2025 GAC Aion V Review: New Chinese SUV sizes up BYD, MG and even Toyota with long range and budget price

China’s electric-car charge continues, and the latest to join the fray is one you probably haven’t heard of.

GAC – short for Guangzhou Automobile Corporation – arrives with a mid-sized SUV squarely aimed at the heart of Australia’s family-car market.

Called the Aion V, it’s sized like a Toyota RAV4, priced below most rivals – whatever they’re powered by – and powered purely by electrons.

Aion is a sub-brand in China, but in Australia it’s being marketed as a GAC, presumably to make life easier for the fledgling brand. Better having one brand rather than launch multiple.

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But does the newcomer have the polish to sway buyers away from the household-name brands?

We’ll delve into that below.

One thing it does have is good neighbours – or, at least, good relationships.

GAC has joint ventures with Honda and Toyota, something it’s more than happy to point out.

It’s spent years learning from some of the best in the business, and is now hoping to carve out a presence in export markets such as Australia.

And quality, it seems, is a big part of the sales pitch for the newcomer.

The Aion V is happy to steal sales from anyone but naturally sizes up fellow newcomer EVs such as the BYD Atto 3, Geely EX5, Leapmotor C10, MG S5 and Chery E5.

2025 GAC Aion V price and equipment

Value is at the heart of the GAC Aion V.

It’s priced from $42,590 plus on-road costs for the Premium or $44,590 for the Luxury.

There’s a suitably plump level of standard gear, which we’ll get to.

But it’s the battery and driving range that arguably deliver its biggest headlines.

Whereas many entry-level electric SUVs get a modest battery or driving range, the Aion V aims for the hills.

A sizeable 75.26kWh battery is claimed to take the spacious mid-sized SUV up to 510km on a charge according to the WLTP cycle.

It gets a single 150kW/210Nm electric motor driving the front wheels.

And it can be charged from 20 to 80 per cent in as little as 24 minutes at up to 180kW.

Home AC charging can be done at up to 11kW, translating to a full charge in around 7.5 hours; the more common 7.4kW wallbox would take about 11 hours.

Now, on to the equipment.

There’s a mix of PVC and leather and the Aion V gets quilting on the doors and seats.

Quality finishes elsewhere look the part and give it an ambience above its price tag.

Both models get 19-inch wheels, dual-zone ventilation, panoramic sunroof with a retractable blind, powered tailgate, ambient lighting (including a patterned effect in front of the front seat passenger), wireless phone charging, heated and electrically adjustable steering column, heated and power adjustable front seats with memory functions, front and rear parking sensors and a surround view camera.

There’s also an 8.88-inch digital instrument cluster and 14.6-inch central infotainment screen.

Plus, you can option a space saver spare wheel.

The Luxury picks up massaging front seats, heated back seats, two tray tables in the back and a fridge that can run when the car is turned off.

One thing missing is a glovebox; instead, there are two bag hooks that pop out as well as a handy storage area beneath the floating centre console.

2025 GAC Aion V: What we think

The vanity mirrors on the GAC Aion V give an indication of how hard this newcomer brand is trying to tackle the little as much as the big.

They’re a step up from most, especially in the Luxury variant with its bigger visors. A floppy magnetised cover reveals soft-glow LED lights surrounding the mirrors.

It’s a similar deal with the tray tables in the rear. Often they can feel flimsy and tokenistic, but these ones are solid units.

Combined with a two-tone treatment in the cabin and upmarket look throughout, it gets the Aion V off to a good start.

The fridge up-front is also a nifty addition, although it flips open only to the driver’s side.

The GAC is also a decent size.

There’s more back seat space than you’d get in many mid-sized SUVs and the centre occupant should be happier having a flat floor.

The 427 litres of boot space also makes it more useful than many.

Elsewhere there are shortcomings.

Like so many Chinese brands there’s simply too much going on in the centre screen.

It’s a generic screen used by many rivals, so there are main menu items along the bottom, including for ventilation and demisters. You can also click into the Car menu, or, all apps to find your way around.

But there will be lots of tapping, swiping and poking to try and get even basic tasks done.

And like so many, the lack of a volume dial is infuriating.

The single electric motor makes a respectable 150kW but its 210Nm of torque looks undernourished compared with some rivals.

Not that it shows on the road.

The Aion V pulls strongly and cleanly and feels respectably brisk. Against petrol rivals at similar money, it’s an effortless performer.

Traction can occasionally be an issue, the front wheels skipping when asked to put down power.

The steering lacks crispness, feeling a touch mushy on centre and short on feedback. Nothing deal-breaking but not exactly engaging.

It’s cosseting and quiet, though.

Ride comfort is decent and the car behaves predictably, just don’t expect zingy dynamics. The Aion V is at its best cruising around town or driven gently on open roads. Push harder and its limitations begin to show.

When it comes time to charge the Aion V can take up to 180kW of DC power, which GAC says can boost the battery from 20 to 80 per cent in 24 minutes.

2025 GAC Aion V: Verdict

Like so many newcomer brands one of the biggest challenges for the GAC Aion V is the badge. 

It’s arguably a bigger issue than most given it’s short on GAC badges and instead focuses on Aion for its identification.

But look past that and there’s the bones of a genuinely capable EV.

The EV driving range and a long list of equipment are its standouts, while it also delivers on space.

The driving experience is acceptable in an unexciting way.

There are EVs that are faster and some that drive with more pizazz.

But as a practical electric car that can travel upwards of 500km on a charge the Aion V comes out firing.

Score: 4/5

2025 GAC Aion V Luxury specifications

Price: $44,590 plus on-road costs
Basics: EV, 5 seats, 5 doors, SUV, FWD
Range: 510km (WLTP)
Battery capacity: 75.26kWh
Battery warranty: 8 years/200,000km
Energy consumption: 16.7kWh/100km
Motors: 1 front 150kW/210Nm
AC charging: 11kW, Type 2 plug
DC charging: 180kW, CCS combo plug
0-100km/h: NA