For a long time, GAC Aion's development momentum in the new energy vehicle sector had been quite steady, with both its sales and reputation rising steadily. However, entering 2025, GAC Aion seemed to have pressed the "pause button," with May sales at 26,777 units, showing declines both year-on-year and month-on-month. In such a fiercely competitive market environment, how to regroup and innovate has undoubtedly become an urgent priority.
Recently, according to official news released by GAC Aion, its new AION Y Plus has officially arrived. The new car offers 4 different configurations for consumers to choose from, with its official guide price range set between 99,800 yuan and 123,800 yuan. So, what specific changes does this new car have compared to before? And does it have enough appeal to be worth buying? Next, let us explore it in depth together.
What changes does the new AION Y Plus have?
As this year's facelift model, the new AION Y Plus basically inherits the classic styling of the old model in its exterior design. Its front face adopts a closed grille design, and the overall style appears relatively rounded. The headlight groups on both sides have a sharp shape, like boomerangs, with dot-matrix LED light sources integrated inside, offering extremely high recognizability when lit. The lower bumper part is also equipped with a nearly full-width trapezoidal air intake, which not only enriches the layering of the front end but also makes the entire front face appear imposing.
On the side of the body, the new AION Y Plus presents a relatively compact body shape. The roof has a slight curvature, and the floating roof design is full of fashion sense. The through-type waistline, pop-out door handles, and the five-spoke low-drag wheels below make the overall combination appear quite harmonious. In terms of body dimensions, its length, width, and height reach 4535/1870/1650mm respectively, with a wheelbase of 2750mm, positioned as a compact SUV, consistent with the current model.
At the rear, the biggest change of the new AION Y Plus is the adjustment made to the through-type taillights. The original brand LOGO is integrated into the center of the light assembly, presenting an illuminated style, making the visual effect more prominent. In addition, the new car's roof is equipped with a small-sized spoiler and a high-mounted brake light, and the lower bumper part is also decorated with black trim panels, thereby creating quite a good sense of layering and three-dimensionality.
Stepping into the interior, the overall layout of the new AION Y Plus follows the design of the current model. The center console area is equipped with a three-spoke multi-function steering wheel, a full LCD instrument panel, a floating central control screen, and an electronic column shifter. The operating console part is provided with cup holders, a wireless charging panel, and a storage slot with a cover, and the center console also has a relatively prominent sense of layering.
It is worth mentioning that the UI of the new AION Y Plus's infotainment system has been upgraded, and it also supports Carlink/Hicar connectivity, and the navigation map has added a traffic light countdown function. In terms of driving assistance, the new car has automatic car-following and adaptive cruise functions.
The new AION Y Plus performs impressively in the seating section. Its seats are available in fabric and faux leather materials, and the driver's seat has added ventilation and heating functions, improving comfort to a certain extent. In addition, the rear seats of the new car can be folded completely flat, and the rear door opening angle is close to 90 degrees, which can better meet users' space needs.
How is the power performance of the new AION Y Plus?
In terms of power performance, the new AION Y Plus is equipped with a seven-in-one electric drive system and offers two motor options with high and low power outputs. Specifically, the low-power version has a maximum power of 100kW and a maximum torque of 176N·m; the high-power version has a maximum power of 150kW and a maximum torque of 225N·m, and both can reach a top speed of 150km/h.
The new AION Y Plus is equipped with a new-generation magazine battery, with capacity available in three versions: 49.75kWh, 58.4/58.9kWh, and 68.2kWh. Under CLTC conditions, the pure electric range is 430km, 510km, and 610km respectively, broadly capable of meeting the needs of daily commuting and short-distance travel.
How should the configuration of the new AION Y Plus be chosen?
The new AION Y Plus has launched a total of 4 models this time, namely the 430 Smart Enjoy Edition, 510 Smart Enjoy Edition, 510 Smart Luxury Edition, and 610 Smart Enjoy Edition. Obviously, apart from differences in range, these models also differ in some comfort configurations. After comprehensive consideration, I personally think the 510 Smart Luxury Edition is the most recommended one.
The 430 Smart Enjoy Edition is priced at 99,800 yuan. As the base model, it is equipped with a low-power motor, a pure electric range of 430km, and standard equipment including 17-inch wheels, driver and front passenger airbags, tire pressure monitoring, seat belt warnings for all occupants, automatic parking, hill start assist, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera system, cruise control, remote smart key, one-button start, front-row keyless entry, LED daytime running lights, automatic headlights, front and rear power windows, one-touch up/down for all windows, rain-sensing wipers, a 14.6-inch central control screen and a 10.25-inch LCD instrument panel, a leather steering wheel, fabric seats, a six-speaker audio system, automatic air conditioning, rear air vents, and an in-car PM2.5 filtration system. If your budget is relatively limited and you mainly use it for daily travel, this model can fully meet your needs.
The 510 Smart Enjoy Edition is priced at 111,800 yuan. Compared with the entry-level version, this model costs 12,000 yuan more, but the power performance remains the same, while the range is increased to 510km. In addition, it adds practical configurations such as aluminum alloy wheels, external discharge function, and a heat pump air conditioner. If you are concerned about range and often need outdoor travel, this one may be worth considering.
The 510 Smart Luxury Edition is priced at 115,800 yuan. Compared with the previous version, although the price is 4,000 yuan higher, it brings significant configuration upgrades: newly added safety technologies such as lane departure warning, active braking/safety system, and forward collision warning, as well as intelligent driving assistance functions such as a 360-degree panoramic camera, L2-level assisted driving, and full-speed adaptive cruise. It is also equipped with comfort configurations such as hidden electric door handles, electrically folding/heated/automatically folding exterior rearview mirrors, faux leather seats, and power adjustment/heating/ventilation for the driver's seat, comprehensively improving the safety and comfort experience, making it a truly cost-effective choice.
The 610 Smart Enjoy Edition is priced at 123,800 yuan. As the flagship model of the entire lineup, its core advantage lies in being equipped with the strongest power system and range capability in the whole series—a 150kW high-performance motor combined with a 610km ultra-long pure electric range, bringing the vehicle's overall performance to a new height. However, it is worth noting that apart from the powertrain, this version remains highly consistent with the 510 Smart Enjoy Edition in other configurations.
Conclusion:
Overall, the new AION Y Plus from GAC Aion has made quite a few adjustments in exterior details, infotainment UI, and seat functions. Compared with the old model, its overall price has been lowered, and its comprehensive cost-effectiveness has also been improved to a certain extent. However, objectively speaking, if the new AION Y Plus wants to achieve a greater breakthrough in sales and help the brand achieve a turnaround, it may still need to show more changes and offer more sincerity. I wonder what you think about this? Feel free to discuss it together.
