We are getting inundated with new brands from Mainland China—possibly at the worst time if you’ve caught up with maritime affairs. Regardless, even a simpleton could be overwhelmed by seeing more and more affordable crossovers flooding the market in a snap.

Beijing Auto—also known as BAIC—has returned to our market. It used to be marketed and sold by Bayan Auto, which peddled the brand’s family vans, MPVs, and even a jeep-like crossover before fading into obscurity. Right now, United Asia Automotive Group Inc. (UAAGI) has taken over the distribution rights.

The X55 Verve is the first proper crossover (alongside the X7 Grandeza) from the state-owned Chinese brand, set to compete with the likes of the Honda CR-V and the Hyundai Tucson. Funnily enough, the original name from its home country is Mofang, translated to English as Rubik’s Cube.

With its wheelbase of 2,735mm and length of 4,620mm, you get a competitive turning radius, a 350L cargo capacity, and ample legroom that allows you to comfortably cross your legs. Its exterior gives off a slim line motif with funky crystal and angular patterns on the grille and the taillights.

However, I won’t lie: The upside-down checkmark headlights confused me for the JAC JS4 in several instances. The black five-spoke, 19-inch wheels complemented the futuristic edge of its design, and proportioned well with the crossover body and the 225/55-series Hankook Dynapro HP2 tires.

Despite its minimalist appearance, the X55 Verve is neither an electric nor a hybrid crossover. Under the hood is a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing a humble 185hp and 305Nm, born from a partnership with Meta GmbH.

The German ties are not unusual when you know that BAIC has a joint venture with Mercedes-Benz for the Chinese market.

Four basic driving modes are available: Eco, Comfort, Sport and Smart, each with distinct ambient sounds. BAIC claims its fuel economy is within the 13-14km/L ballpark, yet my less-frugal driving style on eco mode gave a reading of 11km/L (maybe 18 on a good day).

The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission deviates from a Benz with not-so-smooth shifts but enough for a daily commute; flicking the electronic gear selector to the left on D/S mode allows you to shift manually. However, even in Sport mode, don’t expect AMG GT levels of precision.

While its exterior and powertrain moderately impressed me, getting inside unraveled some flaws. The seats are perfect for a performance machine but not for a daily crossover. Reaching out for something in the back is noticeably harder thanks to the seats’ bolstered padding and shape—I don’t want to feel like I’m entering a race car every day.

The center island is divided into two trapezoid sections. In the glossy-black section are a pair of cupholders, and two diagonal smartphone pads that could snuggly fit my Sony Xperia 1 IV and wirelessly charge it in the frontmost slot. Meanwhile, the compartment has air-conditioning vents for cold-item storage that is perfect for drinks and ice cream.

The no-nonsense 10.1-inch digital instrument cluster can be customized in three variations, all presented cleanly and brightly in any lighting condition. However, the 10.25-inch infotainment system and the all-touchscreen features left a mixed impression. BAIC fell into the no-button dashboard trend so hard that the hazard button was relocated to where the reading lights used to be. No kidding: Finding the illusive red triangle took almost 15 minutes, and admittedly, I should have consulted the vehicle’s manual. However, that requires opening a PDF file in the system—instead of a physical booklet with an index—and scrolling up and down to find my desired section. Needless to say, this is a one-time rant in the ownership experience.

Going back to the screen, the all-digital affair meant that the climate control system also suffers from being exclusively accessible on the touch display but could quickly expand through the bottom bar. Being a typical Chinese product, CarbitLink makes another appearance with the usual enlarged interface, but not as jarring.

As for its safety features, the X55 delivers in the most endearing and controlling-nanny way possible. The 360° camera is somewhat clear as it’s a small image sensor on a huge interface. Nevertheless, its all-around view is serviceable for everyday use, especially with the top-down perspective.

Lane-departure warning and lane-keep assist worked too well along Skyway, giving reminders like tugs instead of nudges. The system taking control to correct itself was too jerky for my liking, so I settled for the chime alerts instead.

Parking sensors surround the crossover, a must-have for this size especially for tight roads (although they also go off while you’re driving). A simple trick is to turn it off by pressing the “P with the triangles” icon, but the annoying part is that disabling the beeps lasts a short time. Whenever I encountered more traffic ahead, I needed to go through the same process every time to shut the system up as if it were the ending of the Black Mirror: White Christmas episode.

If I’m being honest, that aspect alone got on my nerves. So I questioned myself: “Who in their right mind would ever buy this?” I’ll tell you who: those who appreciate the affordable price of P1,348,000 for a C-segment crossover (Japanese rivals have reached the P2,000,000 mark lately). The BAIC X55 Verve delivers what a contemporary family needs: a smooth engine, a plethora of safety tech (no matter how nosy the system can be), and most importantly, a large space to play with.