A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance,
fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.
Best suited to:Published PerformancePublished Efficiency
Which One's Right for You?
B30
Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures
X55 Plus
Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
Full Specs, Side by Side
Open a category, then swipe sideways to compare every column
Spec
B30
X55 Plus
Model Introduced Year
2025
2024
Generation
Current first-generation BAIC B30 for South Africa, introduced locally for the 2025 model year with petrol and self-charging HEV derivatives.
Current upgraded X55 Plus generation for South Africa, mechanically based around BAIC's Magic Core 1.5T engine, DCT380 seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and front-wheel drive.
Facelift History
The B30 was unveiled locally in August 2025 and launched in November 2025 as the first South African version; no later local facelift has been announced.
The original X55 arrived locally in 2022. BAIC launched the upgraded X55 Plus in August 2024 with revised exterior details, a full-black interior, updated wheel and exhaust treatment, and additional connectivity features.
Facelift Launched Since
2025
2024
Facelift Version Ending
Current
Current
Body Style
Five-door mid-size SUV
Five-door compact SUV
Model Year
2025
2024
Production Status
active
active
Segment
Mid-size SUV
Compact SUV
Vehicle Type
SUV
SUV
Spec
B30
X55 Plus
Length
4730 mm
4620 mm
Width
1910 mm
1886 mm
Height
1790 mm
1680 mm
Wheelbase
2820 mm
2735 mm
Ground Clearance (Default)
215 mm
Not Officially Disclosed
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load)
Not Officially Disclosed
160 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity
60 l
53 l
Boot/Cargo Space
Not Officially Disclosed
350 l
Kerb Weight
1575 kg
1480 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)
2034 kg
1970 kg
Payload Capacity
459 kg
490 kg
Towing Capacity
1500 kg
Not Officially Disclosed
Seating Capacity
5 seats
5 seats
Number of Rows
2 rows
2 rows
Doors
5 doors
5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Front Headroom
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Headroom
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Front Legroom
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Legroom
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Spec
B30
X55 Plus
Engine
1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine
1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine
Engine Code
A156T2H
A156T2H
Fuel Type
Petrol
Petrol
Hybrid System
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Engine Displacement
1498 cc
1498 cc
Cylinders
4
4
Cylinder Layout
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Valves
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Valves per Cylinder
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Aspiration
Turbocharged
Turbocharged
Fuel System
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Compression Ratio
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Bore
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Stroke
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Maximum Power
138 kW
138 kW
Maximum Torque
305 Nm
305 Nm
Combined Power
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Combined Torque
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Motor Type
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Number of Motors
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Motor Location
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Drive Type
FWD
FWD
Transmission
7-Speed DCT
7-Speed DCT
Top Speed
Not Officially Disclosed
200 km/h
0-100 km/h
Not Officially Disclosed
7.7 sec
Quarter Mile
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Drive Modes
Standard, Sport, Economy, Snow
Eco, Sport, Comfort, Smart
Launch Control
No
Not Officially Disclosed
Rev Limiter
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Power-to-Weight Ratio
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Torque-to-Weight Ratio
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Battery Capacity
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Usable Battery Capacity
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Battery Type
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Battery Voltage
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Electric Range
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
AC Charging Power
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
DC Charging Power
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
AC Charging Time
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
DC Charging Time
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Regenerative Braking
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Spec
B30
X55 Plus
Gearbox
7DCT
7DCT
Drivetrain Layout
