XPENG G6 Performance Facelift Review

When XPENG arrived in Singapore, it was an unknown brand with only a single model in its stable: The G6. Yet despite its generic-looking exterior and sombre interior, it wowed customers with its powerful software and user-friendly features. Within its first year, over 300 G6s were sold.

The G6 was good, but it had its shortcomings. To address them, XPENG has made numerous changes (over 80) to the G6 both inside and out, and claims the G6 now offers an even better experience to drivers and passengers. Let's see if it delivers.

Having a light bar is passé at this point - a more useful change would be to shift the brake lights higher

The key changes

Exterior-wise, the 'X' badge now sits above the daytime running light bar instead of bisecting it. The light bar itself is also wider than before, making it more prominent.

At the rear, the tailgate now has a ducktail spoiler, which makes it look less blob-like. But XPENG should have gone further and relocated the brake lights from the corners of the rear bumper to below the rear windscreen. That would improve safety by making them - and the G6 - more visible.

The full-width front light bar isn't new - it's a style element also seen on the Tesla Model Y and Hyundai Kona. XPENG could have used this facelift exercise to make the G6 look more distinct. But perhaps redesigning the G6 wasn't the priority.

The cabin feels more welcoming and upmarket, and the switch to manual air-con vents must be celebrated

The interior changes are more significant. To liven up the cabin, ambient/mood lighting was added, the dashboard was revised, microfibre instead of fabric is used for the roof liner, and the vegan leather upholstery has been replaced by Nappa leather.

The front passengers can now choose from six massage programmes that complement the existing seat ventilation function. Speaking of ventilation, adjusting the airflow direction is now done manually (hooray!) instead of on-screen. Eliminating digital air vents - a solution to a problem that never existed - makes perfect sense.

The massage functions are neat, but even cooler is the ability to create macros and customise the car's functions to your liking

Meanwhile, the infotainment system gets several notable upgrades. Apart from the larger screen (from 14.96 inches to 15.6 inches), for owners who need to leave their pet in the vehicle for a brief period, there's a new Pet Mode that locks the doors, maintains the set air-con temperature, and sends real-time alerts to the driver's smartphone.

The integrated dashcam gets Emergency Recording, which automatically records footage when an event such as a collision is detected. And with the updated OS, both new and old G6 models now get XCOMBO, which helps drivers personalise their car.

XCOMBO essentially lets drivers create macros or commands for the car to follow under certain conditions. For instance, you could set it such that the air-con turns on once the interior exceeds a certain temperature. Or you could programme the air-con to switch on and run for a set time at a particular time every day.

Another notable upgrade is the digital rearview mirror, which provides much better rearward visibility than the conventional one

A sportier option

The range-topping G6 is now the Performance model, which features dual motors and all-wheel drive. Previously, the top model was the Long Range, but it only had a single motor and rear-wheel drive.

The G6 Performance delivers 358kW (480bhp) and 660Nm of torque, which propel it from a standstill to 100km/h in 4.1 seconds. This level of performance makes it easy to drive, with light pressure on the accelerator pedal causing you to surge past slower traffic. 'Slower traffic' in this case is nearly every other road user.

With so much power available in an instant, 'Sport' mode becomes superfluous

In comparison, the entry-level G6 Long Range with 282bhp and 440Nm of torque does the century sprint in 6.7 seconds, which is also faster than most vehicles on the road. True to its designation, this variant has a WLTP range of 525km versus 510km for the Performance version.

Now, to cope with the G6 Performance's stout figures, engineers used stiffer bushings for the rear suspension. XPENG says this helps reduce body lean in turns. However, I never considered the G6 to be a sharp handler, and this upgrade doesn't turn it into one.

What it does improve, however, is the ride quality. The G6 now softens the initial harshness of those small speed bumps, which were more palpable in the previous model. For added refinement, the car now has a double-pane front windscreen for a quieter cabin.

Ponder these

The many updates to the G6, which also include boosting the maximum DC charging speed from 280kW to 451kW, have made the G6 an even more convenient car to own. I like the upgraded cabin, too, because it no longer looks drab, while the XCOMBO feature can make the car's functions suit your specific needs.

The only remaining bugbears are the oddly shaped, rounded square steering wheel, lack of a retractable sunshade (blocking out the sun is still best), and the fact that the car is quick, but its handling isn't inspiring. 'Performance' only reflects the power output.

If you're seeking an electric SUV that's roomy, powerful, has one of the best auto-parking features around, and can adapt to the driver, this is one to check out. But you should also consider the G6 Long Range. Though not as quick, it has the same battery and equipment, and costs $235,999, or $30,000 less than the Performance variant.

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