Before diving in, let’s clarify the meaning of Xiaopeng MONA. It stands for “Made Of New AI.” This is crucial. MONA M03 integrates AI technology into its design. It influences the exterior, interior, chassis strength, suspension comfort, and more. AI empowers the vehicle to reduce costs while optimizing aerodynamics, space utilization, and ergonomics. It also enhances smart driving and cabin experiences, significantly improving value for money. We have already explored the exterior and interior of Xiaopeng MONA M03. Now, let’s discuss its driving experience. Xiaopeng MONA M03 static experience: It is your urban commuting partner.
The first thing I liked about the Xiaopeng MONA M03 is its compact D-shaped steering wheel. It resembles the small wheels found in French cars. Driving it feels like handling a large go-kart. The steering feel is excellent. The steering force has three adjustable levels. The lightest level is friendly for female drivers. It offers a smooth experience, especially during U-turns. The MONA M03 has a steering ratio of 14.2:1. The steering is precise and flexible. It requires only 1.35 turns to fully rotate the wheel. With a turning radius of 5.3 meters, it needs just 1.5 lanes to make a U-turn. In real-world use, the MONA M03 excels in urban commuting. It navigates through traffic effortlessly. The small steering wheel and quick response make this A+ hatchback feel as nimble as a compact car.
The MONA M03 features a rear torsion beam suspension. It balances comfort and handling well. AI played a crucial role in the design. It optimized the beam’s rigidity and twist point using big data. During driving, the rear suspension handles large bumps effectively. It minimizes unnecessary bouncing. In fast corners, the rear wheels follow excellently without dragging. The car maintains comfort while providing good support. The compact steering wheel and precise direction enhance overall handling.
Let’s talk about performance. This test drive features the 620km range version. It has a front-mounted single motor with a maximum power of 140kW and a maximum torque of 225N·m. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.4 seconds and reaches a top speed of 155 km/h. In actual driving, this model’s acceleration meets daily commuting needs. This 0-100 time is comparable to small performance cars. The high-speed acceleration performance is also impressive, making overtaking easy.
The high-end model features a 160KW/250N·m motor. Its performance is stronger. It accelerates quickly and stops effectively. The MONA M03 has a minimum braking distance of just 35.63m. The curb weight varies by model, ranging from 1661kg to 1739kg. This makes it a lightweight in the electric vehicle category, enhancing acceleration and braking performance.
The Xiaopeng MONA M03 offers three driving modes. The energy-saving mode feels slower. The other two modes show little difference. Both provide quick power response and strong acceleration. It also features a one-pedal driving mode. This mode is convenient for fans of it. The kinetic energy recovery mode needs no further explanation. I prefer the low recovery level. It allows for longer coasting and recharges some power to extend range. The ride feels smoother and more comfortable. It resembles coasting in a gasoline car, with a hint of engine braking.
Don’t worry about NVH. The Xiaopeng MONA M03 targets young people’s first family car. As a family car, NVH is a key consideration. Thanks to its ultra-low drag coefficient of 0.194, it produces no noticeable wind noise at high speeds. It also avoids annoying resonance over uneven surfaces. The hatchback design complicates NVH at the tailgate, but it still shows no significant noise or resonance. This proves Xiaopeng’s attention to detail. The only sound inside is a slight tire noise.
The Xpeng MONA M03 features a 62.2kWh lithium iron phosphate battery. It claims a range of 620km. On the test drive day, the outdoor temperature reached 44℃. The cabin air conditioning was set to 21℃ with a fan speed of 4. The route included city streets and highways. Before departure, the battery showed 87% charge, with a remaining range of 448km. After driving 110km, the battery dropped to 57%, with a remaining range of 293km. This results in a range achievement rate of 70.97%. The test drive style was aggressive, but the range performance was impressive. The official energy consumption claims are 11.5kWh for the 18-inch wheels and 12.3kWh for the 19-inch wheels. Both figures are lower than competitors in the same class. For charging, it takes only 26 minutes to charge from 30% to 80%. A fast charge of 15 minutes adds 200km to the range. This eliminates range anxiety for city commutes or occasional longer trips.
The Xiaopeng MONA M03 offers L2-level intelligent driving assistance. It uses two millimeter-wave radars, twelve ultrasonic radars, and seven cameras. This setup gives it the strongest perception capability in its class. It supports basic functions like city/high-speed LCC and ACC adaptive cruise control. In practice, L2 meets most young users’ needs. Lane keeping feels smooth, even in long curves. The automatic acceleration and deceleration feel gentle, like a skilled driver. This significantly reduces fatigue during long drives. The lane-level 3D perception map is very clear. It provides a “God’s eye view” of intersections, preventing you from getting lost. After its official launch, the M03 MAX version will introduce pure visual L2+ advanced driving. It will support automatic lane changes and automatic on/off ramp navigation.
