BYD eMax 7 First Drive Review

BYD opened its innings in the Indian market with the e6 electric MPV back in 2021. The automaker has since introduced new flavours from its global portfolio in the form of the Atto 3 and the Seal, both of which have tasted success and continue to garner interest. It was now time to add a new lease of life to the e6, and BYD recently introduced the facelifted version of this MPV in the form of the eMax 7. Does this new aroma of the MPV come up as old wine in a new bottle or does it really stir up the taste buds? Here’s our take.

The e6, though mechanically impressive, sporting the brand’s signature blade battery (more on that later), was a little bland in taste, and the competition was nothing other than the Innova Crysta (now Hycross) from Toyota’s Michelin star restaurant. BYD has kept the formula simple, yet tasteful (no pun intended). The update makes way for a set of fresh LED projector headlamps, new taillights with the connected design, and a fresh whiff of dual-tone alloy wheels. There’s a new grille on offer too, while the subtle use of chrome and brushed aluminium lend an extension to the elegant look.

Unlike its predecessor, which was offered only in the five-seat layout, the eMax 7 boasts six- and seven-seat options based on customer demand. The good folks at the Chinese automobile marquee have listened to feedback all around and added a slew of features that the erstwhile e6 lacked from day 1. Some notable additions include ventilated front seats, panoramic sunroof, Level 2 ADAS suite, wireless charging, and V2L technology. The sorely missed Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now present too, and in the wireless form at that. The latter does not function when the rotating touchscreen unit is in portrait mode, which is a weird quirk.

Apart from the features, which also include a rotating touchscreen system, BYD has also worked on the centre console layout, with the new gear lever and revised console with better switches now making it feel worthy of the price it asks for. What doesn’t work in the favour of the latter though is the hard plastics on the dash and the top section of the doors, something that doesn’t suit a car of this class, more so when you want to rival the segment leader. That said, BYD, as promised back during the e6 drive, has worked on the smaller but important factors as well, such as the addition of split seats, with even the second row getting a 60:40 folding function.

The seats in the second row are witness to minor revisions too, and the base is now chiseled to give that snug feel. The under-thigh support still has room for improvement, but what impresses is the fair amount of legroom in the second row. It has enough space for a more than healthy fellow like me (even after setting the second-row seat to my comfort). More so, even with all three rows up, you can manage to fit a few fairly-sized backpacks if not the smallest suitcase.

The updated MPV from BYD ditches the 71.7kWh unit for two new options - 55.4kWh and 71.8kWh units -both paired with a single electric motor each, powering the front wheels. The power figures stand at 161bhp and 210bhp, respectively, while the torque is rated at a common 310Nm. The smaller and larger battery packs return a NEDC-certified range of 420km and 530km, respectively, on a single full charge.

The eMax 7 is smooth right from the word go, all the way up to triple-digit speeds. The NVH is well contained too, save for the radiator fan noise, which occasionally makes its presence felt, but only if you happen to be outside the car as it is kept running. The ride is on the firm side, and small undulations are felt inside the cabin at low speeds, but as the pace increases, it tends to feel well settled. The body roll is kept at a minimum too, and a large part of this could be attributed to the weight of the battery that aids in keeping the car planted.

The eMax7 comes with three drive modes – Eco, Normal, and Sport. For a daily running kind of usage, the Eco mode satisfactorily does the job, and has enough juice even for small to medium-paced overtakes. The Normal mode takes this factor one notch higher, while the Sport mode can be reserved for spirited driving. The latter makes use of all the available power and torque right from the start and pushes the pedal to the metal and it’s likely to catch you off-guard with a wheel spin in response.

One of the trump cards of the BYD, which also includes the eMax 7, is the range. Our day involved running the car for 250+ kilometres, and the range, irrespective of the mode we used, was accurate to the last kilometre. This means it’s not hard to get a 500km range on a single full charge, even with a good share of spirited driving. Range anxiety? What’s that?

The eMax 7 has a lot going for it, and in this new avatar, it has come back with a bang having many tricks up its sleeves to rival the likes of the Toyota Innova Crysta and the newer Innova Hyross. It does miss out on a few features such as soft-touch plastics and an auto-dimming IRVM, but at the same time, it more than makes up for it with the lack of range anxiety and the attractive pricing.

Unlike a few other OEMs, BYD has kept the version matrix simple too, offering two each for the seating layout, battery pack, and variant range. The automaker is claiming to have a waiting period at hand for the model too, and this, even though it might be early to say, could hint at the success of the model, especially when compared to the outgoing e6 MPV.

Pictures by Kaustubh Gandhi