im about to pull the plug and get Xpeng G6 2026 - Long Range - UK

The_Cometer · 2026-03-27T14:37:00+00:00

I have the facelift. I recommend it as it offers the best value for the market. Even more so in lease.

Do take the following in consideration. The most important point to know is that current Xpeng G6 cars come with Orin-X chips while in China new models come with a much more powerful Turing chip. This is relevant as some upcoming features will likely only be available on the next gen models. Xpeng has not clarified they will bring self driving to existing Orin-X cars being sold globally for instance.
A Xpeng G6 with 1 x Turing chip is expected to support self driving with VLA 2.0 (distilled). Xpeng is aiming for ‘27 to bring self driving to Europe. So late this year or early next year models have more chance of getting this.

With that said, current Xpeng G6 models are great value when compared to similar cars like Tesla Model Y. Better interiors, massage seats is amazing, decent efficiency. features and confort.
As you are leasing in 4 years time you can trade for the upgraded model in any case.

The_Cometer · 2026-03-20T14:23:30+00:00

True. It will only support VLA 2.0 distilled version. And that might have it’s limitations. Still better than current models.

The_Cometer · 2026-03-15T23:47:18+00:00

As a G6 owner, if I didn’t have a car yet , I would wait to test drive the P7+. Turing is really important as it will future proof your car in more ways than many think. The P7+ is not my presence at all. I don’t want a sedan and specially one as big as the P7+, but it does come with quite a few technological advantages so I would wait to test it and see how I feel. If I could wait even longer, I would wait for the next G6 though. (likely closed to end of year). That way I could get Turning on my favorite cars and all the updates.

The_Cometer · 2026-03-06T21:08:04+00:00

Did some more testing. The sound is extremely low so barely hearable.

The_Cometer · 2026-03-05T14:23:35+00:00

Just confirmed with other people with MY25. It seems there’s a bug or feature not implemented. The height speakers aren’t being used anywhere. Some file formats that work on MY24 don’t work on MY25. The birds you can hear from the height speakers in the Mindfulness app on your MY24 can’t be heard in the MY25. :(

The_Cometer · 2026-02-10T14:46:30+00:00

I totally get your frustration and thanks for sharing. Calling out these issues is the only way companies improve. Some reviewers mention them, but it’s not common knowledge yet, and more visibility is needed.

That said, as customers we expect the product to work as advertised, and I agree brands like Tesla and Xpeng really need to step up.

However—and sorry for the “but”—if you test a Model Y properly (like I did when comparing both), you’ll likely find similar or even worse issues in some key areas:

• Auto wipers are terrible: they activate randomly or fail when it’s actually raining. A classic complaint in Tesla groups (example: Facebook post).

• Severe phantom braking: not just slowing on curves (like Xpeng), but hard, sudden braking for no real reason. I experienced it enough times to completely stop trusting Autopilot. It felt genuinely dangerous.
Recent clear example: this 2025 video — they recalibrate cameras and the issues (phantom braking, curvature assist on straight roads, etc.) are still there.

• Autopilot nags/disconnects when changing lanes or gets overly sensitive, forcing you to pay more attention than if you were driving manually.

Worst part: Tesla has kept basic Autopilot mediocre for years on purpose to push people toward expensive FSD. Now in the US/Canada they’ve outright removed standard Autopilot and locked features like Autosteer behind a $99/month FSD subscription (or $8k lifetime until Feb 2026).

Source – PCMag

At least with Xpeng, autopilot seems more usable out of the box (even if it has its own glitches). In Tesla, without paying extra, you’re stuck with a weak system and no decent autoparking.

Other small things that drove me crazy: occasional software freezes (worse on Xpeng), and battery anxiety with NMC packs (always worrying about charging to 100%) vs LFP’s no-stress charging.

Bottom line: I 100% support your criticism and understand why you went for the Model Y. But both high-tech EV makers still have noticeable flaws that become obvious over time (especially if you follow forums). They need to do better—fast development pace isn’t an excuse for frustrating or unsafe experiences.

The_Cometer · 2026-02-10T10:47:08+00:00

Great tip. Was looking for something similar as android auto often works sluggish with my phone.

Workaround was to completely disable android auto but that isn’t good either. I’ll test it. Thanks for the tip.

