Author: MuMin

In the past two years, there have been many pure electric MPVs launched, and there are already multiple options available for medium and large pure electric MPVs, such as the Voyah Dream, SAIC Datong MIFA 9, and DENZA D9 that are available now.

The Roewe iMAX8 EV we experienced this time is the smallest among the same-size models, but its range is not the lowest, and its size also brings certain advantages. The space has not compromised too much due to its small size, and there is even a certain surprise.

Now, let’s take a closer look at how the Roewe iMAX8 EV, the smallest car among this level, performs when driving and riding.

Quick Overview of Roewe iMAX8 EV Pricing

Regarding pricing, Roewe iMAX8 EV has five models, with a price range of 259,800 to 359,800 yuan. Among them, there is only one model with a range of 570km, priced at 259,800 yuan, while there are four models with a range of 550km, with a price range of 289,800 to 359,800 yuan.

Powertrain and Suspension

First of all, in terms of power, Roewe iMAX8 EV adopts a front-wheel-drive layout, with a motor power of 180kW and a motor torque of 350N·m.

Regarding the suspension, Roewe iMAX8 EV adopts a combination of front MacPherson independent suspension and rear multi-link independent suspension.

Driving and Riding Experience

Driving Experience

Let us first talk about the driving experience. As a MPV model, I did not adjust the mode to be too sporty and still placed the emphasis on the comfortable experience. Although the mode is comfortable, there are no problems withacceleration. After all, it is an electric car, which inherently has an advantage compared to a gasoline car.

Regarding the suspension, when sitting in the front row, both the driving and riding experience are quite comfortable. However, when sitting in the back row, you can sense that the rear suspension is slightly more shaky and overall it is a bit stiffer, but it is still acceptable for the overall experience.

Since the test drive was carried out under a good road condition, we did not encounter any bumps or obstacles, and thus, we hardly experienced any movements or sways when driving.The braking performance is slightly inadequate, particularly in the front. If you brake slowly, there is no problem, but if a car suddenly changes lanes and you need to brake urgently, the front brakes may not inspire much confidence.

As for the energy regenerative braking, the Roewe iMAX8 EV is quite gentle. Regardless of whether you are in third or second gear, the regenerative braking is very smooth. Hopefully, in the future, they can increase the strength a little bit.

In terms of the steering feel, there is a slight dead zone, which is acceptable for a family car. In normal mode, the steering is very light and easy to control.

Overall, in terms of driving experience, the Roewe iMAX8 EV promises a comfortable ride and is relatively easy to handle for family users.

Riding experience

Riding in the Roewe iMAX8 EV, as an MPV type vehicle equipped with aviation seats, the second row is very comfortable. Every configuration is available, including heating, ventilation, and massage.

The second-row seat adjusted to the most reclined position

All adjustments are operated through small touch buttons on the outside of the second-row seats. The top part adjusts the seat’s front and back positions, backrest angle, and leg rest height. The middle position adjusts the lumbar support’s position, while the bottom-area is for adjusting the massage, ventilation, and heating functions.

The control screen for adjusting the second-row seats

As for the riding experience, during the test drive, it was mentioned that the rear suspension is a little shaky when driving dynamically, similar to the GL8. When the seat is reclined, the overall seating is very comfortable, and it is no problem for sleeping. Only for someone like me who is a bit broad in size (180cm tall, 105kg), it is a bit crowded.

I feel quite comfortable with the second-row seats adjusted to a more reclined position.

Atmosphere and steady exterior design

In recent years, domestic MPVs have started to adopt the big-mouth front end design like Japanese cars. Although it looks imposing, the commercial properties are a bit too prominent. The Roewe iMAX8 EV also has a similar design, with its appearance mainly following the gasoline version’s style.

Regarding the headlights, you can see that the daytime driving lights are designed with a through-type light strip, while the headlight assembly is a matrix-style design, which looks very stylish.You can see the matrix-style designed headlight group inside the headlight, with the latest blackened logo, it looks more impressive than the old logo.

The emblem adopts a black badge, which looks more imposing. Below the logo position is the charging port, and both fast and slow charging ports are located here. In addition, there is a charging indicator light on the right side.

The charging port is located at the front of the car

Immediately below is a front surround view camera.

Under the emblem is a front surround view camera. At the bottom of the license plate frame is a trapezoidal design millimeter wave radar.

