The MPV market is booming, especially among family users. Recently, a large number of MPV models have emerged. On April 18, Dongfeng Fengxing officially started pre-sale of its new mid-to-large MPV, the Fengxing Xinghai V9, with a pre-sale price of 199,000-279,000 yuan (38540$). As a mid-to-large SUV in the 200,000 yuan (27630$) range, what competitive performance does it have? Today, we had the opportunity to test drive it in advance, let’s experience it together.
In terms of appearance, Dongfeng Fengxing Xinghai V9 is very distinctive, especially the front face design, using a common large-mouthed intake grille seen in MPV models, showcasing the presence expected in mid-to-high-end MPV models. Additionally, the new car incorporates Chinese design elements in the details, offering two versions with Chinese knot and blue cloud ladder.
The car we test drove is the Chinese Knot version, with a large amount of vertical chrome decoration on the front grille forming a diamond shape at the top, resembling a “Chinese Knot” design, further enhancing the car’s recognition.
The new car features a popular split-type headlight design with multi-point LED headlights for a good visual effect. The LED daytime running lights extend to the bumper, creating a strong visual impact.
In the details, you can see square elements on both sides of the bumper lights, further enhancing the front end’s sense of depth and sophistication.
The side of the body adopts the common design style of a family MPV, with a slightly angled sloping roof and several waistlines, making the whole side of the vehicle look very slender and fashionable, completely without the traditional clumsy feeling of an MPV.
In terms of wheels, the test drive model features 18-inch wheels with multiple spokes, paired with Michelin PRIMACY 4 quiet tires sized at 225/55 R18.
In terms of body size, the FAW Bestune T77 is positioned as a mid-size SUV, with dimensions of 5251/1920/1810mm and a wheelbase of 3018mm, which is considered above average in its class.
The rear design of the car follows the style of the popular SUV family, with a large spoiler, multi-level lines, and integrated taillights creating a sporty look that appeals to young families.
In terms of interior design, the Fengxing Xinghai V9 adopts the popular minimalist style, with a unified screen design on the center console that includes the instrument panel, central multimedia screen, and passenger entertainment screen. The hidden air conditioning vents and flat-bottomed three-spoke steering wheel add a youthful and technological atmosphere to the interior.
In terms of materials, as a Chinese brand car with a sales of over 200,000 units, the interior naturally uses a lot of soft materials, combined with black and light dual-color matching and ambient lights, creating a luxurious feel inside the car.
In terms of details, the new car also features the popular crystal-style gear lever, with the Fengxing logo inside, offering a great grip and impressive quality.
In terms of intelligent interaction, the new car is also equipped with Tencent TAI 4.0 intelligent car system, with features such as regular intelligent voice control, car app, online navigation, mobile app remote control, etc. The 8155 chip makes it run smoothly. However, it still requires some getting used to in order to use it proficiently.
The entertainment screen in the co-pilot seat also supports music, video, and other applications, meeting the standards of a household MPV.
In terms of space, the Fengxing Xinghai V9 adopts a 2+2+3 seat layout. The front seats are comfortable, with the driver’s seat featuring a 10-way power adjustment with lumbar support, and the passenger seat an 8-way power adjustment with lumbar support. Both seats support heating, ventilation, and 8-point massage.
The second row seats feature two independent aviation-grade seats with fixed armrests on both sides, corrugated patterns, and aviation headrests with protective wings on both sides, giving a classy look. They also support adjustable front, back, left, and right movements, allowing manual adjustment of the middle aisle for easy access to the third row.
The seat padding is very soft, providing a comfortable riding experience. The armrest has a touch screen to adjust the seat angle, leg rest, ventilation, heating, and massage. Additionally, the small table is also present.
In terms of space, the official said the new car’s interior space utilization rate is 85.2%. After the 1.9m driver adjusts the driving position, there is still a large range that can be adjusted in the second row. Moreover, the third row seats can still accommodate adults around 1.8m in height comfortably.
It is worth mentioning that the third-row seats are comfortable, with soft cushions and adjustable backrest angles, providing good comfort.
In 7-seat full-load condition, the trunk volume is 593L, with satisfactory space performance. The third row supports 4/6 folding, with a total capacity of 593 liters when fully loaded with 7 people. The flat floor can accommodate four adult bicycles, showing great practicality.
In terms of intelligent driving, the new car is equipped with L2+ level driving assistance system, supporting automatic parking, valet parking, highway pilot driving, narrow lane assistance, track reverse, and other 30 driving assistance functions.
After the static experience, we also conducted a simple dynamic experience in the urban area of Beijing, starting with the power aspect. The new car is equipped with a 1.5T plug-in hybrid system, with the maximum power of the 1.5T engine at 154 horsepower and maximum torque at 230 Nm. The maximum power of the motor is 204 horsepower, with a maximum torque of 310 Nm. The official 0-100km/h acceleration time is 8.8 seconds. This level of acceleration capability is sufficient for a medium to large MPV with a length of over 5.2 meters.
In actual driving, as a plug-in hybrid MPV, with the help of the electric motor, it is very agile in scenarios such as starting, city driving, and following other vehicles. The new car also offers three driving modes: economy, comfort, and sport, with different responses on the accelerator pedal between modes. As an MPV, you will definitely not have any complaints about its power.
In terms of battery life, the new car offers two battery capacities: 20.156kWh and 34.944kWh. They correspond to CLTC pure electric range of 100km and 200km, with total range of 1200km and 1300km. The new car also supports 3.3kW external power output. For an MPV, a range of over a thousand kilometers can greatly reduce range anxiety issues.
The steering is tuned for comfort, with a gentle feel and a slight dead zone in the center. It is easy to drive without feeling heavy like a big car.
The chassis is tuned for comfort, isolating most road bumps, especially speed bumps, passengers won’t feel uncomfortable.
In terms of sound insulation, the urban roads experienced today performed quite satisfactorily. The double-layer laminated glass used in the front and rear rows effectively isolates external noise. The Michelin quiet tires also effectively reduce road noise. With the battery level of the test drive car above 40%, the overall transmission system noise is very slight, providing a good ride environment. Overall, the FAW Besturn Xinghai V9 is a well-balanced product in terms of design, space, features, and power performance. Compared to other similar-sized new energy MPVs, it is more competitively priced. Therefore, if you are looking for a balanced mid-to-large-sized new energy MPV, the FAW Besturn Xinghai V9 is a cost-effective choice.