Fang Cheng Bao Leopard 5: plug-in hybrid SUV with serious off-road tech

Overview of the Fang Cheng Bao Leopard 5 — a plug-in hybrid, body-on-frame 4x4 with diff locks, low range and luxury tech, as reviewed by Doug DeMuro.

If you like your off-roaders boxy and capable but wish they felt more like modern tech flagships, the Fang Cheng Bao Leopard 5 lands right in that sweet spot. It’s a body-on-frame SUV roughly the size of a Toyota 4Runner (about 192 inches long) with short overhangs, skid plates, recovery points and a full-size spare on the tailgate—classic hardware with a contemporary twist.

The twist is the powertrain: a plug-in hybrid built around a 1.5-liter turbo four and electric motors on both axles, for a combined output of around 675 hp. Despite a curb weight near 6,400 lb, the Leopard 5 sprints to 60 mph in roughly 4.8 seconds. It’s startlingly quick for a ladder-frame rig, even if its true calling isn’t hustling through corners.

The exterior sells the idea immediately—blocky, muscular surfacing, a light signature that frames the grille, and a red-illuminated badge on the spare cover that looks like a superhero cameo. The sense of discipline in the design is hard to miss.

Inside, the Leopard 5 feels premium in materials and execution: perforated leather with contrast stitching, Alcantara on the doors, and a theatrical start-up sequence with a red starter switch and a shifter that rises to greet you. The “quirks and features” list is long and surprisingly useful: a temperature-set console box that cools and heats; a push-down cupholder that hides your bottle and lifts it back at a tap; wireless phone chargers with active cooling; and the full off-road suite—front and rear diff locks, low range, and height-adjustable suspension.

Drive modes cover rock, mud, mountain, sand, even a wading profile and a clever soft-surface U-turn function. The interface shows tire pressures and live approach/departure/breakover angles, and there’s a Sport mode that politely advises you to exit “in a timely manner” if unnecessary.

Screens are everywhere—instrument cluster, a digital rear-view mirror, a dedicated passenger display—and the camera system offers top-down and 3D perspectives. The car can record video inside and out and even set snapshots as infotainment wallpapers. One-tap all-windows down/up is baked in. Front and rear seats get heating and ventilation; the fronts add massage and saved “resting” positions. The climate system supports fragrance diffusion and air purification.

The second row is unexpectedly roomy, helped by a flat floor without a center hump; some cargo space has clearly been traded to achieve it, though the tall, square cargo bay is still practical, and the rear seats fold. The tailgate swings sideways, soft-closes, and the load-in is aided by a button to lower the suspension. Power outlets include 12V and a household socket, and underfloor storage hides tools plus an accessory that turns the vehicle into a giant battery for powering external devices.

On the road, it’s quiet and composed, leaning into its electric side most of the time; the gas engine joins under heavy throttle. You feel the mass in bends—there is roll and float—but straight-line punch is significant, and the overall vibe is “luxury body-on-frame,” somewhere between the new 4Runner and a Lexus GX.

Context matters: in China, it has been reported around the “$40,000-ish” mark—a strong value given the spec. In North America, it’s almost certainly a non-starter due to tariffs and broader unease about Chinese brands. If it arrived at a similar price, though, it would be a genuine contender. A score of 58/100 fits the narrative: tech, off-road ability and acceleration impress, and the styling holds its own.

Beyond numbers, what stands out is character. The heavy, jewel-like key without a ring loop; the automatically deploying side step; the twin vertical vents that actually move as one—these small decisions add up. Leopard 5 isn’t just another square silhouette; it’s an argument that a ladder frame can speak fluent 2020s without losing its accent.