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.
BAIC X55 Plus vs Mitsubishi Xpander: the short answer
X55 Plus holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Xpander.
Xpander starts ZAR 63,905 cheaperX55 Plus from ZAR 429,900 · Xpander from ZAR 365,995
Five key differences
Exact selected derivatives
Swipe sideways to compare every column
Specification
X55 Plus
Xpander
Maximum Power
X55 Plus138 kW
Xpander77 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque
X55 Plus305 Nm
Xpander141 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Engine Size
X55 Plus1498 cc
Xpander1499 cc
Combined Fuel Economy
X55 Plus12.99 km/l
Xpander14.3 km/l
Ground Clearance
X55 PlusNot Officially Disclosed
Xpander225 mm
Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.
Independent editorial assessment
Hagalu editorial ratings
When a variant is selected, its rating out of five applies only to that exact derivative; a model-range review is not inherited. Editorial ratings are separate from the Specification Evidence Index out of 100 and are not customer ratings.
BAIC X55 Plus
Dynamic
Hagalu editorial rating
4.0/5★★★★★★★★★★
Desk research · Exact variant
Hagalu Editorial Team ·
Editorial assessment, not a customer rating. Not road-tested for this review.
Not yet rated means a complete review is not published; it does not mean the vehicle scored zero. Read the rating methodology.
What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)
Specification evidence leader
X55 Plus
Strengths
More powerful engine output
Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
Lower fuel efficiency
Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to:Published Performance
Xpander
Strengths
Better fuel efficiency
Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
Less powerful engine setup
Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to:Published EfficiencyPublished Practicality
Which One's Right for You?
X55 Plus
Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
Xpander
Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures
Full Specs, Side by Side
Open a category, then swipe sideways to compare every column
Spec
X55 Plus
Xpander
Model Introduced Year
2024
2021
Generation
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.
First-generation Xpander, 2025 South African update
Facelift History
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.
Current 2025 equipment and Xpander Cross update.
Facelift Launched Since
2024
Current specification
Facelift Version Ending
Current
Current
Body Style
Five-door compact SUV
MPV
Model Year
2024
2026
Production Status
active
active
Segment
Compact SUV
Compact seven-seat MPV
Vehicle Type
SUV
Passenger vehicle
Spec
X55 Plus
Xpander
Length
4620 mm
4595 mm
Width
1886 mm
1790 mm
Height
1680 mm
1750 mm
Wheelbase
2735 mm
2775 mm
Ground Clearance (Default)
Not Officially Disclosed
225 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load)
160 mm
195 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity
53 l
45 l
Boot/Cargo Space
350 l
781 l
Kerb Weight
1480 kg
1275 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)
1970 kg
1860 kg
Payload Capacity
490 kg
585 kg
Towing Capacity
Not Officially Disclosed
550 kg
Seating Capacity
5 seats
7 seats
Number of Rows
2 rows
3 rows
Doors
5 doors
5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius
Not Officially Disclosed
5.2 m
Front Headroom
Not Officially Disclosed
1000 mm
Rear Headroom
Not Officially Disclosed
990 mm
Front Legroom
Not Officially Disclosed
876 mm
Rear Legroom
Not Officially Disclosed
855 mm
Spec
X55 Plus
Xpander
Engine
1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine
1.5-litre Naturally Aspirated Petrol
Engine Code
A156T2H
4A91
Fuel Type
Petrol
Petrol
Hybrid System
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Engine Displacement
1498 cc
1499 cc
Cylinders
4
4
Cylinder Layout
