PURPLE suits it.
And no, that is not said lightly.
In Stellar Purple, the XPeng G6 RWD Long Range electric SUV breaks up the usual stream of black, white and grey crossovers you see on Malaysian roads.
It is still a rounded fastback shape, nothing wild, but this colour gives it a bit more visual weight.
It looks modern without trying too hard.
This facelift arrives as a full import from China for now, with local assembly in Melaka due to begin soon under EP Manufacturing Bhd.
The test car here is rear-wheel drive and currently costs RM180,013 on-the-road without insurance in Peninsular Malaysia.
That is about RM20,000 above the new Standard Range, while still sitting below the AWD versions that open at RM191,523.
Inside story
You get 218kW and 440Nm of torque, an 80.8kWh LFP battery, a 525km WLTP range, and a quoted 12-minute 10-80% DC charging time in ideal conditions.
Those are solid numbers. The cabin makes a good first impression.
In this version, the seats are trimmed in Nappa leather, the headlining gets a suede-like microfibre finish, and the overall feel is better finished than expected at this price.
There is wood trim too, which helps warm up an interior dominated by screens.
The 15.6-inch central display is crisp and responsive, though the small driver screen and large centre screen layout now feels familiar across many Chinese EVs.
Almost everything runs through the touchscreen.
That may seem clever in a static demo, but it is less convincing at 110kph when you just want to make a simple adjustment.
The equipment list is generous: heated, ventilated and massaging front seats, dual 50W wireless chargers, an 18-speaker audio system, and a panoramic glass roof with a heat-insulation layer.
There is no physical shade for the roof, which may sound like a concern in Malaysia, but the air-conditioning works well enough that the cabin never gets uncomfortably hot.
At the back is where the Tesla Model Y fighter scores especially well.
It’s a touch more indulgent.
The flat floor helps, thigh support is good, and headroom remains decent unless you recline the seatback all the way.
There is no glovebox, but the deep centre console helps offset that.
Boot space is a useful 571 litres, expanding to 1,374 litres with the 60:40 rear seats folded.
Living with it
There is one practical detail owners should know early. A manual backup routine exists.
There is a mechanical interior door release on all four doors, and there is also a manual cable to free a stuck charging plug.
Hidden handles look clean, but it is worth knowing the fallback method before you ever need it.
On the move, the G6 feels calm and unflustered.
Eco mode already gives enough thrust for normal driving, while Sport and Individual are there when you want a sharper response.
On the Long Range, the drive menu shows five modes: Eco, Comfort, Sport, Individual and Launch.
There is no Escape mode on the current RWD menu, despite what the Malaysian brochure suggests.
A local XPeng source says Escape is an overboost function that gives the G6 a short burst of extra power for overtaking or emergency acceleration.
For now, that function is only available on the AWD variants.
An over-the-air update, due later this year, will add Escape mode to the RWD as well.
That may not concern most buyers, though there will be moments when the extra punch would be useful.
The right-hand stalk gear selector works well enough, and with the key nearby the G6 wakes up and shuts down by itself, so there is no usual start-stop button routine, even if the ignition control still sits in the centre screen.
In daily use, you stop noticing this quickly.
Let’s go
More impressive is the ride quality.
On the narrow B-road from Rawang to Kuala Selangor, peppered with humps and patchy tarmac, the G6 crests and settles with less of the extra bounce some SUVs never fully iron out.
At times, the motor, damping and cabin hush come together so neatly that you half expect a Hans Zimmer score to swell in the background.
The steering is not chatty, and Launch mode is more contained than exciting, but this is still an easy EV to cover long distances in.
Hard braking feels secure, helped by the 20-inch Michelin tyres, and XStep one-pedal driving makes town driving smoother once you get used to it.
Over nearly 300km in three days, average energy use sat at 17.4kWh/100km, which is a good showing for a 2,115kg SUV.
XPeng quotes up to 451kW DC charging for the Long Range, though in Malaysia only a handful of public chargers currently get close to that.
Sites rated at up to 400kW are available through operators such as DC Handal and the chargEV network, putting Malaysia near the front of the pack in Southeast Asia.
In real use, the car’s charging ceiling is ahead of what most Malaysian owners are likely to use today.
Sensible choice
In this form, the G6 feels well sorted, and it is easier to recommend than earlier XPeng efforts.
The all-screen cabin will still irritate some people, and drivers looking for entertainment may find it too restrained.
But as a family EV under RM200,000, the rear-drive Long Range makes a strong case for itself.
SPECIFICATIONS
XPeng G6 RWD Long Range
Electric motor: Permanent magnet synchronous motor, rear-wheel drive
Maximum power: 218kW
Maximum torque: 440Nm
Battery capacity & type: 80.8kWh, LFP
Range (WLTP): 525km
Energy consumption: 17.9kWh/100km
Charger type: AC Type 2/DC CCS2
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Features: Seven airbags, dynamic LED headlights, 15.6-inch central touchscreen, 10.25-inch digital instrument display, five drive modes, dual 50W wireless charging pads, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, streaming rearview mirror, 4 USB ports, 360-degree camera, cabin air purification system, XPILOT assist (driving, parking, safety), Autohold, panoramic glass roof, 16-speaker XOPERA audio, heated and ventilated front seats, front-seat massage, heat pump, V2L, OTA update capability, 4-zone smart voice assistant, 20-inch wheels, NFC card key, 256 ambient colour lights, rain-sensing automatic wipers, Emergency call
Normal charging (AC, 11kW, 5-100%): 9.2 hours
Quick charging (DC, max 451kW, 10-80%): 12 minutes
Suspension: Front double wishbone independent; rear five-link independent
Acceleration (0-100kph): 6.7 seconds
Top speed: 202kph
Turning radius: 5.8m
Kerb weight: 2,115kg
Drag coefficent: 0.248 Cd
Boot capacity: 571 litres (1,374 litres with rear seats folded)
Towing capacity: 1,500kg braked/750kg unbraked
Price (OTR without insurance): RM180,013