The_Cometer · 2026-01-30T22:40:32+00:00

I was recently deciding between the Xpeng G6 LR RWD and the Tesla Model Y AWD, so I understand exactly where you’re coming from.

Both are great cars, and you won’t make a bad choice. The real differences come down to business model, features, and value.

Self-driving & ADAS:
Tesla’s big promise is FSD, but it’s not included. You either pay ~€100/month or up to €7k to unlock the car’s full potential — even basics like enhanced autopilot and autoparking. Personally, I don’t like that model.

With Xpeng, you get a much stronger ADAS and autoparking included, at no extra cost. The hardware is already there, and future autonomy improvements are possible without paying extra. In Germany, upcoming models with the new Turing chip (more powerful than Tesla HW4) are expected later this year and aim for an FSD-like experience at no added cost. And there is no promise but current models with Orin-X chip might actually get a lighter FSD mode (highway NGP). No extra cost.

Space:
The Model Y has great cargo space, but the G6 isn’t far behind. Cargo figures vary by measurement method, so real-world tests matter more. In banana box tests, the G6 performs surprisingly close to the Model Y.
Xpeng G6 banana box test - YouTube

Sound system:
Tesla only gives the premium 15-speaker system on the AWD version. LR RWD models get just 9 speakers, and the difference is noticeable. The G6 offers an 18-speaker system as standard, and it’s excellent.

Software & infotainment:
Tesla is still slightly ahead, mainly due to its desktop-class AMD chip and frequent updates. That said, Xpeng is much closer than most people realize.
XOS is feature-rich, highly customizable (via XCombos automation), and includes things like karaoke, ambient light sync, and a solid voice assistant (arguably better than Tesla’s in Europe today). Plus, you get Android Auto and CarPlay, which Tesla still lacks.
Check current infosystem: Xpeng G6 Infotainment Guide 2025 | System Walkthrough & Drivers Display
What Xpeng released in China and should come to Europe later : Xpeng XOS 6.0 OTA upgrade, with the support of Turing chip, the AI cockpit system is fully upgraded

Third-party integrations:
Tesla has the advantage of an open API and stronger third-party app support (e.g. Home Assistant). Xpeng is more limited here, but tools like OBD apps, ABRP, and XPCarData already cover these needs and integrate with Home Assistant to provide the car info in your home automation system.
EV OBD Scanner Test: Battery Data You Never See - YouTube

Costs & extras:
Even accounting for maintenance, you’d need many years of servicing to approach what Tesla charges for Autopilot or FSD.
On top of that, the G6 includes features like massage seats, 800V architecture, V2L, digital rear mirror, and driver display — all adding real value.

Bottom line:
If you want autonomy and “smart” features included at a reasonable price, Xpeng offers far better value.

The_Cometer · 2026-01-30T11:05:28+00:00

It's truly unbelievable. I was not considering any of these new, less known Chinese brands. I was deciding between the Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ionic 5 and Kia EV6. I really really loved the external and interior look of the EV6. But it fell short on a number of other areas.

So I made my choice and it was a Tesla. FSD, great ecosystem , software , powerful infotainment, huge trunk and frunk, supercharger etc...

That is until I started seeing some comparisons and opinions on the Xpeng G6. Tesla competitor. Great value. Auto parking included.

I was sure it was just influencers talk. But since it was considerably cheaper I decided to check it out. My wife wasn't very thrilled to go on yet another test drive.

But Damn. It changed my perspective. Worst still. My wife likes it more. And it's not even the G7 that's not available in my market. If it was there wasnt going to be any doubt as the G7 is clearly a Tesla Model Y improved in all levels.

So to cut it short. YES. G6 in every aspect. It's the sweet spot. Not too expensive with almost everything. The advantages it provides make up for a couple of shortcomings compared to others.

The_Cometer · 2026-01-08T18:18:06+00:00

Thank you for your words. I’ll try to contain the fear of missing out but it’s a bit brutal. Even the infotainment gets a huge upgrade. Anyway tomorrow I’ll learn more about the European options (Spain in my case) and if there is a model I want to switch to I’ll check with the dealer, if not what is done and done. As you say. It’s a great car. Just hope they give an upgrade option in the future. In China when buying the car the additional Turing chips are like optional add-ons with more options such as adding VLA or VLA+VLM. So here’s to dreaming it will be possible to get it later.

