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It's 2026, and the automobile landscape has evolved substantially. Case in point: The Aion UT right here.
While this adorable car is classified as a compact hatchback, it isn't really that compact. And this is by no fault of it - modern cars have grown to a point where even the smaller ones are kind of big, especially when you are sharing the roads with cars from the early 2000s and even some from the 90s.
And thanks to the relentless rise in COE prices, you can't really call any car 'affordable' anymore. But the Aion UT, being one of the lowest priced EVs in the market, is about as affordable as it gets, and yet, it doesn't feel cheap or poorly made. After spending some time, I've taken a liking to this cheerful 'compact' EV, and I suspect you would too.
Look at those large eyes and the adorable face!
Let's start with how it looks. Large 'eyes', rounded face and generally shaped like a smooth pebble, the Aion UT has got to be one of the most adorable cars out there.
With a pair of large head lights and no grille to break up the area between them, the UT has a distinctively smooth and rounded front-end, which gives it a cute and approachable demeanour.
The side of the car is made up of gently curved panels with little to no sharp edges. And this extends to the rear - even the rear hatch is slightly contoured to complete the whole pebble-like silhouette. Over here, the simplistic design ethos continues - the hatch starts right above the license plate area, mirroring the front in creating a vast, unbroken surface for a clean design.
The interior of the Aion UT is the part that will probably get you to agree with my opening statements. While this is an affordably priced compact hatchback, it isn't cheap nor small. Sharing the same wheelbase of 2,750mm with its larger brother, the Y Plus, the Aion UT offers a generous amount of legroom for all passengers. In fact, it's not just the wheelbase - the UT is also considerably wider and taller than most of its peers such as the BYD Dolphin and Dongfeng Box.
Now that we've got the 'not-so-compact compact hatchback' part covered, I want to highlight how this car is affordable, but not cheap. Just take a gander - you'll see that the cabin space has been meticulously decorated. The dashboard is of a two-tier design, with a leather grain textured plastic top-half segregated by a patterned plastic trim piece from the synthetic leather-wrapped bottom-half. A similar treatment can be found on the door cards of the UT as well, creating a multi-layered design with the clever use of textured plastics.
While the extensive use of hard plastic is normal among affordably priced cars, the crux lies within the execution - there aren't any overpowering smells, the plastic pieces are well crafted, with nicely finished edges and look almost leather-like in photos, and there aren’t any creaks or other quality control issues noticed here.
In terms of features, the UT isn't lacking either - both plush front seats are electrically controlled (although there aren't any memory functions) and ventilated. Meanwhile, the sizeable 14.6-inch infotainment system offers wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It is also intuitive and easy to operate, with an accurate and responsive voice assistant to add to your convenience when on the go.
The UT's interior has also been designed with a multitude of cuboid elements - from the air-vents to the various compartments and cubbyholes, giving the car a fair bit of character.
Oh, there are also nifty little additions such as the hook beside the glove compartment (great for your bubble tea carrier) and the interesting centre compartment that offers additional enclosed storage space within the cabin.
A friendly drive to match the friendly face
Clearly intended as an urban runabout, the Aion UT is offered in two Cat A COE-friendly trims: Premium and Standard. But this Premium unit does benefit from a larger 60kWh battery allowing it to offer a highly useable range of 410km.
While it only puts out 100kW (134bhp) and 210Nm of torque, the UT doesn't feel excessively underpowered. That said, this isn't a car made for performance driving. Instead, it impresses with its supple ride quality. Although the suspension system is on the softer side, it's high-speed damping is sufficiently firm. As a result, the UT benefits from a responsive steering and isn't overly wafty over uneven surfaces.
And although it is a rather compact and affordable car, the UT exhibits a well-resolved driving experience with a ride quality that tells you that the brand knows what it is doing. Apart from getting the basics such as ergonomics and user experience just right, the UT offers sufficient driving assistance features to appease the tech-savvy ones. A full range of driving assistance including adaptive cruise control with lane centring control is present, and there's also a 360-degree camera, which really are the features that I find myself relying on.
A cheerful, practical and smart EV choice
If you are in the market for an EV runabout, something that isn't too pricey, and something that isn't too large and unwieldy in urban settings (hello, old multi-storey carparks), the Aion UT has surely proven to be among the better choices out there.
At $162,988 for this Aion UT Premium, it is among the most affordable EVs in the market. Considering how well resolved the car is, and with its adequate list of features and its spacious interior, I would wholeheartedly recommend this car to drivers who want an affordable EV that wouldn't disappoint. Come on, just look at that cheery face, who would be able to resist its charms?
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