The Chinese EV That Just Might Surprise You
There’s a new EV player in town – and it goes by the name Xpeng. If you’ve never heard of them, don’t worry, you will. Xpeng is one of the latest Chinese electric vehicle brands to enter the UK market, and their first offering here is this: the G6, a mid-size coupe-SUV aimed squarely at buyers considering a Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and even the BYD Sealion 7.
So… what’s it like? Well, I’ve spent a good few days with the G6, covering everything from practicality to driving, infotainment and voice commands, and even launch control (yes, really).
It’s built on Xpeng’s SEPA 2.0 platform with 800V architecture, allowing super-fast charging up to 280kW – theoretically 10 to 80% in just 20 minutes, assuming you can find the right charger.
It’s rear-wheel drive, comes in two flavours – Standard Range (£39,990) with 270 miles WLTP range, and Long Range (£44,990) claiming to carry you up to 354 miles.
Power output 255bhp for Standard giving 0-62mph acceleration in 6.6 seconds, while the Long Range gets a bump to 286bhp and 0-62mph in 6.2 seconds. Torque on both is 440Nm.
With its cab-forward silhouette, slim LED lights and soap-bar body, it’s got a sleek, futuristic vibe. The drag coefficient is understandably slippery at just 0.248 Cd, which is impressive even by EV standards.
It rides on 20-inch wheels, and while it might look relatively compact in pictures and videos, it’s actually quite a substantial sized SUV.
Pop the powered tailgate – via the key, a button, or even a voice command (yes, “Hey Xpeng, open the boot” works) – and you’re greeted with 571 litres of boot space. Drop the rear seats and that expands to a whopping 1,374 litres.
There’s underfloor storage for your cables and warning triangle, a tonneau cover, side lighting, and even a subwoofer – part of the magnificent 18-speaker, 960W Xopera sound system (though I still craved more base somehow – but that’s just me).
Again, at first glance you may not credit the G6 with limo-levels of rear space, but that’s exactly what you’ll find when you slide into the rear. I’m over 6’1″ with long legs, and I had loads of legroom, even with the front seat set to my driving position. That’s saying something, and unlike some EVs I didn’t feel my feet were planted too high either.
Thanks to the 2.89m wheelbase, a flat floor, and reclining rear seats (with 12 angles of adjustment), it’s genuinely comfy in the back. There are USB-C ports, air vents, soft-touch materials, and a panoramic glass roof that The doors are button-operated – no old-fashioned handles here!
Step into the front and it feels like you’ve time-warped into the 24th century! There’s no start button – it just knows you’re in. Everything from the driving mode to the mirror adjustment can be controlled via the touchscreen or “Hey Xpeng” voice assistant (a tiny robot icon actually pops up on the screen). You can even unlock and start the car with your phone app, which also enables remote climate control, charging, and parking.
Front seats are heated, ventilated, and electrically adjustable, with good bolstering and comfort for long drives. Storage is abundant, with a deep central cubby, dual wireless charging pads, and a second storage shelf below the centre console. Though I could not access the glove box if it has one.
Centre-stage is a huge 14.96-inch floating infotainment screen, backed up by a 10.2-inch digital driver display. It’s fast, intuitive, and packed with apps – including Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Spotify, TuneIn, and even its own App Store. It’s powered by Xmart OS, and you can customise almost everything.
Let’s talk real-world range and road manners. I drove this car across motorways, twisty backroads and congested London traffic. Here’s what stood out:
It’s not a performance EV, but it’s not slow either. The 6.2s 0–62mph claim feels accurate – and when you engage Launch Mode (yes, it has one!), it properly shifts.
Three main modes – Eco, Standard, and Sport, plus an Individual mode where you can set steering weight, throttle response, and regen to your liking. There are also three regen levels plus X-Pedal mode, which mimics one-pedal driving. High regen was ideal for town, while X-Pedal felt a bit too aggressive for my liking.
On 20-inch wheels, it does a good job. The ride is firm but never harsh. There’s body movement over poor surfaces, but it’s well damped and never crashy. Steering is light in Eco/Standard, heavier in Sport, and while the car’s weight is noticeable, grip levels are high and body roll well controlled.
Visibility out the back is limited due to the small rear window, but the instantly accessible 360° camera system, transparent chassis view, and parking sensors make it easy to manoeuvre.
Driver aids (XPilot 2.5) include adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert, and a driver monitoring camera that tracks your drowsiness. There’s even Sentinel Mode that records suspicious activity when you’re away from the car.
In real-world conditions, on a test run, I tracked it over mixed conditions. The car’s estimate was impressively close to actual miles driven. Around town, I even gained a couple of miles back thanks to regen – EVs always do best in urban stop-start driving. On the motorway, it was a bit thirstier, but still only 10–15% off claimed figures.
After a mix of conditions and even some spirited driving, including two cheeky launches, the figures were surprisingly accurate and I’d only lost 1-2 miles of estimated range.
After living with the Xpeng G6 for a few days, you can only conclude that this is a seriously good – and very clever – new electric family car.
It’s absolutely crammed with features. The tech is top-notch, the comfort is excellent, and the performance is more than adequate. If you’re thinking of moving on from a Tesla Model Y, or shopping around for a premium-feeling EV under £50k, this needs to be on your shortlist.
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