Xpeng MONA M03 has an interesting feature for automatic parking. If the ground has a limit pole, it adjusts the front direction. The car’s rear aligns with the limit pole for automatic parking.
The Xiaopeng MONA M03 can recognize fishbone parking spaces and dead-end parking spots. It parks automatically with precision. It handles dead-end spaces better than experienced drivers. For beginners, it makes parking faster and safer. The design exudes a strong sense of technology.
The cover image on Xiaopeng MONA’s official Weibo features two colors: Starry Beige and Starry Blue. These colors seem to be the main focus. Yang Guang, the product manager for the MONA series, stated on his personal Weibo that the M03 uses a low-saturation design. It is understated yet high-end. The low saturation pairs well with bright colors, highlighting a transparent and pure texture. It doesn’t aim to attract everyone’s attention but maintains its own style. Starry Beige draws inspiration from the warm starlight beyond the vast universe’s polar night. It has a soft, neutral texture that changes under different light sources. In natural light, it shows a hint of pink, adding elegance. Starry Blue, inspired by the light scattered from stars, has a metallic texture. Its paint surface is as fine as satin, enhanced by high-contrast metallic aluminum powder, creating a beautiful granular texture. So, which color do you prefer?
The MONA M03 features AI-assisted design. It achieves a low drag coefficient of 0.194 without sacrificing interior space. The low front nose and curved body create smooth lines. It includes 15 drag optimization projects, reducing drag by 102 counts. This improvement enhances the range to over 60 km.
The design of the Xiaopeng MONA M03 looks quite technological. Its width of 1896mm and low front create a sporty stance. The headlights have a slight mecha feel. Notably, the front lip features an integrated active air intake grille. It adjusts automatically based on speed. This optimizes drag and cooling needs.
The Xiaopeng MONA M03 measures 4780mm in length, 1896mm in width, and 1445mm in height. Its wheelbase is 2815mm. The length classifies it as A+, but the wheelbase exceeds B-class standards. The low front hood, a 63.4° windshield angle, and a sleek hatchback design give the side profile an elegant and sporty look.
Two different wheel styles offer different range performances. The 18-inch wheels feature an aerodynamic design. They effectively reduce drag by 0.013 Cd. Depending on the battery size, the range is 515 km or 620 km. These wheels use 215/50 R18 Chaoyang tires. The 19-inch wheels have a sportier design. Their range varies from 485 km to 585 km, depending on the battery size. They use 235/40 R19 Michelin tires. I prefer the 18-inch wheels for their longer range. Notably, Chaoyang tires lead the Chinese tire market. Overall, they provide good comfort and notable quietness.
At the rear, the taillights catch attention with a shape similar to the headlights. The design looks rounded and full. A small rear wing adds to the sporty feel. The space impresses.
The interior design of the Xiaopeng MONA M03 features AI tuning and optimization. It looks very simple. The small steering wheel and the lack of a dashboard create a clean look. A central 15.6-inch touchscreen integrates all vehicle settings and multimedia functions.
The Xpeng MONA M03 features an 8155 chip, 16GB of memory, and 128GB of storage. It operates smoothly without lag. The system supports multi-finger screen gestures. Users can swipe back on the screen and perform multi-finger actions like pinching and MultiTouch. It feels as simple as using an iPad. The car recognizes natural language voice commands. It handles continuous voice conversations for up to 20 seconds and processes multiple commands simultaneously. Xpeng’s smart system performs well, and the MONA M03 is no exception. It can remember 10 X_ID accounts. It syncs seat memory, mirror position, driving mode, navigation, and audio settings in the cloud.
Xpeng MONA M03 focuses on details. It features large vanity mirrors for both the driver and passenger. Women especially like this. The car includes a wireless phone charging pad and USB charging ports in the front and rear.
The Xiaopeng MONA M03 features 18 speakers. It creates an immersive 7.1.4 sound field. The highlight is the four speakers in the ceiling. Typically, only luxury cars like the Mercedes S-Class offer such features. The M03 delivers crisp highs, rich mids, and powerful lows. It suits pop music perfectly.
Xpeng MONA M03 features a panoramic roof. It combines with a battery that is only 110mm thick. This design increases headroom for front and rear passengers. During the test drive, the sky was clear. The outdoor temperature reached 39℃. The car’s display showed an outdoor temperature as high as 44℃. The panoramic roof effectively blocks sunlight. Sunlight consists of three types: infrared, ultraviolet, and visible light. Xpeng MONA addresses all three. It uses Low-E laminated glass. The surface has multiple layers, including Low-E and PVB gray film, to block light and heat. The infrared blocking rate reaches 97.6%. This significantly reduces radiant heat transfer. The ultraviolet blocking rate is 99.9%. Women need not worry about tanning. The visible light transmittance is less than 3%. Even the midday sun appears soft.
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