2023 Aiways U5 verdict and specs
This electric family SUV is set to make its debut next year, and with an expected £40,000 price tag, the Aiways U5 could be troubling the class best. We find out what it's like in the UK...
![Aiways U5 driving rear 2023](https://media.whatcar.com/fit-in/760x503/wc-image/2022-06/aiways-u5-rear-driving.jpg)
Verdict
At worst the Aiways U5 is competent and capable, and at its best – chiefly its space and tech – it's impressive. The promise is that it will be affordable, too, with estimates suggesting it will cost from around £40,000 in fully loaded trim, which is about the price rivals start at.
There are questions you’ll still want to ask yourself. The three-star Euro NCAP safety rating warrants detailed examination (the occupant protection scores are okay, but the pedestrian and safety assist ones less so), as does the reliability data that emerges when U5s have been on the road for a while.
But with another year of experience at least before the U5 goes on sale in the UK, for a section of the market looking for no-nonsense, common-sense electric transport with a frisson of excitement at the unknown, it could well be worth putting on the long-list.
What Car? rating 3 stars out of 5
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Aiways U5
Price £40,000 (est) Engine Single electric motor Power 201bhp Torque 228lb ft Gearbox 1-speed auto 0-62mph 7.8sec Top speed 99mph Official range 249 miles (WLTP) CO2, tax band 0g/km, 2%
Rivals:
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