Tag Archives: cars

electric, Motoring, XPeng

Performance and executive class from Xpeng

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X-Peng G6 Performance

By Bill McCarthy

When you think of blistering performance, names like Ferrari, Porsche, Lotus and McLaren come to mind, all with price tags to match. But there are luxury models out there with impressive pace and a much more modest price. The Xpeng G6 Performance is one of those.

The X what? I hear you say. Let me explain.

XPENG is a Chinese EV company founded in 2014, headquartered in Guangzhou and Amsterdam. It is relatively new to the UK, and with the G6 Performance, it has created a powerful electric beast that takes on established premium brands without the eye-watering cost.

The G6 Performance stands out as one of the most rapid EVs I have driven recently. I had previously driven the G6 Long Range, itself an impressive range performer, but this model offers stronger performance and supercharging capability, where available, reaching 80 per cent in just 12 minutes.

The G6 is designed to rival and undercut the Tesla Model Y, and this variant comes in at a notably lower price. It offers an attractive mix of value, build quality and battery technology. As for reliability, while the brand is young, a collaboration with Volkswagen suggests it is respected by major industry players and should deliver peace of mind for potential buyers.

Design and first impressions

The car certainly draws attention. Its design is sporty, sleek and aerodynamic, coming across as an elegant family SUV rather than overtly futuristic. 

The Performance badge is a giveaway to what lurks underneath and key features such as the smart alloy wheels, auto-sensing LED lights, frameless doors and panoramic glass roof contribute to a premium appearance.

A high-end cabin with a sporty edge

Slip inside and it feels minimalist, but with a luxury upmarket feel to rival some of the best in the executive market. It features quality materials, with soft-touch leatherette wrapping throughout. The ambient lighting and geometric-patterned wood trim across the dashboard add an extra touch of class.

Yet for all its luxury, there is an undeniable sporty undertone. The comfortable front seats – heated, ventilated and even featuring a massage function – hold you firmly in place, while the flat-bottomed (if oddly shaped) steering wheel and the fighter-jet-style floating centre console hint at the Performance model’s dual-motor potency.

Front and centre are two screens. A large 15-inch central display handles navigation, connectivity and the premium sound system, while real-time data is presented on a smaller 10-inch driver’s screen.

The bespoke XPILOT ASSIST intelligent driving system, with over-the-air updates, adds peace of mind through its comprehensive suite of cameras and collision prevention aids—all fitted as standard. And for those moments when you are not behind the wheel, the XPENG phone app lets you remotely pre-condition the cabin or check charging status from afar.

The heated steering wheel retains physical buttons and rotary controls for media, volume and climate settings. However, I remain unconvinced by its elliptical shape, reminding me of the old Austin Allegro’s much-maligned quartic wheel, and while Xpeng claims it improves visibility and legroom, I never quite grew accustomed to it.

Overall, though, this is a cabin that balances plush comfort with a genuine sporting character. It feels like a place you want to spend time – where motorway crusiing or tackling twisting country roads – the the mark of a well-executed interior.

On-the-road performance

Behind the wheel, the Performance model delivers an exhilarating driving experience. This dual-motor all-wheel-drive test model, producing 480bhp and 660Nm of torque, pins occupants back when you floor the accelerator and hits 60mph in approximately 4.1 seconds.

The ride is firm yet comfortable, and the car feels planted and agile through corners, aided by responsive steering.  Selecting drive modes (Eco, Standard, Sport) must be done via the central screen, along with other functions, which can be distracting for the driver.

Practicalities, charging and space

As a family type car, stowage space is important and the G6 offers a 571-litre boot with the rear seats in place, expanding to 1,374 litres when they are folded down.

Just about big enough, but a long way from market leader.

The Performance model uses an 80.8kWh battery, offering an official WLTP range of 316 miles. Although i would estimate near 280-285 during this test.

So much depends on driving conditions and how heavy your foot is with the accelerator peda.

What truly sets the G6 apart is its class-leading charging capability. The 800-volt architecture allows for a peak charging speed of 451kW, meaning a 10-80% top-up can take as little as 12 minutes on a suitably powerful charger, when they become available..

Verdict

The Xpeng G6 Performance combines striking design, a premium and technology-rich cabin, decent real-world range and class-leading charging potential.

It blistering pace and is a hugely enjoyable drive. While the all-screen interface and unconventional steering wheel  may not suit all tastes, this Chinese newcomer is a sophisticated contender in the UK’s EV market.

