Gac E9 Reviews

The GAC Aion UT Luxury is the top-spec of a two-tier launch range for the new Chinese hatchback.Rivalling the BYD Dolphin, GWM Ora and MG MG4 it is still relatively good value, starting from $34,990, before on-road costs.It includes all the impressive kit from the base Premium grade car like 17-inch wheels, a 14.6-inch multimedia touchscreen and 8.88-inch digital dash, synthetic leather interior trim, power adjust and heating for the front two seats and a heated steering wheel, whilst also adding a panoramic sunroof, power tailgate, ventilation for the driver's seat, a wireless phone charger and auto folding powered wing mirrors with an auto dimming central mirror.Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard alongside over-the-air connectivity and built-in navigation.The Aion UT Luxury is powered by the same 150kW/210Nm front-mounted motor as the base Premium and offers the same 430km (WLTP) range from its 60kWh battery pack.The interior is relatively spacious even for a car in this class with ample front and rear room, although it comes at a cost to boot space which is a less impressive 321 litres.Vehicle-to-load (V2L) is standard, allowing the battery to charge and/or power external devices but there's no spare wheel in the Aion UT range.GAC covers its cars with an eight-year and unlimited kilometre warranty, with the battery covered form the same time but 200,000km distance.

It may be a new manufacturer to Australia, but Chinese giant GAC has one leg up which many of its rivals can’t claim - its deep ties with Toyota.

The GAC Aion UT Premium is the entry-grade of the Chinese newcomers hatchback range.With a launch price of $31,990, before on-road costs, it makes a statement as one of the most affordable new electric cars on sale in Australia.Roughly Corolla-sized, it competes with the BYD Dolphin, GWM Ora and MG4 rather than the smaller BYD Atto 1, or small SUVs like the BYD Atto 2 or Jaecoo J5.Setting it apart from price rivals is its motor which is more powerful at 150kW/210Nm, and its 60kWh LFP battery which delivers a useful 430km driving range.Standard kit is even right on the base car, with highlights including 17-inch wheels, a 14.6-inch multimedia touchscreen and 8.88-inch digital dash, synthetic leather interior trim, power adjust and heating for the front two seats as well as a heated steering wheel.The multimedia system features online connectivity, built-in navigation and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android auto connectivity.The full array of active safety equipment is standard, although like many of its contemporaries the systems can be frustrating in operation.Inside is space efficient, although like many of its rivals it lacks physical buttons for many features.Rear seat space is ample, but comes at a cost to boot space which measures 321 litres.Vehicle-to-load (V2L) is standard, allowing the battery to charge external devices, but there's no spare wheel in the Aion UT range.GAC covers its cars with an eight-year and unlimited kilometre warranty, with the battery covered for the same time but 200,000km distance.

A new type of battery technology could be about to take over the budget electric car industry. The sodium-ion make-up solves the problem of sourcing expensive and rare materials needed for lithium-iron batteries, while maintaining adequate driving range for smaller EVs.Sodium-ion batteries are further along the full scale commercialisation than solid-state batteries, which have been touted as the holy grail of electric cars, for example. Sodium-ion batteries have less energy density than conventional lithium-ion batteries such as Lithium-Ferro-Phosphate (LFP) and more advanced Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt (NMC) units, and much less than what is promised from futuristic solid-state cells.The big advantage is the ease of access and relative cheapness of obtaining sodium compared to lithium, which makes them an attractive choice. The difference in energy density means on a large scale, particularly for car batteries, LFP is often a cheaper choice. This is because substantially more sodium-ion battery cells are needed to make up the equivalent in LFP units.  The power advantage is diminishing, with energy density on sodium batteries expected to exceed 180Wh/kg in the near future.This means sodium batteries could be a significantly cheaper, and much more viable choice for car batteries, especially in smaller EVs, which do not require a substantial driving range.One of the other benefits of sodium-ion batteries is they are more resistant to extreme temperatures. This has been an issue in particular for NMC batteries, with multiple instances of these batteries not performing to expectations in unusually hot or cold environments. Mainstream Chinese battery manufacturer CATL recently introduced a sodium battery with an energy density of around 175Wh/kg, which is closer to energy density in lithium alternatives. Bridging the energy density gap between sodium and lithium batteries opens up the potential for sodium chemistry to be the go-to for budget EV carmakers.Sodium-ion batteries are also becoming cheaper to manufacture and could reach cost parity within LFP batteries within the next two years, according to reports out of China.This could be seen as the perfect battery make-up for smaller EVs, which are often already budget oriented, meaning the price of these cars could be brought down further. CATL began commercial production of its sodium batteries last year, and manufacturers are already jumping on board. CATL’s Naxtra sodium-ion battery offers a driving range of around 500km, while keeping the extreme temperature benefits of the technology. GAC is expected to utilise a unit from CATL in one of its upcoming EVs, according to a report in Auto News. GAC is one of many brands investing in sodium-ion, with other Chinese rivals such as BYD also developing the technology. BAIC has also been making moves with its battery, which can be fully charged in only 11 minutes. The German government has also put aside 20 million euros for a gigawatt-hour sodium-ion plant, with Mercedes-Benz one of the brands potentially benefiting. 

