Firefly Luminous 2025 Review

With the 2025 Firefly Luminous not yet available in Australia we can only speculate about pricing at this point, but a good rule of thumb with Chinese cars is to add around a 40 per cent premium on top of their local pricing.

For the Firefly, which costs the equivalent of between $25,400 and $26,650 in China, that would mean a starting point just north of $35,500 here, making it marginally more expensive than Chinese rivals like the BYD Dolphin and upcoming AION UT, and around $20,000 cheaper than an electric MINI.

For that, bearing in mind that specifications for Australia aren’t confirmed, you’ll get an impressively packed kit list as standard, such as 18-inch alloys, a large panoramic roof, pop-out door handles, funky ‘trio’ head and tail-lights and a 92-litre drainable frunk.

There’s also a Horizon Journey 5 chip boasting 128TOPS of processing nous for lane-keeping assist, automatic lane change on highways and a slew of automatic and remote parking functionality. Our Chinese car came with an electronic tailgate, but apparently European models are being specced without this so it’s possible we’ll miss out on that, too.

Inside, the Firefly boasts a premium cabin liberally decked out in OEKO-TEX-certified synthetic leather and, on the higher trim, microfiber as well, with neat-looking 256-colour ambient lighting in the doors and around the dashboard. A 6.0-inch digital instrument screen moves with the steering column, and in the middle there’s a 13.2-inch 2.5k screen packing a quick Snapdragon 8155 chip and a slick operating system.

That’s supported by a 14-speaker premium sound system boasting a 640W amplifier and 7.1 Dolby Atmos compatibility, while elsewhere there’s also an intelligent fragrance system, a 50W air-cooled wireless charger, and magnetic anchor points front and rear for additional accessories.

In fact, the only difference between the two trims is on the front seats, where the base version gets a six-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat with memory and welcome functions, and a four-way manually adjustable passenger seat, with both getting seat heating. Splurge a little more for the top trim and that front passenger seat gets electric adjustment as well as memory and welcome functions, too. Both add ventilation and massage functions, though you’ll lose the 5.4-litre storage cubby under the passenger seat as a result.

Impressively for a car of this size and price point, the Firefly boasts nine airbags as standard, and the highest adult occupancy safety rating recorded this year by Euro NCAP. Driver aids are too many to list here, but front and rear autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and blind-spot monitoring can be counted among them.

Power comes from a rear-mounted 105kW electric motor also producing 200Nm. The battery is a 42.1kWh LFP unit that charges at up to 100kW DC for 10-80 per cent in around 29 minutes.

The 2025 Firefly Luminous is a car that excels in many areas but none more so than that of practicality. Measuring slightly more than four meters in length, and thus slightly larger than the MINI Electric in every dimension, it nevertheless puts convenience first.

For a start there’s the use of space, with that enormous 92-litre washable frunk under the bonnet and a 330-liter trunk (400 to the roof) that expands to 1253L with the seats folded flat. Our pictures show a step in the boot floor, but that’s since been addressed by NIO.

On top of that, there’s a 29L storage area under the rear bench, and on the base version the storage under the front passenger seat, as well as drawers, pockets, and cubbies all around the cabin, plus those neat magnetic points for things like extra cupholders and even a dog bowl.

Space for occupants is also more than plentiful whether you’re sitting front or back, with foot, knee, and headroom all in abundance even for tall people. The front setup in particular is very neat, with a walk-through footwell and a lift-up armrest meaning you can park the car directly up against a wall and easily scooch over to exit from the opposite door, ideal for places where parking is tight.

It’s not often you hear people praising a touch-screen but the Firefly’s operating system is so thoughtfully designed it’s warranted here. Aside from the playful and easily legible graphics that simplify what tend to be overcomplicated menus in other cars, the Firefly also uses a simple gesture system for changing your volume and climate controls at any time. This means you won’t bemoan the lack of physical buttons and can silence the whiners who apparently spend all their time driving pressing buttons on their dashboard.

Of course, on-road dynamics and maneuverability are a big part of the urban driving experience and here the Firefly excels. Boasting a turning radius of just 4.7m, significantly undercutting the MINI’s 5.4m, the Firefly makes pulling a U-ey something of a doddle even in narrow streets. And with handling tuned by the same folks who fettled the Mercedes-AMG ONE no less, it’s genuinely playful on the move, inducing smiles almost as fast the MINI.

Four-level regenerative braking even helps make the commute less of a chore, with near one-pedal driving stopping force on the highest setting, and automatic adaptive regen adjusting the strength of the system relative to the car in front, meaning it’ll turn it up if the car in front comes to a stop more suddenly.

Energy consumption has rivals trumped and is rated at 10.9kWh/100km on the generous CLTC cycle. Though our real-world drive produced 13kWh/100km, that’s still somewhat better than most rivals in this segment.

On the whole it’s an eminently likeable car that’s spacious, practical and fun to use and drive. It’s also not bad to look at…

…Or perhaps not, for the 2025 Firefly Luminous will certainly divide opinions in this area with its trypophobia-inducing iPhone camera lights at the front and rear. In fairness, it’s a look that you’ll get used to, and certainly the ‘trio’ lights as they’re dubbed work far less controversially at the rear than at the front, but the look won’t be for everyone.

A range of 330km on the WLTP cycle is pretty average in this segment, even compared to something like the smaller Hyundai Inster which almost matches it in entry-level trim, but it’s still more than enough for daily use. It also concedes some ground on charging which, at 100kW DC, is 20kW less than the smaller Inster, but is also double that of the MINI so it depends what you stack it up against.

Performance honestly isn’t much of a sore spot, but it is a little slower than the MINI, reaching 100km/h from zero in 8.4 seconds. However, it’s giving away a bit in power, too, which is perhaps the issue. A choice of battery sizes, a dual-motor arrangement or a more powerful single-motor version might give the Firefly a broader appeal to those who want a bit more oomph.

One glaring omission, which will maybe be more of an issue in Europe than in milder Australia, is the lack of a heat-pump, which will affect cold weather range more than on cars that have one.

Until we know local prices it’s hard to say for sure. However, comparing the spec list, space, practicality, and performance to other cars of all prices in this segment, you’d be hard pressed to find a better overall package than the 2025 Firefly Luminous.

Throw in the class-leading safety rating, premium materials as well as an impressive infotainment system, and the Firefly appears a sure-fire recipe for success on paper. If they can overcome their lack of brand recognition, don’t be surprised if you see them all over in the near future.

2025 Firefly Luminous at a glance:
Price: N/A - $26,500 equivalent in China
Available: Q4 2025
Powertrain: Single permanent-magnet asynchronous motor
Output: 105kW/200Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 42.1kWh lithium-ion
Range: 330km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: 10.9kWh/100km (CLTC)
Safety rating: 5-star (Euro NCAP 2025)

Join the conversation at our Facebook page
Or email us at editor@carsales.com.au