Maxus Mifa 9 Review

Nowadays, the high-end electric MPV market in Malaysia offers more choices. The overlapping demands of home and business scenarios make consumers focus more on balancing space practicality and luxurious configurations. As the entry-level model in this segment, the Maxus MIFA 9 Luxury is priced at RM269,880, with core selling points including a 7-seat space enabled by its long wheelbase, a smart cockpit comprised of a fully digital instrument panel and a 12.3-inch central control screen, and an 8-year or 200,000-kilometer battery warranty. In this test drive, we focus on verifying whether it can meet the needs of daily family travel while also ensuring a sense of prestige for business scenarios, and whether its pure electric range performance is reliable.

The exterior of the MIFA 9 Luxury adopts a steady design style, with overall square lines that fit the practical positioning of an MPV. The front features through-type LED daytime running lights with a closed Maxus logo in the middle, providing good recognition. The lower grille has a trapezoidal design, with front fog lamps embedded on both sides, presenting a balanced proportion. The side of the car features a straight waistline extending from the front to the rear, with hidden door handles and 18-inch wheels, giving the side a relatively elongated appearance. The tail lights are also designed in a through-type style, echoing the front, and the lower part is decorated with silver skid plates. However, the overall design is relatively conservative, with few aggressive elements.

Stepping into the car, the first thing that grabs attention is the interior materials. The dashboard is wrapped in soft-touch materials, providing a fairly refined feel. The 12.3-inch central touch screen is situated in the middle, with a fully digital instrument panel on the left side. The display information is clear, showing speed, range, driving mode, and more. The steering wheel is an electrically adjustable multifunction style with logically arranged buttons, making it convenient to operate. As for the seats, the front row seats are electrically adjustable with soft padding, ensuring they remain comfortable even on long drives. The second row features independent seats, and although they lack the leg rest available in the Premium model, the space is ample. A passenger with a height of 175 cm can have more than two fists of legroom. The third row seats can be split 60/40 and folded down, significantly expanding the trunk space, making it sufficient for strollers or suitcases. Interior storage space is also quite abundant; the large central armrest box in the front row offers considerable volume, the storage pockets on the door panels can fit two bottles of water, and there's even a cup holder between the second-row seats.

While driving the MIFA 9 Luxury, the power output is very smooth. Being an electric vehicle, pressing the accelerator provides 350 Nm of torque, ensuring responsive starts and ease in city driving or overtaking. The official 0-100 km/h acceleration time is 9.2 seconds, which is adequate for a 2.4-ton MPV and does not create a sluggish feel. There are three driving modes: Eco, Standard, and Sport. In Eco mode, the power output is gentler, making it suitable for daily commuting, while Sport mode provides more sensitive throttle responses, ideal for scenarios requiring quick acceleration.

In terms of the chassis, with a front MacPherson strut and rear five-link independent suspension combination, the tuning is more comfort-oriented. When passing over speed bumps or uneven roads, the suspension absorbs most of the bumps, so noticeable vibrations are not transmitted into the cabin. When cornering at high speeds, the body roll is well-controlled and not excessively wobbly. The steering feels light and reasonably accurate, making daily driving easy, even for female drivers.

In terms of battery life, we conducted an actual test. The official range with a full charge is 435km. On urban roads, with air conditioning and music on, the actual distance achieved was about 380km, resulting in a range attainment rate of approximately 87%, which is fairly decent. Fast charging can charge up to 80% in 0.5 hours, while slow charging takes 8.5 hours, making it suitable for users with home charging stations. In terms of energy consumption, it's approximately 18kWh/100km in the city, while on highways, it’s slightly higher at about 22kWh/100km.

Noise control is decent; at low speeds in urban areas, the motor noise is almost inaudible. At a highway speed of 100km/h, wind noise and tire noise become more noticeable but remain within an acceptable range. The seat comfort is quite good, especially in the second row, where long-duration sitting doesn't feel tiring. The energy recovery system has three adjustable levels, and the highest level provides moderate recovery without any noticeable drag feeling, which means you won’t need to frequently use the brake pedal in daily driving.

Overall, the core advantages of the MIFA 9 Luxury are its ample space, practical features, and high range attainment rate. At a price of 269,880 MYR, it is significantly cheaper than competitors in the same class, offering excellent value for money. Compared with the Premium version, although it lacks lane-keeping assistance, it retains all the basic configurations, such as ACC adaptive cruise control, active braking, and six airbags, ensuring no compromises on safety features.

This car is suitable for two types of users: one is families who value space and cost-effectiveness, as the 7-seat layout can meet the needs of family travel, and the pure electric drive offers low daily usage costs. The other is small business owners who occasionally require a vehicle for business reception; its dignified appearance, decent interior quality, and spacious second row make it suitable for formal scenarios.

To sum up, the MIFA 9 Luxury is a well-balanced electric MPV with no obvious weaknesses. While its design is somewhat conservative, it offers strong practicality, reliable range, and suits consumers who prioritize utility and value for money. If you’re looking for a pure electric MPV that can balance family and business needs, it’s worth considering.