicles, so I think the design with girder is safer. I chose 20-inch wheels, electric pedals (mainly because my wife insisted) and towing qualifications (mainly to keep a certain distance from the cars behind me).
The reasons why I chose this car are as follows:
There is no need for off-roading. I tested the Tank 500 hi4T and the Formula Leopard 5, and the driving experience of the Formula Leopard 5 was better in urban driving. From the appearance design point of view, the shape of the Formula Leopard 5 is more in line with my aesthetics. If I were older, the Tank 500 might be more suitable for me.
This is my first time to buy a new energy vehicle. I feel that since I have chosen a new energy vehicle, I should be more thorough and not choose a gearbox and drive shaft. However, the infrastructure here is relatively poor (although home charging piles can be installed in the community). Considering the issue of long-distance battery life, I still need an engine.
The experience of Devialet audio is very good. I think this set of speakers is very suitable for listening to pure bass music. For vocals, the performance is quite satisfactory and not particularly amazing. The refrigerator in the car is heated, which is very convenient for my wife who often rides with me, especially on those few days each month when she can have hot water or hot drinks.
There is enough space inside the car for anyone in the family who is not particularly tall or strong. I take about two long-distance trips a year (about 800km each way), usually with 3 adults and a child. Although the trunk is a little short, it is tall enough, the interior layout is reasonable, and it is enough for my needs. The size of this car is just right for me. If it were larger, it would be inconvenient to park in the city.
Most importantly, I am very satisfied with the sales service. I believe that the quality of a company’s customer service directly affects the sales of its products. After I made the blind order, the salesperson added me on WeChat and kept in communication with me during this period. This is also the direct reason why I gave up the Tank 500 and finally chose the Equation Leopard 5.
There are a few shortcomings of this car that I can’t complain about:
1. The in-car entertainment system does not have a mobile phone interconnection function, and people who are used to this function need to adapt again. Compared with other BYD models, the Fang Leopard 5 lacks this feature, and we hope that future OTA upgrades can improve it.
2. The rear seats may be to consider the flatness in the later period. The sitting position is relatively low, the thickness of the sponge is average, and the seat length is average. There is no obvious advantage compared with ordinary household SUVs, but it is indeed not as good as the rear seat of the Equation Leopard 500. The seats are comfortable.
3. This is the first time I drive a vehicle equipped with a frame. The left and right swings are large. It feels very comfortable when driving on non-paved roads. However, on paved roads, the rear seat riding experience may not be comfortable. There is currently no price for the nitrogen shock absorber option provided in the store. We hope that replacing the nitrogen shock absorber can improve this problem.
Rider 2: No reservation after test drive
Driver 2’s test drive experience and non-booking:
Ride: The front and rear double wishbone suspension makes the ride feel very comfortable, which is really good. The NVH (noise, vibration and stiffness) inside the car also feels okay, similar to Tang DMI or DMP. The length of the rear seats is not short either. The comfort and luxury of the interior are much higher than those of ordinary hardcore off-road vehicles. However, rear seat passengers are susceptible to motion sickness.
Driving: The initial acceleration is very strong, but it will bring a sense of dizziness, very agile, a bit similar to the feeling of Tang DMP. The suspension system feels soft (mid-range), after all, the weight of the vehicle is there. During the test drive, the car was full of people, and people queued for a day to test drive. The overall driving experience is actually not as good as the Tang DMP equipped with Yunhu C.
Before the test drive, a comparison was made with the Touareg. From a price point of view, Touareg can only be sold through information asymmetry. Whether it is chassis texture, acceleration performance or interior noise, Tang DMP has completely surpassed the Touareg. It can only be said that the Touareg’s chassis feels slightly better than the Formula Leopard, but the performance of the Formula Leopard as a non-load-bearing chassis surprised me. Going to try it another day.
Driving experience: rapid acceleration and stable chassis. But the suspension system is not stable enough and it still feels a bit like driving a boat.
The time is too short, the car is full of people, and many radical driving styles are not dared to be tried. We need to go again next time to explore this point in more depth.
Overall experience: The Formula Leopard has reached such a level in the hardcore off-road field, far exceeding the common Road Cruiser and Prado. I once specifically looked for a Tank 300. Whether it was the luxury of the interior or the noise inside the car, the Fangbao was obviously better. The above-mentioned models have been ridden or driven for at least a whole day, and this test drive of the Fang Leopard requires further in-depth experience. Evaluations from self-media cannot be taken at face value and can only be used as a reference. The professional level of many self-media is so poor that they don’t even understand what DMO is and start talking nonsense. It is better to experience it for yourself. What suits you is the best.
From a personal point of view, in one word, it’s great to drive! The visibility is high, the acceleration is fast, the noise is low, the power is always available, the braking is linear, and the driving quality is almost as good as that of an ordinary city SUV. If you install the Yunhu P and adjust it a little harder on the road, you can completely achieve the driving quality of an ordinary SUV. The softness and hardness of the suspension cannot be adjusted for mid- to low-end configurations. However, after replacing 20-inch road tires, the texture of the paved road should be improved. In addition, it is a pity that I was not able to experience the U-turn performance of the Equation Leopard this time.
Summarize:
For commuting, I recommend choosing the lowest configuration. Unless you particularly care about the massage function and HUD (heads-up display). The front lock (differential lock) is rarely used under normal road conditions. If you have high requirements for driving quality, you can directly choose to upgrade the suspension system Yunhu P. No matter how it is promoted, the soft and hard adjustment of the suspension has a huge impact on the comfort of road driving. As for real off-road needs, sorry, I can’t provide an opinion because I don’t know if you are an off-road enthusiast.