Not Officially Disclosed
Inline
Valves
Not Officially Disclosed
16
Valves per Cylinder
Not Officially Disclosed
4
Aspiration
Turbocharged
Naturally Aspirated
Fuel System
Not Officially Disclosed
Multi-Point Injection
Compression Ratio
Not Officially Disclosed
10.0:1
Bore
Not Officially Disclosed
75 mm
Stroke
Not Officially Disclosed
84.8 mm
Maximum Power
138 kW
77 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque
305 Nm
141 Nm @ 4000 rpm
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
4-Speed Automatic
Top Speed
200 km/h
170 km/h
0-100 km/h
7.7 sec
15.4 sec
Quarter Mile
Not Officially Disclosed
19.5 sec
Drive Modes
Eco, Sport, Comfort, Smart
No
Launch Control
Not Officially Disclosed
No
Rev Limiter
Not Officially Disclosed
6500 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio
Not Officially Disclosed
60.4 kW/tonne
Torque-to-Weight Ratio
Not Officially Disclosed
110.6 Nm/tonne
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
X55 Plus
Xpander
Gearbox
7DCT
4-Speed Automatic
Drivetrain Layout
FWD
Front-engine, front-wheel drive
LSD Available
Not Officially Disclosed
No
Transfer Case
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Differential Lock
Not Officially Disclosed
No
Paddle Shifters
Not Officially Disclosed
No
Final Drive Ratio
Not Officially Disclosed
4.375
Number of Gears
7
4
Transmission Type
7-speed dual-clutch transmission
Automatic
Clutch Type
Not Officially Disclosed
Torque converter
Gear Shift Indicator
Not Officially Disclosed
Yes
Gear Shift Type
Not Officially Disclosed
Floor-mounted selector
Drivetrain
Front-wheel drive
FWD
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
No
Front Differential Lock
Not Officially Disclosed
No
Gearbox Type
Dual-clutch
4-Speed Automatic
Low Range Ratio
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Low Range
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Axle Layout
Front-wheel drive
4x2
Rear Differential Lock
Not Officially Disclosed
No
Transmission Speeds
7
4
Spec
X55 Plus
Xpander
Claimed Mileage
12.99 km/l
14.3 km/l
City Mileage
Not Officially Disclosed
11.7 km/l
Highway Mileage
Not Officially Disclosed
16.4 km/l
Fuel Tank Capacity
53 l
45 l
Emission Standard
Euro VI
Euro 2
AdBlue Tank Capacity
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Applicable
Auto Start Stop
Not Officially Disclosed
No
Real-world Mileage
12.99 km/l
14.3 km/l
Charging Port Type
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Applicable
Charging Type
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Applicable
Fuel Tank Litres
53
45
Combined Driving Range
Not Officially Disclosed
643
Electric Consumption
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Applicable
Range Real World Highway
Not Officially Disclosed
665 km
Range Real World Mixed
Not Officially Disclosed
598 km
Spec
X55 Plus
Xpander
Airbags
6
2
ABS
Standard
Yes
Electronic Stability Control
Standard
Yes
Traction Control
Standard
Yes
Hill Descent Control
Standard
No
Hill Start Assist
Standard
Yes
Child Safety Lock
Standard
Yes
ISOFIX Mounts
Standard
Yes
Brake Assist
Standard
Yes
Tyre Pressure Monitor
Standard
No
Engine Immobiliser
Standard
Yes
Seatbelt Warning All Seats
Standard
Yes
Front Parking Sensors
Not Available
No
AEB
Not Available
No
BA
Standard
Yes
Brake Override System
Standard
No
Curtain Airbags
Standard
No
Driver Airbag
Standard
Yes
EBD
Standard
Yes
Engine Immobiliser
Standard
Yes
Hill Hold
Standard
Yes
Passenger Airbag
Standard
Yes
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Not Officially Disclosed
No
Seatbelt Pretensioners
Not Available
Yes
Seatbelt Reminder
Standard
Yes
Side Airbags
Standard
No
Stability Control
Standard
Yes
TCS
Standard
Yes
Knee Airbag
Not Officially Disclosed
No
ABS EBD
Standard
Yes
Spec
X55 Plus
Xpander
Cruise Control
Standard
Yes
Adaptive Cruise Control
Not Available
No
Lane Keep Assist
Not Available
No
