Battery size: 60 kWh
WLTP range: 268 miles 
Real-world range (est): 170 - 250 miles
Charging speed: 87kW
Introduction
Right, shall I briefly touch on who Aoin is, before we delve into the Aion UT specifically? Yes? Good: Aion is a Chinese brand that’s owned by GAC, which is a state-owned manufacturer. It’s no small player in vehicle production, either. GAC sells roughly 2m cars each year – give or take a few hundred thousand – in 110 different countries. But it has actually seen sales decline in the last few years – 2.5m in 2023, 2m in 2024 and 1.72m in 2025.
The plan to boost sales? You guessed it – come to Europe with a new electric brand! And so, Aion was born. We’ve already reviewed its first UK model, the Aion V SUV, and now we’ve got this smaller, more affordable Aion UT hatchback.
At 4.27m long, the UT is bigger than the Renault 5 or VW ID.Polo, and only a fraction smaller than a VW ID.3, so it sits somewhere between the traditional small car and family hatchback classes. We haven’t got confirmed pricing but we know that it’ll cost under £30,000 when it goes on sale a bit later in 2026, all of which means that it’s got a vast array of rivals. Everything from compact SUVs like the Renault 4, Ford Puma Gen-E, Skoda Epiq, BYD Atto 2 and Nissan Juke, through to small EVs like the Renault 5, Vauxhall Corsa, Cupra Ravel, VW ID.3, Citroen e-C3 Aircross, and many more.
It ain’t short of competition, the Aion UT! Let’s put it that way.
Do you like the owl-inspired front end? It’s a sleek looking thing, the UT, with very stubby front and rear overhangs that speak of a lot of interior space in a small footprint. But maybe it’s a bit boring and derivative of lots of other hatches? What do you think? Let us know by leaving a comment on the video.
Range, battery and charging
Underneath that exterior sits a 60kWh LFP battery, which is good for a 268 mile WLTP range (431km). That’s a decent range that up there with the most rivals including the new VW ID.Polo and Cupra Raval, the BYD Atto 2 and the Kia EV2. A smaller battery will likely be available as an entry-level variant in certain European markets, but this will be the only option in the UK.
Charging is up to 87 kW, which Aion claims is good enough for adding 214 miles of range in 20 minutes, but I think that’s rather optimistic given the peak charging rate, and I’d estimate that it’ll take more like 35 minutes to add that kind of extra range.
You do get vehicle-to-load as standard, so that you can use your Aion as a mobile power bank to charge any of your electrical devices, and there’s a heat pump for more efficient winter running. There’ll also be a phone app to let you remotely control your cabin heating and check on your charging progress.
Practicality and boot space
This is one of the main reasons you’d consider the Aion UT over the many and varied alternatives. It’s huge inside, for a sub 4.3-metre long car. I’m 5ft 6” and I can sit in the back seats with loads of space behind my driving position, so I’m confident that you’ll be able to sit an adult behind a tall driver with no hassle at all. Headroom is a little less generous, but it’s still more than good enough to comfortably accommodate an average adult. You’re certainly getting rear passenger space to rival the MG4, Renault 4 and VW ID.3. I suspect you’d need to step up to the Leapmotor B10 to get more legroom than this at a similar price – and that’s a bigger, 4.5m long car, which not be what you want.
All that leatherette upholstery is standard in the Aion UT, too, and most of the materials around the three-person rear bench of the Aion UT feel substantial and quite classy. The centre rear armrest with cupholders is very welcome, too – you don’t always get an armrest in this class.
There are some cheap-feeling, glossy plastics around the door handle, but I was pleasantly surprised by the perceived quality all around the Aion UT.
Boot space is good, too. With a 440-litre boot you’re getting more luggage space than in the VW ID.3, MG4 or Renault 4 E-Tech, and the UT also has a usefully low load lip and a variable boot floor than can be raised to be flush with the load lip – so lugging a chunky buggy or big dog into the boot will be pretty easy.
The rear seats fold flat in a 60/40 split, giving a really spacious area that I’d estimate will even take an adult bike, at a pinch. There are also three pairs of Isofix fittings – two in the rear bench and one in the front passenger seat – as standard.
Interior, styling and technology
The Aion UT has gone very Tesla-style with its interior, which is mostly free of buttons apart from the 14.6-inch touchscreen display and the slim driver’s readout beind the wheel. Even the steering wheel controls are extremely minimal with only a couple of scroll buttons that are – surprise, surprise – very reminiscent of Tesla in the way they function.
Mind you, the Tesla infotainment works perfectly well so this may not be a bad thing. The Aion’s system gets nav, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, voice control and all the functions that you want, plus configurable shortcuts that give easy access to your driver assistance features.
It responds quickly, and the graphics are good, but you are dependent on it for everything including the climate control, and even the panoramic roof’s sunshade (if you’ve added it by paying extra for the Premium Pack).
As with the rear seats, I was pretty impressed with the sense of quality in the UT. The seats up front feel chunky and comfortable, and get electric adjustment as standard - although it’s annoying that it doesn’t get adjustable lumbar support, even with the Premium Pack that adds ventilated seats to the standard heated front seats. There are a few design touches that feel a bit fussy and not very European, but overall I felt that the Aion UT’s interior is comfy, well finished and generally a big selling point among rivals that may have more colourful and characterful interiors but lack the space and kit of the Aion.
Motors and performance
We haven’t driven the Aion UT yet, but it’s safe to say that performance probably isn’t going to be high up the priority list if you’re considering the UT, so I reckon it’s a good thing that Aion is keeping it simple. The UT gets front-wheel drive, 201hp and a 0-62mph of 7.3 seconds, and that’s it! That’s all you need, really, isn’t it?! We’ll be having a go very soon, so don’t forget to subscribe to the YouTube channel and we’ll keep you posted.
Pricing and on sale date
UK pricing hasn’t been confirmed, but we know that the UT will cost under £30,000 and will be offered in just one well-equipped variant. Heated seats, LED lights, leatherette upholstery, climate control, alloy wheels and all the infotainment stuff you want… It’s all included as standard, but you’ll have to pay extra for the Premium Pack that adds the pano roof, wireless phone charging, ventilated front seats and electrically folding side mirrors.
It’s not only about equipment, either. Aion is offering something called the ‘Great 8’ for all of its EVs, which covers an eight year and 100,000 mile vehicle warranty (the battery is covered for 125,000 miles), eight years roadside assistance and eight years servicing all included. It’s even throwing in eight years MOT (which means that Aion will pay for the MOT for five years after the initial three years of MOT-free driving).
And all of that is transferrable to other owners after the initial purchase, so this promises to be an amazing used buy, doesn’t it?! The only thing to bear in mind right now is that Aion is currently aiming to have around 25 dealers open by the end of 2026, and while that’ll no doubt ramp up quickly, you may find that you have to travel a long way to reach your nearest Aion dealer.
Verdict
We can’t draw any final conclusions on the Aion UT until we’ve got final pricing and have had a drive, but I was quietly impressed when I had spent some time looking around it. It’s spacious, feels well finished, has loads of equipment and promises really easy ownership. For a lot of buyers, that’s all that really matters, although obviously those monthly PCP and leasing prices will be critical. If Aion can get the pricing right, the UT could be a really good, practical compact EV.
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