GAC AION UT Is the Cute Little EV Fiat Should Have Built 5 Min Read

Some cars make you smile before you even drive them. The GAC AION UT is one of those cars.

After the dumping of the Fiat 500e from the market, the AION UT is the car the Fiat 500e always should have been, at the price the legacy brands said was impossible.

We’ve only had a few hours with it so far, so this isn’t the usual deep dive with a gajillion kilometres of rambling commentary, but sometimes a car whispers little somethings into your shell-like before you’ve so much as lifted a door handle. The AION UT is Euro-cute, super-clever and surprisingly practical for a pint-size pony. It has that rare quality where you walk away thinking, “I rather fancy one of these.”

And yes, we know “cute” isn’t usually the word manufacturers want attached to their latest electric vehicle, but in this case it’s a compliment.

If only the Fiat 500 people had been half the car, and remember, we loved the Fiat.

The original Fiat 500 was always about personality. It was small, stylish and fun without taking itself too seriously. The electric version should have captured that same magic, but instead it became an expensive fashion accessory.

The AION UT feels like someone at GAC read the room.

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What is it?

The AION UT is GAC’s cutie-pie electric hatchback, designed to take on fellow tiddlers like the BYD Dolphin, GWM Ora and other little, affordable EVs. It’s small enough for city life but clever enough to avoid the poverty-stricken curse of compromise.

At first glance, it looks like a tiny city car. Then you open the doors to a mini palace. That is where all the cleverness starts. The AION UT has a capaciously long wheelbase, which translates to a vast interior space for something with these Lilliputian dimensions. The rear seats aren’t the usual “only suitable for children or people you don’t like” arrangement found in most small cars, especially ICE-powered ones.

Adults can sit in the back, and that alone makes it feel like a much bigger buggy.

What’s it like inside?

The AION UT really surprised us with its minimalist, premium feel.

Small EVs often feel like they’ve been built by accountants. They’re chock-full of hard plastics, tackily-clothed awkward seating and interiors that remind you of bargain basement cafeterias. The AION UT doesn’t.

It feels mid-century modern, airy and properly designed. The cabin has that Zen EV look and feel, with a clean dashboard and a big tablet, LCD driver screen, Tesla balls on the steering wheel, and a little drawer pull knob that opens to reveal a cargo net and a bijou spot for bits and bobs. I’d rather have buttons for essentials, but the fixed software buttons will have to do for now.

The big win with an EV-only platform is packaging. There is usable space everywhere, and the boot is bigger than you expect. With 321 litres and up to 689 litres with the seats folded, this little darling is good for far more than supermarket runs.

Its simplicity is the key to finding clever little details and thinking, “Why didn’t everyone do this?” Sure, plastic seat coverings are common now, but some feel decidedly down market.

There are hard plastics, but none has the scratchy insincerity of an ’80s hot hatch. In fact, the cabin feels quite luxe if you ignore the flimsy vent knobs.

What’s it like to drive?

The AION UT isn’t a sports car, but it’s definitely not sluggish.

With 150kW and 210Nm driving the front wheels, it is nippy, and frisky. The 0-100km/h time of 7.3 seconds is decent for a small affordable EV that makes no promises it can’t keep.

Around town, it has a sumptuous ride, steering that is light and ethereal, and a compact body that makes parking and squeezing through tight streets smug-inducing.

The smart cruise was hard to master in such a short time, and the distance to the car in front was stuck on max. I’m told it needs a calmer head, not someone who stabs at the ball like a demented woodpecker. Slow pushes should work.

This is the sort of car that makes you wonder why people still buy massive SUVs for basic daily driving with a single occupant.

You still have to silence a lot of bongs, something that Brussels foisted on the world without the world having a say. No, it does not make the world safer, it just makes drivers angry.

The range and the annoying bit

The AION UT comes with a modest 60kWh battery and a claimed WLTP range of 430km. That is more than enough for a car in this price bracket and far better than the Fiat, our previous darling.

