Recently, quite a few friends around me have been discussing the new XPeng P7, saying it offers particularly generous features and the price is also quite sincere. I happened to go experience it last week, driving it around city streets and elevated roads for a few laps. Today I'll talk about my real feelings as an ordinary user, not a car editor.
First impression: the real car has more texture than the pictures
The sales center I went to happened to have the main "New Moon Silver" color in stock. Compared with online pictures, the lines of the real car look smoother and more stretched. The texture of the frameless doors when opening and closing was better than I expected, without the flimsy feeling some competitors have.
Sitting inside the car, the most direct feeling is that the seats are more comfortable than the old model—the support for the lower back and legs is very much in place, which is especially important for daily commuting. The center console layout is very clean, without piling up a large number of screens for the sake of a "tech feel," which I personally like a lot.
How it feels to drive: comfort and handling surprisingly do not conflict
I deliberately chose a section of damaged concrete road to test its dual-chamber air suspension. When rolling over potholes, the suspension handled it very calmly, with just two "thud thud" sounds and no extra shaking. The salesperson said this is XPeng's self-developed intelligent chassis system adjusting stiffness in real time. From the actual experience, the chassis really does feel very "solid," not the kind of comfort that is simply soft and mushy.
After switching to sport mode, the whole car's character changed. The steering wheel became heavier, the suspension support became firmer, and the accelerator response also became much more sensitive. When taking turns quickly on an elevated ramp, body roll was controlled quite well, giving the driver a lot of confidence. This kind of "dual personality" tuning is really not common at the same price point with such clear differentiation.
A few details that won me over
The charging experience really changed things: The salesperson specifically took me to try the 800V ultra-fast charging station next door. From 30% to 80%, it took less than a quarter of an hour. This speed means that in the future, charging really can be like refueling, completed using fragmented time, without needing special planning anymore.
The intelligent system is more "humanized": Its voice assistant can handle multiple commands at the same time, and it responds very quickly. I tried the string of commands "turn on the air conditioning, lower it by two degrees, play Jay Chou's songs," and it executed them all accurately. This clearly improves convenience while driving.
The trunk holds more than expected: Although it has a fastback design, the trunk opening is very large and the depth is sufficient. By my estimate, putting two 28-inch suitcases plus a few backpacks should be no problem. For a coupe focused on a sporty feel, this practicality is a plus.
Thinking calmly, you need to consider these
Of course, there is no perfect car. While being tempted, I think there are a few points worth potential buyers' attention:
Brand recognition is still climbing: If you care a lot about what people around you think, you may need to consider whether XPeng's brand strength has reached your psychological expectations. But from the product itself, it is already competitive enough.
High dependence on intelligence: Many of its convenient functions are built on the infotainment system and intelligent driving. If you prefer the simplicity and directness of traditional cars, you may need time to adapt to its operating logic.
The refreshed Tesla Model 3 is coming soon: Although the new P7 currently has very outstanding value for money, its old rival Tesla is about to launch a facelifted model. If you are not in a hurry, you might as well wait and see what new changes the market will bring.
Summary: What kind of person is it suitable for?
After driving it for a round, I think what is most impressive about the new P7 is that it finds a good balance between sportiness and comfort. It is not as stiff as some purely sport-oriented cars that are uncomfortable to drive daily, nor as bland and boring as some family cars.
If you match the following situations, it is worth your serious consideration:
Your budget is around 250,000, and you want an electric car with driving fun
You value actual features and do not like agonizing over optional extras
You have requirements for replenishment efficiency and hope charging is as fast as possible
You can accept and are willing to try the new experience of intelligent cars
Some final observations
This test drive made me feel that the focus of competition in the electric vehicle market has really changed. Previously everyone compared range figures and acceleration times; now they are starting to compare chassis quality, charging experience, and how practical the intelligence is.
The new XPeng P7 did not choose to "top the charts" in some single parameter, but instead put its effort into the overall experience users can most easily perceive in daily life. This shift is a good thing for consumers.
If you are also considering an electric car at this price point, I suggest you must go test drive it yourself. The spec sheet is wonderful, but only with the steering wheel in your own hands can you truly know whether this car is suitable for you.
What do you value most when choosing a car? Is it driving feel, level of intelligence, or brand and service? Welcome to chat together in the comments section.
