Xpeng G6 review

It's a Chinese car from a maker that likes to describe itself as “a tech company that also makes cars”. In the west we go big for Chinese goods, some of them high-tech. But we're not so good at their brand names. The company's name is Xiaopeng at home after its founder, but it has lost some vowels on its way to Europe.

So, Xpeng makes cars, but very soon it’ll also be making AI-powered humanoid robots and a bonkers range-extender van with a strange flying pod in the back. Those will apparently be on sale in China later in 2026, whereas in the UK the sole offering is still this rather generic looking electric coupe-crossover.

The G6 is a generously sized car, spacious like a Tesla Model Y, roomier than the VW ID.4 or Ford Capri or Peugeot e-3008.

Another Chinese import. Why should I care?

Maybe because of Xpeng’s sheer technological heft: four out of 10 of the company's employees work in R&D, and half of those work in software and AI. Maybe because VW is integrating Xpeng’s tech architecture into its EVs for the Chinese market from 2026.

Maybe because of the G6's leading-edge construction, with huge aluminium castings giving lots of body rigidity, and cell-to-body battery construction fitting a lot of electrical energy into a compact space. Maybe because of the high level of driver-assist as standard, or the really rapid charging.

Or maybe just because you like the sound of getting a Tesla-like vehicle without having to send Elon your money.

It looks modern…

Yup, the G6 was designed by JuanMa Lopèz, the same Spaniard who led the design of the Lamborghini Miura Concept unveiled in 2006, before becoming head of exteriors at Ferrari during the gestation of the SF90 and Monza SP barchetta.

That said, it looks like he was told to shape a vehicle that stands out less than a Lambo. The proportions are Tesla, the curves a bit Mercedes EQ. The lack of edges means the end result is, to our eyes, a bit of a blobject.

And actually, a facelift for 2026 has made it even more generic-looking, with a full lightbar now stretching across the front and body-coloured wheel arches. There is a neat little new ducktail spoiler on the bootlid though, while inside you get a new dashboard and door cards.

Enough first impressions. Hard numbers please.

Well, Xpeng claims that it has made 20,000 changes for this facelift, but we won’t be listing them all here. And yes, the car was only on sale for a year in the UK before the update, but it was first offered in China back in June 2023, so by their standards it was already long in the tooth.

Anyway, the G6 has a drag coefficient of only 0.248, though that's offset by a large frontal area. At almost two metres wide and over 4.7m long, it’s in Audi Q6 territory.

It's not slow, either. According to official figures, the single e-motor on the base spec car develops 248bhp and fires the rear-wheel-drive G6 from 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds.

Opting for the ‘RWD Long Range’ trim means that 0-62mph time drops to 6.7s and power output increases to 292bhp. But if it’s performance you’re after, you’ll want the erm… AWD Performance version. That gets twin motors for a total of 480bhp and a 0-62mph time of 4.1s. In reality, it feels even faster.

And the electric stats?

It's built on an 800V electrical architecture for ultra-fast charging, and whether you opt for the smaller or bigger battery, both will get from 10-80 per cent in just 12 minutes on a high-power charger. That’s because the smaller battery accepts 382kW of rapid charge, while the larger one will gobble up a mightily impressive 451kW. That’s if you can find a charger capable of course, which you won’t in the UK right now. Still, it means the G6 is future-proofed in that regard.

The charging speeds are more impressive than the outright range figures, though. The 68.5kWh pack in the entry level RWD Standard Range car is good for 292 miles on the WLTP cycle. The RWD Long Range claims 326 miles (some way off the Model Y Premium Long Range All-Wheel Drive’s 391 miles) while the twin motors of the AWD Performance knock the figure back down to 316 miles.

Is the cabin family-friendly or coupe-cramped?

It's roomy. Families will like the space and even the back seat reclines a bit.

Visually it's extremely minimalist inside. Calming if you will. Until you try to adjust some of the many features via the screen – the only way because it lacks actual switches. There isn't even a volume knob the passengers can reach, and in right-hand drive it’s a good stretch for the driver to reach over to the many submenus.

What’s it like to drive?

A rear-wheel drive coupe it may be, but it's absolutely not a sports car.

Driving it isn't a terrible chore. The motor is well calibrated, giving smooth acceleration and no surprises. If you're prepared to dig into the screen menus (no buttons or paddles) you can change regenerative braking strength, and the weight of the steering and brake pedal, and of course accelerator response.

The bodyshell feels reassuringly rigid and doesn't shudder when a wheel hits a pothole. So measured by absolute composure, the dynamics are fine. It’s just rather joyless and plain, despite many of those 20k changes apparently being to the chassis, suspension and steering.

You keep mentioning the tech. Is the G6 expensive?

Not hugely. Even other Chinese firms such as BYD and Leapmotor are going to be given some hurry-up by the G6's prices. The standard-range version is a tenner under £40,000 (the same as the pre-facelift price) and the long-range exactly £5,000 more. Both have the same equipment. The big power Performance version is another £5,000 more than the long ranger.

The G6 is a very family-oriented vehicle – plenty of room, lots of entertainment options with nothing needing a subscription outside what you’d already pay for (Netflix, Spotify, AppleTV+, etc) and decent levels of comfort.

It sets its stall out as very much a Tesla rival with very similar submenus in its large central screen. In other words, it’s supposed to be a more tech-led experience than most of the long-standing carmakers currently offer, but really it seems to be lacking a USP.

That's the passenger angle. How is it for the one sat at the wheel? You really have to let the car make the decisions. Adjusting the drive mode, or driver-assist, or even the climate settings, is seriously hard.

Yes it charges quickly, but it also pushes the human into the background. If you're happy to feel like you're being transported, that's fine. This is not a car for involved drivers.