At the bottom of the front face is the millimeter wave radar, and the chrome-plated decoration around the bottom of the front bumper on the Roewe iMAX8 EV does not look awkward. Moreover, there are many small triangle designs on top, which also enhance the sophistication.

The chrome-plated decoration at the bottom of the Roewe iMAX8 EV looks more harmonious, and there are small decorative triangles above.

Although the styling design on both sides is the same as the fuel version, it adopts a combination of the same color as the body, which looks more holistic.

The front ultrasonic radar of the actual photographed model has two.

On the side of the car, the first thing you can see is a waistline that runs from front to back. The slightly upturned waistline design makes the whole vehicle look less stable from the side and gives it a sense of diving.

In terms of size, the length, width, and height of the Roewe iMAX8 EV are 501619091796mm, and the wheelbase is 3000mm. From the comparison chart, you can see that the size of the Roewe iMAX8 EV is barely adequate among MPVs in this category, but the interior space is absolutely sufficient, and the storage space is also good.

As for the rearview mirror, the Roewe iMAX8 EV adopts a dual-color design, and has turn signals and side surround-view cameras integrated in terms of function.

On the rearview mirror glass, you can see that the actual photographed model is equipped with blind-spot monitoring function.

The door handle adopts a connected design, and each door of the actual photographed model is equipped with physical keys. The physical key of the front door is for keyless entry, and the physical key of the rear door is for electric door opening.## In terms of tire and wheel sizes, the Roewe iMAX8 EV comes standard with 18-inch wheels and tires with a specification of 225/60 R18, which is helpful for comfort due to the high aspect ratio of the tires, especially for an MPV.

For the sliding rail, the hidden design is adopted, which is also a commonly used design for most MPV models on the market, making the vehicle look more integrated from the side.

One noteworthy feature of the exterior design is that the front two doors of the Roewe iMAX8 EV use a fully enclosed design, which can effectively prevent dirtying trousers when getting off.

Compared with gasoline-powered cars, the tail section of the iMAX8 EV is completely consistent, which is no big issue because for an MPV model, a conventional tail design is the best since it looks more dignified.

Looking from top to bottom, there is a high mount brake light on the top of the Roewe iMAX8 EV, which is a relatively long design and looks very eye-catching at night.

The taillights do not adopt a through-type design but a conventional separate design, and as shown in the picture, there are many detailed designs inside.

The taillights do not adopt a through-type design.

Regarding the branding, the English logo of the Roewe brand is in the middle.

On the left is the logo of SAIC Roewe, and on the right is the model logo of iMAX8 EV.

In terms of configuration, a rear view camera is located in the middle position, and four ultrasonic sensors are equipped at the rear.

As for ultrasonic sensors, there are four at the rear of the Roewe iMAX8 EV.

Luxurious MPV-style interior

Firstly, let’s examine the large interior, as shown in the picture, the Roewe iMAX8 EV has a strong sense of hierarchy in its interior, and my favorite feature is the wood grain panel in the middle, particularly the light wood grain, which, though made of plastic material, looks very comfortable.

For the steering wheel, the latest Roewe triple-spoke design is adopted and made of leather material, making the grip feel very comfortable and the overall texture of the leather is also very good.

The function keys on the left side of the steering wheel are mainly for adjusting the driving assistance functions, while those on the right side are for adjusting entertainment features.

The left function keys are mainly used to adjust the auxiliary driving function, while the right function keys are used to adjust the entertainment content.

In terms of the lever, the left lever is the light adjustment lever, and the right lever is the wiper adjustment lever.

As for the instrument panel, the size of the real-model instrument screen is 12.3 inches, and the size of the central control screen is also 12.3 inches, which is a relatively common configuration for Roewe. However, the instrument screen can support multiple interface adjustments, which is an innovative feature.

There are many physical keys in the gear area of the central control console. For an MPV model, these physical keys are still necessary. Although current vehicles have done a good job in voice recognition, having a physical key is still an additional choice, which can also ensure that the passengers are not disturbed by voice function while resting.

The physical keys on the right side of the gear lever are divided into two parts, with the upper part used for air conditioning control and the lower part for some vehicle function buttons.

In the top left area, there is also a physical key for returning to the main interface of the central control screen. On the right side, there is a physical key for volume control.

On the second-row door, there are physical buttons for window lifting and voice wake-up. The second-row window could not be fully lowered, leaving about a third of it outside, which is a bit of a pity.

