[REVIEW] Aion V: When Looks are Deceiving

It’s a warm night in Singapore – which is basically every night in Singapore. 

You walk up to your car. It automatically greets you — doors unlock, the aircon kicks in, and your seat glides back to make getting in easier. The nine-speaker surround system fires up your favourite playlist without you lifting a finger.

You settle in. A gentle tap on the brake pedal and the motor primes, whispering: ready when you are.

Your Taiwan milk tea? Safely tucked into the fridge under the centre armrest, set to a precise 1°C. Perfect drinking temperature secured.

You’re still perspiring and sticky from the merciless Singapore humidity. A few taps on the expansive infotainment screen, and cold air starts blasting from within the seat, cooling your back and bottom. Tap again and the massage rollers kick in, kneading your tired spine. You recline. Life is good.

“Hello baby, open the sunshade,” you say aloud.

There’s no one else in the car with you. Yet, a sultry voice replies in the affirmative, and the 2m panoramic glass roof reveals the night sky above. The only thing missing is a shooting star at that precise moment.

A smile creeps across your face. Then widens. Because you remember this: all these luxuries in a car are typically reserved for continental cars north of S$300,000.

Yet, here you are in a brand new Aion V which cost just a little over S$170,000, enjoying the very same luxury. And then some.

By my math, that’s S$130,000+ saved. Which translates into multiple European holidays, or university school fees for both your children.

Meet the Aion V: easily one of the most feature-packed and value-for-money mid-sized sports utility vehicles (SUVs) you can buy on this sunny island.

Appearances Can Be Highly Deceiving

I was deceived by the price. In today’s car market where most half-decent cars cost upwards of S$200,000, I was wonder, what good can a S$170,000 car possibly be?

When I saw photos of the car, I thought: “This is just a budget car, dressed up to look a bit like a cute little T-Rex, right?”

Truth be told, there was a bit of apprehension to step into this car — especially after just having enjoyed the luxurious and fancy Hyptec HT (also from Aion) a few weeks prior. I mean, how good could a S$170,000 car be in comparison?

So I set my expectations pretty low. And I was completely blown away.

The interior of Aion V reeks of quality. Every panel is solid and well put together. The doors close with a heavy, satisfying thump — more akin to a continental luxury car than the entry-level rides that usually sit in this price range.

Almost every surface your upper body can touch is padded in soft-touch materials or leatherette. To really find cheap plastic, you’d have to reach way down into the depths.

And the space. For the price of a compact SUV like the Honda Vezel, you get a proper mid-sized SUV here. The doors open almost 90 degrees wide, and the leg space is simply generous.

There’s even a luxurious tray table for one lucky rear passenger. During my drives, my kids were fighting over what they call the “business class” seat to play their toys on the table.

While not the largest or deepest boot, the space in the Aion V is still sizeable. It’s clear that GAC Aion designers prioritised cabin space rather than boot, which is a fair decision.

With just my initial impressions alone — before I even started the car or fiddled with any of its features — the Dad in me was already impressed. This felt like a fantastic family vehicle, even before I looked at the size of the boot. 

After completing a visual walkthrough of the car, all thoughts of this being “only” a budget car vanished. Because if you can look past its S$170,000 price tag, what you actually discover is a car that feels closer to S$300,000.

And then, when I really driving the Aion V, I went away even more impressed.

Chock Full of Features

Let’s start with the fridge hidden neatly under the centre armrest. This isn’t just a fridge that chills your bubble tea. It can also  heat or even freeze your drinks or snacks, and stay running even when the car is turned off. That’s a proper, mobile mini-fridge.

Then there’s the massage seats for front passenger and driver. Aion doesn’t do things halfheartedly here. The seats don’t vibrate like some cheap AliExpress massagers. There are proper rollers set in the seats, and you can select massage modes from gentle relaxation to firm kneading. Perfect for when you’re stuck in traffic and need some therapy before you reach home.

And if that isn’t enough, the same seats have both heating and ventilation capabilities, keeping your butt toasty in Genting or frosty in Sentosa.

Up top, a massive sunroof spans nearly the whole length of the car, flooding the cabin with light and giving rear passengers that “business class sky lounge” feeling.

A Solid EV in Its Own Right

Now, don’t think that all those luxury-like creature comforts mean Aion forgot about the actual car part of the Aion V. Because they didn’t.

For a Category A vehicle, performance is more than respectable. It’s not a sporty SUV by any stretch — you won’t be chasing down dual motor Teslas on the expressway — but it’s wonderfully easy to drive.

The Aion V is simple to place on the road, has a surprisingly tight turning radius, and feels downright effortless. It’s the kind of car anyone can hop into and feel comfortable driving within minutes. Never once did I feel like I’m wrestling a bull driving this car.

The suspension tuning is clearly focused on comfort. Combine that with the generous rear legroom and headroom, and you’ve got a backseat that’s genuinely pleasant to sit in. For families, it’s an economical and practical SUV that just makes sense.

And here’s the real gem: efficiency. The mileage is bang-on accurate. Even with me driving in Sports mode for almost the entire four days I had the car, the range estimate didn’t flinch.

The battery isn’t the biggest out there, but because the numbers are reliable, the quoted 400+ km range actually means 400+ km in real life. For normal use in Singapore, that translates to charging only once a week at most. Fuss-free, just the way we like it.

Conclusion: A Car That Punches Way Above Its Price

So yes, appearances can be deceiving. Call it a budget EV if you want, but once you experience it, you’ll know — the Aion V is anything but budget.

If you don’t believe me – visit the GAC AION Showroom to experience it for yourself. Or better yet, ask for a test drive with AionEV today.

What’s to like Very comfortable and easy to drive Accurate WLTP rating Spacious, suitable as a family vehicle High value-for-money Quality of life (fridge, ventilated seats, massage seats) Quality interior

What’s holding it back Shortage of storage drawers, compartments (there’s no glovebox!)

Key Figures

Battery Capacity	75.3 kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (Luxury) 64.5 kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (Premium)
Range (WLTP)	485 km (Luxury) 435 km (Premium
Torque	240 Nm
Power	100 kW (134bhp) 9.8s (0-100km/l)
Boot Space	427 L
Price (with COE)	Premium: S$ 167,988 (August 2025) Luxury: S$ 174,988 (August 2025)

Editor’s Note: The Aion V reviewed was provided as a media review car by Vincar EV. This is not a sponsored post and all opinions are the writer’s own.