Chinese newcomer GAC couldn’t have timed the arrival of its Aion UT to Australia better, but is it the affordable electric hatchback it needs to be?

The extremely rapid pace of development maintained by Chinese car brands is impressive and largely comes down to the immense resources afforded to the industry.However, it’s not all money, the tech sector and people-power. Australia has had a significant hand in many of the nimble adaptations made since China’s car brands began looking past its borders for customers.To varying degrees, Australia has been somewhat of a testing ground for new Chinese cars as engineers and designers find the strengths and weaknesses of their work.This is not to say the Chinese car industry is in its infancy, but until recently there was no need for brands to tailor cars to suit global tastes.New car engineers from brands outside China have generally noted the preference, for example, for soft, wafty suspension and driver assistance systems.“We recognise that the Chinese tuning approach is very different from what we need to have here in Europe. So every market has a different taste,” Mazda Europe's Senior Manager of Product Development and Engineering Alexander Fritsche told media last year when explaining the work that went into developing the Mazda 6e electric car as a global model.Based on the Deepal L07, the Mazda 6e underwent major suspension changes and driver assist adjustments to suit Europe, and by extension Australia.“Particularly interesting… is that the Chinese market seems to like very mild, soft ride comfort,” Fritsche said.Preferences between Australia and Europe are more similar than between Australia and China, but the changes Mazda Europe made to the 6e aren’t the only example of this. Chinese brands have adjusted their approach to global models very quickly in the last few years, with the feedback from Australian customers, media, and even the brands’ own importers or Australian subsidiaries helping deliver cars that aren’t just built for domestic tastes.Stellantis Australia Senior Product Manager Rick Crichton spoke to media at the local launch of the Leapmotor B10 in early 2026 and said Leapmotor’s headquarters was not only receptive to Australian feedback, but regularly sought it.“They are constantly asking for our feedback,” Crichton said.“Us being the closest to the ground, I've got a pretty good handle on the Australian automotive landscape, so they are always curious for my feedback. “They want my input, and we put requests into them and they're super responsive because they are geared for success. “Even in some of the requests I've made for simple feature changes via OTA, they're coming through in, you know, lightning quick.”It’s not just brands new to the market like Leapmotor or Deepal that are quickly learning what Australian drivers and car buyers prefer.GWM has been in Australia for approaching two decades, having launched in 2009 as Great Wall.Although only the last decade of that has been factory-backed from headquarters in China, the brand’s long-running presence in Australia compared to its compatriots last year saw GWM take the step of employing one of Australia’s best-known ride and handling engineers, former Holden vehicle dynamics lead engineer Rob Trubiani.“GWM has been actively listening to local customer feedback for several years now with much of this feedback already making its way into the final tuning of new models making their way to the Australian and New Zealand markets,” GWM said in a statement announcing Trubiani’s recruitment in March 2025. “In hiring Mr Trubiani, GWM’s objective is to strengthen local engineering efforts with a view to further improving vehicle dynamics and, ultimately, customer experience across the region.”While the long-term effects of Trubiani’s presence at GWM are yet to be seen, new entry to the market, GAC, has already locally tested its three models from launch having worked with Toyota in China for decades.“We have learned a lot from them, and we believe that the customer will have a different experience by driving GAC,” Deputy General Manager of GAC Australia Cheney Liang told CarsGuide in November 2025.The Aion V mid-size electric SUV, the M8 plug-in hybrid people mover and the Emzoom compact SUV were the first three confirmed cars from the brand to land in Australia. “When we picked the models, we came to Australia. We have already done the Australian test,” Liang confirmed.Different approaches, different results, but the common theme that Australia is often the first external market for Chinese brands to learn in is clear.Who knows what the market will look like in a few more years, but it’s likely the increasing quality of Chinese cars won’t slow down.

Chinese giant GAC might be new to Australia, but its ambitious plans to be a top-ten automaker here in just five years will be led by a brand-new dual-cab ute.This incoming model, which GAC Australia CEO Kevin Shu says will be on the market in 2027, will be a brand-new ground-up model built with Australia in mind from the beginning.“As you know, our promise to the market is 10 new models in five years, so up until now, with the Aion UT [hatchback] we have four models, and for next year we will have three models, including a larger SUV and a pick-up truck,” Shu said.Shu wasn’t forthcoming on more details on the under-development ute model, he did confirm to CarsGuide that it would be developed under the main GAC brand, which predominantly specialises in combustion and hybrid models, rather than the EV-focused Aion or Hyptec sub brands.This opens the door to a more conventional combustion-led effort for the upcoming new ute challenger. Tightening emissions laws in Australia and globally, plus rising fuel prices, there is a strong chance for a hybrid, too.As GAC’s director of aftersales, Andrew Ratajczak says: “At GAC we have everything."“We’re not just stuck with PHEV, we’re not just stuck with BEV, we have such a wide spread of variation for our drivelines and our power supplier source for drivelines. It gives us such versatility to the market.“If the data comes back that this is where the demand is, we can do it. We don’t have to develop something unique - we can put something together out of the box from what we already have in our portfolio.”As for styling, we’ve had our digital artist Thanos Pappas come up with a ute based on the tough-looking design aesthetic of the brand’s GS8 large SUV, which seems the obvious fit for the “large SUV’ product Shu is suggesting for a 2027 launch.The main thing Shu confirmed is the new ute will break cover imminently at least in concept form at the Beijing motor show in late April.GAC has the advantage of seeing the different levels of impact its rivals are having on the extremely competitive landscape in Australia, which one Kia executive described as “the Olympic Games of utes”.BYD’s Shark 6 plug-in hybrid was the runaway success of 2025, shifting an impressive 18,073 deliveries despite its less-than-industry-standard towing capacity and payload.In comparison GWM’s Cannon Alpha managed a lesser number for the year, with just 2524 sales including the PHEV.These two ground-breaking hybrid utes differ in offering the two prevailing kinds of hybridisation, with the Shark 6 focusing on a bigger battery between the frame rails, driving the axles primarily via electric motors, while the GWM Cannon Alpha maintains a traditional gearbox, low-range transfer case, and solid linkages to each axle, with the electric motor inside the transmission.Chery will be the next to mix-up the space later in 2026 with its unique diesel plug-in hybrid system, which will also focus on mechanical ability rather than sheer battery size, in a similar vein to the GWM ute.Meanwhile other rivals provide an idea of what not to do. The middling success of Ford’s PHEV Ranger suggests buyers are looking for the longer range the Shark 6 offers, while Kia’s Tasman is a cautionary tale giving buyers what they want on the design front.One advantage for GAC, which the brands executives are keen to remind us, is the company’s deep ties with Toyota. It says this will help set it apart from other Chinese automakers when it comes to build quality, reliability and after-sales support, with the brand’s planned 100-strong dealer network and parts supply arrangements being modelled off shared experience with Toyota in China.The hybrid ute space looks to intensify massively by 2027, with JAC introducing its plug-in imminently, and Nissan’s China-built Frontier Pro being strongly hinted at by the Japanese brand as part of a dual-prong ute offering in Australia.Needless to say, GAC’s ute effort will have to be headline-grabbing if it wants to break into the market with such tough competition.

