Behold the BAIC Xingtan 5X, a new five-seat SUV from China that looks as if its designers used a Land Rover Defender template when creating it.
Yes, China has produced yet another Land Rover Defender lookalike, which should not come as a big surprise given the recent legal dispute between JLR and BYD over another SUV that’s heavily inspired by the Defender, the BYD Ti7 plug-in hybrid SUV.
Defender-Inspired Design and Similar Size for Just $19,000
BAIC Group
The big shocker with the BAIC Xingtan 5X is not the fact that it’s probably the most blatant Defender copy yet (as automotive commentator Tim Oldland points out in a post on X.com), but its base price of under $19,000 in China.
We’re talking about an SUV that offers electric and plug-in hybrid powertrains with up to 536 horsepower, Huawei technology, and a body that’s the same size as the Defender 110. The BAIC Xingtan 5X is 191.5 inches long, 78.7 inches wide, and 75.2 inches high, with a 113.2-inch wheelbase; when an optional externally mounted spare wheel is mounted, the length increases to 197 inches, the same as the Defender 110.
Another week, another blatant Defender copy launched in China. This time it’s the BAIC Xingtan 5X (mmm, snappy).
This has to be the closest copy yet. Absurd. pic.twitter.com/Y02Fa6FcWP
— Tim Oldland (@Timoldland) November 12, 2026
Launched in China on November 12, the Xingtan 5X is available in seven configurations priced between 129,900 and 174,900 yuan ($19,500-$26,200). Mind you, a launch discount brings the entry price down to 126,900 yuan, which is exactly $19,000 at the current exchange rate. For comparison, the cheapest Land Rover Defender 110 starts at around $65,000 in the United States.
Unsurprisingly, the combination between the familiar boxy off-roader styling and affordable price tag has led to a successful launch for the BAIC Xingtan 5X in China. BAIC claims it has 30,208 orders in the bag from the 23-day presale period only, a quite promising start according to CnEVPost.
Electrified Powertrains, Huawei Tech and a Potential Legal Headache
BAIC Group
Buyers can choose between fully electric and plug-in hybrid powertrains. The electric version is RWD-only and uses a 304-hp rear motor and an 81.9-kWh battery said to enable a claimed range of 388 miles on China’s CLTC cycle. The vehicle’s 800-volt architecture allows charging from 30 to 80 percent in a claimed 14.5 minutes.
The plug-in hybrid version is available either with FWD or AWD. In front-wheel-drive configuration, it combines a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine with a 50.4-kWh battery and a 268-hp front-mounted electric motor. All-wheel-drive versions add a second 268-hp electric motor at the rear, resulting in a system output of 536 hp. They also get a mechanical rear differential lock, crawl control, and 14 terrain modes.
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On the tech front, some variants get Huawei’s Qiankun ADS 5 Pro driver-assistance system with 27 sensors, including solid-state LiDAR. Inside, buyers get a 15.6-inch infotainment display, with higher trims adding a second screen and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8295P processor.
The BAIC Xingtan 5X’s styling could attract unwanted attention since Jaguar Land Rover has already challenged BYD over the Defender-like appearance of its Ti7 SUV. Whether BAIC faces similar scrutiny remains to be seen, but from where we’re standing, the Xingtan 5X looks even more like the Defender than BYD’s SUV.
The upright windshield, squared-off bodywork, chunky wheel arches, nearly vertical rear profile, similar headlights and tailights, and optional tailgate-mounted spare wheel make it easy to mistake it for a Defender from most angles, except the interior.
BAIC Group