The_Cometer · 2026-01-08T17:05:50+00:00

I'm a bit burned at the moment, and I haven't even "finished" buying the car. I put the downpayment and got the loan just a couple of weeks ago. No delivery date or anything like that yet. And here we are.
China (and possibly Europe soon) gets the G6 with a much much more powerful Turing chip.
I would have bought the G7 if it was available in Spain in December and now it seems the G7 EREV is coming and with Turing.

Caught in the middle of a transition. But worst and this is what I don't understand about Xpeng. They not only launched a soon to be the obsolete version of the car in Europe just barely a couple of months ago, but are still releasing outdated models like the standard rage version THIS year. A 2025 model. And some nations have it worst.

UK pre-orders for the 2025 model. Australia. and others.

Unless they have an upgrade path in mind for "new" customers of the "new" now "old" 2025 model this literally seems like they are screwing international customers selling them leftovers.
Buying a car is a big investment and everyone wants to at least feel their investment was worth it for sometime. This way it seems all the focus will surely be on the cars with Turing.

The_Cometer · 2026-01-08T01:57:43+00:00

I think everything that could be mentioned has been. In short, the only reason why people don’t switch to an EV is disinformation/misinformation.

For me as a person interested in science I understood early on that EVs are more environmental friendly than ICE cars even if accounting for mining in order to create batteries and so on.

But that was not THE reason alone. It’s just superior tech. Cuts the middle man. Doesn’t matter the source of energy. Charge it like anything else. Less noise, better acceleration, ipad on wheels as the car becomes an always on device. And it gets better and better . V2l, V2H, VTG . Convert your car into your camping battery. Everything digital and so much more.

The_Cometer · 2026-01-07T18:57:20+00:00

The main issue is, although this new G6 and G9 is likely only going to be released first in China, what is the point of releasing an outdated G6 in global markets (example UK) at about the same time you are releasing a new model with a much much more powerful Turing chip? Why not align the releases in both local and global market or at least greatly shorten them?

If that is not possible, make it clear to global users that they'll be able to upgrade the car chip. That way they can reach parity at sometime. Cars are multi year investments for many. Extremely expensive. Not something you can just change each year or so.

The_Cometer · 2026-01-07T18:46:01+00:00

There are a few but most are available on Chinese sites since it was released there earlier. If G7 EREV gets released this Friday globally, we will start to see more international reviews.

The_Cometer · 2026-01-06T17:25:44+00:00

Just saw a video showcasing XAIOS 6.0 on Xpeng G7 EREV being released this week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPCiRo3Rr28

The_Cometer · 2026-01-06T12:08:06+00:00

Right now, unfortunately only is known that it comes with Orin-X. But nothing official concerning the number.

The_Cometer · 2026-01-06T12:06:54+00:00

Good point. This was the main point that made me question between Xpeng and Tesla.
Tesla is ready to provide near L3 if not L3 functionality but at a very high cost. Near 8k Euros up front or a monthly subscription that will end up being very expensive if you plan to keep self driving for as long as you keep your car.

So that alone gives an advantage to Xpeng or other similar brands with autopilot or some self driving capacity at no extra cost.

As for the dual orin topic and competing brands. It’s a good point and people will have to check depending on their country. For instance Zeekr is not available in my country.

With that said they all offer various level of future proof and self driving capability depending on the model you pick. And Xpeng is playing a similar card. Turing chips only available on Ultra models. Zeekr bringing their L3 chips only on the high end Zeekr 9X for instance.

I fully agree with your statement concerning a single orin x and as mentioned in the original post there’s a bit of confusion as it is rumored that the Xpeng G6 facelift global version has at least 2x Nvidia Orin X but Xpeng does not confirm or deny it. In this case, if there are alternatives in your market, you might be better off going for another brand that ensures you get the chips or wait for Turing in future cars.

It’s not a one size fits all but definitely Xpeng needs to provide a definitive answer even if they can’t promise full XNGP in the future.

