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February 2, 2025

Review: 2025 Seres Aito 5 RE-EV Premium


There’s zero expectations when it comes to driving a Seres, or if you prefer its new name, Seres Aito. As an automobile brand under the Seres Group, it’s got a complicated history with several name changes. It’s a Chinese car brand, but founded, of all places in California as a company that specializes in vehicle R&D. When it partnered with Huawei, it briefly became Huawei Aito (Adding Intelligence to Auto) in 2021, before becoming Seres in 2023, and then reverting to Aito in 2024. Today, it’s positioned as the Seres Group’s premium EV range with three (another one’s coming) models. The Seres Aito 5 that you see here serves as their entry-level model.

With its corporate history out of the way, how much do you think this premium EV would cost? Let’s just say that “entry-level” is subjective as this one starts at P 3.388-million. This variant, the Aito 5 Premium costs P 3.688-million.



You won’t know where all that money goes basing things entirely on exterior looks. Style-wise, it’s clean and easy on the eyes, if a bit derivative. The face has hints of Aston Martin, but the rest looks like a facsimile of a Porsche Macan. It’s evident from the back and from the sides, especially when you consider the rear roofline and the oversized 20-inch alloy wheels. But while the Aito 5 doesn’t score points for design originality, at least it looks better than 99 percent of Chinese cars out there which tend to go for garnish, over-the-top design cues.

There’s no typical smart key entry here with a little button to press or a handle to grab. Instead, approaching the Aito 5 automatically pops out the door handles electronically. By contrast, walking away from it, automatically closes it. It’s a bit nerve-wracking, especially if you park in less-than-ideal neighborhoods. Thankfully, these functions can be switched these off via an on-screen menu.



Once aboard, the car blurts out in a baritone tone, “Seres” while the dual screens—10.25-inch for instrumentation and 15.6-inch for the infotainment—switches on. The smaller screen comes on almost immediately, but the bigger one requires a couple of seconds to boot up. Once it does, it displays a system built on Huawei’s HarmonyOS. Navigating and customizing the center screen proves to be alright, and it should, as all major controls, including commands to pop open the hatch, fuel filler, and charging port, and even the direction of the AC vents are all placed in there. Aito seems to be doing a Tesla in this regard apart from the bad “Chinglish” that appear both onscreen and in certain voice prompts. For example, when the rear cross traffic alert engages, a woman with a thick, screechy Chinese accent will warn you to watch for oncoming traffic. Where did that guy with the nice baritone voice go?

One big issue stemming from its overreliance on the touchscreen is that once you engage CarPlay, you have to swipe up first to reveal the climate control functions before you can change temperature. The same goes if you want to access other commands, some as simple as the volume. You need to swipe down first to reveal, among other things, a volume slider.



Screens aside, the Aito 5’s interior style is a mix of Tesla and Porsche. The Tesla bit comes from the giant glass roof. Like in Elon Musk’s design on the Model 3 and Y, there’s no way to cover or darken it, but it is glazed for protection against both UV and heat. Overall, it works fine, although sometimes it’s troublesome because unwanted glare gets through. Meanwhile, the screen-controlled vents and the sharply-raked center console with the exposed cup holder just scream Porsche Taycan. Order it in Burgundy, and the similarities become even closer.

Back to the Aito 5, popping the lid behind the cup holder reveals two more, but those can be repurposed thanks to a removable divider to fit things like keys, RFID cards, or wallets. With minimal storage solutions, this, along with the deep armrest bin, will be put to good use. Next to the cupholder is a wireless charger with a cooling vent that keeps mobile phones charged while using the wireless Apple CarPlay. Want to connect the old-fashioned way? You can, but because the USB Type A and C ports are oddly positioned, there’s no where for the cable to go.



