Aion V review

Shall we get the obvious bit out of the way first? If you thought the name of this car is pronounced ‘Aion Five’, we don’t blame you. As it turns out, the V isn’t a Roman numeral and it’s pronounced ‘vee’. Anyway, welcome to the Aion V.

This family SUV is making its debut for a brand you’ve probably never heard of before. Aion is part of GAC (the Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd) who’ve made cars as a joint venture with Honda and Toyota for the Chinese market for years. And with all that know-how, they want to have a go at making their own.

It joins the roster of BYD, Jaecoo and Omoda, and Aion reckons that car buyers in the UK are hungry for new brands. The Aion V promises lots of space, interior quality and a good level of range for a competitive price.

Following the launch of the V, there’s going to be an all-electric hatch on the way later this year, called the UT. There’s also a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUV similar in size to the V due to arrive next year – it’s called the S7 in other countries, but will be badged differently here.

The big question is whether the Aion V is good enough to challenge established electric SUV rivals, such as the BYD Atto 3 Evo, MG S6, Peugeot e-3008, Renault Scenic and Skoda Elroq. So, let's find out…

What’s new?

- May 2026: UK deliveries of the Aion V begin

How fast is it and which motor is best?

To keep things simple, there’s just one version of the Aion V to choose from. It’s powered by a 201bhp electric motor driving the front wheels. Like the Renault Scenic, there isn’t a four-wheel drive version; you’ll have to look at the BYD Atto 3 Evo, MG S6 or Smart #5 for that.

The Aion V’s 0-62mph time of 7.9sec is on a par with the Skoda Elroq 60, meaning it’s much quicker than the Skywell BE11 (9.6sec) and not far off the MG S6 Single Motor (7.3sec). If you want something swifter, look at the BYD Atto 3 Evo and Smart #5. 

The Aion V builds up power gently, meaning it’s more about effortless performance rather than instantly shoving you into your seat. Switching to Sport provides more mid-range urgency and thankfully doesn’t simply sharpen up the pedal response too much.

Is it agile and is the ride comfortable?

The Aion V’s suspension has been tuned to balance ride comfort with tidy handling, being a bit firmer than the setup you get in a #5 and Scenic. Given how tall it is, the V isn’t as nimble as the relatively car-like Skoda Elroq, but it contains body lean pretty well. There’s a moderate level of grip and while it can sometimes struggle for traction out of corners, it’s much better than the Skywell BE11.

Many electric family SUVs in this class (such as the BE11 and Scenic) come with light steering, but the V’s setup provides a good amount of weighting to it that helps it feel accurate. True, you don’t sense a huge sense of grip from the front tyres, but it makes it easier to judge your inputs when turning into a corner. 

Generally speaking, the Aion V sits in the middle of the class when it comes to ride comfort. The suspension is supple enough to isolate occupants from harsher potholes better than in the Atto 3 Evo and BE11 (you hear it as a distant thump, rather than feel it), while there’s enough control to stop the V from pitching or swaying around too much.

That said, if you want something a bit more tied down, the Elroq subjects occupants to less vertical movement and head-toss over undulations and larger bumps. The V can also struggle to settle down on country roads, with a minor level of fidgeting that’s absent in the calmer #5, Elroq and Scenic. 

Is it quiet and how easy is it to drive smoothly?

The Aion V’s brake pedal has a good initial response and a well weighted feel that makes it easy to modulate your inputs. It’s only when slowing from high speed when the initial travel is a bit light and vague. Even so, it’s not as bad as the Scenic’s rather spongey pedal feel and grabby response.

Regenerative braking comes as standard to help recover some energy to top up the battery when slowing the car down. There are two levels of braking strength to choose from (or you can switch it off altogether) and the system activates gently. 

Noise levels are generally low, with hardly any wind noise (thanks to double-glazed front windows) and only a minor level of road noise resonating inside when driving over harsher surfaces. It’s less tiring than in the BYD Atto 3 Evo and Skywell BE11, although the Skoda Elroq is even more hushed. 

What’s the range and efficiency like, and how quickly can it charge?

