Aion Hyptec HT Premium 83kWh Review

When Aion launched the Hyptec sub-brand with the HT Luxury, the model created a splash with its gullwing rear doors, a feature you'd typically expect to find on supercars. The only other SUV in Singapore you'll find this on is the Tesla Model X, which is only available as a grey import.

Theatrics attract attention - the very thing a newcomer needs to break into the market and get people talking. But although showy features are cool, a car ultimately requires substance to compel buyers to take a closer look.

The Hyptec HT Premium, then, certainly has its work cut out for it. Without the gullwing doors of the more dramatic HT Luxury, can this newcomer still make a convincing proposition?

Look closer and you'll notice details such as the crystal-like head lights and geometric-pattern wheel design

A low-key approach

The Hyptec HT's relatively bland styling won't draw attention in a carpark, but its size is hard to ignore. This is a relatively large SUV with a fastback-style tailgate that's over 4.9 metres long and 1.7 metres tall.

But if it's the HT Luxury we're talking about, then it will turn heads every time its rear gullwing doors are opened or closed. Indeed, two of my colleagues even wanted to film this sequence. But you won't be getting such requests with the HT Premium and its regular doors.

Peer inside and the interior seems underwhelming. The modern minimalist layout, seen in so many EVs today, is also found here. The dashboard is clean and devoid of buttons, so nearly every function is controlled from the 14.6-inch infotainment display. Facing the driver is an 8.88-inch instrument panel, which also boasts sharp graphics.

It may look plain, but both the materials used as well as the fit-and-finish are top-notch

But while the surroundings look plain, the materials used in their construction are the exact opposite. The seats are upholstered in cushy, quilted Nappa leather, and real wood is used for the trimmings. Both front seats have massage functions and are ventilated and heated as well.

There are plenty of soft-touch materials, and there's a panoramic moonroof to bathe the cabin in light. The latter is something that the HT Luxury doesn't have, since the space is taken up by the mechanism needed to operate those fancy doors. Instead, the HT Luxury has a smaller moonroof above the driver and front passenger seats.

The HT Premium has another advantage: A sliding sunshade that can be deployed to shield occupants from the sun. No such component is found in the HT Luxury, which probably explains why I felt warmer when I was driving the latter.

Apart from plentiful legroom, the seat backs can be reclined, and the sunshade can be deployed when the sun is too strong

That said, the gullwing doors have two things going for them: They create a larger aperture for easier ingress/egress, and they have sensors to prevent the doors from hitting other objects or people. This also allows for automatic, one-touch door opening/closing, which the HT Premium does not have.

The HT was designed for chauffeur-driven owners, so its back seats are the comfiest in the house. With a 2,935mm wheelbase and a flat rear floor, legroom is generous. The seat backs can also be reclined, and the lucky occupant on the left can even deploy a footrest, put his or her feet up, and have a quick nap on the go.

However, the downside is that overall convenience takes a hit. To increase legroom for both the front passenger and rear left occupant, the glovebox has been eliminated. Strangely, the Hyptec HT doesn't have a chiller/warmer like the Aion V, a mass-market model.

The 672-litre boot is cavernous and should easily swallow everything from bulky luggage to boxes

Suave delivery

Though the Hyptec HT is designed for chauffeur-driven owners, it hasn't forgotten about the driver. With its electric motor producing 335bhp and 430Nm of torque, it would've been easy to allow this SUV to unleash bursts of power and neck-snapping acceleration. Instead, it's been tuned for creamy delivery, so as not to upset passengers.

The ride is refined and unruffled, even on 20-inch wheels. If you like quiet cabins, you'll enjoy being here, for the sound insulation is fantastic. Despite the frameless windows, road and wind noise are suppressed. It would not be a stretch to describe the interior as quieter than that of a Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

The 'Custom' driving mode lets you adjust parameters such as steering weight, and brake regeneration

With such genteel manners, spirited driving is the last thing on your mind. In fact, why bother when all the Hyptec HT does is invite you to take it easy? Still, if need be, this large, 2.5-tonne SUV does zero to 100km/h in 5.8 seconds, enabling it to whoosh past traffic with ease.

But when it comes to parking, manoeuvring it can be tricky, especially if you're not used to large SUVs. And if there's one thing that the HT needs, it's an automatic parking system that rivals the one in the Xpeng G6, which is less expensive than the HT.

Modest and mild

The HT Premium may not have the panache of the HT Luxury, but it boasts plenty of substance. Sure, the exterior design won't get it a second look, but once you're inside, it's hard to overlook everything else that this SUV offers.

You get a refined space built using luxurious materials, superb insulation, a commodious backseat, and an enormous boot. Performance is silent, powerful, and more importantly, creamy. If you like the minimalist vibe, you'll love this. Because sometimes, what ultimately makes a proposition convincing isn't drama, but restraint.

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