GAC AION V Luxury 2025 Review

Two versions of the AION V are available from introduction: the entry-level Premium, which costs $42,590 before on-road costs, and the Luxury, which costs another $2000 and adds a few more toys such as a unique-in-class cooled and heated central storage bin, leather upholstery and massaging front seats.

That’s in addition to standard equipment highlights such as a 14.6-inch central touchscreen, wireless device charging and connectivity, panoramic sunroof, four heated seats, 360-degree camera, 19-inch alloy wheels and a pure electric drivetrain.

Both have the same mechanicals, including a 75kWh battery and a single motor on the front axle delivering 150kW/210Nm and a range of up to 510km.

Also included is one of the longest warranties on offer in the new car market; lasting eight years with no kilometre limit, while the battery is covered for the same period but limited to 200,000km.

Get in and buy an AION V before the end of the year and the company will throw in a 22kW charger for installation at a location of your choice, a $500 charge card and another $1000 cash back.

Easily the AION V’s standout feature is its value and the sheer amount of equipment included for the cash. Examples include heated rear seats at the entry level – a feature found in few models many classes above – and a massive central touchscreen complemented by an 8.9-inch digital instrument screen.

We also really appreciated the comfortable seating position, reasonable 427-litre boot and the 6.6-litre centre storage bin which doubles as a fridge, freezer and warmer in the higher-spec Luxury.

But perhaps the cleverest part of GAC’s AION V product positioning is to offer a relatively modest drivetrain. The 150kW front-drive layout is adequate for a vast majority of duties and the decision to resist giving the model a crazy all-wheel drive arrangement with two motors is admirable.

In a majority of cases, owners will prefer a light and efficient car that returns a claimed use of just 16.7kW/100km and up to 510km of range over ridiculous acceleration and bragging rights performance figures which get exploited once in a blue moon.

This approach of high equipment levels and relatively modest drivetrains is a trademark of GAC across its introductory trio of models and part of its secret to excellent value for money.

It also has another trick up its sleeve and that’s its Japanese connection; GAC looks after the manufacturing of Toyota and Honda models for the Chinese market which would imply the company knows a thing or two about quality control and manufacturing controls. Feann takes a detailed look at the GAC empire in this video and to disseminate the details and see if GAC is the real deal, if you're interested.

Certainly, our first experience with the AION V suggests this is true, with a solid construction, lovely materials and an apparently high-quality build. The cabin is classy without being ostentatious, there’s a little road noise but generally serene ambience, and the visibility is very good.

As standard, the Aion V is offered with no spare wheel and only the dreaded inflator and ‘repair’ kit, however a space-saver spare is offered optionally which is something more manufacturers should do.

Challenger models can’t afford to do just one thing well, they need to do everything well.

And there is so much kit and likeable design – both the aesthetic and ergonomic types – bundled with practicality and a pleasant driving nature, the AION V is doing everything it needs to garner the right kind of attention.

The overall driving experience is relaxing and the ride has been tuned to be on the softer side. However, there’s a choppiness that sneaks into the secondary ride over fine imperfections in the road and vibrations that could become unwelcome on longer journeys.

The steering is also very light and, combined with the adequate but not incendiary performance, the AION V will disappoint those looking for a high-performance electric SUV – there are sportier options out there. A fully independent rear suspension set up would help enormously in both the comfort and handling stakes, but a torsion beam arrangement is what you get.

A number of USB-A sockets are a surprising nod to the past in a cabin that is so future focused, but perhaps not completely unwelcome for those who still own a lot of old cables. While we’re on the subject of omissions, a head-up display isn’t offered either.

The user interface is well thought out and intuitive overall, but too many functions are buried in the system such as climate control, seat heating and even wing mirror adjustment.

And while the AION V has a decidedly SUV look, its mechanicals don’t keep the promises its styling makes, with no all-wheel drive version available for those who like to take the way less travelled.

Finally, GAC has not yet put any of its vehicles through the grinder at the Australasian New Car Assessment Program so if safety is important – as it should be – perhaps hold fire until the company reveals which models it intends to have assessed. That said, the AION V did achieve five stars in Euro NCAP testing.

If the idea of a reasonably priced electric mid-sized SUV sitting on your driveway is an attractive one, you should definitely add the AION V to your test drive list. Not only does it look great from its styling through to material choices to build quality, it offers arguably the best value for money in this class.

Challengers such as the Geely EX5, Leapmotor C10 and BYD Atto 3 proved early on that there’s a lot to be had in this budget EV realm, but the GAC AION V has been waiting in the sidelines to upstage them all with a fashionably late arrival that goes even further.

2025 GAC AION V Premium at a glance:
Price: $42,590 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: Single permanent magnet synchronous motor
Output: 150kW/210Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 75kWh lithium-ion
Range: 510km WLTP
Energy consumption: 16.7kWh/100km
Safety rating: Not tested

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