With a 75.3kWh (estimated usable capacity) battery and official range of 317 miles, the Aion’s range is competitive for the price. But, for slightly more money, the MG S6 and Skoda Elroq 85 can officially travel a little farther on a full charge (up to 329 miles and 355 miles respectively). However, the Renault Scenic can travel up to 381 miles and be had for even less (when you take into account the Government’s EV grant).

The Aion V’s maximum charging speed of 180kW means a 10-80% charge takes around 24 minutes. That’s competitive against the Skoda Elroq 85, which takes 28 minutes, while the Scenic takes 32 minutes.

“I like that you can turn off the regenerative braking system and let the car coast instead, but the downside is that you adjust the strength in the touchscreen, which is less convenient than using paddles on the back of the steering wheel like in the Scenic.” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

What does the interior look like and is it well made?

With most of the upper surfaces and touch points covered in soft leather-like material, the Aion V’s interior has plenty of showroom appeal. The glossy trim highlights look well finished, while the buttons, stalks and door pulls are well damped and feel solid.

You get black faux leather upholstery as standard, while the optional Premium Pack brings genuine leather. A lighter cream or tan colour that lifts the interior can be had for a relatively small extra cost.

Is the driving position comfortable and is it easy to see out?

The Aion V’s seating position places you high up from the floor and the driver’s seat gets six-way electric adjustment as standard. You don’t get adjustable lumbar support, but the seats are well bolstered and shouldn’t prove to be a problem on longer journeys. The steering wheel adjusts manually for height and reach, although some may find the rim can partially obscure the top of the digital driver’s display.

All-round visibility is good, with a clear view over the dash and bonnet and relatively slim pillars that don’t obscure your view out. Big side windows and door mirrors help when looking over your shoulder, and while the rear pillars are chunky, it’s no worse than its rivals. A tall rear window also provides a better view out back than in the Renault Scenic. 

To help with low-speed manoeuvres, you get front and rear parking sensors as standard, plus a 360-degree parking camera that feeds a hi-resolution image onto the touchscreen. 

Is the dashboard and infotainment system easy to use?

The Aion V gets an 8.8in digital driver’s display behind the steering wheel that has sharp graphics and shows plenty of information. It’s better than the Skoda Elroq’s relatively small and basic display, but the Renault Scenic’s bigger 12.3in unit is more impressive since it offers a wider range of layouts, including one for the sat-nav map.

All of the Aion V’s features have been packed into a 14.6in touchscreen infotainment system. The screen looks neat and responds quickly enough to inputs, but, like most rivals that heavily rely on the touchscreen, it can be fiddly and distracting to use on the move. 

A row of icons on the bottom of the screen allow you to adjust the temperature for the climate control, while others act as shortcuts to certain menus. However, they are on the small side and can be tricky to aim for. Having an icon for the stereo volume is also more complicated to use than just a physical dial; the MG S6, with its physical controls, is more user-friendly.

Having to find the sub-menu in order to adjust the drive modes, door mirrors or use the central locking requires far more time and attention than a physical switch would. It’s a similar story when you want to open or close the sunshade, although you can at least use the voice control for some of these functions.

Some of the slider icons in the sub-menus could be bigger, but on the home screen there is at least a vertical panel with big icons that you can customise with your favourite features. 

More positively, you get wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay as standard, which fills the screen (bar the bottom row of shortcuts). Overall it’s slightly better than the systems in the BYD Atto 3 Evo and Jaecoo E5, but the MG S6 and Renault Scenic are superior.

A nine-speaker stereo comes as standard and while it’s loud enough, the quality could be clearer - it’s also not as immersive as the one in the posher Smart #5.

Up front, there’s one USB-A port for connecting your phone and a USB-C for charging. There’s one USB-A port in the rear on the back of the centre console.

“You nudge the gear selector stalk downwards to activate cruise control, like you do in a Tesla. I would prefer to manually adjust the set speed by 1mph increments, though, rather than 3mph each time in the V.” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

How much space does it have for people?

Given the Aion V is similar in size to the Skoda Enyaq (rather than the smaller Elroq), there’s a generous amount of leg and shoulder room up front. Meanwhile, the standard-fit panoramic roof doesn’t eat into head room - there’s still enough clearance for a six footer to avoid brushing their hair on the ceiling.

