Maxus means absolutely nothing to you. For a good reason it is Chinese manufacturer still little known in France. However, Maxus, property SAIC Motor Groupalready well known in of Asia and in other territories around the world. As New Zealand and with Australia Where is Maxus? the best-selling Chinese brand. Its conquest continues on the European market across the English Channel and in Germany.

Today, Maxus intends to establish himself in France. But on the face general manufacturers much better known here – as Peugeot, Ford Or Opel to name a few – which also offer zero-emission SUVs, does the Maxus stand a chance of tempting us? To find out for sure, we got behind the wheel Maxus eDeliver9the largest SUV in the catalog of the Chinese brand… For a full-scale test.

Good place to download

Our test Maxus eDeliver9 is offered today at L3H2 configuration. A configuration that allows a the maximum loading volume is 11m3. Enough for our mission of the day, which consists of move T2 ? Let it be said from the outset, the answer is yes.

With his two rear doors opening 270° to facilitate loading, and it sliding side doorsMaxus eDeliver9 does not revolutionize the genre, but it works no worse than other more common utilities.

On the other hand, Maxus has a anti-slip coatingwith tie-down hooks to tie down your most valuable items during transport and the walls are covered to half the height. Everything is standard. An apt remark.

Full but perfect equipment

Maxus eDeliver9 boasts a modern interior on board. 10-inch central touch screenconnection Apple Car Play and Android Auto… However, the Maxus on-board system severely sins with its slow start-up and execution. An item that will need to be fixed quickly in future versions of this eDeliver9.

On the other hand, the Maxus eDeliver9 easily makes up for it with its own an armada of driver aids. Combined, we find ESP, automatic emergency braking AEBS, forward collision warning, lane keeping system, 6 airbags, etc…

Smooth ride

Under the hood of our today’s SUV hides a electric motor with a capacity of 204 hp. and 310 Nm of torque. And here Maxus eDeliver9 does not stand out in any way against its direct competitors. However, it remains within the segment standards. eDeliver 9 also has advantages different driving modes. The “Eco” mode also turned out to be the most suitable for searching in our test the best possible autonomy battery 88 kW/h available to our utility service.

Without passing it in the laboratory, our instrument panel indicated by a maximum autonomy of about 300 km. The values ​​are relatively close to those declared by the manufacturer 340 km in the mixed cycle WLTP and 415 km in the city cycle WLTP. Note that our test took place in good weather, but in the middle of winter, with outside temperatures below 10 degrees. At the moment, these recorded values ​​look more than satisfactory. Especially when we know that a Peugeot e-BOXER suggestions, at best, only 224 km of autonomy in the WLTP cycle Example.

There Automatic box The Maxus is sleek and smooth. The only problem with the transmission: switching from straight to rear – and vice versa – which has repeatedly shown itself capricious during our test.

Attractive prices… entry level

As is often the case with Chinese manufacturers, the last card in their game remains minimum prices. With an envelope that starts at 53,670 euros without tax for eDeliver9 (v L2H2, 52 kWh), Maxus demonstrates itself available.

On the other hand, if the entry-level prices are attractive, the bill for a model like ours is much higher. Indeed, ours trial version (L3H2, 88 kWh) request 71,690 euros without tax. For comparison, a Ford E-Transit with equivalent equipment and finish request 68,755 euros without tax.

Maxus eDeliver9: our verdict

It’s clear that the Maxus eDeliver9 is no laughing matter compared to its direct Western competitors. Its armada of standard equipment and driving aids make it a well-equipped SUV. It is also pleasant to drive and provides good autonomy. The fact remains that some points for improvement and the budget envelope, which is still too significant in the “high” trim, will punish this Maxus eDeliver9.

Not sure the pros and fleets will take the plunge with a Chinese utility immediately as things stand…

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