Bestune T99 from automotive manufacturers FAW is a midsize 5 seater SUV that at first glance stands for everything good the Chinese car brands have brought into this market, and there seems to be a reason for it.
In the last couple of years, the number of new car brands and novel designs on our roads has risen more than ever – most of them are Chinese brands that have set out on a mission to conquer the automotive world west of China. Along with those brands came a wizardry of sorts – of delivering gadgetry that could only be admired so far in premium cars; of design that brought a feeling of déjà vu but was no less appealing for it; of prices that completed the spell of transforming brand affinities. Bestune is one among the many that arrived; and one among the few that warranted attention, thanks to two brand differentiators: a legacy of 70 years and the worldly wisdom that came with it.
The Bestune Legacy
One word that sets brands apart, wherever they are from, is legacy. FAW, the makers of Bestune, has 70 years of innovation and reliability to showcase. The name that once expanded to ‘First Automotive Works’ is one of the oldest and largest automakers in China and happens to be in the first hundred among Global Fortune 500 companies. However, you would perhaps be even more impressed to know them as the makers of Honqi – a name mavericks dare to utter in the same breath as the Rolls-Royce. As we set off to review the Bestune T99, further reassurance comes from their 70 years of collaborative experience, as manufacturers of popular German and Japanese brands in the People’s Republic of China. Well-placed aspiration and well-earned lessons place them in a position to claim their share in the bandwagon of brands offering affordable premium.
Bestune T99 Dimensions and design
The Bestune T99 is closer to a midsize SUV at 4800 mm (more or less the same size as Ford Edge, Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento and Range Rover Velar). A longer-than-usual wheelbase of 2870 mm ensures there is enough space within the cabin and even in the boot.
Looking for a more compact 5 seater? Check out the Bestune T77 review
The sleek lines and tapering profile of Range Rover seems to be an endless source of inspiration to both established and upcoming brands (can’t blame them really). Bestune T99 too, reveals an admiration for the British brand especially in the long bonnet, the pinch-lines, the tapering rear with high window lines, and the elite stance on those 20” wheels. No complaints, really.
The dynamic grille design with its thickly packed 3D knots, despite being a contemporary favourite picked by brands like Lincoln, Ford and MG, has largely succeeded in defining the Bestune signature. (My quiz on Drivemeonline Instagram triggered many more right recognitions of T99 than I expected. Follow this link to check out my insta page) The red wraparound taillamps and the vertical slice tucked into the corners are interesting but the front seems to be more striking than the rear.
Luxurious and thoughtful
Bestune T99 is one of the most spacious 5-seaters in town, offering the warm comfort of luxurious leather (with seat heating) designed for a cosseted ride. The driver seat is 6-way adjustable while the front passenger seat allows 4-way movement. The cabin is gracefully lit up from the panoramic glass canopy above. Yet what truly elevates the T99 is the quiet ride, almost on par with premium cars that cost twice as much.
Among the more thoughtful aspects of the car is the rear door that opens in three stages – almost 180-degrees wide; so getting in and out is a breeze and so is loading cargo from the side. But the thoughtfulness is directed even more towards the car parked next to the T99 – the step-by-step opening means the T99 door won’t swing into the other with a ‘bang’!
Generous storage
There is a new cabin design lingo shaping up for Chinese automotive models – offering tech edge and practical convenience. The double decker console is one of them. The T99 also has a lower deck for convenient stowage of mobile phones or the likes. The console has spacious armrest storage, which is accessed through a butterfly-lid (half lids that bloom open) that allows rear passengers to dig into it, too. The T99 is designed with well-assigned storage spaces and a generous trunk of 377 L. (It feels more spacious than the numbers suggest, despite the slanting rear seat.)
Controlled by touch
Bestune T99 is way more digitized than the T77 and has more autonomous support. Even the opening graphics when the car starts up is a rather elaborate affair!
Besides the two top screens of 12.3” each, one for driver info and the other for multimedia, there is another 7” screen. The third screen is mostly dedicated for air-conditioning controls, besides a lineup of buttons for boot opening, Hill Descent Control, Park assist and Lane Keep Assist. With so much of digital real estate, the rocker switches and console buttons found in the T77 is missing in the T99.
The drive
Bestune T99 is driven by a 2.0L turbo engine producing 221 hp and 340 Nm of torque – figures that are becoming standard fare for mid-size SUVs. Bestune T99 makes good use of those horses and trades a tangible turbo lag for steady, reassuring power quickly enough (turbo kicks in as early as 1650 rpm).
T99 is built for comfortable city rides and highway long-hauls, so it saves some fuel by being a front wheel drive. The start-stop technology helps too, and the T99 returns respectable figures between 10.5 km and 12 km per litre, though within the city it stops a kilometre south of 10.
The comfortable ride, which is exceptionally quiet for its category, benefits from the independent suspensions in front and rear (with stabilizer bar).
The safety tech
When it comes to standard safety or advanced safety, Bestune T99 continues to vie with the premium badges. Front and side curtain airbags are examples of in-built safety but the host of advanced safety electronics in the T99 is astonishing – like any new-gen Chinese car worth its y’an. This includes Front Collision Warning and Emergency Brake Assist, Lane Keeping Assist with Departure Warning, Lane correction tech and Adaptive Cruise Control. This is enough to hand over control to the car, but you try that and the car quickly reminds you to take control of the steering. If it isn’t legal, then what is the point? Well, it is good to know that whenever the roads and regulations are ready for some level of autonomy, the car you own is ready and waiting for it! Talking about autonomy, the Bestune T99 can park itself in two types of lots – Parallel and Perpendicular – in response to your command feed. You can view how easily the T99 does it in my review video.
Bestune T99 – price and warranty
New cars in today’s market claim greater confidence by their legacy and an extra warranty. Bestune T99 offers a 6 year/200,000 km warranty. This isn’t a car for those looking for just a cheap alternative. But it offers loads of value at a price ranging from AED 120,000 for Premium to 135,000 for the Limousine trim. Plus, Bestune seems to have price discounts or value-added offers that have amounted to as much as AED 20,000 in the recent past. So that could be worth checking out with the dealer (Al Khalid Auto).
The essential Bestune T99
While many SUVs are adding two extra seats to offer 7-seat comfort, five-seaters offering impressive premium features and generous comfort will continue to be a popular choice. Bestune T99 has got the formula right with its vastly spacious interiors, plenty of storage, urban driver assistance features including self-parking and a surprising quietness of ride. In a category that looks for value, the T99 is luxury.
