GAC is pretty much the newest kid on the block when it comes to Chinese EVs, but if you think they’re not already popular, think again. We grabbed the new AION V in its range topping Luxury trim and in the week or so we had it, we saw three of them.
We expected to be the only road user driving around in the new and uber luxurious Chinese SUV, but at our very first charging opportunity, at Erina Fair on the NSW Central Coast no less, we had one right next to us.
Three hours later, we spied another (thankfully they were different colours and we knew we weren’t just seeing the same car), and then in Goulburn, on our epic road trip that we took the GAC on, there was yet another.
It was a real “what are the chances” moment and goes a long way to proving that new brand’s, wherever they hail from, can get near instant traction in the Australian car market. The reason is the value proposition.
Sure, the AION V isn’t perfect, in fact there’s a decent list of things that irked us, but it also doesn’t cost north of $70K, and you can put your booty into a fully electric SUV for less than $50K, and that’s drive away ($47,972 in NSW to be exact).
The range is decent too, with a claimed 510km (WLTP) that translated to north of 460km in the real world, every single charge. That plays into the cost of our road trip too. You see, we set off for Goulburn at Easter, taking to the road for a little family getaway.
The journey, Umina Beach to Goulburn, to Crookwell, back to Goulburn, and then back to Umina Beach. We charged at AmpCharge at West Gosford and Pheasant’s Nest on the way down, and at the NRMA chargers at Goulburn on the way back.
The total cost of all three set us back $96. Had we taken our diesel Everest, on a weekend where juice for that was at $3.37 a litre – we’d have blown that out to $400, or somewhere close to it.
Sure, the Tangerine Tyrant, or Pumpkin Spice Palpatine if you’d prefer, is to blame for the disaster that was fuel prices during that week, but for a family of three of relatively normal wages, it was nice not to have to dip the hand in the pocket so damn deep.
It was also the impetus for this writer’s family likely making the next second car either a full EV or a Plug-in Hybrid, such was the ease of the experience. For all the faults Australia’s charging infrastructure has, it was pretty easy to find somewhere to “top up”.
Now, let’s talk about the 2026 GAC AION V Luxury. On the outside, it rides on 19-inch alloy wheels, and sports a grille-less fascia that confirms what any passing motorist might suspect – it’s an EV. And a pretty good looking one at that.
It looks unique, but isn’t a slap in the face, blending into the background of the vehicles that surround it. It’s shod with Maxxis tyres, with LED lighting and roof rails adding to the modern look. Inside, white leather kicks what is a genuinely stylish cabin.
Featuring a bright design, the driving position is comfortable, with plenty of room in the forward space. There’s a bucket load of it (and a work table) in the ultra-roomy second row too. Pretty much every single control is part of the large 14.6-inch central touchscreen.
And that’s probably one of its biggest issues, especially initially. The distraction of looking away to find things is frustrating for new users. That said, it’s a pleasantly responsive system with shortcuts to most key menus on the home screen.
The Luxury trim offers an impressive array of extra cabin features, including front seat massage, and genuine leather upholstery. There are large lit mirrors in the sun visors and a 6.6-litre fridge in the centre console that can maintain a steady 4-degrees Celsius.
It can also cool to -15-degrees Celsius for ice creams or warm to 50-degrees Celsius for takeaway coffees. It works a treat. Other cabin tech standard across the range includes a nine-speaker ADiGO audio system and 8.88-inch driver’s display.
Heated and ventilated front seats with power adjustment, dual-zone climate control, and a PM2.5 pollutant filter feature. Cabin storage is odd, as there’s no glovebox on the passenger side (you get two bag hooks).
Bottle holders in the doors are good for pretty much 600ml bottles at best. There is a storage cubby under the centre console though. Boot space is a sizable 427-litres with the rear seats up, expanding to 978-litres with them down. It does miss out on a frunk though.
There is a wireless phone charger and cord-free Apple CarPlay and Android Auto though. Powering the AION V is a single electric motor that drives the front wheels, with it delivering 150kW and 210Nm.
Far more impressive is the densely packed 75.26kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack dubbed ‘Magazine Battery 2.0’. It features GAC’s own patented durability and fire resistance technology, including flame retardant electrolytes at cellular level.
Double layer liquid cooling plate above and below the battery cells enhance heat dissipation efficiency, and spray facilities. In simple terms, it looks to alleviate the recent safety concerns that have surrounded lithium-based batteries.
Despite power and torque figures that might look fairly tame by class standards, the AION V has more of a spring in its step than they’d suggest. That all translates to DC fast charging from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in about 24 minutes on a 180kW setup.
Offered in seven colours (including one with a white roof), with a few choices in the interior trims as well, the GAC AION V Luxury is backed by an 8-year unlimited kilometre warranty (with 8-years or 200,000km for the battery).
GAC offers 5-years roadside assistance, and at the time of writing, a free 22kW wall charger for your home. You can find out more by visiting GAC’s Australian website, or by talking to your local dealership.
To get a low rate finance quote, talk to Australia’s best reviewed car finance broker; Credit One. To see a great range of vehicles for sale, check out OnlyCars.com.au.
Our test vehicle was provided by GAC Australia for independent review purposes. Exhaust Notes Australia has not been paid to review this vehicle.