Interior materials are premium feeling and plush, with excellent seat comfort to match. The front seats are a high point as they’re cushy, supportive, and come with built-in heaters, ventilation, and even massagers. It can also be made to remember the driver’s seating position and mirrors via a prompt on the center screen. At the back, the EV-first platform means a flat floor with tons of knee, shoulder, and headroom. In terms of cargo space, the Aito 5 makes use of its generous width with a wide opening and flat load area. It can easily fit a medium-sized trolley lengthwise with no issue. The battery—both the 12-volt and high-voltage battery—are positioned under the rear floor, so there’s no space for a spare tire here, just an inflator kit.

As a premium-priced EV, the Aito 5 manages to check the right boxes so far. Its biggest win though comes from its powertrain. Like the peculiar way it’s unlocked and locked, starting it requires just putting the foot down the brake pedal. There’s no start button to push. The electric gear shifter can be toggled up or down going through each function one by one, or be put straight to Drive or Reverse by pressing on the side button. By all means, it’s an EV with its dual motors pushing out a combined 487 horsepower and 664 Nm of torque. A 4.6-second 0 to 100 km/h time is quoted by the brand and based on our experience, it’s entirely possible. Any and every overtaking is quickly dispatched and with zero drama thanks to its all-wheel drive system.



It can be plugged in and charged using either an AC or DC connection, but it can also be charged on the go thanks to its onboard gas engine that acts as a generator. Now, before you lump the Aito 5 together with the BYD Sealion 6 and the Nissan Kicks, it’s not. Unlike the BYD, the engine isn’t connected to the drive wheels in anyway. And unlike the Kicks, this one’s got a massive ternary battery. At 40-kWh, it’s just as big as the Nissan Leaf’s. In terms of range, real-world experience matches its quoted figures—153 kilometers to 158 kilometers. In our four days’ worth of driving, the gas engine never had to turn on once.

Coupled with that impressive powertrain is the Aito 5’s surprisingly good road manners. Typically, Chinese cars have a problem in sorting out their handling package, but here, the suspension is tuned quite well. It’s still not an agile car (you can partly blame the 2.3-ton curb weight), but overall it’s respectable. The steering, though light on feel, is predictable and the ride can absorb the worst roads without issue. If anything, the low-speed ride needs a bit more fine-tuning, as it can feel jiggly at times.



Another thing that needs fine tuning is the ADAS. Functions such as the adaptive cruise control and the double duty of the ambient lights as blind spot indicators are cool, but lane centering, for example, proved to be unreliable. In the end, we simply turned it off, relying instead on a purely visual warning whenever we abruptly departed a lane.

Paying BMW or Lexus money for a car with little brand equity, let alone a Chinese one, sounds crazy, but isn’t unheard of. Remember the Hongqi? Their E-HS9, though bigger, starts at P 4.78-million. In the Seres Aito 5’s case, at least there’s the tech to back the price up. The price tag is a bitter pill to swallow for sure, since at times, the tech implementation feels more Temu than Tesla. However, the makings of greatness are there. And unlike its compatriots from China, this one’s managed to bake it in the mechanicals. It feels like a commendable first effort for sure, and as long as Seres rolls out the updates, cars like the Aito 5 could very well shift the perception of luxury from wood and leather to high technology.
   

