GAC Aion UT Scores Five Stars

GAC Aion UT has secured a five-star rating under Euro NCAP’s tougher 2026 safety protocols, with crash protection delivering its strongest score.

The electric hatchback received 91 percent for crash protection, 88 percent for post-crash safety, 74 percent for crash avoidance and 66 percent for safe driving.

Euro NCAP tested a left-hand-drive Aion UT Premium. The rating also covers the Luxury variant in both left- and right-hand-drive form within the assessed European model range.

Protection was rated good or adequate for all occupants in the frontal offset crash test. The two child dummies seated at the rear received good protection and earned maximum points.

The Aion UT also scored full points in the side pole tests. A center airbag helped reduce the risk of occupants striking each other during a side collision.

Its autonomous emergency braking system performed well across several advanced test situations. Other safety equipment includes driver monitoring, child presence detection and a system designed to prevent a door from being opened into the path of an approaching cyclist.

Euro NCAP found more mixed results in vulnerable road-user protection. Head protection for pedestrians and cyclists was strongest around the windshield but was rated weak or poor across several other areas. Protection for the pelvis and legs received maximum points.

GAC said high-strength steel accounts for 71 percent of the body structure. The car also uses a one-piece hot-stamped dual-ring design and a 180mm crash box, while its roof is engineered to withstand loads of up to eight tons.

The cabin has seven airbags, including a 2.1-meter side curtain and a far-side front airbag intended to limit contact between occupants during a side impact.

Calvin Cheng, general manager of GAC Philippines, said the result provides international recognition for the safety engineering of the Aion UT and supports the brand’s effort to offer electric vehicles with advanced protection systems to Filipino buyers.

Reservations for the Philippine-market Aion UT Elite are open at GAC dealerships nationwide. The model has a 100kW front-wheel-drive powertrain and carries an introductory price of P998,000 until September 30, down from its P1.068-million suggested retail price.

The Aion UT comes with an eight-year or 160,000-kilometer basic warranty. Its traction battery and electric drive are covered for eight years or 200,000 kilometers.