Among China's new power brands, NIO may not have the highest sales, but in terms of buzz and user loyalty, it is undoubtedly a leader. Its focus on first-tier cities and excellent service have elevated its prices well above its competitors, positioning NIO as a truly luxurious domestic brand. However, previous starting prices above 400.000 RMB made NIO seem less approachable, leaving many anticipating a more affordable model.
Finally, in 2021. NIO released the mid-sized sedan ET5. with a starting price of 328.000 RMB, making it the most accessible NIO vehicle to date. The ET5 began deliveries on September 30. 2022. quickly becoming NIO's sales pillar. In December, just two months after deliveries started, ET5’s monthly sales reached nearly 7.600 units, surpassing the ES7 to become NIO’s best-selling model. This naturally raises the question: how does the highly popular ET5 actually drive?
Like its big brother ET7. the ET5 is also born from NIO's NT2.0 platform, adopting the new generation "X-Bar" design language. Unlike the hard lines that define the front of typical cars, NIO uses concave and convex surfaces to present the "X" shape design at the front, giving a minimalist look. The signature "little horn" LiDAR system of NIO's new generation models is also standard on the ET5. not omitted despite its more accessible price.
From the side, the 4.790mm length of the ET5 gives it a compact and dynamic appearance, while the low hood and upturned ducktail at the rear provide a sporty look. However, a closer inspection reveals that this is an illusion achieved through design, as the large doors and sizeable window openings can’t fully hide its actual height of 1.499mm, resulting in a slightly bulky feel.
Our ET5 test car is fitted with 20-inch wheels costing 9.500 RMB, which look fuller compared to the standard 19-inch version. With the larger wheels, the original 245/45 R19 Michelin e-PRIMACY tires are replaced with 245/40 R20 Pirelli P-ZERO sport tires. The ET5 also offers two other wheel options: 19-inch multi-spoke silver wheels for 3.500 RMB, and 20-inch five-spoke wheels for 9.500 RMB.
The most beautiful angle of the ET5 is perhaps the 45° rear view. The “fastback” roofline slopes quickly, giving a strong sense of movement, while the rounded rear end is quite sexy, complemented by slim, through-type tail lights that enhance the technological feel.
NIO's interiors have always been the best among the "NIO, XPeng, and Li Auto" trio, striking a perfect balance between simplicity and tech-luxury, requiring profound design skills. Although many say the ET5's interior is similar to the ET7. a closer look reveals significant stylistic differences. Firstly, the ET5’s dashboard and door armrests have a curved connection, creating a strong sense of interior wrapping, whereas the ET7 uses straight lines for a more elegant feel. Additionally, the ET5’s three-spoke steering wheel emphasizes sporty handling, while the ET7 features a more traditional two-spoke design.
The central 12.8-inch touchscreen features an ultra-narrow bezel design and uses a Super AMOLED panel, providing excellent display quality. The ET5’s infotainment system is powered by the Qualcomm 8155 chip, ensuring smooth and fast operation. The screen integrates almost all vehicle functions, including air conditioning, multimedia, vehicle settings, and navigation, aligning with the standard design of modern electric vehicles.
In the center console, the ET5 includes a wireless phone charging pad and two cup holders. Notably, due to the integration of NFC in the ET5’s wireless charging pad, placing an iPhone for charging may activate Apple Pay instead. This issue requires multiple attempts to resolve, while NFC-enabled Android phones do not face this problem.
The driver faces a 10.2-inch LCD instrument cluster using Mini LED backlighting, like a MacBook Pro, achieving a peak brightness of 1.000 nits. This ensures clear visibility of key data such as speed, range, and battery level regardless of the sun’s position.
As NIO's smallest model, let’s examine the ET5’s space performance. With a height of 174cm and weight of 87kg, I found the front headroom to be 1 fist and 4 fingers with the seat at its lowest position, which is quite good. However, this is only possible with the full glass roof; with a sunshade, headroom would be around 1 fist. In the rear, legroom is 1 fist and 3 fingers, with headroom of 4 fingers, which is adequate for my height but may feel cramped for passengers over 180cm.
