The GAC Aion V Looks Odd But Is Incredible Value | Review

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If you walked as much as somebody on the road and requested them what a GAC Aion V was, most would offer you a clean stare. Those courageous sufficient to reply would possibly suppose it’s a flowery new washer, whereas others might guess it’s the identify of a sophisticated hot-water system. It’s really an electrical SUV, and it’s launched in a number of markets, desirous to shake up the EV institution.

On paper, the Aion V appears nearly too good to be true. This SUV guarantees area and luxury to match a Tesla Model Y, all whereas costing considerably much less, having extra spectacular options, and being backed by one in all China’s oldest and largest automobile producers.

However, as we’ve seen with many different new vehicles from China, the specification sheet solely tells a part of the story. Building a compelling electrical SUV isn’t simple. Has GAC managed to create one with the Aion V? The reply is a powerful sure.

QUICK FACTS

Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops

Two variations of the Aion V are offered in Australia. The entry-level Aion V Premium kicks off the vary, priced from AU$42,590 (US$29,700) earlier than charges, whereas sitting on the prime of the household is the Aion V Luxury, which we just lately drove, priced at AU$44,590 (US$31,000) earlier than charges.

The Aion V is definitely in its second era, with this mannequin first launched in China in mid-2024. It’s underpinned by GAC’s AEP 3.0 platform, additionally utilized by the China-exclusive Toyota bZ3X. Several completely different battery packs can be found relying on the area. These embody a 62 kWh lithium-ion pack from CATL, a barely bigger 64.5-kWh LFP battery, a 75-kWH LFP, and a 90-kWh NMC battery. All variations offered in Australia come normal with the 75 kWh pack, directing energy via a single front-mounted electrical motor with 150 kW (201 hp) and 210 Nm (155 lb-ft)of torque.

Although Chinese automobile manufacturers have proven they’ll construct vehicles at nearly unthinkable value factors, not all of them have found out construct a car that’s good to have a look at. As we skilled earlier this yr with the Emzoom, M8 PHEV, and Aion UT, the Aion V isn’t precisely essentially the most fashionable SUV. It’s boxy, however not essentially in a great way, and has a somewhat uncommon stance on the street. Look previous the odd design and peek contained in the cabin, and also you’ll perceive the place the Aion V begins to make an entire lot of sense.

Luxury On A Budget

Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops

The inside of the Aion V doesn’t compute with an SUV that prices lower than AU$45,000 (US$31,400), or roughly the identical as a Toyota Corolla ZR, which is now nearly a decade outdated. It feels so effectively put collectively, and so premium, that you possibly can simply be fooled into considering you had been sitting in a car costing upwards of AU$70,000 (US$48,900).

Obviously, the 14.6-inch infotainment show is what instantly catches the attention. It’s crisp and snappy, housing all vital car controls, together with the local weather capabilities. We hate screens used to regulate temperature and fan pace as a lot as anybody, however not less than the Aion V has a shortcut menu locked on the backside of the display with these controls, making them a bit of simpler to entry whereas on the transfer.

The Aion V additionally comes normal with an 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster and a two-spoke steering wheel. In Luxury guise, the EV additionally comes normal with real leather-based seats that really feel exceptionally premium. Better but, each entrance seats embody very good therapeutic massage capabilities that work completely brilliantly. Unlike so many massaging seats the place you’ll be able to solely really feel a tiny pulse in your again, the Aion V’s seats ship a surprisingly reasonable really feel, as if tiny fists are being firmly pressed into your again. Usually, that is one thing you’ll solely discover in vehicles price six figures.

Review: China’s 2026 GAC Aion UT Is A Budget EV That Doesn’t Feel Cheap

Perhaps the one largest social gathering piece of the Aion V’s cabin is the fridge. Housed between the entrance seats the place you’d ordinarily discover the middle console, it’s 6.6 liters and proved massively helpful in sizzling climate, retaining my drink bottle cool. It’s not only a fridge both. The temperature might be adjusted to as little as 5 levels Fahrenheit (-15 levels Celsius), so it doubles as a freezer. What’s extra, the temperature might be elevated to as much as 122 levels Fahrenheit (50 levels Celsius) do you have to need to preserve drinks or meals heat.

Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops

All vital inside surfaces really feel very premium. These embody the two-tone door panels with diamond stitching, the soft-touch dashboard, and the felt used for the wi-fi smartphone charger.

The positives proceed within the rear. While the Aion V’s 2,775-mm (109.2-inch) wheelbase isn’t big, it feels certifiably palatial within the second row. There’s loads of headroom and legroom for adults to take a seat comfortably within the again. The Luxury mannequin even features a fold-out desk on the again of the entrance passenger seat. Add in a panoramic glass roof with a sliding cowl – in contrast to a Tesla – and also you get a cabin that feels superbly executed.

This Is No Sporty SUV, And That’s Okay

Unlike a Tesla Model Y, which even in its easiest kind has a sporty edge to it, there’s nothing sporty in regards to the Aion V. That’s to not say it isn’t a beautiful place to spend time, as it’s.

Figures of 150 kW (201 hp) and 210 Nm (155 lb-ft) are par for the course for front-wheel drive EVs like this, matching figures just like the Hyundai Elexio and Kia EV5, however down barely on the Geely EX5 with its 160 kW (215 hp) and 320 Nm (236 lb-ft).

Torque steer is saved to a minimal, though there’s a trace of it for those who pin the throttle in Sport mode. I spent many of the week with the Aion V driving round in Power Save mode because it’s the one mode that enabled one-pedal driving. This let me common simply 14.8 kWh/100 km throughout greater than 300 km (186 miles) of driving, that means it is rather attainable to fulfill GAC’s WLTP-claimed driving vary of 510 km (317 miles).

Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops

The lack of one-pedal driving in Sport or Comfort modes is disappointing, as is the dearth of paddle shifters to make on-the-fly changes to the regenerative braking. This isn’t a giant deal, however it’s one thing that potential consumers ought to pay attention to.

Steering really feel is nice. Unlike some EVs, the Aion V’s steering isn’t so mild {that a} sturdy gust of wind via an open window might flip the wheel. Instead, it’s properly weighted, though it doesn’t do job of transmitting suggestions from the street, so it may be a bit of troublesome to find out what the entrance tires are as much as.

GAC has additionally achieved job of calibrating the suspension. The Aion UT I examined earlier this yr rode extra like a premium German sedan than an affordable, electrical hatchback, and it’s a lot the identical because the V. Owing to the SUV’s bigger dimension, it’s a little firmer than the UT, but it surely by no means crashes over potholes or pace bumps, and as an alternative rides over them gracefully and quietly.

Charging speeds are stable. GAC says the Aion V helps charging speeds of as much as 180 kW, that means the battery might be charged from 10-80 % in roughly 24 minutes. While a base Tesla Model Y can cost at as much as 250 kW, it prices roughly AU$13,000 (US$9,000) greater than the Aion V. More direct rivals just like the Geely EX5 and Hyundai Elexio have DC charging speeds capped at simply 100 kW and 150 kW, respectively.

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, although. My largest gripe with the Aion V is its security methods, that are an all-too-common theme amongst Chinese EVs. First is the driver-monitoring system, which is as hyperactive as a child that’s simply eaten an entire bag of M&Ms. Glance away from the street for a cut up second and it’ll begin complaining, triggering an annoying ring till you look again on the street.

Similarly, the pace monitoring instantly alerts you even for those who’re simply momentarily 1 km/h over the pace restrict. While these options have gotten extra frequent, not simply on vehicles from China however elsewhere in Asia, Europe, and the US, some manufacturers have made it easy to disengage these alerts with conveniently positioned shortcuts on the touchscreen. That’s not the case with the Aion V, as you must dive into a number of menus to disable them each time you go for a drive.

Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops

Verdict

The GAC Aion V may be very spectacular, particularly given the value and the entire tools on provide. I’ve little doubt the outside design will delay some available in the market for an electrical SUV, however for those who can look previous a number of the odd styling, it’s a well-rounded proposition.

For a car costing lower than AU$50,000 (US$34,900), the inside is the apparent spotlight. It’s fashionable, well-made, plush, and loaded with options. Combine a chilled driving expertise with nice effectivity, and also you get a mid-size electrical SUV that’ll depart some legacy manufacturers scratching their heads.

Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops

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