The automotive landscape is witnessing a significant shift towards electric vehicles, and MAXUS is leading the charge with its MIFA 7, a 7-seater MPV that has no direct competitors in its class. Recently, the vehicle underwent an extensive test drive, revealing its strengths and weaknesses.
Design and Dimensions
The MIFA 7, developed by SAIC MAXUS (also known as Dongfeng), is a much-anticipated multipurpose family vehicle. It sports a more minimalist design compared to its larger sibling, the MIFA 9. The sleek body lines, along with a distinctive贯穿式环形头灯 design that extends downwards to meet the vertical light clusters, give the vehicle a modern and futuristic look. The front and rear bumpers, as well as the side skirts, are finished in black, adding to its sporty aesthetic. Additionally, the front windshield uses double-glazing to enhance noise insulation, making it an ideal choice for urban driving.
Measuring 4.9 meters in length, 1.8 meters in width, and 1.7 meters in height, with a wheelbase of 2,975mm, the MIFA 7 is well-suited for most parking garages in Hong Kong. Its dimensions are similar to those of the Toyota Estima, attracting attention from many Estima owners.
Performance and Specifications
Under the hood, the Hong Kong version of the MIFA 7 is equipped with a 90kWh battery, front-wheel drive, and delivers 244 horsepower and 350Nm of torque. The vehicle boasts a WLTP-rated range of 480 kilometers, making it an excellent choice for long-distance travel. It supports 120kW fast charging, with a charging time from 5% to 80% taking approximately 40 minutes. The vehicle also features three driving modes and three levels of regenerative braking. Moreover, it comes with an array of active safety systems, including forward collision warnings, lane departure alerts, and driver fatigue detection.
Interior and Comfort
The驾驶席 design of the MIFA 7 is contemporary and user-friendly, featuring two 12.3-inch screens instead of the three found in the MIFA 9. The central touchscreen is intuitive, with clear icons that make it easy to understand the functions without reading the text. However, the current test drive version only supports Simplified Chinese and English, with no option to switch to Traditional Chinese.
The interior design is modern, with touch-sensitive controls for air conditioning, electric sliding doors, and door locks. The second-row seats are made of artificial leather, lacking the Nappa leather texture found in the mainland version and missing features like refrigerators and electric seats, which disappointed many Hong Kong owners. Nevertheless, the seats offer good thickness and lumbar support, making them comfortable for long journeys. While the manual seat adjustment has sparked some debate, the overall comfort level remains satisfying.
Driving Experience
During the test drive, the MIFA 7 demonstrated impressive driving performance. The vehicle handled better than expected, maintaining stability at high speeds and providing strong support during cornering. The left-side fixed footrest design added to the stability while driving. The suspension system performed admirably, effectively filtering out road vibrations, resulting in a very comfortable ride.
However, the third-row seats were not as flexible as expected, marking one of the vehicle’s significant drawbacks. The noise insulation was commendable, with the double-glazing effectively reducing road noise. The regenerative braking system performed adequately but fell short compared to the BYD M6, with the single-pedal operation not meeting expectations, requiring more use of the brake pedal to control speed.
Conclusion
The SAIC MAXUS MIFA 7, as a newly released multipurpose family vehicle, exhibits commendable strength in terms of exterior design, interior configuration, and driving performance. While there is room for improvement in certain details, such as seat material and regenerative braking, the overall performance is satisfactory. For families seeking high performance and comfort, the MIFA 7 is undoubtedly an attractive choice, setting a new benchmark in the electric 7-seater MPV segment.
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