2025 Seres 5 RE-EV Premium

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Bottom Line
Pros Straight-line performance, build quality, sorted ride and handling.
Cons Price tag, tech implementation (especially overreliance on touchscreen).
TL;DR Solid, well-executed premium EV SUV, but needs some work to justify its BMW price tag.
Ownership
Year Introduced 2024
Warranty 3 years / 100,000 kilometers
8 years / 120,000 kilometers (battery)
The Basics
Body Type Luxury SUV
Seating 5
Engine / Drive Dual Motor/AWD
Under the Hood
Motor Type Front: AC Induction Motor
Rear: Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor
Generator: 1.5-liter turbo inline-4
Maximum Output (BHP) 487
Generator: 111
Maximum Torque (Nm) 664
Generator: 190
Battery Size (kWh) 40
Architecture (V) 400
Range, NEDC (km) 158
1,150 (w/ Generator)
Range, As Tested (km) 153
1,130 (w/ Generator)
Energy Consumption (km/kWh) 5.12 (average speed 24 km/h)
Estimated Charging Time, 1-Phase AC (0-100%) 3.3 hours
Estimated Charging Time, DC (10-80%) 0.5 hours
Charge Port Type 2 / CCS
Transmission Single Speed AT
Cruise Control Yes, Adaptive
Dimensions and Weights
Length (mm) 4,770
Width (mm) 1,930
Height (mm) 1,625
Wheelbase (mm) 2,880
Curb Weight (kg) 2,335
Suspension and Tires
Front Suspension Independent, Double Wishbone
Rear Suspension Independent, Multi-link
Front Brakes Vented Disc
Rear Brakes Vented Disc
Parking Brake Electronic, w/ Auto Hold
Tires Pirelli PZero Elect
255/45 R 20 V (f &r)
Recommend Tire Pressure (PSI) 41 all, partial
43 all, full
Wheels Alloy
Safety Features
Airbags 6
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) Yes, with EBD
Traction / Stability Control Yes
Parking Sensors Yes, Front & Rear
Parking Camera Yes, 360-degree
Front Seatbelts 3-pt ELR w/ pre-tensioners x 2
Rear Seatbelts 3-pt ELR x 3
ISOFIX Child Seat Anchor Yes
Advanced Driver Assist System Forward Collision Warning
Automatic Emergency Braking
Lane Departure Warning
Lane Keeping Assistance
Other Safety Features Hill Hold Start
Blind Spot Monitoring
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Door Opening Warning
Driver Drowsiness Alert
Automatic Parking Assist
Exterior Features
Headlights LED
Fog Lamps Yes, Rear (LED)
Light Operation Auto
Wiper Operation Rain-sensing
Tailgate Power
Interior Features
Steering Wheel Adjust Tilt/Telescopic
Steering Wheel Material Leather
Seating Adjustment (driver) Electric, 8-way, Vented, Massaging, w/ Memory
Seating Adjustment (front passenger) Electric, 6-way, Vented. Massaging
Seating Surface Leather
2nd Row 60/40 Split-Fold
3rd Row None
Sunroof Panoramic
Multi-Information Display / Size Yes, 10.25-inch
Convenience Features
Power Steering Yes
Power Door Locks Yes
Power Windows Yes
Power Mirrors Yes
Rear View Mirror Auto-Dimming
Proximity Key Yes
Climate Control Dual Zone
Audio System Stereo
USB Type A
USB Type C
Bluetooth
Wireless Charger Front
Infotainment Display / Size 15.6-inch
Smartphone Connectivity Apple CarPlay
# of Speakers 11
Steering Controls Yes

14 comments:

  1. Oh, the irony, I thought Chinese carmakers and their cars would always be affordable.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Even if the price is just 1.5M, car buyers would chose byd atto 3.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is a premium EV and PHEV SUV
      This is meant to compete with higher level EV and PHEV brands in China

      Delete
  3. For me, the price is already justified, giving that it is the bestselling brand in China, mostly from the M9 SUV. And what I've heard, it will get improved via Over The Air updates.

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  4. Looks like a car with no spare parts. 🤔

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Electric vehicles only change software.

      Delete
    2. There are parts of it but available by order
      It's not meant for people like you who still drive a decade old Wigo and Vios

      Delete
    3. its china car brands playbook - copy the looks of luxury euro brands to make it looks luxurious and then priced it high. A trying hard low quality aston martin copycat. i would rather buy the atto 3, cigurado pa quality.

      Delete
    4. electric vehicles only changes software? are you kidding me? are suspension components downloadable now?

      Delete
  5. Similar price point with BYD Han, think TESLA is still value for money. Can’t find oomph on it

    ReplyDelete
  6. You can easily order parts from China. The question is when will it arrive. I'm sure the distributor is now regretting the decision to bring this in. Also I'm sure they will reply to this post. Even if I'm a tycoon wouldn't buy this.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow, expensive! Lets see how they sell.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Gotta be kidding. May have already knew it won't sell, might as well price itself out of the market.

    ReplyDelete

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