Does the launch of the GL8 Landshang mean that Buick is about to make big moves in the MPV segment and begin to reclaim lost ground?
The GL8 Landshang is offered in 3 trim levels: the Xianxiang Edition with a guide price of 249,900 yuan, the Zhixiang Edition with a guide price of 269,900 yuan, and the Zunxiang Edition with a guide price of 289,900 yuan. After a quick look through the configuration table, the main differences between the Xianxiang Edition and the Zhixiang Edition include eCruise L2-level intelligent assisted driving, a 360° panoramic camera, a left-side power sliding door, a power tailgate, and so on. However, the Xianxiang Edition is equipped with cruise control, a reversing camera, and rear 4 parking sensors. For family users who do not treat it as their primary vehicle, the features and configuration are sufficient, and before the end of the year it can still enjoy the purchase tax reduction and exemption policy. Its 142 km of pure electric range and WLTC-rated 6.68L/100km fuel consumption with a depleted battery may be three important advantages quite capable of attracting the attention of the user group.
If we compare the Sienna and Granvia with the GL8 Landshang, a certain vertical automotive website shows the Sienna's sales terminal reference price at 229,800 yuan, with purchase tax of about 20,000 yuan or so. In other words, the Sienna, Granvia, and GL8 Landshang no longer have an advantage in terms of out-the-door price.
A pure electric range of 142 km means that even for commuting in a major city like Beijing, pure electric driving can be used. On the one hand, the inherent advantages of pure electric drive in areas such as NVH bring a better experience; on the other hand, travel costs are lower; on another hand, the acceleration feel is relatively better; and there is also the "solidity" in which American cars have an advantage over Japanese cars. I believe that after a test drive you will reach your own conclusion.
Among the three vehicles in the table above, the main advantage of the Sienna and Granvia over the GL8 Landshang lies in being equipped with full-speed adaptive cruise control. But for drivers driving an MPV, this difference in configuration may not mean much to them. Therefore, the author believes that the GL8 Landshang has indeed come to "reclaim lost ground." Do you think the price of the GL8 Landshang can be considered quite down-to-earth?
Recently, the GL8 Landshang displayed a camping scenario at the Tiantai Mountain Natural Campground. Its 3.3 kW external discharge is also an important advantage compared with the Sienna and Granvia, making weekend spring outings richer. Isn't this a rigid need for many families?
Also, have you ever thought about driving an MPV on a long trip? In fact, as far as China's magnificent landscapes are concerned, the beautiful scenic spots reachable by driving an MPV are probably enough for most ordinary families to enjoy for more than half a lifetime. But compared with SUVs, the main advantage of an MPV is that it can bring passengers a more comfortable long-journey experience. So when choosing a tool for pursuing poetry and distant places, you might as well broaden your horizons a bit. First figure out your own needs, or perhaps right in front of you is a dense forest!
The GL8 Landshang has a length of 5219 mm, a width of 1878 mm, a height of 1807 mm, and a wheelbase of 3088 mm. For most car-consuming families of medium build, the experience in all three rows of seats can truly achieve comfortable equality, especially since the third-row seats are far more comfortable than those in many SUVs that are arranged like "small benches." In addition, a 521L trunk volume is quite good, and after expansion to 1650L it is likewise not inferior to SUVs in the same class.
Compared with three-row SUVs, the advantage of the GL8 Landshang lies in its lower middle-door opening, making it more convenient for the elderly and children to get in and out, and its lower trunk floor, making it easier to load and unload items.
Also, regarding the growing number of new energy vehicles nowadays with widths often exceeding 1900 mm, Buick product expert Ji Long shared this statement: many residential communities are now equipped with mechanical parking spaces, and vehicles with excessively wide bodies are relatively more difficult to park. Therefore, the GL8 Landshang sets its vehicle width within 1900 mm, which takes into account the parking scenarios of most users while also ensuring a spacious and comfortable interior.
Does your residential community have mechanical parking spaces? In any case, many communities in Yanjiao are equipped with mechanical parking spaces. Have you ever considered parking space-related issues when choosing a car before?
During the test drive session, it happened that no one was competing for the Sienna, so the author first experienced the Sienna on a mountain road. The author is already extremely familiar with Toyota's dynamic performance, because its sluggish and heavy dynamic performance on mountain roads is not as good as the author's Corolla Hybrid, and the author thinks the Sienna's steering wheel is slightly too thin.
To catch up with the car ahead along the way, a media colleague riding in the back row mentioned: Is such serious body roll a problem with the car? The author hurriedly explained that it was a problem with his own driving method. After all, he usually travels alone and by habit does not take passengers' habits into account, so he drove a bit more aggressively.
The Sienna's NVH performance during acceleration is not very good. The rumbling engine noise lacks a premium feel. Also, when the high-pressure direct-injection engine is cruising at high speed, the author could hear the high-pressure pump's clicking work especially clearly, while a manifold-injection engine does not have this kind of noise.
On the return trip, we switched to the GL8 Landshang. There is no need to elaborate on the difference between a plug-in hybrid powertrain and Toyota's hybrid powertrain. Obviously, the GL8 Landshang performs better. This is a difference in technical orientation. Toyota's hybrid focuses more on fuel economy, that is, travel cost, while modern plug-in hybrid systems are known for high-output electric motors, and low travel cost is made up for by pure electric range. Thanks to pure electric drive, the GL8 Landshang's overall NVH performance is superior to the Sienna. Of course, in aspects such as seat cushion thickness and firmness settings, chassis suspension settings, and even NVH acoustic packages, based on the experience after test driving both models, you can consider that in terms of "overall texture," the GL8 Landshang indeed has a clear advantage. If you do not believe it, try it yourself. In this regard, you should also first respect your own subjective feelings.
"This texture, this price, the tax reduction advantage before the end of the year, and it also supports external discharge—the GL8 Landshang was born to reclaim lost ground." After experiencing the GL8 Landshang and the Sienna, the author let out such a sigh.
Also, the GL8 Landshang camping tour exhibition at the Tiantai Mountain Natural Campground has contributed yet another possibility for more families' outings and spring excursions. In fact, as far as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region is concerned, arranging several family outings to the wild each year might be enough for 10 years without even leaving the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. This visit to the Tiantai Mountain Natural Campground also added a new landmark to broaden the author's horizons. Take some time to go out to the wild with your family, stay away from the steel forest, and go to a broader, completely unrestrained world to feel more relaxed and joyful.
By the way, the GL8 Landshang Zunxiang Edition is 20,000 yuan more expensive than the Zhixiang Edition. The main differences include front-row seat ventilation and heating, second-row aviation seats with ventilation and heating plus folding small tables, rear cabin entertainment configuration, front parking sensors, ambient lighting, wireless phone charging, and so on.
Standing among the three versions, the author more recommends the 249,900 yuan Xianxiang Edition, because it is sufficient if it is not used as the primary vehicle. But if it could be equipped with full-speed adaptive cruise control, it would be perfect. What do you think?
If you plan to go for the 269,900 yuan Zhixiang Edition, you might as well add a bit more and directly go for the top trim 289,900 yuan Zunxiang Edition. That choice would better fit "high cost-effectiveness." How would you choose?
Note: Some images in the article are from the internet and will be deleted if infringing! This was written impromptu and has not been proofread. Please forgive any errors or omissions!