FWD
FWD
LSD Available
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Transfer Case
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Differential Lock
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Paddle Shifters
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Final Drive Ratio
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Number of Gears
7
7
Transmission Type
7-speed dual-clutch transmission
7-speed dual-clutch transmission
Clutch Type
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Gear Shift Indicator
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Gear Shift Type
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Drivetrain
Front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive
4WD Engagement
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
4WD Hi Range
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
4WD Lo Range
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
4WD Selector
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Automatic Shift Paddles
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Front Differential Lock
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Gearbox Type
Dual-clutch
Dual-clutch
Low Range Ratio
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Low Range
No
Not Applicable
Axle Layout
Front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive
Rear Differential Lock
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Transmission Speeds
7
7
Spec
B30
X55 Plus
Claimed Mileage
12.41 km/l
12.99 km/l
City Mileage
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Highway Mileage
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Tank Capacity
60 l
53 l
Emission Standard
Euro VI
Euro VI
AdBlue Tank Capacity
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Auto Start Stop
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Real-world Mileage
12.41 km/l
12.99 km/l
Charging Port Type
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Charging Type
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Tank Litres
60
53
Combined Driving Range
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Electric Consumption
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Range Real World Highway
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Range Real World Mixed
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Spec
B30
X55 Plus
Airbags
6
6
ABS
Standard
Standard
Electronic Stability Control
Standard
Standard
Traction Control
Standard
Standard
Hill Descent Control
Not Officially Disclosed
Standard
Hill Start Assist
Standard
Standard
Child Safety Lock
Standard
Standard
ISOFIX Mounts
Standard
Standard
Brake Assist
Standard
Standard
Tyre Pressure Monitor
Standard
Standard
Engine Immobiliser
Standard
Standard
Seatbelt Warning All Seats
Standard
Standard
Front Parking Sensors
Standard
Not Available
AEB
Standard
Not Available
BA
Standard
Standard
Brake Override System
Standard
Standard
Curtain Airbags
Standard
Standard
Driver Airbag
Standard
Standard
EBD
Standard
Standard
Engine Immobiliser
Standard
Standard
Hill Hold
Standard
Standard
Passenger Airbag
Standard
Standard
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Standard
Not Officially Disclosed
Seatbelt Pretensioners
Standard
Not Available
Seatbelt Reminder
Standard
Standard
Side Airbags
Standard
Standard
Stability Control
Standard
Standard
TCS
Standard
Standard
Knee Airbag
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
ABS EBD
Standard
Standard
Spec
B30
X55 Plus
Cruise Control
Standard
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control
Standard
Not Available
Lane Keep Assist
Standard
Not Available
Lane Departure Warning
Standard
Not Available
Blind Spot Monitoring
Standard
Not Available
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Standard
Not Officially Disclosed
Parking Sensors
Standard
Standard
Rear View Camera
Standard
Standard
360 Degree Camera
Standard
Not Available
Autonomous Emergency Braking
Standard
Not Available
Driver Fatigue Alert
Standard
Standard
Traffic Sign Recognition
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Auto Highbeam
Standard
Not Officially Disclosed
Auto Wipers
Standard
Standard
Rear Parking Sensors
Standard
Standard
Reverse Camera
Standard
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control
Standard
Not Available
Park Assist
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Around View Monitor
Standard
Not Available
Blind Spot Warning
Standard
Not Available
Forward Collision Warning
Standard
Not Available
Spec
B30
X55 Plus
Seat Material
Leather
Leather
Heated Seats
Optional
Not Available
Ventilated Seats
Not Available
Not Available
Ambient Lighting
Not Available
Not Available
Steering Wheel Material
Optional
Leather
60 40 Split Seat
Standard
Standard
Driver Seat Adjustment
6-way electric
6-way manual
Passenger Seat Adjustment
6-way electric
