XPeng X9

First Impressions

Climbing into the XPeng X9 Premium for the first time, I was genuinely struck by how thoroughly it had been upgraded from the previous generation. The new two-spoke steering wheel feels fluid and purposeful, the interior materials scream luxury, and those Napa leather seats grabbed my attention immediately—especially knowing they're standard even on this entry-level trim. The real jaw-dropper was discovering that even the base model gets 4-wheel steering, an 800V battery system, and all the intelligent driving aids. When I first started driving it though, something felt odd. The suspension was so absorbent that I felt like I was piloting a boat rather than a van. That softness dominated my initial impression, but I quickly realized it was intentional: this car is designed for passengers, not drivers chasing apexes.

Driving Dynamics and Handling

The dual chamber air suspension's softness shocked me at first. During my opening 30 minutes on the road, I was genuinely uncomfortable—the van floated over bumps without ever feeling like it made contact with the surface, and the light steering provided almost no feedback. I found myself struggling to sense how fast I was actually going, which became apparent when I unconsciously accelerated to 130-140 km/h and barely noticed.

Here's the thing: this isn't a flaw, it's a design choice. Once I dove into the customization menu, everything changed. Lowering the ride height by 15mm and setting the dampers to sport mode transformed the van's character entirely. Suddenly it had actual body control, reduced dive and squat during acceleration and braking, and cornering felt composed rather than tipsy. The steering still won't excite you, but at least it feels planted. I'd genuinely recommend everyone spending five minutes with these adjustments—the default settings prioritize passenger comfort over driver engagement, which is fair for a family hauler.

Performance and Acceleration

What impressed me most during testing was the acceleration. With 342 horsepower and 450 Nm of torque, the X9 Premium consistently hits 0-100 km/h in around 7.6 seconds—genuinely quick for a van weighing over two tonnes. More importantly, this acceleration is repeatable and stable across multiple runs, even as battery charge drops. The power delivery is smooth and immediate; you press the pedal and the van surges forward without any delay or hesitation.

Automatic lane-changing through the updated Shift Touring AI blew me away. The system calculates three times faster than the previous generation and executes lane changes with Tesla-rivaling intelligence—it waited patiently for oncoming traffic to clear before confidently pulling out. Adaptive cruise control works smoothly at highway speeds, maintaining safe following distances and adjusting speed naturally. Neither system is perfect, but both perform substantially better than I expected from a Chinese manufacturer at this price point.

Interior Luxury and Technology

The interior is where this van truly justifies its positioning. The 17.3-inch central screen is massive and responsive, the 10.25-inch driver display is perfectly legible, but the star is undoubtedly the 21.4-inch rear entertainment screen—arguably the largest in any van currently available. The clarity is excellent and the responsiveness snappy enough for scrolling and navigation without frustration.

What touched me most was the passenger-focused design. Those Napa leather seats aren't just applied to front row—they wrap the entire interior including row three. Heated and cooled seats are standard across all seven positions. The second row gets zero-gravity recline, and the third row features electrically adjustable backrests that fold completely flat. During my time in the back rows, I was genuinely shocked by the comfort level—the soft suspension that bothers drivers becomes a blessing for passengers, isolating them from road texture and vibration. The 27-speaker audio system delivers immersive surround sound that makes movie watching or music listening genuinely engaging. Real wood trim (sourced from violin-making material) and ambient lighting with customizable two-tone color schemes add genuine luxury rather than plastic pretense.

Charging Reality

The 800V, 5C charging capability sounds revolutionary on paper. In reality, it's limited by infrastructure. I charged from 44 to 80 percent at a typical public 240kW station shared among six vehicles, which took 52 minutes. Each car received roughly 40kW instead of the theoretical 537kW maximum—a massive gap between specification and real-world experience.

The car itself performs flawlessly during charging; the issue is Thailand's charging network simply hasn't caught up with what modern EVs can accept. Until high-power stations become widespread, even the world's fastest-charging van will spend similar time plugged in as competitors with less advanced systems. This is nobody's fault but rather an infrastructure reality that potential buyers should understand before committing.

Efficiency and Range

Real-world efficiency impressed me during mixed Bangkok driving at modest speeds. Over initial testing, I observed 8.9 kWh per 100km in ideal conditions, improving to around 14.8 kWh per 100km over longer distances—genuinely respectable for a machine this size. The 94.8 kWh battery officially offers 620 kilometers per NEDC cycle, which translates to roughly 480-500km of realistic highway range depending on driving style and conditions.

Driving at night in moderate Bangkok traffic without exceeding 80 km/h yielded the best efficiency figures. Aggressive driving would doubtless consume more, but the van's smooth, relaxed nature encourages measured inputs anyway. For someone doing mostly city and suburban driving with occasional highway trips, charging overnight at home or work makes complete sense.

Final Verdict

The XPeng X9 Premium represents remarkable value in the electric van segment. It's loaded with technology that actually works, finished with genuine luxury materials, and engineered specifically for passenger comfort. If you're buying this to chauffeur your family while sitting in row two or three, you'll be absolutely delighted—the suspension tuning, rear entertainment, climate control, and seating are legitimately world-class.

If you're the primary driver who enjoys spirited handling, accept that you'll need to spend ten minutes tweaking suspension and steering settings to make the van tolerable for your preferences. The good news is that those adjustments actually work. The base Premium trim doesn't shortchange you on essentials—this is a fully-featured family van that happens to be more technically advanced than competitors costing significantly more.