This is a Changhe Beidouxing II mini MPV, seen on a car modification market in Beijing, parked next to a pink Tank 300. The Beidouxing was in great shape, painted in white, and standing on steel wheels.
The Changhe brand has a long and complicated history. Initially, it was a subsidiary of aircraft maker AVIC, later on, it became a subsidiary of Changan Automobile, and in 2013 it was taken over by BAIC.
The company had a long-running joint venture with Suzuki for local production of the first-generation Suzuki Wagon R+, which was called the Beidouxing in China. From 2013 onwards, Change also produced several new models based on BAIC platforms. Sadly, it didn’t work out. By 2022 Changhe went bankrupt and BAIC sold the asset to other car makers. Production of electric versions of the Beidouxing continues until today.
The car we have here is of the second-generation Beidouxing, commonly called the Beidouxing II. It was developed by Change under BAIC ownership but it was still based on the original Suzuki Wagon R+ platform. The design of the body and the interior was completely new. Changhe also added blue detailing to the lights and grille. This was common for early Chinese EVs but rare on gasoline-powered models. The Beidouxing II debuted in 2019 and production ended with Changhe’s bankruptcy in 2022.
The interior was spacious for such a little car. It has fancy Changhe-branded seat covers and a steering wheel cover. The center stack is quite modern, with an audio CD system and a small LCD screen.
The size of the Beidouxing II was: 3950/1740/1700, with a 2530 wheelbase and an 1130 kg curb weight. So it was pretty high, which you can see inside, with lots of headroom. Between the front seats is a cup holder for the passengers in the back.
The rear was dressed up with a spoiler above the window with an integrated brake light. The Beidouxing II was powered by a Suzuki-derived 1.4-liter 16-valve gasoline engine mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. The output was 101 hp and 135 Nm. The top speed was a decent 160 km/h and it drank 6 liters of fuel every 100 kilometers.
Character time! This is: 北汽昌河, Běiqì Chānghé, BAIC Changhe. BAIC for the company and Changhe for the brand.
This is 北斗星 (Běidǒuxīng), which means Big Dipper. The character 星 (xīng, star) was modified with a star shape in the middle.
The Beidouxing II was super cheap. In 2019, prices started at 56.999 yuan, which made it the cheapest mini MPV on the market. Sadly, by that time, the Changhe brand was already in trouble so buyers were careful, and sales were very slow. That makes the Changhe Beidouxing II a rare mini MPV in China.