When it comes to the hottest car products right now, the Xiaomi SU7 certainly deserves the spotlight. Since its official release on March 28. the Xiaomi SU7 has consistently remained popular. Along with the praise and applause, there have also been criticisms and doubts. In just two months after its release, the Xiaomi SU7 has garnered a significant number of both die-hard fans and critics. So, how does the Xiaomi SU7 actually perform? To find out, a reporter from "China Automobile News" interviewed several Xiaomi SU7 owners to hear their honest opinions.
Performance
Powerful! "Doesn't feel like a first attempt at car manufacturing."
"The performance is simply beyond expectations. What used to be a tiring daily commute has now become a very enjoyable part of my day." Mr. Hu from Anhui told the reporter that he watched every Xiaomi car launch event and was deeply impressed by the powerful performance of the Xiaomi SU7. After its release, Mr. Hu promptly purchased the Xiaomi SU7 Max version and was very satisfied with its performance.
Mr. Zhang from Beijing, who owns the standard version, shared a similar sentiment. "I got my car in early April, and after driving it for over a month, I feel that the chassis quality of the Xiaomi SU7 is excellent, not at all like the first model from a startup car manufacturer. Considering the comprehensive intelligence and driving experience, I believe the Xiaomi SU7 gives me a better feeling than the Tesla Model 3 Performance. I actually own several cars, but lately, I've mostly been driving the Xiaomi SU7." Mr. Zhang also expressed his love for the one-button Boost function, which provides continuous extra torque for 20 seconds, making the car feel instantly more powerful. He mentioned that for the price of 215.900 yuan, getting such a dynamic driving experience made him very satisfied with Xiaomi's first attempt at car manufacturing.
"Agile," "powerful," and "good driving quality" are common praises from many Xiaomi SU7 owners regarding their driving experience. The Xiaomi SU7 offers two power versions: a single motor rear-wheel drive and a dual motor four-wheel drive. The single motor has a maximum power of 220kW and can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.28 seconds. The dual motor version has a combined power of 495kW and can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.78 seconds. The chassis of the Xiaomi SU7 uses a combination of front double wishbone and rear multi-link suspension, equipped with CDC adjustable suspension and air springs, and applies Xiaomi's intelligent chassis technology to ensure both handling and comfort.
In addition to its unexpectedly high performance, the appearance and cost-effectiveness of the Xiaomi SU7 have also been widely praised by owners. Mr. Hu mentioned that he chose to buy the Xiaomi SU7 primarily because of its distinctive appearance. "Lei Jun priced the Xiaomi SU7 in the 200.000 to 300.000 yuan range and made it look like this, with a founder's edition number on the steering wheel that provides emotional value. It's only natural for young people like us, just stepping into middle age, to respond and choose it," he said. Regarding the previously controversial rear space, the owners mentioned that the actual rear space is not small. "I personally feel that the rear space of the Xiaomi SU7 is larger than that of the Tesla Model 3." Mr. Hu said.
However, some owners have raised concerns about Xiaomi's manufacturing craftsmanship. Mr. Wang from Jiangxi pointed out that the front trunk cover of his Xiaomi SU7 standard version was not level, with a slight lift on the left side. Previously, a netizen from Shenzhen, Guangdong, mentioned that the paint on his newly bought Xiaomi SU7 founder's edition car had already chipped before delivery. According to the owner, he was told that the car had been bumped during transportation, causing a piece of paint to chip off the front hood, and they could only repair the paint and compensate with 5000 points before delivering the car normally.
Range
Impressive! "Confident even on highways."
As a pure electric vehicle, no matter how striking the appearance or how powerful the performance, the topic of range cannot be avoided. According to official information from Xiaomi Motors, the Xiaomi SU7 standard version has a CLTC pure electric range of 700km, the Max version can reach 800km, and the Pro version has a range of 830km. Recently, a test by Dongchedi showed that the Xiaomi SU7 Max version could achieve a range of 643km, with a range fulfillment rate of 79.4%, performing well.
In actual use, owners are generally satisfied with the range of the Xiaomi SU7. Mr. Wang mentioned that with a full charge, his Xiaomi SU7 standard version can travel about 450km on the highway at a speed of 120-130km/h; if it's "highway + city driving," it can reach about 480km; for daily commuting, it can reach around 540km.
Mr. Hu, who is driving an electric car for the first time, also mentioned that he has no anxiety about the range of the Xiaomi SU7. He explained that his daily commute is about 50km, during which he uses functions like the car refrigerator and the sentry mode. When the cabin temperature reaches 40°C, the air conditioning automatically turns on to cool down. "These operations are actually quite power-consuming. However, my Xiaomi SU7 Max version can last for five days of commuting with a full charge," he said.
In terms of charging, Xiaomi Motors claims that the Xiaomi SU7 supports fast charging across the entire series. The standard version adopts a 486V silicon carbide platform, which can charge 350km in 15 minutes; the high-end version adopts an 871V silicon carbide high-voltage platform, which can charge 510km in 15 minutes. For third-party public charging piles, the Xiaomi SU7 has tested over 2.000 different models from 148 charging pile brands, with a total of 18.900 piles, achieving a charging compatibility rate of over 99%. Additionally, on the day of the Xiaomi SU7 launch, Lei Jun, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Xiaomi Group, announced that Xiaomi Motors is building its own charging station network, adopting a 600kW liquid-cooled supercharging solution, which can achieve 510km of charging in 15 minutes, with the first batch of planned cities being Beijing, Shanghai, and Hangzhou, gradually constructing Xiaomi supercharging stations.
