UPMARKET CONTENDER

The BYD Tang DM-i might just shake up the midsize SUV segment

- By Pablo Salapantan

IS THE BYD Tang DM-i a sure putt for distributor ACMobility?

BYD's seeming formula for success has been simple: Challenge and undercut the competition with better-equipped, ideally priced, good-quality vehicles. This approach has surely been central to the winning sales figures it now enjoys with its already established models in key segments like the Seal 5 DM-i, the Sealion 5 and 6 DM-i, Seagull EV, and more.

Its latest challenger in the country is taking its usual fight to a very competitive segment, the midsize SUV - specifically ones rising on the PPV or pickup-based platform. Enter the Tang DM-i, with which BYD is keen to make an impression - and possibly take everyone's lunch money in the process.

ELEVATED DM-i

The first thing you need to know about the Tang DM-i is that it's a higher-tier model compared to the aforementioned Seal and Sealion. In the BYD universe, the "ocean/water models" serve are the more mass-market, affordable options, and the "dynasty models" like the Tang take things to a level higher in terms of the overall feel of the vehicle.

I felt that difference immediately once I stepped inside the BYD Tang DM-i to set off for our drive to Anvaya Cove in Bataan. As the first driver of the day, I quickly settled into the plush interior highlighted by the usual soft-touch materials, luxurious touches, and upmarket appointments.