Aion V 2026 (2026 - )

The Aion V is a pioneering all-electric family SUV, marking the Aion brand's debut in the UK market.

With a starting price of £36,450, the Aion V sets a fresh benchmark, showcasing a bold and eye-catching design, alongside a spacious and opulent interior equipped with a bunch of comfort and convenience features. 

It boasts an impressive range and rapid charging capabilities. Additionally, there’s a customer concierge centre based in the UK that handles inquiries and accepts expressions of interest.

Recently, Jameel Motors also opened a flagship Aion showroom in Slough, which marks the rollout of a nationwide franchised retail network.

Our motoring journalist, Tim Barnes-Clay, attended the launch of the uniquely named SUV to test drive it and explore its features.

Power is delivered to the front wheels via a 204PS electric motor, providing a maximum torque of 240Nm. That gets the car off the line to 62mph in 7.9 seconds and on to a heady 99mph. Not that thrilling – but not a slouch.

The Aion V has an efficient MacPherson independent suspension system at the front, complemented by a torsion beam at the back. This combination ensures a robust and well-controlled - albeit on the soft side - ride.

The steering is sharp enough and gives respectable feedback, and for braking, the SUV is equipped with ventilated 320mm front disc brakes and solid 308mm rear discs. These are enhanced by an Auto Hold function for added convenience in stop-start traffic on the UK’s busy roads.

There are three drive modes to choose: Sport, Comfort, and Eco. Sport mode makes the motor's maximum torque available, sharpens throttle response, and engages the strongest energy regeneration setting to support braking, ensuring the keenest progress. Eco mode limits the throttle response and adjusts the climate control parameters, and ensures maximum range is available should it be needed. Comfort mode provides a balance of efficiency and no limitations on in-cabin comfort functions.

Additionally, the ambient lighting corresponds to the selected drive modes - red for Sport, blue for Comfort, and green for Eco. These settings can be easily modified through the central touchscreen.

The Aion V also offers three levels of regenerative braking, along with a maximum energy-recovery profile that enables one-pedal driving.

The overriding takeaway we had after our drive in the Aion V is how remarkably quiet the cabin is, thanks to its double-glazed front windows, making your driving experience feel serene.

Aion vehicles are designed by teams located in Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Milan, with the European centre playing a vital role in the brand's global design strategy. This centre combines Eastern automotive innovation with European style.

One of the biggest car manufacturers in China, the Guangzhou Automobile Group Motor Co. (GAC), has built relationships with the best suppliers to design and build its cars, which include the Aion V. Through these relationships, GAC gets access to new technologies and gains experience through collaboration with major car manufacturers around the world.

The Aion V is a sturdy C-segment SUV that distinguishes itself from the many generic vehicles on the market. Its distinctive cyber-dragon claw front and rear lights make it instantly recognisable, and it comes as standard with 19-inch alloy wheels, giving it a solid and commanding presence on the road.

There is just one powertrain option and two trim levels to choose from, and it seems that the £38,000 Premium V (you say 'Vee', not 'Five', by the way) is likely to catch the eye of more buyers compared with the £36,500 base version. So, it makes sense that we got to take the top-spec version for a spin!

With the spacious 2,030mm panoramic roof featuring an electric sunblind, you’ll love how the standard Noir black interior is flooded with natural light. It’s beautifully designed with soft-touch fabrics and supple perforated leatherette, all accented with genuine stitching.

The minimalist dashboard, with its subtly textured surfaces and quilted leatherette door panels, gives a premium feel that really stands out. You’ll appreciate the heat embossing technique used on the upholstery, which mimics the look of leather.

The heated, two-spoke steering wheel has easily accessible buttons, allowing you to maintain a clear view of the 8.9-inch LCD touchscreen instrument panel that displays essential driving information.

At the top of the centre console, a 14.6-inch landscape colour touchscreen offers intuitive access to a wide range of infotainment features, settings, and functions.

The Aion is equipped with GAC's proprietary AI-powered ADiGO operating system, which synchronises advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), infotainment, artificial intelligence, cloud services, and updates to elevate the user experience. This system operates on the cutting-edge automotive-grade Qualcomm Snapdragon SA8155P processor, ensuring instantaneous responses to commands and settings via the touchscreen or virtual assistant. Interaction with the Aion V is swift and user-friendly - although you could argue the tech is overkill.

Essential settings are located at the lower edge of the touchscreen, offering quick access to climate control, seat adjustments, audio volume, heated rear window, 360-degree surround view, door locking/unlocking, and the panoramic roof blind controls.

A dedicated section on the homescreen lets you personalise your experience with customisable widgets, making it easier to access your preferred functions. Handy though this is, I'd prefer some physical switches, to be honest.

With wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, you can effortlessly access your preferred applications at all times, all while a Wi-Fi hotspot keeps personal devices connected.

The intelligent ADiGO virtual assistant can be activated either by a button on the steering wheel or by voice command. It offers intuitive voice-activated control over key settings such as climate, windows, and audio. The voice recognition capabilities extend to four zones, allowing, for example, a rear passenger to request, "open my window," and the assistant will lower the appropriate window for that individual.

Music enthusiasts will appreciate the ADiGO-powered audio system, which boasts nine speakers with an impressive total output of 360 W. I certainly did - blasting Metallica's 'Master of Puppets' at volume zqwillion!

This system includes a tweeter integrated into the base of each A-pillar, a subwoofer in each front door, two additional bass units in the rear doors, and three mid-range speakers positioned above the front door armrests and centrally on the dashboard.