6-way manual
Seat Trim
Leather
Leather
Spec
B30
X55 Plus
Climate Control
Dual-zone automatic
Air conditioning
Power Windows
Standard
Standard
Keyless Entry
Standard
Standard
Push Button Start
Standard
Standard
Wireless Charging
Standard
Not Available
Sunroof
Optional
Not Available
Electric Tailgate
Standard
Not Available
Rain Sensing Wipers
Standard
Standard
Boot Space Seats Folded
1496 l
-
AC Type
Dual-zone automatic
Air conditioning
Spec
B30
X55 Plus
Infotainment System
BAIC DA head unit with DAB radio
BAIC DA head unit with radio, Bluetooth and smartphone connection
Apple CarPlay
Standard
Standard
Android Auto
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Bluetooth Connectivity
Standard
Standard
Number of Speakers
8
4
Digital Instrument Cluster
10.25-inch LCD instrument cluster
10.25-inch LCD instrument screen
USB Ports
USB-A front; USB-C front and rear
Front USB, rear USB and Type-C charging
Infotainment Screen
14.6-inch central touchscreen
10.1-inch central touchscreen
Touchscreen
14.6-inch central touchscreen
10.1-inch central touchscreen
Spec
B30
X55 Plus
LED Headlamps
Standard
Standard
Daytime Running Lamps
Standard
Standard
Fog Lamps
Not Available
Standard
Roof Rails
Optional
Not Available
Exterior Colour Options
Mint Green, Blue, White, Light Grey, Matte Grey, Grey, Black
Electric Yellow, Metallic Grey, Scarlet Red, Krypton Grey, Polar White, Turquoise Blue
Headlights
Standard
Standard
Panoramic Sunroof
Optional
Not Available
Spec
B30
X55 Plus
Approach Angle
25 deg
Not Officially Disclosed
Departure Angle
30 deg
Not Officially Disclosed
Wading Depth
450 mm
Not Officially Disclosed
Terrain Modes
Not Available
Not Officially Disclosed
Locking Differential
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
4WD System Type
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Breakover Angle
21 deg
Not Officially Disclosed
Spec
B30
X55 Plus
Tyre Size
235/65 R18
225/60 R18
Front Brake Type
Ventilated disc
Ventilated disc
Rear Brake Type
Disc
Solid disc
Spare Wheel Type
Non-full-size space-saver spare wheel
Space-saver spare wheel
Wheel Rim Size
18-inch
18-inch
Handbrake Type
Electric parking brake
Electric parking brake
Towing Unbraked Kg
750 kg
-
Spec
B30
X55 Plus
Front Suspension
MacPherson independent suspension
MacPherson independent suspension
Rear Suspension
Multi-link independent suspension
Multi-link independent suspension
Spec
B30
X55 Plus
CO2 Emissions
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Spec
B30
X55 Plus
Service Plan
7 Years / 90 000 km
5 Years / 60 000 km
Spec
B30
X55 Plus
Ownership Role
Private buyer ownership with BAIC South Africa warranty and service support
Private buyer ownership with BAIC South Africa warranty and service support
Price Zar
519900 ZAR
429900 ZAR
Pricing Role
Current ex-showroom price
Current ex-showroom price
Starting Price
519900
429900
Starting Price Zar
519900
429900
Spec
B30
X55 Plus
Warranty
7 Years / 200 000 km; 7-year unlimited-mileage roadside assistance
5 Years / 150 000 km
In depth: how these cars differ
This B30 and X55 Plus comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.
Performance index: B30 59 vs X55 Plus 62.
Efficiency index: B30 51 vs X55 Plus 53.
Safety-equipment index: B30 92 vs X55 Plus 88.
Practicality index: B30 61 vs X55 Plus 55.
Ownership-cover index: B30 not separately scored vs X55 Plus not separately scored.
These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.
Model imagery
B30 and X55 Plus image comparison
Open an image for its full canonical file or visit the model page for the complete vehicle record.
A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.
Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout
B30 leads by 1 points
B30 and X55 Plus are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.
Performance
X55 Plus +3
Efficiency
X55 Plus +2
Safety
B30 +4
Practicality
B30 +6
Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.
Why this scoreView full breakdown
Evidence-index leader
B30
Performance
59/100
Efficiency
51/100
Safety
92/100
Practicality
61/100
X55 Plus
Performance
62/100
Efficiency
53/100
Safety
88/100
Practicality
55/100
What the evidence means
Evidence indexBAIC B30
leads the specification evidence index with 66 pts
vs 65 pts for X55 Plus
In Hagalu's specification evidence index, B30 leads. However, X55 Plus may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.
Related comparisons
Continue with closely related South Africa models and comparable body styles.
There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.
Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.
Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.
A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.
Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.
Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.
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