2025 XPeng G6 Long Range review

Even though Australia is often regarded as one of the most congested and competitive new car markets in Australia – something made trickier by our far-flung location and right-hand-drive set-up – we've got a constant stream of new makes and models aiming to slice off their own piece of pie.

This time, it's the 2025 XPeng G6 that is freshly arrived and looking for some business.

How many car brands can our relatively small market support? Will the new ones hang on and push out some of the established competitors? Or will there be a broad level of bloodshed in the coming years? It's going to be fascinating to watch, but new car buyers today will likely have a headache from the range of options available.

This XPeng G6 arrives in an intriguingly congested part of the market as well. It's an electric mid-sized SUV, of which buyers can mull over around 18 different models from different makes (excluding the pricier models). Something of a glut, I would hazard, and that's before you throw in the wider range of plug-in hybrid, hybrid and conventional fuel-burning options of a similar stature.

Is this one worth consideration, and what sets the XPeng apart from some of the other mid-sized SUVs at this price point? Let's have a closer look.

There are two models to choose between in the G6 range. Both have a relatively close level of standard equipment, but instead differ in terms of the battery, powertrain, and driving range.

It's worth pointing out that an all-wheel-drive variant is slated to arrive in Australia some time in the future, but it's rear-wheel drive only for the time being.

In this test, we've got the 2025 XPeng G6 Long Range, which has an asking price of $59,800 plus on-road costs and compares to $54,800 for the Standard Range model.

In our case, we've got the larger 87.5 kilowatt-hour NCM (nickel cobalt manganese) battery pack, which feeds a 210kW/440Nm electric motor at the rear and gives a claimed WLTP driving range of 570km. Impressive, and it's helped by the 0.248 drag coefficient.

For reference, the $5000 cheaper Standard Range model gets a smaller 66kWh battery and 435km driving range, along with a reduced 190kW output for the rear motor.

One major strong point for the G6 is charging speeds. Our G6 Long Range claims a rapid 280kW peak charging speed, while the Standard Range does a still brisk 210kW claim on a DC charge. AC charging is capped at up to 11kW on three-phase power.

Otherwise, standard equipment is strong for the G6. Our seat trimmings are in a bright white, but buyers can also opt for a more demure and traditional black interior. Front seats are heated and ventilated, while second-row outboard seats and the steering wheel are heated.

There's electric adjustment for the front seats with position memory, but a noticeable lack of underthigh support. There's a 15-inch infotainment display, 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, panoramic glass roof, automatic wipers and LED headlights, electric boot, and 20-inch alloy wheels shod in Michelin rubber.

There's also a dual-zone climate control system with air purification, tyre pressure monitoring, a 360-degree camera system, and twin wireless charging pads.

Although, despite the fact the range of standard equipment is no doubt strong, it's a shame to see floor mats not included as standard fare. Instead, they are held over as a $300 accessory.

While XPeng vehicles are yet to filter through into the NUSED car classifieds at Drive Marketplace, there are plenty of new and used cars currently available – electric or otherwise.

Find your nearest XPeng dealer here, but don't expect one to be around every corner for the time being. While XPengs's website indicates a growing network with many 'Coming Soon' locations, only five Experience Centres are currently up and running, between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

As I've found is the case for many electric cars, the packaging advantages can be felt with the amount of space on offer. In particular, you'll notice the flat floor and loads of leg room front and rear.

The second row is particularly commodious, with plenty of leg room and head room on offer.

Although, the glass roof set-up does eat into the available space a little, and allows a lot of heat to get into the cabin when parked in direct sunlight.

Air vents and USB power give some amenity to those in the second row, but the XPeng provides enough space and flexibility to operate well as a family car. There are two ISOFIX and three top tether points in the back, and enough width to squeeze in three child seats if you need to.

When adults are in the back, the two-position backrest is a nice touch to get extra comfortable. Pulling a small lever near the door gives a healthy amount of recline for those who want to squeeze in a snooze on a long drive.

Up front, the seats are plenty comfortable with enough adjustment on offer, along with tilt and reach adjustment available through the steering column.

The interior design is nice, and noticeably reminiscent of the Tesla Model Y. There's a floating centre console with twin wireless charging pads, as well as a storage nook underneath. Here, you'll find the USB-A, USB-C and 12V power outlets, and enough room for a purse or a few small things.