Factfile

  • XPENG G6 Performance
  • Mechanical: Dual electric motors (480bhp) and 80.8kWh battery driving all wheels via auto transmission.
  • Price: £49,990
  • Max speed: 126mph
  • 0-62mph: 4.1 seconds
  • Electric range: 316 miles (WLTP)
  • CO2 emissions: 0g/km
  • BiK rating: 4%
  • Insurance group: 44
  • Warranty: 5yrs/75,000 miles (vehicle), 8yrs/100,000 miles (battery)

Mazda, Motoring, SUV

Mazda rings the changes with CX-5

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have said this before and will say it again – when it comes to SUVs, Mazda sets a very high bar and without doubt offers some of the most stylish SUVs. The original CX-5 proved that back in 2012, and with UK sales now past 100,000, it’s clear British buyers agree. But the latest iteration offers big changes.

Design and trim
The chiselled profile is still recognisably CX-5, but it now features a longer wheelbase and wider rear doors. The new front and rear light signatures look sharper, and the Mazda lettering across the tailgate gives it a more premium feel.
Trim levels are Prime-Line, Centre-Line, Exclusive-Line, and Homura at the top. Priced from £31,550 to £40,950. The brand also now offers a six year, 100,000 mile warranty.

Interior – the good and the frustrating
This is where things get interesting – and a bit frustrating. That old 10.25-inch screen is gone, replaced by a 12.9-inch or, on top trims, a massive 15.6-inch display. It’s crisp, responsive, and has Google built-in Maps, Assistant, and the Play Store. Handy.

Mazda has dispensed with the physical dial on the centre console and says core controls follow a “safety-first logic” with physical buttons remaining for essential functions.
Many key functions have disappeared into the brain of the display. So tapping and swiping can distract from road concentration. It looks good, though, and the voice control can mitigate some of this.

The rest of the cabin remains light, airy, and with excellent visibility. Four adults fit in genuine comfort, and a fifth is reasonable at a push. This tested Homura gets Nappa leather with tan or black options, soft-touch surfaces everywhere, and a panoramic sunroof allows light and air to flood the cabin.

Equipment and tech
Standard kit is generous, but the Homura piles it on. Wireless charging, a ten-speaker Bose system, powered and ventilated front seats, a 360-degree camera, plus all-wheel drive and an auto box as standard. Legroom has improved in the rear, with 64mm extra – and the rear doors now open to nearly 80 degrees, making clambering in and out a doddle.

Under the bonnet
It’s a 2.5-litre petrol with mild-hybrid assistance, producing 141ps and 238Nm of torque. This front-wheel-drive variant hits 0-62mph in a fairly pedestrian 10.5 seconds. Quick enough, but it really scores as a relaxing motorway cruiser.
Official economy hovers around the 40mpg mark, an improvement over its predecessor. I managed around 38.5, pretty close to the WLTP figure. Not class-leading, but not embarrassing either.

On the road
Handling is excellent, with Mazda’s G-Vectoring system keeping the ride comfortable and composed when cornering sharply – shifting weight and power delivery to keep things composed.

Practicality – the removal van test
Boot space is up by 61 litres thanks to the longer wheelbase, and the Karakuri one-touch folding system is still there for the 40:20:40 split rear seats. Fold everything flat and you’re looking at over 1,600 litres of cavernous space.
And I put it to the test. With a house move looming, the CX-5 became an unlikely removal van.
Furniture, boxes, trips to the tip – it swallowed the lot. The Karakuri system made flattening the seats a one-touch affair, and the low load lip meant heaving awkward items in and out wasn’t the back-breaking chore I’d feared.
We would have struggled without it. Shame it didn’t come with a loading trolley, mind.
With a braked towing capacity of up to 2,000kg, it’ll even haul a small caravan if your sofa collection gets really out of hand.

Safety
The latest i-Activsense systems are standard across the range, including Cruise & Traffic Support – which takes the sting out of stop-start queues by handling the pedals and steering. It works well enough, though I’d still rather keep my hands on the wheel. Mazda is targeting a Euro NCAP 5-star rating.

Verdict
It looks even better, is more spacious, more tech-savvy, and more efficient. I’m no Luddite, but that all-screen interior can be frustrating – but that’s the way it is.
It’s still one of the most stylish, comfortable, and engaging SUVs around – and it turns out, it’s a dab hand at shifting your worldly goods, too.

Factfile

  • Model: Mazda CX-5 2.5 e-Skyactiv G Homura auto
  • Price: £38,950
  • Mechanical: 141 PS, 2.5-litre petrol with 24v mild-hybrid system, driving the front wheels via a 6-speed automatic transmission
  • Max speed: 116 mph
  • 0 to 62mph: 10.5 sec
  • Combined mpg: 40.4 mpg
  • Insurance group: TBC
  • CO₂ emissions: 157–159 g/km
  • BiK rating: 37%
  • Warranty: 6yrs/100,000 miles