Marketing terms are usually an exaggeration of a product. When GAC said that their upcoming AION UT has “big car energy” and I was ready to be disappointed until I saw it in person. I already knew that I could fit inside this EV hatchback but I was more surprised when I asked the price. SRP comes in at PHP 1,068,000 – a price point filled with smaller EV hatchbacks and hybrid sedans.
The GAC AION UT is a member of my second favorite body style – the compact hatchback. It’s a tad shorter than the Honda City Hatchback, but is wider and taller. Inside, there’s a lot of space for all occupants especially at the second row where you won’t feel cramped. All while having 440L of space at the cargo area.
“We are thrilled to bring another global hit from GAC’s line of innovations to the Philippines through the AION UT,” said Steven Wang, Senior Vice President of GAC International. “This milestone allows us to further serve and diversify our brand offerings in the local mobility scene. We are confident that the AION UT will bolster dynamic, safe, and sustainable driving for Filipinos upon its entry this 2026.”
What I liked about the AION UT is it didn’t try to be cute or overly serious. It has its own demeanor with its European silhouette while having Japanese design cues. There’s obvious callback to the MINI shape, but then you see its sleek Nissan Z-ish headlights, and the Suzuki Swift-esque taillights. They all blend well into a nice hatchback that’s easy on the eyes and classy for any destination.
This cutie can go the distance too. It has a 44.12 kWh battery with a 400km of range in a single charge. Power is at 136 horses equivalent with 145 Nm of torque. There’s also a respectable 6.6kW AC charging capability, along with 64kW of DC fast charging. It can go from 30-80% in as fast as 24 minutes.
GAC is also proud of the tires on this EV. They claim that its rubber has the world’s lowest Rolling Resistance Coefficient of 5.3 which is even better than other branded, EV-intended tires in the market today.
Moving on, the cabin is just as minimalist as the exterior aesthetic. There’s very few buttons in here and the few that are present are also small in size. It makes the appointments more noticeable like the 14.6-inch touchscreen, 8.88-inch digital instrument cluster, and the floating center console.
It’s an appropriate modern city-dweller with its features too. It has Auto Brake Hold for traffic, Hill Hold Control for the San Juan area, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Rear Air vents.
The Advanced Driver Assist System is also hefty. It even has Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Keeping Assist, Blind Spot Detection, Door Open Warning, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. There’s also a 360-camera system, and sensors on both ends of the car. I think that’s more than a good compromise for the lack of a wireless charger.
This quirky EV hatch comes in different color personalities too. These include Champs-Elysees Beige, Emerald Green, Rococo White, and Seine Silver, plus a two-tone combination of Rococo White + Emerald Green.
The GAC AION UT has an SRP of PHP 1,068,000 but the first 400 customers can have it for only PHP 998,000 which includes an introductory PHP 50,000 discount valid until June 30, 2026. It comes with a 5-year or 150,000km warranty and a separate 8-year or 200,000km warranty for the three-electric system. Owners will also receive 2 years of free roadside assistance. Visit your nearest GAC showroom now to see this cute beaut in the metal.