During the interviews, the owners expressed satisfaction with the charging speed and convenience of the Xiaomi SU7. Mr. Zhang mentioned that it takes less than an hour to charge from 20% to full, meeting his daily needs. For long-distance trips, Mr. Hu, who drove the Xiaomi SU7 on a self-driving tour during the May Day holiday, said, "I am quite confident in the long-distance range of the Xiaomi SU7. Charging on the highway is convenient, and it takes just an hour for a quick charge without long queues."
Intelligent Driving
Average! "Xiaomi's intelligent driving has many issues."
Compared to its outstanding performance and range, the intelligent driving of the Xiaomi SU7 has somewhat disappointed owners. Since its delivery, there have been multiple incidents related to the intelligent parking and other auxiliary driving functions of the Xiaomi SU7. It seems that Lei Jun's goal of entering the industry's top echelon this year still has some way to go.
Regarding the use of highway NOA, a Guangdong owner complained that the NOA frequently exits without warning, requiring manual takeover. Recently, a netizen reported that while driving the Xiaomi SU7 with highway NOA activated on the highway, there was a rear-end collision with the car in front at low speed, with no warning sound or braking when approaching, and no automatic saving of the dashcam footage after the collision. The owner mentioned that Xiaomi's after-sales service stated that due to the lack of driving video, judging from the driving data, the owner was traveling at 6 km/h, accelerating to 8 km/h after holding the accelerator for about 2 seconds in NOA mode. In this state, the AEB, deceleration, and radar distance warning functions were not activated.
Although he hasn't encountered any problems, Mr. Zhang also expressed his concerns about the Xiaomi NOA function. "Currently, the Xiaomi SU7 standard version can basically achieve automatic lane change and cruise control on elevated roads with NOA activated. However, sometimes I still don't feel at ease. For example, when changing lanes to overtake, the rear car is sometimes very close, which makes me worry and manually take over," Mr. Zhang said. Due to the limited coverage of the Xiaomi intelligent driving system, he remains cautious when using it.
Regarding the NOA function, Xiaomi stated that the Xiaomi SU7 supports highway NOA and valet parking across the entire series, with plans to open city NOA nationwide in August. At the end of May, Xiaomi Motors conducted the third OTA update, with Pupu OS 1.2.0 opening the city navigation function in 10 cities and optimizing the road perception system. Mr. Hu expressed great anticipation for this: "I used to drive fuel cars, and the intelligent driving functions of the Xiaomi SU7 surprised me. Although some friends who have driven electric cars think the intelligent driving functions of this car are average, I still look forward to the early opening of city NOA in Anhui."
If the navigation assistance function is neither outstanding nor disappointing, the intelligent parking function has been problematic. Mr. Hu mentioned that while using the intelligent parking function recently, due to no radar warning, there was a collision during reversing. The dashcam also didn't capture the incident, causing some issues with subsequent insurance claims. Xiaomi's after-sales service explained that the dashcam logic requires a manual press to save the footage after a collision. Regarding the problem of no radar warning, it may be due to the influence of the surrounding environment. As of now, the intelligent parking function still has some shortcomings, and Xiaomi's after-sales service has not resolved them.
From the owners' feedback, it is evident that the Xiaomi SU7 has some distance to go in terms of intelligent driving. Many owners said that they hope the functions mentioned in the launch event can be fully opened as soon as possible. "I was quite interested in intelligent driving when I bought the car, but I didn't expect it to have so many problems now. Lei Jun, please quickly fix the issues," Mr. Wang said.
Service
In need of improvement! "Needs to catch up quickly."
Although the Xiaomi SU7 has received numerous praises, there is also some dissatisfaction with Xiaomi's service. According to a report by China Market Research Group, the after-sales service satisfaction of the Xiaomi SU7 is below the industry average. This reflects the challenges Xiaomi faces as a newcomer in the car manufacturing industry.
Ms. Li from Shandong mentioned that after buying her Xiaomi SU7. she had to wait a long time for the accessories she ordered, and the response from customer service was slow. "I thought Xiaomi's service would be as efficient as their phones, but I was wrong," she said. Mr. Wang also pointed out that the maintenance network is not as extensive as he expected, causing inconvenience when trying to get his car serviced in smaller cities.
Xiaomi Motors has acknowledged these service challenges and promised to improve. They have plans to expand their service centers and enhance the training of their service staff. They also aim to streamline their logistics to ensure faster delivery of parts and accessories.
Conclusion
Overall, the Xiaomi SU7 has made a significant impact in the car industry with its powerful performance, impressive range, and innovative features. However, there are still areas that need improvement, especially in intelligent driving and after-sales service. Owners are generally satisfied but also hope for quicker updates and better service from Xiaomi. As a newcomer, Xiaomi has shown great potential, and with continuous improvement, it could become a strong competitor in the electric vehicle market.
