The XPeng X9 has gone through a minor refresh, making it an even more attractive package for prospective buyers.
Some cars ask to be driven. Some beg to be thrashed on the twistiest road you can find or launched pedal-to-the-metal on a de-restricted stretch of road. The XPeng X9, however, doesn’t make such demands. It simply opens its sliding doors and invites you in. Not to drive. To recline.
Because while most cars want you in the driver’s seat, this one insists you experience it from the back row.
A future-focused ride
The X9 is huge, and unapologetically proud of it. Park it next to a Range Rover or even a Bentley Bentayga, and it stands toe to toe.
From some angles, it looks less like a car and more like a Star Trek shuttle pod, especially with its smooth, creaseless bodywork and futuristic proportions.
But don’t mistake the X9’s sleek silhouette for cold minimalism. It’s a first-class cabin on wheels. Pull open the powered sliding doors and you’re greeted by what XPeng clearly considers its pièce de résistance: the second-row captain’s chairs. These thrones recline, massage, heat, cool, and extend leg supports like they’re trying to outdo First Class.
Nestled between them is a central fridge for your beverages, multiple USB-C ports, wireless chargers, and tray tables. A screen large enough to host a Zoom call with every relative in your family tree folds down from the ceiling, and with five-zone climate control, everyone gets their own little bubble of comfort.
In most MPVs, the third row is where grandparents go to reconsider their life choices. Not here. In the X9, the last row is genuinely usable. Adults fit comfortably, and when you don’t need the seats, they fold completely flat into the floor, revealing a cavernous 2,500-litre boot.
That’s the sort of space you get in a small removal van, not a luxury MPV. You could theoretically pack for a long-haul family road trip and still have room for impulse buys from every shopping mall between here and Thailand.
Driving? Optional, But Surprisingly Pleasant
Of course, one still has to drive the X9 from time to time. Power comes from a single front-mounted motor making 315hp, drawing energy from a substantial 101.5kWh battery. Official range stands at 590km (WLTP), giving you a realistic 500km of useable distance, more than enough for a weekly commute.
Despite its size, the X9 moves with surprising grace. It takes just 7.8 seconds to get to 100km/h, which is quick enough to make it to your child’s piano recital even after realising you’ve forgotten their scoresheets at home.
Thanks to rear-wheel steering, it turns like something half its size. The turning radius borders on the comical, like watching a sumo wrestler pirouette. Tight U-turns, carparks, and multi-storey ramps are no longer any concern.
And when it comes time to park, just press a button. The car will park itself, smoothly and silently, like it’s checking itself into a spa.
A true tech tsunami
XPeng is, at its heart, a tech company that just happens to build cars. And you feel that in every part of the X9. There are menus within menus, letting you tweak everything from steering weight to ride height to how much regen braking you want on your daily jaunt.
It’s all very clever. But it can also feel like ordering coffee and being asked whether you’d like your beans ground clockwise or anti-clockwise, and with or without a hint of optimism.
Take the air-conditioning, for instance. Adjusting vents via the touchscreen is about as intuitive as painting with chopsticks. A physical dial or switch would have sufficed.
Despite the minor UI quirks and the inevitable learning curve that comes with all this tech, the X9 is a remarkable achievement. It redefines the MPV as something aspirational, not just practical. A car that can shuttle seven in absolute serenity, while looking like it just rolled off a sci-fi film set.
Your lounge on wheels awaits
In the XPeng X9, you don’t drive. You arrive.
And when you do, you’ll step out fully massaged, perfectly temperate, with your phone charged, your coffee cooled (or warmed), and your sanity intact, even with a full family on board.
If this is what the future of people-movers looks like, count me in.
Technical Specifications
XPeng X9
Powertrain: Single Electric Motor, Front-Wheel Drive
Power: 235 kW (315 bhp)
Torque: 450 Nm
Gearbox: Single-Speed (A)
Acceleration: 7.8 Seconds (0-100km/h)
Top Speed: 200 km/h
Battery Capacity: 101.5 kWh
Drive Range: 590 km
Energy Consumption: N.A.
Price: S$355,999 with COE (accurate at the time of this article)
Photo Credits: Sean Loo (@auto.driven)
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