XPENG G6 (2026 - ) Electric review

It looks a lot like a Model Y … but the improved Xpeng G6 might actually be better at doing a Tesla than Tesla itself!

Additional words by: Catherine Kent

Last updated on 10 August 2026 | 0 min read

The Autotrader expert verdict:

Describing Xpeng as the Chinese Tesla feels a bit obvious, especially given how similar this G6 looks to the all-conquering Model Y. But the comparisons extend beyond the products, Xpeng’s founder himself a tech entrepreneur for whom electric vehicles are just a way of funding bigger dreams of AI, robotics and flying cars. Back on planet earth the G6 has already been through an extensive round of upgrades and improvements since we last drove it, to the point where it might actually be doing a better job of being a Model Y than the Model Y itself, for the fact it’s nicer to drive, has loads more kit as standard and actually costs less. All of which should come as a bit of a wake-up call to Elon and establishes the G6 as a convincing new player on the electric car field.

Reasons to buy:

Impressive range, performance and charging
Cheaper than a Model Y
Slick tech interface

Green Rating

Xpeng’s consumer website prioritises robots and flying cars above communicating its sustainability strategy. However, like many other manufacturers including Toyota, Xpeng is aiming for carbon neutrality in both its corporate operations and the lifecycle of its products by 2050. This is a good start, though not as ambitious as Polestar and VW Group, which are both targeting 2040. In the shorter term, by 2027 Xpeng plans to reduce the lifecycle carbon emissions per passenger vehicle by nine per cent compared to 2023 and to lower the carbon emissions from its corporate operations by 38 per cent. The Xpeng G6 itself is all-electric so it doesn’t kick out any tailpipe emissions, but despite managing average efficiency for its size, it is still an SUV weighing over two tonnes and featuring a large battery. While we’ve not seen a lifecycle analysis of the G6, this all strongly suggests it will have a greater environmental impact than a smaller, more efficient electric car.

Running costs for a XPENG G6

“This new and improved XPeng G6 not only undercuts the Tesla on price, it’s also much better-equipped and generally nicer to live with”

Tesla has been working hard to improve affordability with the Model Y, trimming fat from the bone with a new focus on cost of ownership. The bad news? This new and improved Xpeng G6 not only undercuts the Tesla on price, it’s also much better-equipped and generally nicer to live with! True, given most people look at monthly finance or lease costs rather than bottom line price this comparison may seem crude. But it’s a hard truth Tesla is going to have to face, the speed with which Xpeng has improved the G6 yet another demonstration of the ‘China Speed’ the car industry now has to work to. More broadly the G6 lands bang in the middle of a very competitive price point for mid-size electric cars, ownership costs thereon very much dependent on whether you can charge at home or run it as a company vehicle to reap what Benefit In Kind and other tax incentives remain. Similar cars fighting for your attention would include the MG IM6, Polestar 2, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and myriad others, the Xpeng looking like good value in comparison to all of them.

Expert rating: 4/5

Reliability of a XPENG G6

“The five-year warranty means most first ownership cycles will be covered should anything go wrong”

Still too early to say but, like many Chinese brands, Xpeng has huge resources when it comes to manufacturing, engineering and R&D as well as the credibility of partnership with VW for whom its technology underpins a range of domestic market collaborations. We’d take some confidence in that, the five-year warranty meaning most first ownership cycles will be covered should anything go wrong.

Expert rating: 3/5

Safety for a XPENG G6

“The biggest praise we can offer for the improved safety systems is that we didn’t feel motivated to disable them as we do in many other cars”

When we first drove the G6 we were somewhat damning of the intrusive safety systems and distractions of jabbing away at a screen to control even basic functions like lights and ventilation. Credit to Xpeng for addressing many of these concerns with a much-improved menu system which allows you to drag and drop shortcuts to safety-critical features like foglights to the configurable bar along the bottom of the screen. The biggest praise we can offer is we didn’t feel motivated to disable the safety systems as we do in many other cars, and when they do trigger there is often the option to switch them off for the rest of the journey.

The G6 isn’t perfect, though, big blind spots from the chunky bodywork reduce visibility leaving you very reliant on the cameras. Luckily, said cameras are excellent at providing a clear picture of your surroundings and there’s even a self-parking function if you are feeling brave enough to let the car do all the work. We tried this out in an empty carpark and were impressed with the results, but it was a little more nerve-racking getting the car to park itself between other vehicles. We also weren’t totally convinced by the lane centring control which can be used as an extension of the adaptive cruise control. This is supposed to gently guide the car along, but it was particularly twitchy and would deactivate every time you made a small manual adjustment.

Expert rating: 4/5

How comfortable is the XPENG G6

“The Xpeng is quiet, relaxing and a chilled place for racking up the miles”

Xpeng has also been listening when it comes to the driving experience, the previously remote-feeling steering now much more positive and pleasant to use with a choice of either light, normal or heavy weighting depending on your preference. The power delivery is less jolting than a Model Y, though the grabby brakes take some getting used to. The G6 still plays it safe and there are more exciting cars to drive but ride quality and refinement are all up there and the Xpeng is quiet, relaxing and a chilled place for racking up the miles. The soft suspension can be a little bouncy around town, though. There’s space aplenty wherever you are sitting and the standard panoramic roof making it feel light and airy while those in the back get tons of legroom and a reclining backrest for making the most of the slouching space. Up front we also appreciated the standard-fit massage function, which is among the most invigorating and effective we’ve ever tried.

Expert rating: 4/5

Features of the XPENG G6

“We were impressed with how much easier it is to navigate around the Xpeng’s improved interface compared to the Model Y’s”

Given how central (literally) screens have become to our interactions with modern cars the user experience is increasingly important. Though at first glance the operating systems look very similar, we were impressed with how much easier it is to navigate around the Xpeng’s improved interface compared to the Model Y’s. The icons and fonts are larger in the G6 and the menus are generally more logical. Easy CarPlay and Android Auto pairing is another tick, given Tesla still refuses to offer this, and being able to use the steering wheel buttons to adjust the temperature and fan speed is a useful touch. Others like BMW may be better still, but Xpeng’s approach is not a bad effort. The interior all feels a lot more premium than before as well, with a redesigned steering wheel, new door panels with integrated speaker grilles, heating and ventilation as standard for the front seats along with the massage function mentioned above, impressively powerful 18-speaker sound system and more besides. All this is standard whichever of the powertrains you choose as well, the only options being paint and accessories like dog guards, reinforced rubber floor mats and boot linings, roof rails and similar.

Expert rating: 5/5

Power for a XPENG G6

“The huge charging speeds made possible by XPeng’s electric tech have the potential to make long journeys a breeze”

Given the overall similarities to the Model Y little surprise that Xpeng offers a similar model progression through Standard Range with the smaller of the two battery options and Long Range single-motor models through to the significantly more powerful twin-motor Performance version, which is only available as a rather menacing looking Black Edition. All are effortlessly fast and claim range of around 300 miles give or take.

We spent a week with a G6 Performance which in warm summer conditions was easily managing around 290 miles on a full charge. This was more than enough for a round trip from Manchester to Coventry with ample range to spare, plus charging at home meant we were good to go again the next morning. If you do need to travel further afield, or you don’t have access to a home wallbox, the huge charging speeds made possible by Xpeng’s electric tech have the potential to make long journeys a breeze, at such point as the public infrastructure catches up with claimed 451kW maximum rate. Even at the speeds currently available on the network the G6 will top up its battery fast enough to get you where you’re going in as long as it takes to grab a coffee.

Expert rating: 4/5