The centre console is a good size, and that's good because there is no glovebox in the G6. We're told some of the HEPA filters for the air purification system take up this space instead.

Overall, the quality of the interior in XPeng's first Australian car feels good. Everything feels well made and securely bolted together, and longer drives through the 'burbs (as I worked away at depleting that big battery) didn't leave me feeling any worse for wear.

The boot – with 571 litres of space overall – is plenty big enough for general useage. It has no spare wheel under the floor, but a small bag with a sealant-based repair kit. We don't think a spare would fit here either, if buyers wanted to make alternative arrangements.

XPeng lists the size of the infotainment display at 14.96 inches, but let's just round it up to 15 inches for the sake of posterity.

It's a good system as well. While no bank of physical buttons can be annoying, the operating system does help everyday useability through its design. Firstly, it's not the generic Android-based system that one often sees on a lot of infotainment systems these days. It's a bit more sophisticated than that, and you get a handy configurable bottom bar that helps shortcut your important bits. You can swipe up from the bottom and top to access regular functions, and response/load times are both good.

However, doing things like adjusting your air vents and side mirrors through the screen is still a bit frustrating, and something that – I think, at least – will never be as straightforward as doing it via physical controls.

The infotainment display has wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and I found the wired connection to be more stable and reliable in my useage. It also has native navigation, as well as a companion app that you can set up for use as a digital key, as well as provide plenty of remote functions on the vehicle.

It's also worth noting this functionality can also play into your seating position memory, when the vehicle recognises who is driving.

A test conducted by Euro NCAP in 2024 gives the Xpeng G6 a five-star crash safety rating, which translates directly into a five-star rating for our local ANCAP authority.

There's an 88 per cent rating for adult occupants, and 86 per cent for child occupants. Vulnerable road users (pedestrians) get an 81 per cent rating, while the performance of the safety assistance systems on the G6 gets an 80 per cent rating.

The Xpeng punches hard for safety and driver assistance technology, which is underpinned by a bristling array of cameras and sensors. There's a total of 12 ultrasonic sensors and 12 cameras, along with five millimetre-wave radars. That's 29 in total.

No shortage in hardware, and the software seems to keep up its end of the bargain for the most part as well. Adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assistance (along with lane centring) is great in operation, giving smooth progress and the ability to carry out lane changes with just a flick of the indicator.

The rest of the range of safety equipment is there as well, as indicated by the table below. There's also some technology around autonomous parking capabilities, which can also be done remotely.

Thankfully – and somewhat surprising after my recent experience in a range of Chinese newcomers to the Australian market – the driver monitoring system and attention warning is tuned with common sense in mind. It's not pervasive and overly responsive, but instead gives well-timed and more gentle reminders.

There is a noticeable variation in service costs per year for the XPeng G6, with drivers able to cover 20,000km in that time. On average, you're looking at $369 per year over three years or $412.80 per year for five years. This is relatively low cost, as many electric cars are able to offer.

It's also worth noting here that service intervals for the G6 are sticking to 12 months, instead of the two-year intervals seen elsewhere.

That might sound like a long time, by the way. However, it's worth remembering that electric cars have a more mechanically simple drivetrain than a petrol-powered vehicle, with less gears, clutches and oil-carrying components to worry about.

Another thing to note here is because XPeng has a limited dealership network in its formative years in Australia, servicing is done through the larger UltraTune franchise, which has more than 260 locations around the country.

Currently, XPeng only has five Experience Centres in Australia, or showrooms, for prospective buyers. That includes two in Sydney and Melbourne, and one in Brisbane. Xpeng claims there is a wider range of showrooms coming soon in other states and regional cities.

Comprehensive insurance is $2231.33 as a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

Compared to a 435km electric driving range for the Standard Range G6, we've got a girthy 570km claim in the case of this Long Range model.

And from our testing, this looks to be pretty accurate. XPeng claims a 17.5kWh per 100 kilometres rate of energy consumption, but our driving (which was an even split between town and highway driving) saw an average of around 15kWh/100km. We saw better at times as well, but also a bump upwards from more prolonged highway driving with less chance for recuperation.

