Xpeng's second launch in Australia is the X9, an enormous three-row electric people mover that the reviewer positions as an all-electric stand-in for a grey-import Toyota Alphard or Vellfire, and a high-tech alternative to the Kia Carnival, Mercedes-Benz V-Class EV or Denza D9. The front-wheel-drive Standard Range opens at $89,900 before on-road costs, while the all-wheel-drive Performance version on test asks $109,900 — a $20,000 step up for the extra motor.
The cabin leans hard into luxury: Nappa leather, a 27-speaker X Opera sound system, heated, ventilated and massaging front seats, and a 17-inch touchscreen supported by a head-up display that can project camera feeds at low speeds. Second-row captain's chairs get heating, ventilation, massage and electric legrests, along with fold-out tables that let the van serve as a "mobile office". A console drawer doubles as a fridge (down to 0-4 degrees) or food warmer (up to 50 degrees), and a powered walk-through function eases access to a third row that is genuinely usable, if fixed in place.
It isn't flawless. The reviewer cites software glitches, poor lane-keeping assistance, counterintuitive upward window switches, no spare wheel, and child-seat tether anchors that may demand extension straps. Even so, on space, equipment and family practicality, the X9 makes a strong case as one of the most complete electric people movers yet sold in Australia.