GAC Aion Y Plus 2024 Review

As competition in the local B-Segment electric vehicle market intensifies, consumer demand for models that are "adequately equipped, have solid range, and are affordable" has become increasingly clear. As the entry-level variant of the series, the 2024 GAC Aion Y Plus Elite, priced at RM 119,800, enters the market with its core selling points: a spacious 2750mm wheelbase, a 14.6-inch large intelligent interactive screen, and an 8-year/200,000 km battery warranty — these highlights precisely address family users' concerns for practicality and reliability. The main purpose of this test drive is to verify whether this entry-level model can strike a balance between "affordability" and "practical day-to-day use," providing budget-conscious electric car buyers with a practical choice.

From the exterior, the Aion Y Plus Elite retains the series' youthful design, with smooth and rounded lines that avoid overly aggressive edges. The front features a closed grille paired with irregularly shaped LED headlights, and the daytime running lights extend along the top edge of the headlights to both sides of the front, offering good recognizability. The side profile adopts a floating roof design, traditional door handles (hidden handles on the Premium version), and R17 wheels with moderately thick tires, leaning towards everyday comfort. The rear features continuous LED taillights as a visual highlight, providing uniform lighting when illuminated. There is also a black guard plate below the rear bumper, adding a touch of crossover vibe. The overall design is not overly flashy and meets the "visually appealing" needs of most family users.

Sitting inside the cabin, the interior adopts a minimalist style, with the dashboard wrapped in large areas of soft-touch materials, complemented by silver trim for added texture. The quality belongs to the mid-to-high level within its price range. A 10.25-inch fully digital instrument panel and a 14.6-inch central touchscreen form a dual-screen layout. The screens have clear resolutions, and the system operates smoothly. Physical buttons for the air conditioning are retained below the center console, making it easy to operate without looking — a feature more practical than fully touch-based designs. The front seats combine fabric and leather materials, with the driver's seat offering 6-way electric adjustment. Once adjusted to a suitable position, there is about a fist and two fingers of headroom left. The rear space is a highlight. The 2750mm wheelbase provides ample legroom; a passenger of 175 cm in height would have two fists' clearance from their knees to the front seatback and one fist of headroom. The rear features independent air conditioning vents and USB ports, and the nearly flat middle floor ensures comfort for the middle passenger when three people are seated. The trunk's standard capacity is practical, easily accommodating two 20-inch suitcases. The rear seats support a 60:40 split fold, which expands the storage space for occasional larger items.

In terms of performance, the Aion Y Plus Elite is equipped with a front-mounted single electric motor, producing a maximum power of 204PS and a peak torque of 225N·m, paired with a single-speed gearbox. During daily driving, the power response is very quick; there is no delay when starting, and slight pressure on the accelerator provides noticeable acceleration, making it suitable for frequent starts in congested urban conditions. When switching to Sport mode, the sensitivity of the accelerator pedal increases, and there is sufficient power reserve in the mid-to-high range. When overtaking, simply press the accelerator deeply, and the power responds promptly. The official 0-100km/h acceleration time of 8.5 seconds places this EV in the mid-to-upper range among its competitors in the same segment.

In terms of handling performance, the steering wheel is light and easy to turn with minimal dead space. Daily lane changes and U-turns are very agile. The combination of a front MacPherson independent suspension and a rear torsion beam non-independent suspension is tuned for comfort. When going over speed bumps or bumpy roads, the suspension filters out most of the small vibrations, without noticeable bouncing. During fast cornering, the body roll is kept within a reasonable range, without causing a "floating" feeling, giving the driver enough confidence. However, on continuous undulating roads, the rear suspension may have slightly more residual vibrations, but it doesn't affect overall comfort.

In terms of range, the official CLTC range is 430 km. In our test under mixed driving conditions (60% urban roads, 40% highways, air conditioning set to automatic at 24°C), the actual range achievement rate is about 80%, which is approximately 340 km. During urban commutes, the energy consumption is around 15-16 kWh/100 km, while on highways it rises to 18-20 kWh/100 km. This performance aligns with the 63.2 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery's expectations. As for charging efficiency, using a DC fast charging station takes about 40 minutes to charge from 30% to 80%, while slow charging from 0% to 100% takes around 8 hours, meeting daily charging needs.

In terms of ride comfort details, in-car noise control is quite good. On urban roads, tire and wind noise are relatively low, while on highways, wind noise becomes more noticeable but is within acceptable limits. Seat support is excellent, and long drives don’t feel tiring. The rear seats are angled well, with a reclining backrest, making long-distance rides quite comfortable. The energy recovery system has three adjustable levels. In the lowest level, there is almost no drag feeling, similar to the driving experience of a gasoline vehicle. In the highest level, the drag feel is obvious, suitable for one-pedal driving mode, which can slightly enhance the range.

To summarize, the core advantages of the 2024 GAC Aion Y Plus Elite lie in its "spaciousness, practical configurations, and affordable price." Compared to competitors in the same class, such as the BYD Atto 3 Standard Range (RM 149,800), its price is more than RM 30,000 lower. While it lacks features like lane departure warning and ACC adaptive cruise control in terms of intelligent driving assistance configurations, basic safety features (6 airbags, 360-degree panoramic camera, vehicle stability control) are all present, and its space performance is even better.

This car is suitable for families with a budget of around 120,000 MYR who value space comfort and reliability. It meets the needs for daily commuting and weekend family outings. If you do not have high requirements for intelligent driving assistance features and care more about "getting the most space and adequate features for the least money," then the Aion Y Plus Elite is a good choice. It doesn't have any particularly obvious drawbacks and is a "practical" family electric car.