“GAC, what’s that?” Such a question became commonplace amongst those inquiring as to what car I had on test for the week. Well, GAC Motors is the fifth largest vehicle manufacturer in China and after a national launch, with much fanfare, the GAC range has landed in Canterbury as part of the Miles Group.
With its science fiction-esque name and advanced technology features, the AION V is a mid-sized, fully electric urban SUV and one of three models marking GAC’s entry into the New Zealand market. The other two being the ENZOOM EV and the M8 MPV.
The AION V consists of two spec levels, the entry level Premium and the flagship Luxury, my test car being the latter. Retailing at $49,990 (Premium) and $51,990 (Luxury), the AION V positions itself incredibly well price wise, especially when you factor in the kit you get for your dough. In fact, GAC are currently offering both models with a $2000 discount, making the AION V a sub $50k pairing.
Powering the AION V is a 75.26kWh battery pack sending drive to the front wheels. Total power is 150kW and torque sits at 210Nm. GAC claim 510kms of electric range which is impressive too. Compatible with AC and DC fast charging, an 11kW AC charger will give you 100 per cent charge in 8.5 hours and if you use a 75kW DC fast charger, you can have up to 80 per cent in 24 minutes. GAC claims 16.7 kWh/100km of combined energy consumption.
In terms of design, GAC states that the AION V was styled to evoke the image of a “Cyber T-Rex,” serving as a unique source of inspiration in automotive design. The LED headlights subtly mirror the appearance of a futuristic, prehistoric creature’s eyes, while various bold accents and sharp angles at both the front and rear are intended to capture attention. Notable features include the flush door handles and the chequered flag motif on the rear-three-quarter panel.
Inside you have screens and modern minimalism. Adding to this is the higher level of quality that I was initially expecting. The quilted leather and other interior materials feel just that bit better put together than what you would expect, even from five years ago, a testament to just how far Chinese brands have come in such a short space of time.
The kit list is more than generous. Things like 19-inch alloys, panoramic roof, heated and ventilated seats, heated steering wheel, power boot lid, ambient lighting, wireless phone charging, a 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system, an 8.8-inch LCD instrument cluster, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, sat nav, and a raft of safety features including lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, rear cross traffic alert and traffic sign recognition all coming as standard.
The infotainment system is sharp and easy to get your head around and the ADiGO sound system is good too. Jamie Cullum’s piano came through nicely.
Aside from the addition of leather trim and eight-point massage function built into the driver and front passenger seat, one extra feature which stands out when choosing Luxury over Premium is the fridge freezer built in below the centre arm rest. Usually, we expect a feature like this to be on the spec sheet for a luxury SUV or saloon costing three or four times the price, not something which can be had for a snip under $50k.
In ‘fridge’ mode you can alter the temperature from zero to 20 degrees. I was able to pick up some cottage cheese from the supermarket, set the fridge for four degrees and by the time I arrived at my destination, it was still cold. You can set it to ‘freezer’ mode to keep those ice creams frozen at minus 15 degrees and even turn it into a hot box with up to 50 degrees possible to keep those pies warm. That said, you probably wouldn’t be able to use it as a slow cooker. Either way, it’s cool.
It has been said that a vital part of Chinese car design is having more than ample space in the back for rear passengers. Hopping into the rear of the AION V, I think they may have overdone it. Honestly, with its reclining rear seats and immense legroom, it does feel more like a lounge back here than a rear seat configuration. You also get a fold out tray which is stored in the seatback in front of you.
Its plush, spacious and you have plenty of head room too. Getting in and out is also doubly easy for the rear doors open to what feels like almost 90 degrees, making it dead easy to step out of the car rather than fold yourself out.
Boot space is rated at 427L and you can drop the boot floor to a lower level to increase carrying capacity. Plus increase it further to 978L by dropped the second-row seating entirely.
In terms of a drive, the AION V has plenty of spirit in terms of go. It’s not overtly rapid but you have ample power and torque on tap to silently overtake or get up to speed with brisk momentum. My only real gripe is the driver alert monitoring system which beeps if you take your eyes away from the road ahead for the briefest of moments, thankfully you can switch this off.
Dynamically it feels supple and planted and tyre roar and noise from the outside world is almost non-existent. Change over to Sport and you can enjoy some driving exuberance.
The GAC AION V has so much going for it. For under $50,000, it’s certainly hard to fault in terms of technology, driveability and ergonomics. It’s probably not the most involving drive, but in terms of just about everything else, it is a well thought out all-rounder. It looks like GAC has every intention to make it big in our market and the AION V is certainly well worth your time.
RATING: 8.5/10
