It sounds more like an animated Netflix show, but Aion V might be one of the biggest surprises of 2025.
Amid the seemingly endless arrivals from China, the GAC Aion V is yet another mid-size electric SUV, joining the BYD Atto 3, Geely EX5, Leapmotor C10, Deepal S07, MGS5 and Xpeng X6. To be perfectly candid, I was not excited to drive this car. In fact, I was downright questioning the thought process of GAC management to pile into an already jam-packed market.
Quite simply, I wanted to hate this car.
But I couldn’t do it.
Instead, the Aion V genuinely surprised me on pretty much every front. Put simply, it’s great value, well-sized and, perhaps most surprisingly of all, actually pleasant to drive.
But even so, there’s still plenty of reasons to question the arrival of GAC in Australia. Why should Australian new car buyers care? What’s different about GAC compared to Leapmotor, Deepal, Xpeng and the rest?
Well, GAC (pronounced G-A-C and not gack) is one of the largest car makers in China. More importantly, GAC (or Guangzhou Automobile Group) has partnerships with both Toyota and Honda, in order for the Japanese brands to make cars in China, which has allowed it to shortcut the learning experience. And this expertise from Toyota and Honda shines through when you drive the Aion V.
Electric vehicles continue to be in the minority in Australia, but more affordable models like the Aion V have the potential to change that. GAC is offering two variants of the Aion XV, both for under $45k (minus on-road costs), which is very competitive against not just similar electric models but also conventional petrol-powered rivals.
The entry-level model is called the Premium and is priced from $42,590, while $44,590 will get you the higher-specification Luxury.
Even the Premium comes with 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats, dual-zone climate control, a nine-speaker stereo and an 8.8-inch digital instrument and 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen.
If you spend the extra money for the Luxury you get some genuine luxury additions, including massaging front seats and a centre console box that can act as both a fridge and a warmer, to keep your drinks cooled or hot.
Sure, there’s only partial leather trim and plenty of PVC, but overall the Aion V presents very well and offers good space for this size of SUV.
Underneath the bonnet there’s a 150kW/210Nm electric motor, which drives the front wheels, and is powered by a 75.2kWh lithium-phosphate battery. GAC claims this provides up to 510km of driving range on a single charge.
If you’re assuming all electric cars have rocket-like performance, then the Aion V will disappoint. It’s not slow, but nor is it particularly quick. What it does have is adequate performance for an SUV this size and for typical family use.
More importantly, it does possess above-average driving manners for a brand-new brand to Australia’s unique conditions. It’s not class-leading, but it does set itself apart from many of its Chinese rivals by offering more controlled and comfortable suspension and accurate, well-weighted steering.
It does have some of the now-typical annoying active safety features that distract you when you’re driving, but overall the driving experience is pleasant. Clearly the team at GAC have been paying attention when working with Toyota and Honda over the last few decades.
So much so it stands out from all of its fellow Chinese electric SUV offerings and marks itself as one of the better options if you are looking for an affordable electric SUV for family duties.
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