22/02/2026

Contributing Editor Keshy Dhillon / keshy@piston.my Editorial

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SUNDAY | FEB 22, 2026

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Xpeng X9 might just be the most complete electric MPV yet Bold & distinctive

expansive and layered, with clarity up top and proper weight down low. The second-row captain chairs are every bit as comfortable as you’d expect at this level. Full electric adjust ment, ventilation, massage, leg rests, the works. Comfort-wise, it’s on par with the Denza D9 and other luxury EV MPVs. The party trick, of course, is the massive fold-down rear entertain ment screen. Crisp, responsive, and genuinely usable. Whether it’s YouTube, Spotify, or screen mirroring, it works smoothly. Xpeng even provides a gaming setup in some markets, and it’s easy to see why. This is a proper lounge expe rience. Cooling is handled by a wrap around, windless rear air-condition ing system that quietly and evenly chills the entire cabin. Third-row passengers aren’t an afterthought either. There’s decent space, reclining backrests, and USB ports, making it viable even for adults on longer journeys.

Touch response is instant, anima tions are smooth, and both the front and rear displays are sharp, bright, and easy on the eyes. Importantly, I didn’t encounter weird translations or awkward phras ing, something that still plagues a lot of Chinese-market EVs. The UI is clean, cohesive, and well thought through. On the other hand, ergonomics take a hit. The lack of physical controls, especially for air vents, can be an annoyance. It also means there’s a learning curve. Simple adjustments require digging into menus, and until muscle memory kicks in, it can feel unintuitive. This is a cabin you adapt to, rather than one that immediately makes sense. Material quality, though, is excel lent. Soft-touch surfaces, leather, suede-like trims, and solid build qual ity all round. No creaks, no rattles, even over rough roads. The sound system deserves special mention. It’s not just loud or bass heavy, it’s well-tuned. Orchestral tracks and film soundtracks sound

The trapezoidal lighting signatures, sloping bonnet and floating roof effect at the rear give it a concept-car-on-the road vibe. It’s not beautiful in the traditional sense, but it’s bold, distinctive, and very clearly saying, “I’m not an Alphard,” which is quite refreshing. TECH FIRST, ERGONOMICS SECOND Step inside and the X9’s priorities are immediately clear. This is a tech first cabin, and it leans heavily into that philosophy. The layout, user interface (UI) design, and even the way the car visu alises surrounding traffic feels unmis takably Tesla-inspired. You get the animated road scanning, vehicles, bikes, pedestrians, and a minimalistic interface that replaces traditional con trols with menus and gestures. That’s both a strength and a weakness. On one hand, the screens are excel lent. The infotainment is blazing fast, genuinely one of the quickest I’ve used in any car.

BY SHAUN LEE

THE Xpeng X9, the brand’s flagship people mover, is positioned squarely against the likes of the Denza D9 and Zeekr 009, and after spending some time with the car, I can see why some markets are calling it the most well rounded electric MPV you can buy right now. The Xpeng X9 “ate the brief,” as Gen Zs say. It makes you want to sit in the back, sink into the seat, and let the kilometres melt away. NOT ANOTHER ALPHARD SHADOW You’ll either like the X9’s design or you won’t, but you definitely won’t confuse it with anything else on the road. Where most MPVs follow the familiar two-box, upright silhouette, the X9 goes for a tent-like greenhouse with steeply raked front and rear windscreens. It looks futuristic and slightly awk ward in photos, but in the metal, it’s imposing.