Aiways U6 review: New design, old errors

After the five comes the six, that's what Aiways thought when they presented the U2022 in November 6. Yes, sometimes it can be that simple. A small change in the name, but it definitely changed the design. You can find out exactly what is different and what has unfortunately not improved in the following report.

A little over a year ago we were allowed to Test U5 and drove over 1.000 kilometers with it. We have now also tested the U6 and are happy to tell you about the new car from Aiways.

tl;dr: Quite good with better software

Aiways had over 2 years to correct old mistakes, which was done rather semi-well. Although we now have a significant amount of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, DAB+ currently only works moderately. The strengths of the Aiways definitely lie in its design. The interior was very interesting and designed without influences from other brands. The SUV coupé has a striking appearance with sporty elements and the lighting also underlines a sporty design. The U6 is definitely suitable as a family car, as it also offers space in the rear.

In general, as with the U5, you can say: If you can do without smooth software, the U6 is a loyal and good-looking companion in everyday life.

Design: Modern with beautiful details

Some will love him, others will hate him. The U6 divided the opinions I received about the cars like few others. Personally, I like its size at 4,81 meters by 1,88 meters by 1,64 meters (length by width by height). The design language of the Aiway is quite dynamic overall. The coupe shape, the sporty accents on the front and rear bumpers and the full-width taillight all contribute to this. The 20-inch rims in a flowing mirror design and the roof, which consists almost entirely of glass, round off the stylish design. The headlights have a very good automatic high beam, which has definitely been improved.

Interior: Lots of new things are coming

Starting with the one-of-a-kind gear selector lever. We now have a cockpit-like structure in which you simply turn the middle section in the desired direction. This is something new, but it also works perfectly and comfortably. The gear selector lever points towards the display of the also completely new infotainment, more on that later.

Picture: TechnikNews

There is a charging cradle under the display that keeps the cell phone in position even when driving sportily. The seats with memory function have the same basic construction as the U5 and are also comfortable, but have a much more eye-catching design. What I question is the comfort of getting in and out. In the event of a fall, this moves all the way back, but also all the way down. I would find it more comfortable if the seat moved up, especially for older people. The quality of the materials used in the interior is consistently good.

The trunk can be opened with your foot, but not closed. We have a trunk volume of 472 liters, or 1.260 liters with the rear seat folded down. Unfortunately there is no frunk. The U6 also offers beautiful ambient lighting with customizable colors and sound activation. The doors also flash red when you open them to warn traffic behind. On the subject of warning: The hazard warning light is located as a small button in the control element on the roof lining between the service and SOS buttons. In my opinion, minimalism should not be used for such an important unit.

Infotainment system: Bigger, but also feels slower than the U5

The 14.6-inch LCD touchscreen now has Tesla-like live information about the (moving) car and its assistance systems on the side. Here you can also open the charging flap, preheat the battery for charging or make climate settings. The latter sometimes worked better and sometimes worse. But Android Auto (wireless) and Apple CarPlay (wired) now work in a very large display and smoothly. Overall, you can say that especially when you drive over 60, the infotainment is overwhelmed and starts to jerk very much. There is still a need for action here. One day the cameras couldn't be activated at all.

The many different security messages are also questionable. Here, for example, just a short yawn is enough for the car to sound the alarm. ProThe problem is that he switches the radio back to the first station after each report. But the cell phone or distraction notification works well. All safety messages that are not required by law can of course be switched off, fortunately for good and not just until the next start. The new, minimalist driver display, on the other hand, works very smoothly and nestles very well into the dashboard. The sound system comes from Magnat. It's average, it just lacks depth.

Driving impression: Clean on the road for the size

With the U6 you don't have to be as squeamish as you might initially think for a car of this size. The chassis absorbs corners very well and the acceleration of 7,0 seconds to 100 km/h is sufficient thanks to the 218 hp. However, the top speed is limited to 160 km/h. When reversing, the 360 ​​degree camera switches on, which has a sufficiently good quality. The only complaint we have is that as soon as you switch back into forward gear, the cameras turn off. But if you just want to maneuver yourself out somewhere, this is quite annoying.

However, I would like to praise the cross-traffic warning system and the “matrix” headlights, which do a very good job of blocking out other road users. Unfortunately, we were unable to test the automatic parking system because it has not yet been activated for Germany.

Charging and range: Economical in consumption and charging performance?

In our test, we achieved an average consumption of 17,8 kWh/100 kilometers after driving on the highway, out of town and in town. Although this is over the stated 16 kWh, it is quite acceptable for a car of this size. This is offset by the somewhat low charging power of 90 kW at peak, which is only achieved if over 20 Pro80% battery charge level is already present. Before and after XNUMX ProIt's around 50 kW. With 17,8 kWh per 100 kilometers and a battery of 63 kWh, we calculate a range of 354 kilometers rounded up, which also works in reality.

Picture: TechnikNews

Thanks to Aiways Germany for providing the U6 for this review.

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