Mengshi, the off-road brand under Dongfeng, held a technology and pre-sale launch event for its new X700 model in Hangzhou on September 28. The X700 is the first vehicle in Mengshi's new X series and the first product under the company's strategic cooperation 2.0 with Huawei's Qiankun (Qiankun) intelligent automotive solutions. According to NetEase Auto, the model aims to serve both as a daily driver for urban families and a capable off-roader for weekend adventures.
Balancing conflicting demands
Mengshi's product line president, Wang Feng, acknowledged that when the X700 was first defined three years ago, the company did not anticipate how crowded the boxy SUV segment would become. He said the challenge lies in balancing seemingly conflicting requirements: city comfort, highway stability, and off-road capability. The X700 addresses this with a suspension system that combines MRC magnetorheological dampers, dual-chamber air suspension, and Huawei's perception-based "magic carpet" preview technology. The air suspension offers 150 mm of adjustable travel, and the system can pre-adjust damping based on road conditions ahead.
The powertrain also reflects this dual-purpose approach. The X700's high-end Ultra version uses a 68.1 kWh battery from CATL, providing a CLTC electric-only range of 360 kilometres (about 224 miles) and a combined range of over 1,300 kilometres (about 808 miles) with a full tank and full charge. The vehicle is built on an 800V architecture. (CLTC figures are typically 15-20% more optimistic than WLTP, so the electric-only range would be roughly 290-305 km under WLTP.) The plug-in hybrid setup is designed to let users go off-road without worrying about high running costs.
Smart off-roading for the masses
Mengshi and Huawei are positioning the X700 as a pioneer in "smart off-roading," using technology to lower the barrier for novice drivers. The X700 is the first model to feature Huawei's ADS 5 advanced driver assistance system, with NCA (navigation-guided assisted driving) extended to rural and mountain roads. Other features include a Huawei-developed off-road heads-up display, a Hongmeng cockpit with an off-road assistant, and a memory-based track return function. Huawei's senior vice president, Jin Yuzhi, compared smart off-roading to how smartwatches encouraged more people to take up fitness.
The X700's family-oriented positioning is a departure from Mengshi's previous hardcore off-road models. The M series remains focused on extreme personal challenges, while the X series targets households. The X700 includes features such as a fold-flat second row that forms a bed, zero-gravity seats, massage functions, a cooler box, and vehicle-to-load (V2L) power export. Mengshi also plans to build a user ecosystem around the vehicle, including ten smart off-road campsites, training programs, and community events.
Mengshi CEO Wan Liangyu emphasized that the X700 has undergone extensive testing, including in northwest China's Gobi desert and on routes from the company's participation in the Rallies of Taklimakan. The company says internal body durability tests have covered nearly one million kilometres, with total real-world testing across multiple vehicles reaching several million kilometres. Battery safety has been a focus, with specific tests for high and low temperatures and bottom impacts.
The X700 is expected to be priced in the 300,000 yuan (about $42,300) range, though the company has not announced exact figures. As a Chinese guide price before taxes and incentives, this positions the X700 against other boxy SUVs that also aim to combine urban and off-road use. Whether the X700 can truly deliver on its promises will depend on real-world usage by a broad customer base, but the product's definition marks a clear shift in Mengshi's strategy: from asking "where can I go" to "who can I go with and how can we enjoy it."
