The First Plug-in Hybrid Luxury Seven-Seater Jostles With Half a Dozen MPV Models From China

If the multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) were an animal, it would be the coelacanth – a prehistoric fish which was once thought to have gone the way of the dinosaur. As it turns out, it is very much alive.

- Christopher Tan

The MPV was likewise thought to be near extinct, having largely been replaced by a far more successful species, the SUV (sport utility vehicle).

But in the last two years, half a dozen new MPV models from China have suddenly appeared, grazing in habitats once dominated by the Toyota Alphard.

The Alphard was about the only specimen of the genre which had defied the odds over the years, thanks to individuals who are wealthy but discreet; and more recently, to fleet operators catering to tourists and airport transfers.

The MPV resurgence is led by the Chinese brands, all of whom take their cue from the boxy Toyota. The latest to arrive is the GAC E9 from Guangzhou Automobile Group, the fifth-largest car manufacturer in China.

Like the other Chinese MPVs, the GAC wears the 9 nomenclature. Measuring 5,212mm long, 1,893mm wide and 1,823mm tall, it is slightly longer and wider than the Alphard, but sits a tad lower. Its footprint is practically identical to that of its compatriots.

Its most notable differentiation is its drivetrain. The E9 is a plug-in hybrid, which gives it almost twice the range of its electric rivals from China. On this front, it nearly matches the long-haul capability of the Alphard.