The Xpeng X9 takes the MPV formula into new territory.
The electric MPV is a new genre in Malaysia and indeed the world. While many are skeptical about the viability of pure electric power in such a heavy, large and family-oriented transport vehicle, many Chinese brands see it as an opportunity to dethrone the Japanese in this segment. To be fair, there are pros and cons to going electric in this segment relating to performance, tech and pricing, but in Malaysia only 3 options have really emerged as the strongest contenders – one of which is the Xpeng X9.
The X9 sits in between the Zeekr 009 and Denza D9 in terms of pricing and positioning, but the reality is a little more complicated. The 009 goes for ostentatious, over-the-top presentation, luxury and range and has successfully converted many 1%-ers over as it feels like a cutting-edge product that undercuts the uppercrust of premium due to favourable tax laws.
Before we go further, the version of the X9 we have here is part of a ‘quiet’ update done late last year that brings minor equipment changes including the glowing XPENG word mark at the rear.
The D9 keeps things simple, presenting a near one-to-one alternative to an Alphard in terms of presentation, size and overall feel. While Xpeng doesn’t have the large capital backing of a private company the way those rivals do, but what it does have is a philosophy to product design and product strategy that isn’t bound by convention. As a result, the Xpeng X9 feels more like a savant than a compromise between two extremes.
Under the skin, the X9 shines thanks to the use of nVidia Drive ORIN chips, which give it loads more computing power than its rival. The use of nVidia chips in cars is starting to pick up across other brands, but Xpeng already had this arrangement in place before that company was worth even ONE trillion USD.
The use of these chips has real world implications. For one, Xpeng’s driver assists are genuinely confidence-inspiring. You see in real time how accurately and quickly the system maps out its surroundings virtually. It can identify people, bikes, commercial vehicles, other cars and even parking spots with precision. When it comes to parking spots, the X9 has another trick up its sleeves, or rather up its axles. This large MPV features rear-wheel steering and that shrinks its turning circle down to make it as manouevrable as a compact hatchback. I kid you not, it takes the same line out of my home parking spot as my tiny Alfa Romeo 147.
When you combine this extreme agility with an innate understanding of its environment, the X9 becomes one of the few vehicles out there that is a joy to ‘self-park’. I made use of the self-parking feature EVERY TIME because of how quick and intuitive the system was. As soon as it maps out a potential parking spot, I could trust it to find itself in there in good time and safely without any additional input from me. As soon as the car was done parking I didn’t have to move the steering back to the centre, switch to park, or turn off the car. I could literally start auto parking and spend the rest of the time gathering my belongings from the car while waiting for the X9 to come to a stop. To be fair, self-parking isn’t something new, but it has always felt undercooked and more like a gimmick than a feature until Xpeng came around with its vision for how to implement it better.
The exterior design is also a massive slap in the face of convention. Where the Cybertruck was wholly rejected, the X9 succeeds in showing the world a vision of what a Mars rover might look like here on earth.
Sure, it’s not pretty and it’s definitely divisive, but it turns heads and shakes the MPV market up by showing something other than your typical bread box on wheels can exist in this space. I do think the 009 succeeds in delivering a more luxurious aura, but I’m sure you’ll agree that the X9 turns more heads and looks more futuristic and bold.
There’s even a variant of the Xpeng X9 that comes with self-centering caps for the rims a-la Rolls-Royce. Interesting that a young Chinese startup now has the option once made famous by an old British marque.
Our test unit got the standard 20″ wheels, which were still pretty good looking and wrapped in Michelin e-Primacy tyres.
The exterior does have one or two objective problem areas though. For one, power door rails end in some ugly looking weld marks.
The photo below shows that they’re not particularly visible from a step back, but we can’t help but feel like extending the taillight housing would have easily hid these without interrupting the sliding door mechanism.
The vehicle’s relatively low roof and high floor, combined with the lack of a proper step makes ingress and egress a little tougher than expected for rear occupants. It ends up feeling a class smaller than its direct rivals.
That being said, we were very impressed with the packaging solutions presented in the X9. With all seats in use, the boot floor is extremely low, presenting enough space for a couple of check in luggage pieces to be stacked.
The rearmost seats are fully motorised (including recline and headrest height), so you can fold them forward with a push of a button for more luggage space. We suspect just moving one half of the bench would allow for a good compromise – moving 5 adults with luggage.
