2026 GAC Aion UT OTA Quickie Review

I am obsessed by the GAC Aion UT. It is so cute, so comfy, and does what it says on the box.

Before I get into the over-the-air (OTA) changes, I want to touch on my bowl of Gen Zs into which I reach for opinions of babies born this century. To my surprise they don’t much care for EVs and found the Aion UT’s looks bland and irritating. Having said that, none of them are familiar with my old Australian sayings and none had heard of Garbage or Portishead. My playlist rolled its eyes with near soporific speed.

The GAC brand is so new in Australia, it still has the plastic on it, but it launched its first car in 2010 in China. The Aion UT was revealed at the Guangzhou Motor Show in November 2024 but it was not delivered to domestic buyers until early 2026. Australian deliveries began in the second quarter, making Australia one of the first markets in the world to get it.

What are our first impressions?

We liked the looks. Despite being slightly ubiquitous, the cuteness is reminiscent of little darlings like the now defunct Fiat 500e. Both the Fiat and Mini EV harken back to the halcyon days of motoring, a time when the sun always shone, and martinis came on tap. Brigitte Bardot was on the screen, and the Beatles were top-tenning, and the 500 and Mini the “it” cars. The GAC UT is not trying, it just is.

The bonnet is short, more like an old Bedford van. The 150kW/210Nm front motor and its gubbins take all the space so there is no frunk. The boot is petite with a big under floor section to secrete your home charge cables and bits and bobs you want hidden.

Above:  2026 GAC M8 Luxury Master Super Hybrid review – Why Legacy Brands Can’t Match It

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The GAC Aion UT starts at $30,990 drive-away for the first 600 buyers

The 2026 GAC AION UT Luxury in white with contrasting black roof.

0-100 km/h in 7.3 seconds from the 150kW motor

Rear three-quarter view of the AION UT showing distinctive segmented tail lights.

Compact proportions and raised ride height define the UT’s stance.

AION UT badging and distinctive rear light design.

Two-spoke AION steering wheel with portrait-oriented touchscreen.

Minimalist dashboard with large landscape touchscreen and premium upholstery.

905mm of rear legroom in the compact Aion UT

689 litres with rear seats folded flat

ABOVE: The 2026 Aion UT

The cabin is a triumph

As with most EVs, a platform built without oily bits in mind makes better use of space. The flat battery pack is under the floor. The wheels pushed out to the corners, and a compact 150kW e-motor rather replaces the ancient tech of an internal combustion engine, transmission tunnel, and exhaust system. The Aion UT crams a 2,750 mm wheelbase into its class-leading B-segment footprint to give passengers capacious D-segment rear legroom that embarrasses legacy-branded family sedans and SUVs that are half a metre longer outside. So, for 32grand, you get far more passenger space than a much larger SUV costing double or triple.

While space is one true luxury money can’t buy, there isn’t a lot else in the way of poshness in the back. Although the doors look fabulous, they are completely hard plastics except for the armrest. Only the “Luxury” trim scores USB outlets. The upholstery deserves a special mention for its supple, leather-like feel.

The class-leading rear space extends to the front which is equally spacious and cosy, and is as simply laid out as most new Chinese cars.

Front seats are powered and heated and there is a sumptuous feel about the upholstery. Like the rear, the front doors have hard plastics, and the doors and seats feel at odds with each other. Then you remember that this is on the road for under $32,000.

There is no HUD (head up display), but like Volvo there is a neat little high-resolution tablet for the driver and a larger centre tablet housing an Adagio user interface. And yes, it is another system using Android Open Source Project Software as a base.

There are no buttons. It was never a good idea to remove simple controls. The menus are a trifle fussy, and as with all AOSP systems, can be glitchy.

The home button doubles as the map button, not obvious at first glance.

Driving the Aion UT

UT’s 150kW is frisky enough to get its torque-steer on, especially on moist days. We got a bit of skip without even trying.

Ride is unexpectedly sumptuous but handling will not set the world on fire. The Aion UT is more than comfortable when not pushed. The torsion beam rear end is fidgety, with bumps in corners thoroughly upsetting things if the driver isn’t prepared. The battery seems to feel heavier, perhaps exacerbated by the UT’s diminutive proportions. It wants to pull the little EV off the line, but taken gently, the experience is almost luxurious.

Passengers are conveyed with a quiet hush, but it would be churlish not to comment on the downright bonkers cruise control.

Let me be very clear: it is obviously an error in the AOSP. In normal mode, the cruise hums along happily, with the driver able to select how far they want to be from the car in front. The driver monitors can be turned off (because they’re still too intrusive) and they stay off. Everything is tickety-boo, but once you switch to smart cruise with its lane steering, it all goes wrong. Distance is no longer selectable and stays at auto or max, the driver monitor won’t stay off. All of that would be fine if the steering was accurate, but it is wayward to say the least.

I suspect the update had not been the success I’d hoped for. See the upcoming video for more details.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max often failed to auto connect, and the “passenger airbag on” warning obscured Google Maps navigation buttons. Only careful fettling allowed the user to exit, search, or use the mic.

It might sound like an issue, but it was in fact a wonderful week. We loved the Aion UT for what it was, a small, spacious city car. But, it is transport only. Driving enthusiasts will hate it. The fact that UT isn’t exciting to drive, is exactly why it’s such pleasant transport.

Full review to follow, along with the video.

UT Premium Specification Sheet

UT Luxury Adds

Pricing and Variants

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Written by Alan Zurvas

Alan Zurvas is the founder and editor of Gay Car Boys, Australia's leading LGBTQI+ automotive publication. Before launching GCB in 2008, Alan's automotive writing was published in SameSame.com.au and the Star Observer. With over 16 years of hands-on car reviewing experience, Alan brings an honest, irreverent voice to every review — championing value and innovation over brand loyalty.