For the opening and closing of the car doors inside the car, in order to prevent children from accidentally triggering it, the Roewe iMAX8 EV adopts a long press design. Only when the open or close button is pressed and held for a long time, will the car door have the corresponding action. If it is only short pressed, the car door will not have any action.

In terms of configuration, the third row is also relatively high, with both a cup holder and a speaker, as well as a physical button for voice interaction. However, it lacks a power interface.

As an MPV model, the small table in the second row is considered an extra feature. One thing that impressed me about the small table of the Roewe iMAX8 EV is that it can be operated with one hand, whether it is opened or closed, and can be easily handled. However, the downside is that the table lacks a limit device, and cannot effectively prevent the cup placed on it from tipping over when the vehicle is turning.

Magic Bar is a feature that some people like and some people dislike. This is reflected in the fuel version of the car model. As for this feature, I personally think it is quite practical. The mini-fridge is also good, whether you want a cold soda in summer or a room-temperature drink in winter.

No matter which function you use, you need to start using it by pressing the unlock key. If you don’t press the unlock key, you won’t be able to use any function.

Riding Space

The rear seats use aviation seats, the function of which has been mentioned above and will not be repeated here. The overall comfort is no problem, and ventilation and massage can be used together to relax well.

The comfort of the rear seat is the same, but it may be a bit crowded for people who are wide and fat.

The backrest adjustment angle is also very large, and it can be very comfortable to lie down.

The second-row seat backrest has a huge adjustment angle, and the seats on both sides of the third row are also designed the same as the front seats, which looks very good in texture and feels okay when sitting on it. The only drawback is that the headroom is a bit cramped.

There is a physical handle for front and rear adjustment under the third row of seats, which is quite good, and the adjustable distance is also good.

In terms of riding space, let’s first look at the front row. A 180cm tall participant, when sitting in the front row and adjusting the seat to the lowest and most comfortable position, can still have a circle of distance above the head.

When keeping the front row unchanged and moving to the rear row, there is still a distance of one fist and two fingers above the head, while the legroom can be seen when the seat is adjusted to the last position, with a distance of about three circles.

When the second row is adjusted to the front and comfortable position, the third-row rear backrest is in a tilted state and the headroom is basically top-heavy, with a little space left (on the premise of sitting on the right side, because there is a seat belt on the left side, the headroom will be smaller than the right side), and when adjusted straight, there is a three-finger space for the head, which is relatively comfortable.

In terms of legroom, when the front seat is in a forward position and the rear seat is in a backward position, there is still a space of two fists and a little more. For a car with a wheelbase of 3000mm, this performance is quite good.

When the second row is adjusted to the front and comfortable position, we can see that the rear seat backrest of the third row is basically top-heavy in a tilted state, and there is a little space left, while when adjusted straight, there is a three-finger space for the head, which is relatively comfortable.

Competitiveness AnalysisThe size of the MPV market is hard to say, but as for the several medium to large-sized MPVs currently available on the market, ignoring platform concerns and focusing on pricing, the Roewe iMAX8 EV is the cheapest pure electric medium to large-sized MPV available. Even though it has fewer features, it’s basically adequate.

In terms of space, as mentioned earlier, for an MPV with a wheelbase of 3000mm, the Roewe iMAX8 EV performs really well, especially in terms of cargo space. Even if only four people are seated, the trunk can hold quite a lot of stuff, even when fully loaded, and several pieces of luggage can still be placed in the trunk with the front row of seats slightly tighter. This is really rare.

Overall, if you’re only looking to buy a pure electric MPV for home use, then the Roewe iMAX8 EV is worth considering, and the range is also decent. Running 200km at high speed should not be a problem with a range of 550km.

Final thoughts

Overall, the MPV is unlikely to be the only car in the household, so if you’re buying your first car for the family, I don’t recommend buying a pure electric MPV since it’s likely that the full occupancy scenario would not be common. Instead, I recommend purchasing a plug-in hybrid or extended-range MPV or SUV model.

However, if you’re buying your Nth car for the household, a pure electric MPV can definitely handle both work-related and family-related scenarios like meeting clients and short family trips over the weekend, and the electric vehicle model’s power completely surpasses that of gasoline-powered vehicles, with a more peaceful driving experience.

Therefore, whether or not a pure electric MPV is suitable for you ultimately depends on your actual usage needs. All I can say is that the experience of driving a pure electric MPV is definitely better than that of a gasoline MPV, but charging power is still low, and it takes at least an hour, so I really don’t recommend it for long-distance travel.

This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.