The front seats have an enveloping 'Butterfly' design, and you'll enjoy that they're heated and ventilated. With six-way electric adjustability for your seat and four-way for the passenger seat, it’s a guaranteed comfort-fest! The rear chairs are heated and can be split and folded in a 60:40 configuration. The centre armrest includes twin cupholders and a storage tray for devices, while the chrome door handles retract softly, adding a touch of elegance.

You can set the dual-zone climate control to your preferred temperature, while rear passengers have their own air vents. The ambient lighting system, featuring 32 colour options, lets you customise the cabin’s mood through the central touchscreen. You can even sync the lighting with your driving mode or music.

The centre console is practical, accommodating two smartphones side by side, with a fan-cooled 50W wireless charging pad and chrome-ringed cupholders. Below, there’s easy access to USB-A and USB-C sockets, along with generous storage options, including spacious door pockets and a large six-litre box between the front seats.

Enhancing the Aion V's sophistication, the Premium Pack upgrades the seat upholstery to luxurious leather. It includes an eight-point, five-mode massage function for both the driver and front passenger seats.

Furthermore, it replaces the centre console storage with a 6.6-litre CoolHot Box, featuring three temperature settings that make it effortless to keep takeaway meals warm at up to 50 degrees Celsius, chill a six-pack of standard beverage cans, or store a box of ice creams at a comfortable minus 15 degrees Celsius.

Additionally, the Premium Pack provides the left-rear seat passenger with a sturdy seatback tray table, ideal for work, reading, or propping up a tablet. When not in use, the tray-table folds away seamlessly into the seatback, and its robust scissor-action mechanism ensures it won't strike your knees when opening or closing.

Lastly, the Premium Pack grants you the option to select an additional exterior paint finish in metallic Holographic Silver, and the choice of refined French Cream or striking Bright Tan leather upholstery for the interior.

Speaking of paint jobs, the Aion V comes in six exterior colour options. Standard shades include Wilderness Sand, which is metallic, and Arctic White, featuring a pearlescent finish. For an additional cost, you can choose from three metallic hues: Sea Fluorescent Grey, Galaxy Blue, and Night Shadow Black.

The Chinese SUV possesses an impressive low aerodynamic drag coefficient of 0.28 Cd. Its shape and surface were optimised in one of China's most advanced wind tunnels at GAC's R&D centre in Guangzhou.

Enhancing the smooth exterior profile are flush mechanical door handles and an active grille shutter located in the lower front bumper.
 

The Aion electric vehicle offers impressive quality and spaciousness, providing a significant amount of interior space typically associated with larger EVs.

Its rear doors swing open to an expansive 89 degrees, facilitating easy entry and exit and making it a breeze to load and unload a child seat. Both outboard rear seats come equipped with i-Size compatible fittings for added safety.

Boot accessibility is user-friendly, featuring a generous 1,101mm loading width and a loading lip 748mm above the ground. When it comes to capacity, the boot is equally remarkable, boasting a three-layer boot floor system for customisation. 

A deep boot well provides ample space for storing a charging cable and a tyre inflation kit, or a space-saver tyre, should you opt for that. The adjustable boot floor can be moved to a lower position, creating a shallow tray area beneath it, or raised to align with the boot lip, providing a larger lower compartment and a flat surface for loading. The folding nature of the boot floor facilitates easy access to the lower tier at any level, allowing for variable hidden storage beneath and assisting in loading larger or heavier items when necessary.

With the rear seats in the upright position, the total boot capacity is 427 litres, which expands to 1,638 litres when the rear seats are folded down.

What’s more, the interior is dotted with an impressive 30 storage compartments and cubbyholes.

For transporting items best kept outside the vehicle, roof rails with a load capacity of 75kg come as standard on every model.

The SUV also offers two adaptable seating configurations for longer journeys and extended stops while parked.

Using Rest mode converts the Chinese electric car to a bed, sort of. When using this mode, the front seats recline and the sunshade closes, and you can listen to either cool tunes or sounds from nature. Finally, an alarm wakes you up in time to continue your journey.

Lounge mode transforms the interior into a unique relaxation space, with the rear seat reclined to an impressive 129 degrees and, with the front seat headrest removed, the front seat can also lie flat. This setup allows you to lounge in the rear while enjoying a movie on the central touchscreen or simply unwinding. 
 

With a WLTP Combined cycle range of 317 miles, the Aion V stands out as the longest standard range electric C-segment SUV available in the UK. 

The Aion features a 400V electrical architecture and supports DC fast charging at 180kW. This means the car can charge from 10% to 80% in just 24 minutes and from 30% to 80% in only 18 minutes. Additionally, the 11kW onboard charger enables AC home charging, allowing the battery to fill from empty to 100% in 8.5 hours, making it ideal for overnight charging. That said, most wall boxes attached to British homes typically provide only 7kW, which results in slower performance.

Additionally, the Aion V comes with a highly efficient four-stage 10kW heat pump, designed to keep the battery at a temperature that ensures optimal performance. This feature maximises operational efficiency, thereby enhancing driving range and charging speeds - even on the chilliest winter days. 

Capable of functioning in temperatures as low as -30 degrees Celsius, it also heats the cabin much more efficiently than a conventional resistive heater. 

The Aion V is comfy, not badly priced, has loads of tech, and even has a five-star Euro NCAP rating – making it a safe EV bet for the family.

The car handles well - has more space than a football pitch (okay - a bit of an exaggeration) and the performance isn't bad. Indeed, there are far worse EVs out there – and with up to 317 miles of range – the Aion V will actually sort out the needs of most families – or commuters quite happily.

Yes, there are EVs with better range – but this Chinese car punches above its weight in many areas, so we’re giving the Aion V a solid eight out of ten!