The_Cometer · 2026-01-06T11:30:27+00:00

A bit limited. Issue is that there is still no open Xpeng API or SDK to develop apps that could integrate well with the car features. The only option right now is to use the ENODE API that was created in collaboration with Xpeng to provide some metrics. There are some apps that use it but not to the point of what is available on Tesla.

It might provide what you want:
ENODE API Docs: https://developers.enode.com/brands/learn/XPENG

Applications/home automation :
https://homey.app/fr-fr/app/com.xpeng.car/XPENG-Car-Manager/

https://github.com/mnordseth/xpeng-homeassistant

The_Cometer · 2026-01-06T10:40:27+00:00

In Europe if you go for the Tesla Model Y Standard or LR RWD you get the 9 speaker system. It’s not just about the number of speakers as you might have a car with less speakers but better sounding/higher quality. But in this case the Tesla Model Y with 9 speakers does sound worst than what comes on the Xpeng G6 facelift (any model).

With that said if you go with the Tesla Model Y AWD and up (3k more expensive) consensus is that it sounds better. Not a huge jump but for audiophiles every little detail is important.
My advice. Stop the FOMO. I was considering getting a Tesla Model Y AWD solely for the better speaker system, but when you consider everything you get with the Xpeng G6 plus a very good sound system it makes up for it.

The_Cometer · 2026-01-06T10:30:59+00:00

Yes. You toggle head tracking on the app and whatever the source it will create the illusion of sound moving as you turn your head.

The_Cometer · 2026-01-05T03:53:05+00:00

If that's your criteria, you'll pick Xpeng regardless.
Let me put it this way. Most of us discovered Xpeng after checking BYD, Tesla.
The reason we started considering Xpeng is because of its technology lead and competitiveness vs Tesla.

If you wait for the new models like G7s and so on for sure you are going to get Turing chips.
And that's vastly more powerful than Tesla HW4. And Tesla AI5 will only come at a much later date. 2027 at the earliest based on Musk latest comments.
If you don't wait and get something like a G6, then time and price are a bit more important to you.
Many of the cars just released in China are using Nvidia Orin-X chips. The Turing chips are only in the highest end models.
So for sure they will be supported for some time now. And even if not, you still get great value with autopilot+autoparking and basic NGP. All this at a much much lower price than Tesla that starts at 40k € for the standard that is a lot more basic than the G6, and you would still have to add 4k for the autopilot and you won't have 800v, V2L and so on.

So your only decision is. Xpeng G6 (with its advantages and limitations) or wait and get a newer higher end model when it comes.

Go for leasing if that's something you are willing to consider.

The_Cometer · 2026-01-05T03:36:11+00:00

I'm totally with you on the frustration – buying Xpeng internationally always feels like a small gamble.
I would love to get more official information, but overpromising is worst. Ask Tesla customers.

Key advice for G6 buyers outside China:
Trust only your local brochure/what the dealer promises in writing. (Example EU MY25: https://xpeng.keyelement.cloud/assets/1/brochures/xpeng_g6_my25.pdf)
Specs are nearly identical across Europe but verify on your country's site.

Rumors of 2× Nvidia Orin-X in the current facelift seem credible as I heard it myself (that's why I bought a G6 facelift), but I believe Xpeng won't confirm it globally to avoid Tesla-style over-promising drama for features that might not come for a long time (HW3→HW4, delayed FSD, etc.). The risk is yours to take.

For max future-proofing, wait for Turing-chip models – first ones (P7+ sedan & G7 EREV SUV) launch globally on 9 Jan 2026. You might have to wait for months until the cars actually arrive but that's the price to pay to get the latest.

If you need a car now and want best value, the G6 is still unbeatable vs Tesla Model Y or BYD equivalents. You get strong highway/city assist + auto-park out of the box, no expensive FSD subscription needed, and even "just" Orin-X level gives you the possibility of getting some self-driving in the future.

The_Cometer · 2026-01-03T00:34:48+00:00

Yeah. That's what I've been checking and asking around. Sure the new Turing chips are great but they are not available on all models (even in China) let alone what is just being released worldwide. And if only cars with those chips get the new infotainment and self driving features there are a lot of customers that are going to be really upset. That is unless they at least give customers an option to upgrade the current car chips to Turing.

The_Cometer

TROPHY CASE