Aion’s UT compact electric hatch offers plenty of cheekiness, but under its cute facade lies a car that delivers excellent value.
In all my years of driving, I’ve never come across a car that has promised to cure motion sickness. But the new Aion UT has a setting called ‘Motion Sickness Relief’, which apparently tries to smoothen the driving experience by reducing the regenerative braking and energy recovery to a minimum, and generally tries to make things as comfortable as possible.
I guess you learn something new every day, but it also underlines how, despite its entry-level price tag, the Aion UT is a car that comes brimming with surprises.
Cute and Cuddly
The UT is Aion’s answer to the various cheeky little electric hatches currently available out there, including the BYD Dolphin, Ora Good Cat and Dongfeng Box. It’s clearly targeted at a set demographic, namely those who want an easy-to-drive car that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and the UT certainly plays the part well.
That said, while the UT boasts the kind of cute and cuddly curves that would attract the attention of curious passers-by, it is relatively restrained compared to some of its rivals. Most of the design elements, like the rounded lighting and smooth surfacing, come together in a pretty cohesive manner. It feels like it was styled by a pre-teen, in a good way, with a mixture of fun and maturity in balance.
Deceptively Spacious
The interior is probably where the UT surprises the most. While it measures in at a compact 4,270mm long, putting it right between the Good Cat and the Dolphin, the UT also shares the same 2,750mm wheelbase as its larger Aion Y Plus crossover sibling, topping all of its rivals in that metric.
As a result, you get plenty of legroom, especially in the rear. But beyond that, the UT is also notably taller and wider than its competitors, which translates into more headroom and shoulder room.
This is clearly a small hatchback that passengers won’t feel cramped or claustrophobic in.
Boot space is an equally decent 440 litres, although the shape and size of the cargo area does make it look deceptively small.
I managed to fit two fairly large suitcases in there on an airport run though, so it can actually accommodate a fair amount of stuff if needed.
Thoughtfulness Abound
At first glance, the UT’s interior does seem pretty much the same as most other Chinese EVs, with a minimalist style that is mostly touchscreen-dependent and an otherwise clean-cut design. However, look a bit closer and you find little bits that make the UT a touch different from everyone else.
The most noticeable element is the little closed compartment on the lower centre console. It doesn’t seem obvious at first, but I can imagine that it would be a useful space for items like your cashcards, kept safely away from prying eyes. The twist knob to open it does feel a bit awkward to use though, but otherwise it’s quite a thoughtful feature.
There are numerous other bits that really reflect the UT’s sense of attentiveness, such as the small hidden tray behind the central infotainment touchscreen which can fit a tissue box, for instance. And of course, the Motion Sickness Relief function mentioned in the opening paragraph, which shows how much the UT cares for your general well-being.
There is a fairly generous amount of frills too. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is standard, while the Premium model tested here adds electric ventilated front seats, a wireless charging pad, and a panoramic glass roof.
And of course, you get the usual Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) like adaptive cruise control, collision warning and automatic emergency braking, blind spot detection and lane keeping assist, among others. The 360-degree camera in particular is especially helpful, even with the car’s diminutive dimensions.
A Mature Drive
You’d expect a car that looks as adorable as the UT to feel like a bit of a lightweight to drive, but surprisingly, the UT comes across as pretty grown-up in its on-road manners.
For one, the ride quality is excellent, with a softly-sprung suspension that copes with most road surfaces rather well. It strikes a nice balance where it’s comfortable enough to handle rougher bumps confidently, and yet not too floaty such that you feel like you’re piloting a boat. Perhaps that’s the Motion Sickness Relief function hard at work as well.
Handling is capable, though not especially memorable. The steering is light and responsive, but this is not a car that you will find entertaining as you tear up the corners. It doesn’t quite have that sense of liveliness as, say, the Dongfeng Box, but instead the UT goes about its business competently with a good degree of composure, without too much drama.
Aion offers two variants of the UT here in Singapore, with both having the same power output of 100kW/134bhp to enable them to slot neatly into COE Cat A. The base Standard though has a battery pack of 44.12kWh and a maximum torque figure of 145Nm, while the Premium tested here has a larger 60kWh battery and 210Nm of torque.
While Aion quotes a 0-100km/h sprint time of 10 seconds for the Premium model, it does feel faster than the figures suggest. The car builds up speed fairly well off the line, and it reaches the legal speed limit quite effortlessly, allowing you to keep up with traffic without much trouble.
Range is quoted at 410km for the larger battery Premium version, which is adequate though not class-leading. It should be more than enough though considering the car’s urban-focused nature, and you can get it juiced up from 30 to 80 percent charge in a brisk 24 minutes.
A Child with Adult Manners
While some of the small electric hatchbacks in this segment lean hugely on the cute factor, fully embracing their sense of cheekiness, the UT has seemingly taken a more balanced approach.
It boasts a cuddly design to appeal to the youthful customer, while delivering a grown-up user experience. The thoughtfully designed interior is filled with practical touches, while its driving manners feel akin to a larger and more mature car.
At $168,888 with COE (accurate at the time of writing) for the Premium variant, the Aion UT represents excellent value. If you like a bit of whimsy in your hatchback but don’t need a cuteness overload, then the Aion UT would feel like the perfect fit. At the very least, it will try its hardest not to make you sick.
Technical Specifications
Aion UT Premium
Powertrain: Single Electric Motor, Front Wheel Drive
Power: 100 kW (134bhp)
Torque: 210 Nm
Gearbox: Single-Speed (A)
0-100km/h: 10.0 Seconds
Top Speed: 160 km/h
Battery Capacity: 60 kWh
Drive Range: 410 km (claimed)
Energy Consumption: 5.7km/kWh (claimed)
Price: S$168,888 with COE (accurate at the time of this article)
Article and photos by: Ben Chia (@benchiacars)
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