Otherwise, holding down the button further collapses the seats into the boot floor altogether. This gives you flat floor and massive amounts of space to move cargo.
Access to the rear is available by moving one of the middle row seats forward or squeezing in between them.
Those in the rear have access to USB-C ports, cupholders and powered controls for seat recline and headrest height.
Despite the low ceiling and high floor, it’s plenty spacious for a family of 5 or 6, and you could squeeze 7 in here if 3 of them are on the smaller side. The middle row is definitely where you’d want to be though – particularly on the passenger side of things, as the Zero Gravity seats here give you near-complete body support down to your calves. The full-spec Pro Plus comes with larger ‘Grand Sofa’ middle row seats.
These seats feature heating, ventilation and massage functionality to go along with 10-way adjustment. Missing on the X9: individual screens for occupants in the middle row. You do get fold out tables and individual 50W wireless charging pads and fast charging USB-C ports. There is also a large 21.4″ flip-out ceiling-mounted display that runs a bunch of streaming services.
Pillar and ceiling mounted air cond vents surround a panoramic sunroof. You also get sunblinds and a freezer for rear occupants as well as climate controls.
The sliding doors are fully powered so you need to reach to a button to get them to open.
Things up front are pretty nice as well. You’ll notice by now that just about all the upholstery is flesh coloured, which is certainly an interesting choice.
This flesh-coloured theme extends to the steering wheel, which is another exceptional design by xpeng. The logo offset to one side brings memories of the uniforms they used to wear on Star Trek. The wheel itself features multiple sections with leather folded into itself.
Another interesting design choice is the ornate metal grilles used for the air cond vents. Mind you these pieces are made out of REAL metal, which we haven’t seen in a car since the 1980s.
There are twin fast wireless charging pads and beneath that is a large storage gap with additional charging port options – USB-C, USB-A and a 12V power socket.
Occupants up front get a little sunroof of their own. The glovebox is of a decent size thoug the centre storage compartment is a little smaller than one might expect due to the presence of the freezer below it. One last note is the emergency door release – it’s hidden near the door pocket and this should be noted as the front doors use an e-latch mechanism.
In operation, the Xpeng X9 is a really capable and confident vehicle. Air suspension is standard and extremely well tuned. It is comfort-oriented but the dampers stiffen up at speed, making it pretty communicative at the extremes. Not that anyone in the right mind would drive such a behemoth like a sportscar. We preferred the driving character of the X9 over the D9, though the 009 still has a leg up when it comes to all out performance and all out comfort.
There isn’t a dual motor version of the X9 on sale in Malaysia and that’s completely fine by me. Like I said before, no one in the right mind should be treating these electric MPVs like anything other than people carriers. 320PS and 450Nm of torque is plenty enough for this format of vehicle and it doesn’t really matter too much that it’s front-wheel driven. 0-100km/h takes less than 8 seconds and that’s plenty rapid enough for most people.
The Xpeng X9’s biggest advantage is in its 800V architecture and in being the one of the very few brands to offer both LFP and NMC battery chemistries.
On this Long Range 2WD Pro mid-spec model, we get the larger, more energy dense 101.5kWh NMC battery which delivers 590km of range – not quite as impressive as the Zeekr 009’s but only by a hair. The 800V architecture allows for some ridiculously fast charging – 317kW. That’s faster than what most chargers can deliver anyway.
The Xpeng X9 is the kind of vehicle that comes about once in a generation. It’s made to disrupt the space and it’s priced, equipped and designed to really awaken something inside your typical MPV buyer. If you’ve ever yearned for a vehicle that breaks all the rules without falling apart (looking at the Cybertruck), the X9 is for you. Confidence in this start-up brand is fairly strong all things considered. Bermaz has a massive network for sales and aftersales, plus Xpeng themselves have a local office set-up to handle further operations in Malaysia.
XPENG X9 Long Range 2WD Pro Specifications
- Motor: Single Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (Front-Mounted)
- Drive: Front-Wheel Drive (FWD)
- Max Power: 315 hp (235 kW)
- Max Torque: 450 Nm
- 0-100km/h: 7.7 seconds
- Top Speed: 200 km/h
- Price: RM298,708
