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You'll have noticed more BYD badges on Dubai's roads over the past couple of years, and the Song Plus is one of the models behind that. It's a family SUV that's arrived with plug-in hybrid and fully electric versions, and it's worth knowing about even if you're not in the market for a new car. It isn't currently part of Expat Motors' own range, so this one's more of a spotlight than a sales pitch, but it's a useful one to understand if you're weighing up what else is out there in the same segment as the cars we do stock.
BYD stands for Build Your Dreams, and the brand's auto division was established in 2003 as a subsidiary of BYD Company Limited. It's become one of the world's leading manufacturers of new energy vehicles and power batteries, and it's notable for developing its own powertrains, batteries, drive motors and motor control systems in-house rather than relying on outside suppliers.
BYD entered the UAE market officially in 2023, and its official distributor here is Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility Company. The UAE range covers fully electric models alongside plug-in hybrids, which BYD markets locally as "Super Hybrid".
The Song Plus is BYD's mid-size family SUV, and one of the earlier plug-in hybrid models the brand brought to the UAE. It's aimed squarely at the same buyers who'd typically be cross-shopping established five-seat family SUVs, but it does it with an electrified powertrain rather than a conventional petrol engine.
The Song Plus is available with two different powertrains. The plug-in hybrid version, badged DM-i, pairs a 1.5 litre turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor for a combined power output, sent through an automatic gearbox in either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive depending on the trim. There's also a fully electric version, which offers a longer pure-electric range and rapid charging.
It comes with five drive modes: Sport, Ordinary, Economical, and dedicated Sand and Mud terrain settings, which is a genuinely useful touch for anyone planning to take a family SUV off the beaten track here in the UAE.
Inside and out, the Song Plus comes reasonably well equipped for its segment. Depending on trim, you'll find bi-colour alloy wheels, LED headlights and tail lights, a panoramic sunroof, ventilated and heated front seats, ambient interior lighting, a multi-speaker sound system and a rotating touchscreen display.
On the safety side, it comes with ABS, EBD and electronic stability control, multiple airbags including curtain airbags, rear parking sensors and a camera, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and lane departure warning, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind spot detection and a 360 degree surround camera.
The Song Plus sits in a similar size bracket to a lot of the family SUVs already familiar to Dubai buyers, including some of the ones we stock ourselves, like theVolkswagen Touareg andVolvo XC60. What it brings to that conversation is a plug-in hybrid or fully electric alternative to the petrol and diesel options that have dominated this segment for years, along with a generous features list for the price. Whether that trade-off suits you comes down to how you actually use a car day to day, and how you feel about charging and running an electrified vehicle in the UAE.
Right now, the Song Plus is only available to buy new, through Al-Futtaim. That'll change over time as the first wave of cars comes off lease or gets traded in, the same way it does with any newly launched model. If you're thinking ahead to buying one used once that happens, the same due diligence applies as with any hybrid or EV: check the battery warranty and health, ask about how the car's cooling system has coped with the UAE climate, and get a full service history before you commit.
Whatever you end up buying, used or new, electrified or not, a proper inspection makes all the difference. Every car that comes through Expat Motors goes through our160 point check, and ourguide to buying a car in Dubai covers the wider checklist worth running through before you hand over any money.
We're a British owned and operated dealership with over 50 years of combined experience in the automotive industry, and every car in our showroom has been through our full 160 point inspection before it reaches you.
Browse our current SUV range or get in touch with our team to talk through what might suit you:
