The Aion Y Plus offers a glimpse into a world where electric vehicles are normalized.
The Aion Y Plus might be an EV that has flown under the radar for most Malaysians, but in our eyes, its the dullness of the product that actually makes it shine. Let us explain.
EV manufacturers have spent the last decade trying to ‘wow’ us with high-tech alternatives to conventional premium flavour. To a large degree, they’ve succeeded. The Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal have essentially wiped the floor for the premium compact executive market. You don’t even need to look at the data to know the current 3 Series is an order of magnitude less popular in Malaysia than the previous generation model. Many of those sales went straight to these buyers.
But as an observer of the EV market, these vehicles tend not to do so well when they try to be ‘normal’. The Atto 3 and Dolphin are close to getting it right, hence their success in the market. However, even these models can’t help but emphasize design over practicality. They end up still looking pretty good, but not prioritizing passenger comfort and ease of entry/exit. Just ask an older person to get in the back of an Atto 3 and you’ll understand what I mean – the roof slopes and so the back bends.
This is why the Aion Y Plus was so refreshing to us. The rear door swings open to nearly 90-degrees and the roof stays level all the way to the rear. Older folk can almost ‘walk in’ to the car. And if you have younger kids, you don’t have to hurt your back installing or removing a child seat. The fact that the ISOFIX labels are so prominent on the rear seats shows that Aion had this advantage in mind. In fact, we’ve heard that this vehicle was originally designed to work as an electric taxi in China, but was repurposed for family use.
In terms of performance, it’s a little strange. Compared to your average 1.8L to 2.0L petrol-powered vehicle, the Aion Y Plus is going to feel a little more nippy in town use. It’s not going to need a second to get moving, the torque is instantaneous. However, if you look at the figures, you’ll notice that the Y Plus that the 225Nm torque figure is a lot lower than your typical EV, which offers at least 300Nm for around this price. I’ll say that it’s not a major disadvantage if you’re an everyday driver whose main concern is maximizing range.
In fact, the first day I took this vehicle home, I had no idea what the performance figures were. My drive home was still more rapid and more quiet than any ICE vehicle of similar price and category could have delivered, so there’s no real complaints there. In fact, I’d say it has just enough power to get you to 110km/h and just enough over that to give you a quick burst of acceleration for overtaking maneuvers. Anything more than that and the Y Plus runs out of breath. That is exactly what a ‘normal’ family vehicle should deliver in terms of performance.
Range is quoted at 430km and we’ve been driving the car pretty hard over the last 3 days with the battery level still well above 50%. If you have a home charger and are looking for an everyday commuter, you won’t have issues. That being said, as an interstate driver, you will have to make longer stops and more frequently too. The DC charger isn’t particularly fast at 80kW, so we would estimate that a top up from 20-80% would take closer to 1 hour than 30 minutes. That being said, it’s a lithium iron phosphate battery, so, if you take an extended lunch break on your outstation trips, you could repeatedly charge the vehicle to 100% over its lifespan without battery degradation being a serious concern. Typical of mass market Chinese EVs, AC charging is not impressive either at just under 7kW. It’s okay for overnight home charging, but if you’re planning to pay to use an AC wallbox, you will not get your money’s worth.
In terms of design, the Aion Y Plus is a little bit odd. It’s a compact MPV (even though they’re marketing it as a crossover SUV) through and through. Think Mercedes-Benz B-Class or BMW 2 Series Active Tourer – these are NOT sexy vehicles, they’re designed to maximize interior volume and this is reflective of the car’s side silhouette. That being said, some serious effort has been made to give the Y Plus a high-tech feel with a sprinkle of personality.
The headlights have an ‘Angel Wing’ design, which may come across as a bit over-the-top to some. The closed off grille also looks out of place in such a boxy vehicle where this design feature usually adds to the sleek look of a coupé-inspired model. There are retractable door handles, which add a touch of tech to the everyday touch-and-feel of the car and create a smoother profile. Around back you’ll find the Aion Y Plus’ best angle. Here we even get a hint of BMW iX (if you squint hard enough) mixed with the conjoined taillight design that’s in mode right now. You also get a bit of character around the bumper with a little angular motif that merges into the Aion’s ‘A’ shape. A nice touch.
Boot space is pretty good and you have the advantage of being able to stack things up vertically or fold the rear seats down to move oversized items. The cabin is a nice place to be with high quality pleather, dual digital displays, commendable build quality, and premium touches like a panoramic sunroof with an electronically retractable sunshade.
We feel the equipment level is actually really great. A full ADAS, a high-quality 360-degree parking camera, a huge 14.6″ touchscreen, and wireless charging pad are more than adequate for this price. It’s not a bad place to be, even if you’re sitting in the back, comfort is decent. The only qualm you could have in the back is the single USB-A charging port, but a third party splitter or type-c adapter shouldn’t be expensive.
The only complaints I have in the front are:
1) that too many physical buttons have been eliminated. The bare minimum I would have liked to see are climate controls, side mirror controls, drive mode selector/e-pedal mode, and volume control
2) wireless Apple CarPlay is absent (wired is present, but out of place in such a high-tech space)
3) the voice assistant likes to be called ‘baby’, some might find that a little off-putting
The Aion brand is being handled by Warisan Tan Chong, and you’ll find many GAC/Aion showrooms popping up around Malaysia right next to the existing Nissan ones. The warranty beats what’s offered by chief rivals BYD at 8-years/160,000km for the vehicle and 8-years/200,000km for the battery.
The only remaining question is whether to buy the Elite or Premium spec. The basic model gives you everything you NEED at RM120,000. It’s the same motor and battery, smaller rims for lower running costs and marginally better comfort. They take away the powered tailgate, ambient lighting, the ventilated driver seat with easy entry/exit, the auto dimming mirror, the front passenger power adjustment, vehicle-to-load charging, the wireless charging pad and the rear centre headrest and armrest. Most of these are just ‘nice-to-haves’, and would have made for a reasonable package. Unfortunately, the lower spec also removes all ADAS functions, which in our opinion are rightfully expected on every car above RM100,000 these days. So, we would suggest springing for the RM136,000 Premium spec car.
The launch package includes a 7kW AC wallbox charger worth RM3,500 + RM1,000 JomCharge credits for the first 200 customers. Plus, there are currently promos that let you choose between an in-car projector and a Vehicle-2-Load cable and camping set for your outdoorsy needs.
Overall, the impression I got from the Aion Y Plus was that it offered a glimpse into a world where EVs are the norm and not the exception. It’s what an EV would look like if it was designed from the outset to balance value and everyday usability with few, if any frills. It does nothing poorly, but doesn’t ‘wow’ you either. It’s the EV for the man or woman on the street who has a family to take care of and needs a car that’s a functional tool rather than a centre of attention.
2024 Aion Y Plus Premium Specifications
Motor: Single Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (FWD)
Range: 430km (WLTP)
Charging Speed: 80kWh DC, 6.6kW AC
Max power: 204PS
Max torque: 225Nm
0-100 km/h: 8.5 seconds
Price: RM135,800