But then there is the charging, where our love affair gets a little complicated.

The DC charging speed peaks at 87kW. That isn’t terrible, but newer EV buyers are starting to expect faster charging, especially when the battery size is decent.

For a car that gets so much right, the charging speed could use a nudge.

GAC offers two essential cables, a 10-amp portable trickle-charging cable and a Type 2 public station connector, alongside a complimentary 22kW wall-mounted charger. That is just another thing exposing why legacy automakers nickel-and-diming buyers are losing ground to Chinese car makers.

Between 87% and 96% of Australians live in urban areas so why buy a 7-seat SUV. You’ll probably find yourself filling your tank, so to speak, once a week. It comes with a free home charger so a 1670kg mini will do an 11kW AC in 5 or 6 hours.

87kW DC gets 30% to 80% in 24 mins, so time for a coffee and toasty while you wait. You work it into your routine unless you can charge at home. In which case you’ll save time by not having to schlepp round to the servo, ever.

Which one would we buy?

We had the base model, and honestly, it is probably the one most buyers will choose.

The temptation is always to climb the range and chase extra features, but the core AION UT package is already strong. You get the clever design, the space, the range and the enjoyable driving experience.

The higher-spec model adds things like a glass roof and powered tailgate, but we can live without that. A power tailgate on a tiny hatchback is nice, but manual is faster.

A better charging system would have been nicer.

The verdict

The GAC AION UT is one of those cars that sneaks up on you. You expect a cheap and nasty for $32k drive away, but not a bit of it EV. Instead, you get a cheeky, likeable little hatchback that feels thoughtful, practical and fun.

It has personality by the bucketload, which is something many modern cars desperately lack. It is not perfect. The charging speed needs a gentle push, and that is the one thing stopping it from being a complete knockout. I’d like an HUD, but $32k, right? It has a driver display that a Tesla twice the price lacks.

The main screen is big but its hardware behind the scenes is entry level.

But after only a few hours, we understood the appeal. The AION UT is cute without being silly, practical without being boring and affordable without feeling like a punishment. It could get people who never considered an EV to finally take one home, and that might be its biggest achievement.

Aion UT Premium: From $31,990 drive-away

Aion UT Luxury: From $35,990 drive-away

GAC AION UT Key Numbers

Model	AION UT Premium	AION UT Luxury
Price (drive-away)	$31,990	$35,990
Motor	150kW / 210Nm	150kW / 210Nm
Battery	60kWh LFP	60kWh LFP
WLTP range	430km	430km
DC charging	87kW	87kW
AC charging	11kW	11kW
0-100km/h	7.3 seconds	7.3 seconds
Boot space	321L / 689L seats folded	321L / 689L seats folded
Kerb weight	1670kg	1700kg
Drive	Front-wheel drive	Front-wheel drive

How the AION UT Compares

Feature	GAC AION UT Premium	BYD Dolphin Essential	GWM Ora Standard Range	Fiat 500e La Prima
Price	$31,990 drive-away	~$33,800 drive-away	~$35,990 drive-away	~$52,500 before on-roads
Battery	60kWh	44.9kWh	48kWh	42kWh
WLTP Range	430km	340km	310km	311km
Power	150kW	70kW	126kW	87kW
Torque	210Nm	180Nm	250Nm	220Nm
Max AC Charging	11kW	7kW	11kW	11kW
DC Charging	87kW	60kW	64kW	85kW
Boot Space	321L	345L	228L	185L
Seats	5	5	5	4
Home Charger / Cables	Includes 10-amp portable cable, Type 2 public cable, and complimentary 22kW wall charger	Mode 3 cable standard; wall charger optional extra	Mode 3 cable standard; wall charger optional extra	Mode 3 cable standard; wall charger optional extra

More GAC Stories

• GAC International Wants China Export Crown By 2030
• GAC Off Roader and GT7 at Auto China 2026 Beijing
• 2026 GAC Aion UT Price Australia: $30,990 Drive-Away for the First 600 Buyers

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