You might need to get used to the absence of a glovebox, but there are plenty of storage areas up front. This includes large door bins and a two-tier centre console with a pair of cupholders, a storage tray for two phones (including one with a vented wireless charging pad) and a storage area underneath. There’s also a deep centre cubby under the armrest, which comes fitted with a heating or cooling function when you opt for the Premium Pack.

In the back seats, the Aion V is one of the most spacious family SUVs at this price point, with limo-like leg room that allows those nearing six feet tall to really stretch out. You don’t sit too close to the floor and there’s plenty of room to slide your feet under the front seats plus. 

The floor is completely flat, so a middle occupant won’t have to straddle their legs around a tunnel and there’s plenty of head room for all three occupants. You can even recline the rear backrest by a relatively large angle to boost long distance comfort.

In terms of storage, there’s a pair of cupholders and a slim tray integrated into the centre armrest and some storage pockets on the back of the front seats. Go for the Premium Pack and whoever sits behind the front passenger gets a fold down table to use.

How much room does it have for luggage?

The Aion V comes with a powered tailgate as standard and it opens up to reveal a 500-litre load area. That’s on a par with the MG S6 (493 litres) and a little less than the Renault Scenic (545 litres), but the V’s load area could be considered a more user-friendly shape. With the rear wheel arches intruding in on both sides, we suspect you won’t be able to fit as many carry-on suitcases across the width of the load area as you can in some rivals. 

The tonneau cover is also positioned quite low, which makes the load area quite shallow – even more so when you set the height-adjustable floor to its highest position, reducing the official load capacity to 427 litres.

The V’s rear backrest folds down in a 60/40 split, which is the same as what you get in the S6, but less versatile than the 40/20/40 configuration in the Renault Scenic. You don’t get a ski hatch behind the centre armrest, either, which you do in the Skoda Enyaq and VW ID 4. There also aren’t any levers in the boot that remotely release the backrest, but then most rivals at this price don’t. 

The Aion V doesn’t have a front storage area under the bonnet – as there is with the MG S6 or Tesla Model Y – but there is space for charging cables under the boot floor, even when positioned in its lowest setting.

“I’m impressed by how much the rear backrest reclines, it’s enough to have a genuinely comforting snooze on a long journey” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

How much does it cost and what equipment do you get?

The Aion V’s list price is competitive against more affordable electric family SUVs, such as the MG S6, Renault Scenic and Skoda Elroq. We’ll have to see if the brand will offer the sort of discounts that tend to come with an Elroq or S6, while the Scenic qualifies for the Electric Car Grant that makes it even cheaper.

To keep things simple, there’s only one trim level available, and the V is well equipped. You get 19in alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control, a panoramic roof, faux leather upholstery, heated front and rear (outer) seats, ventilated front seats, dual-zone climate control, a heat pump (that warms up the interior more efficiently) and ambient interior lighting.

Is it reliable, and how long is the warranty?

We’ll have to wait a while for the Aion V to feature in the What Car? Reliability Survey, so we can't tell you if it's likely to be dependable. 

However, the V does come with an impressive eight year, 100,000 mile manufacturer’s warranty. The battery is also covered over the same period but with a higher 125,000 mile limit. To try and provide even more peace of mind, Aion also includes eight years AA roadside assistance, servicing and MOT. 

How safe is it, and is it easy to steal?

The Aion V achieved the full five star rating by Euro NCAP when it was crash tested in 2025. It provided a good level of protection for front and rear seat occupants in a frontal impact.

You get front, side and curtain airbags as standard, along with driver assistance tech, including automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assist, speed-limit sign recognition, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert.

In terms of security, the V gets an alarm and immobiliser as standard.

“It’s good to know the Aion V’s warranty cover is transferable to other owners within the eight-year time frame.” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

Buy it if...

- Rear seat comfort is a high priority

- You want a car that’s quiet and easy to drive

- You like a high driving position

Don't buy it if...

- You want an SUV that’s a bit more car-like to drive

- You want an EV with a good battery range 

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