Is the ‘uncool’ people mover on the verge of a renaissance?New arrivals and rising sales suggest the once daggy family transport could become the new battleground in the Australian market.While large, seven-seat SUVs remain the preferred option for Australian families, people mover sales were up 9.2 per cent in 2025 and have started 2026 with a surge, a whopping 41.1 per cent jump on last year.While the Kia Carnival remains the undisputed champion of people movers, accounting for approximately 80 per cent of its market, there is a new wave of more premium rivals that are catering to a specific audience looking for spacious and luxurious travel.The Chinese brands are, unsurprisingly, leading this charge, as people movers are a much more popular choice in its native market. The likes of the Zeekr 009, LDV Mifa, GAC M8 PHEV and upcoming Denza D9 are all offering space and premium features for both family and business buyers.These add to the likes of the Lexus LM, which is available with an opulent four-seat layout, as well as the Mercedes-Benz Vito and V-Class, giving buyers more choice.Meanwhile in the more family/fleet-orientated segment of the market, the Carnival competes against the Hyundai Staria, new Ford Tourneo and Volkswagen’s new-generation Multivan and Caddy.And, if that’s not enough, there are the all-electric Volkswagen ID.Buzz and Mercedes-Benz EQV to expand the appeal of the people mover even further.So what makes people movers so popular, especially the Carnival?According to Roland Rivero, Kia Australia’s head of product planning, it’s the simple fact they are bigger and more practical than a seven-seat SUV for families that need the space.“I think our dealers do a pretty good job of conveying that while there might be a high desirability of an SUV, because everyone has got one… but for most families a Carnival is a better proposition,” explains Rivero.“For a family, fundamentally a Carnival does a better job.”The combination of more interior space, especially in the third row and a practical boot, as well as the sliding rear doors, are the standout areas where a people mover has the edge over an SUV, says Rivero.“For the most part dealers are able to convey the benefits of the Carnival over an SUV, unless the buyer has a need for four-wheel drive,” he said. “It’s probably the marketing that has driven that SUV popularity.”Rivero added: “Those that discovered the benefits of a people mover, those who have a family, realise quickly how good it can be.”Speaking to CarsGuide in August 2025, Zeekr Australia boss Frank Li admitted he was surprised by the initial slow uptake for the 009 given its popularity in overseas markets but expressed confidence in its long-term prospects.“Before actually, we valued the Australian market very much as well, but you know previously we only had two models and that is quite a niche segment in Australia,” Li explained.“Even though 009 performance is very good – it’s brilliant in south east Asia, like Hong Kong, Malay Thailand, we’re dominating this segment in this market – but the Australian market is obviously not a traditional people mover market. We believe that slowly, slowly our customers will love 009, but that takes time.”The more premium end of the market is a growing space for these more luxurious people movers, and it’s a key reason why Denza (BYD’s luxury sub-brand) is going to launch the D9 in Australia.Paul Ellis, spokesperson for Denza, said the brand’s move into the market is less about attracting fleet buyers and instead a more corporate audience, smaller operators that do luxury transfers and upmarket hotels, as well as families looking for space and comfort.“They’re a niche product, but within that niche there is quite a lot of demand for them,” Ellis told CarsGuide.

Pricing for the GAC Aion UT electric hatch has been revealed, exposing a new entrant to the budget EV segment.The Toyota Corolla-sized electric hatchback will launch in the second quarter of 2026 starting from $31,990, before on-road costs, making it one of the cheapest new EVs on the market.It is scheduled for a launch in the second quarter of 2026, but GAC Australia has been contacted for comment to get a firm date on the commencement of deliveries.It is slightly more expensive than the base BYD Dolphin, but entry variants of the Dolphin have a 70kW/180Nm motor, with a driving range of 340km.Given the Aion UT scores a 150kW/210Nm motor and 430km of driving range from its 60kWh battery, a more fair comparison is to the range-topping Dolphin Premium.This version of the Dolphin has a similar power output and driving range to the base Aion UT, with GAC’s car $5000 cheaper.The GWM Ora will be another of the Aion UT's rivals, which wears a starting price of $33,990, drive-away.GAC has brought across a higher trim level for the Aion UT, which starts from $35,990, before on-roads. Its key details appear identical, with the major upgrades expected to be increased specifications, including items like a panoramic sunroof.2026 GAC Aion UT pricing AustraliaAll variants of the Aion UT are front-wheel drive.GAC sells an even more affordable base variant of the Aion UT in its Chinese home market, with a 100kW motor and a 34.8kWh battery. At this stage, it appears the brand will not bring that car across to Australia.The Aion UT is the latest GAC model to come to Australia as part of the brand’s ambitions to launch 10 new models in the next five years.GAC currently offers three other models Down Under, which are its Emzoom combustion hatchback, Aion V mid-size fully-electric SUV and the M8 plug-in hybrid people mover.

There's a new people mover but its offered with a unique PHEV powertrain which positions it in a weird corner of the market. Has GAC made a compelling argument for its new M8?