NIO has insisted on dual-motor drive for all models since the ES8. even the previously cheapest ES6 with 435 horsepower. This gives NIO vehicles acceleration comparable to million-dollar sports cars, highlighting their high-end identity. However, if you've driven NIO cars before, you know that except for straight-line speed, NIO's sporty performance is lacking. The comfort-oriented chassis tuning makes spirited driving unappealing. Surprisingly, the entry-level ET5 defies this, adopting a sporty style similar to luxury sports brands.
Driving the ET5 for just 1-2km reveals its suspension is tuned for sport, lacking the soft feel of previous NIO models. The suspension transmits every road seam directly to the seat, making it almost obligatory to push it hard on winding roads.
On mountain roads, what surprised me was not the handling but NIO’s renowned power. The 150kW front motor and 210kW rear motor give the ET5 a total of 360kW (490 horsepower) and 700Nm of torque. This results in an official 0-100km/h time of 4 seconds, but with just one occupant, it clocked 3.8 seconds, achieving nearly 1G of acceleration.
Such power is more than enough for mountain roads, allowing easy overtaking within 100 meters of dashed lines. However, the joy of driving on winding roads isn’t just about brutal acceleration or easy overtaking but negotiating various curves and gradients.
For electric cars, the centrally located battery balances front-to-rear weight, enhancing driving feel. But the battery also adds weight, making the ET5 weigh 2.165kg. In comparison, the standard-wheelbase BMW 3 Series weighs 1.588kg, meaning the ET5 is about 600kg heavier than similar gasoline cars, hindering its mountain road performance.
Entering a corner quickly, the excessive centrifugal force is evident, a consequence of the heavy body. But with the Pirelli P Zero tires providing good grip, I wasn't too concerned. Pushing the ET5 to its limits, I found NIO’s chassis tuning quite clever. Typically, the heavier body would cause understeer, but NIO’s engineers have mitigated this by slightly reducing rear tire grip, transitioning from understeer to mild oversteer, offsetting the handling disadvantage.
This is noticeable on rough roads where the rear axle feels stiff, causing noticeable bouncing. By tuning the rear stiffer than the front, NIO achieved a slight oversteer tendency, reducing the weight-induced clumsiness at the expense of rear passenger comfort.
Once the entry and mid-corner weight effects are overcome, we focus on corner exit. The more powerful rear motor helps the ET5 exhibit a rear-biased all-wheel-drive characteristic, quickly aligning the front. The ESP system finely controls the car’s posture throughout.
Although the ET5 is a sport-oriented electric sedan, like many sport-oriented gasoline cars, most owners won’t always drive it spiritedly; daily commuting is its main use. Here, the ET5 excels in comfort. Its NVH performance is outstanding, isolating high-frequency motor noise, wind noise, and road noise well, surpassing what’s expected of a mid-sized car. Remarkably, this is achieved with single-layer glass and frameless doors.
The ET5 offers five power modes, from a sports-level 4.0 seconds to a leisurely 12.9 seconds. The most balanced is the 7.9-second comfort mode, providing responsive power with no torque lag, allowing easy control of the distance to the car ahead. This power grading is beneficial for new or older drivers, preventing panic and potential loss of control during sudden acceleration.
However, the ET5’s braking calibration isn’t as impressive. The CRBS system prioritizes electric braking, providing linear control during everyday driving. But as speed drops below 7km/h, the transition to mechanical braking can cause a sudden increase in deceleration, which I find unacceptable for smooth driving. To mitigate this, I perform “trailing brake” by lifting the pedal slightly to reduce the transition jerk.
Finally, let’s look at ET5’s energy consumption. On a cold evening in Beijing, with a temperature of -3°C, I set the air conditioning to 23°C automatic and drove 39.4km at an average speed of 36.5km/h, consuming 7.6kWh, translating to 19.3kWh/100km. This means a winter range of about 388km, which isn’t outstanding compared to the official 560km CLTC. In warmer southern regions, a range of over 400km is achievable.
Compared to range, recharging convenience enhances user experience. NIO’s extensive battery swap stations in major cities allow quick swaps in 3-5 minutes, similar to refueling, with up to six free swaps per month. Despite a winter range of 350km, this provides 2.100km of free, efficient energy
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Overall, the ET5’s blend of sportiness and practicality, along with its compelling price, makes it a worthy contender in the market.