Lane Departure Warning
Not Available
No
Blind Spot Monitoring
Not Available
No
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Not Officially Disclosed
No
Parking Sensors
Standard
No
Rear View Camera
Standard
Yes
360 Degree Camera
Not Available
No
Autonomous Emergency Braking
Not Available
No
Driver Fatigue Alert
Standard
No
Traffic Sign Recognition
Not Officially Disclosed
No
Auto Highbeam
Not Officially Disclosed
No
Auto Wipers
Standard
No
Rear Parking Sensors
Standard
No
Reverse Camera
Standard
Yes
Adaptive Cruise Control
Not Available
No
Park Assist
Not Officially Disclosed
No
Around View Monitor
Not Available
No
Blind Spot Warning
Not Available
No
Forward Collision Warning
Not Available
No
Spec
X55 Plus
Xpander
Seat Material
Leather
High-grade fabric
Heated Seats
Not Available
No
Ventilated Seats
Not Available
No
Ambient Lighting
Not Available
No
Steering Wheel Material
Leather
Leather
60 40 Split Seat
Standard
Yes
Driver Seat Adjustment
6-way manual
Manual adjustable
Passenger Seat Adjustment
6-way manual
Manual adjustable
Seat Trim
Leather
High-grade fabric
Spec
X55 Plus
Xpander
Climate Control
Air conditioning
Manual air conditioning with rear cooler
Power Windows
Standard
Front and rear
Keyless Entry
Standard
Yes
Push Button Start
Standard
Yes
Wireless Charging
Not Available
No
Sunroof
Not Available
No
Electric Tailgate
Not Available
No
Rain Sensing Wipers
Standard
No
AC Type
Air conditioning
Manual air conditioning with rear cooler
Spec
X55 Plus
Xpander
Infotainment System
BAIC DA head unit with radio, Bluetooth and smartphone connection
Smartphone-link Display Audio
Apple CarPlay
Standard
Yes
Android Auto
Not Officially Disclosed
Yes
Bluetooth Connectivity
Standard
Yes
Number of Speakers
4
6
Digital Instrument Cluster
10.25-inch LCD instrument screen
8-inch colour LCD meter
USB Ports
Front USB, rear USB and Type-C charging
Front and second row
Infotainment Screen
10.1-inch central touchscreen
9-inch
Touchscreen
10.1-inch central touchscreen
9-inch
Spec
X55 Plus
Xpander
LED Headlamps
Standard
Yes
Daytime Running Lamps
Standard
Yes
Fog Lamps
Standard
Yes
Roof Rails
Not Available
Yes
Exterior Colour Options
Electric Yellow, Metallic Grey, Scarlet Red, Krypton Grey, Polar White, Turquoise Blue
Private buyer ownership with BAIC South Africa warranty and service support
New vehicle sold through Mitsubishi Motors South Africa
Price Zar
429900 ZAR
419995 ZAR
Pricing Role
Current ex-showroom price
Official South African recommended retail price
Starting Price
429900
419995
Starting Price Zar
429900
419995
Spec
X55 Plus
Xpander
Warranty
5 Years / 150 000 km
3 years / 100,000 km
In depth: how these cars differ
This X55 Plus and Xpander 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: X55 Plus 62 vs Xpander 29.
Efficiency index: X55 Plus 53 vs Xpander 56.
Safety-equipment index: X55 Plus 88 vs Xpander 36.
Practicality index: X55 Plus 55 vs Xpander 76.
Ownership-cover index: X55 Plus not separately scored vs Xpander 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
X55 Plus and Xpander 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
X55 Plus leads by 17 points
X55 Plus holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Xpander.
Performance
X55 Plus +33
Efficiency
Xpander +3
Safety
X55 Plus +52
Practicality
Xpander +21
Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.
Why this scoreView full breakdown
Evidence-index leader
X55 Plus
Performance
62/100
Efficiency
53/100
Safety
88/100
Practicality
55/100
Xpander
Performance
29/100
Efficiency
56/100
Safety
36/100
Practicality
76/100
What the evidence means
Evidence indexBAIC X55 Plus
leads the specification evidence index with 65 pts
vs 48 pts for Xpander
In Hagalu's specification evidence index, X55 Plus leads. However, Xpander 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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