Using more expensive 800V architecture, the Xpeng G6 Long Range is capable at charging at up to 280kW, which is one of the fastest available currently on the market. We were able to briefly better this number, with an Evie 350kW public charger able to deliver 287kW to the G6 for a short period.

Charging speeds tapered down from this point. After delivering over 280kW from the 14 per cent mark, things eventually tapered down to 117kW at the 64 per cent mark. Such rapid charging would allow you to charge a large portion of the battery's capacity in record time, but going from 10–80 per cent would take around 25 minutes from our experience, which is very fast, but not as fast as XPeng's claim.

Being a nickel cobalt manganese battery, using all of the battery's capacity all of the time, and fast-charging it as often as possible, will be more detrimental to its longevity. However, if you keep the battery bouncing between 20 and 80 per cent instead – and perhaps dip into that extra range only when you're road-tripping – it will help maintain things better over the long term.

The ride quality of the G6 is quite good overall, with a great sense of control and smoothness that can be upset a bit by the rougher, more pockmarked urban roads. It's not too bad; you feel a lumbering bobble at times through the suspension, and get a sense of that two-tonne weight you're piloting. However, for the most part, it's quite serene.

Handling, for a vehicle of this size and weight, is nice. It feels balanced and responsive through the steering wheel, controlling the weight quite admirably. Credit should probably go to the tyres, with Michelin Pilot Sport EVs providing good lateral grip and response to directional changes.

It's well dialled overall, and has a pleasing balance that puts the G6 ahead of key rivals like the Deepal S07.

Otherwise, the driving experience of the G6 is typical for a well-dialled electric car: smooth, quiet and easygoing. Throttle response is smooth, but I noticed that it can be a little laggy at times when you catch it off-guard, rolling to a stop and then pressing it firmly. There are some driving modes here, though, and there is also customisation through throttle response, regeneration force, brake pedal feel and steering feel to get the car going towards your own preferences.

The most aggressive form of regenerative braking is decent, but it doesn't go all the way to a full one-pedal driving experience.

Its 210kW and 440Nm mean plenty of grunt for an electric car as well. It feels quite rapid off the mark and maintains strong punch at higher speeds. Compared to a Deepal S07 or Leapmotor C10, for example, this doesn't feel like it loses eagerness on the highway.

Combine rear-wheel drive, good steering and grip along with the punchy electric motor, and the G6 isn't a bad companion to a winding country road.

The 2025 XPeng G6 has a relatively low braked towing capacity of 1500kg, which isn't a lot for those who might be looking at camper trailers or larger cargo trailers (especially when they are loaded up). There's a 750kg unbraked towing capacity, which is line-ball with almost every other car on the Australian market.

As with most electric cars, expect to cop a relatively high driving range penalty when towing. This isn't so much because of the increased weight, but more from the increased aerodynamic drag that a trailer will introduce.

Zeekr, Geely, Deepal, XPeng. There's no shortage of new and strange-sounding brands to consider these days, on top of the more 'established' offerings from the likes of BYD and MG. Of course, there is a huge – and probably dizzying – range of mid-sized SUVs available for buyers to consider.

And with so much choice available, it takes something of particular quality and appeal to actually cut through. Thankfully, this XPeng does put a good foot forward in many regards. It has a big driving range, fast charging speeds, plenty of tech and good driving characteristics.

In particular, not having the common malaise of infuriating driver assistance technology makes this G6 feel like much more the complete package, with that extra layer of polish that others lack.

I'll make myself sound like a financial podcast by stipulating that considering buying electric really depends upon your own circumstances and inclinations, and by weighing up the details of running costs, recharging infrastructure and driving habits for the end user.

But if electric is the way to go, then this G6 is well worth consideration, owing to the quality and fine-tuning of the end product, along with the technical advantages it has over its peers.

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Sam Purcell has been writing about cars, four-wheel driving and camping since 2013, and obsessed with anything that goes brum-brum longer than he can remember. Sam joined the team at CarAdvice/Drive as the off-road Editor in 2018, after cutting his teeth at Unsealed 4X4 and Pat Callinan’s 4X4 Adventures. Off-road writer of the Year, Winner - Sam Purcell

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