Mat Watson reviews the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra: I can’t believe it only costs £55,000

This is the new Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, and it’s the fastest mass-produced electric saloon car in the world. It’s over 20 seconds a lap faster around the Nurburgring than a Tesla Model S Plaid, but the most amazing thing about it is the fact it costs the equivalent of just £55,000 in China. That’s a quarter of what the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT costs over there.

I’ve been driving the SU7 Ultra to find out if it really is a match for the European competition. I’ll show you around the design, interior, check out the practicality and take it for a drive.

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New Xiaomi SU7 Ultra design: it looks like it means business

Xiaomi is best known for making electronics such as phones and e-scooters, but the SU7 is its first ever car. This is the Ultra version, and you can think of it as Xiaomi’s Porsche Taycan Turbo GT.

Speaking of Porsche, I reckon the SU7 has nicked some design elements from that German brand. Just check out the front of the Ultra logo and those side vents – all very Porsche. The headlights look like those you’ll find on a McLaren 720S, and this Ultra model gets a huge lower splitter.

Moving down the side you may notice that the side profile is pretty similar to the Taycan’s, and you get a load of carbon fibre on the mirrors and the side skirts.

At the rear this car has the optional carbon fibre wing – as standard you get a smaller pop-out ducktail spoiler. You also get an electrically-adjustable diffuser flap which helps with aerodynamics – madness on a £55,000 car.

New Xiaomi SU7 Ultra interior: more premium that you might think

I was seriously impressed by the Xiaomi SU7’s interior. Aside from a few scratchy plastics on the lower door panels, everything looks and feels properly posh.

There’s lovely yellow leather all over the dashboard, real carbon fibre on the centre console and metal trim around the place as well. I also like the way the digital driver’s display rotates into view when you start the car.

You get a massive central screen which, after I managed to change it into English, is pretty straight forward to use and it’s super responsive. That said, I did have to ask the owner to show me where the menu to adjust the steering wheel is – I do sometimes wish things weren’t so complicated.

New Xiaomi SU7 Ultra space and practicality: it’s a mixed bag

Storage space up front in the SU7 is pretty good. There are a couple of handy cupholders, a decent-sized glovebox and door bins large enough to swallow up a big bottle. You also get a massive space under the centre console which is handy for a small bag.

You’re spoiled for choice in terms of charging solutions as well, because there is a 50w wireless phone charger and a couple of high-powered USB-C ports which can charge laptops.

Moving to the rear, kneeroom is really good and headroom is ok. I also like how the quality extends into the rear so you don’t feel like you’re sitting in the cheap seats.

A slight grumble I have is the fact the rear windows don’t go all the way down, so you can’t rest your arm on the window ledge. I also think the seats are a bit low to the floor, so your knees are a bit high.

At least the boot is a good size. At 454 litres it’s almost 50 litres bigger than a Porsche Taycan’s, and you get some handy underfloor storage as well. The front boot is a decent size, even if it’s not all that deep.

Driving the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra: why this is my favourite Chinese car ever

The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra uses three electric motors, two on the rear and one on the front, and combined they produce 1,548hp and 1,770Nm of torque. That makes the Tesla Model S Plaid’s 1,020hp look a bit puny.

It should do 0-60mph in 1.98 seconds, however my specialist timing gear showed that it took 2.79 seconds to reach 60mph. That’s still pretty incredible, but it’s not the straight-line speed which impressed me most.

Plenty of Chinese EVs are ballistically fast in a straight line – even the MG4 XPower can beat a Nissan GT-R in a drag race. The issue I’ve always had is that they’re not quite as nice to drive as their European counterparts. The SU7 is different though.

At low speeds the suspension is nice, if a little bit taught. This is to be expected in a sporty model like this, and it deals with bumps very well. The steering is also light enough for low-speed manoeuvres, but it still has a reassuring weight to it.

I thought the controls had a Porsche Taycan-like feel to them, which is very high praise indeed because that car is one of the best-driving EVs on sale. The Xiaomi does feel a little bit heavy through the bends, but the steering is by far the best I’ve felt in any Chinese car.

Driving the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra: my final verdict

So then, what’s my final verdict on the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra? Well in terms of value for money, I simply cannot fault it. The interior is lovely, it’s great to drive and it looks the part as well. It’s my favourite Chinese that I’ve driven so far.

Xiaomi is planning to launch this car in Europe in 2027, and it’ll probably cost more like £80,000 when it goes on sale. Even at that price, I still think it’s a bit of a bargain. It would be £100,000 cheaper than a Porsche Taycan Turbo GT.

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