AION V

Carwow, Auto Express and The Car Expert all flag the same core weakness of the UK AION V: a bright, quick 14.6-inch touchscreen that hides too much. Frequently used functions sit behind long scrolling menus with odd, poorly translated labels, the main sub-menu column is positioned on the passenger side so the driver reaches across, and small fonts force you to look away from the road. A permanently visible translucent airbag-status widget can only be dragged around, not dismissed. There is no reported hardware failure — the infotainment head unit is a software-polish problem, and Aion keeps revising behaviour via dealer and OTA updates.

The UK V is saddled with the Euro NCAP-driven assist suite switched on by default, and testers found it intrusive: Auto Express reported speed-limit recognition that beeps whenever you cross a sign, driver monitoring that scolds you for legitimate glances, and no way to permanently switch many systems off because they reset at every start. Parkers' long-term team found the driver monitor decided it was distracted while driving normally and bonged repeatedly through the first mile. There is no recall recorded against AION at the DVSA — it is a calibration grievance that dealers address through settings and updates.

Ride calibration is the most consistent mechanical criticism. Carwow found small sharp imperfections and bridge expansion joints send a shudder straight through the cabin; Auto Express heard a surprising thud from big potholes despite the tall tyres and reported that pre-UK Australian cars were criticised for a crashy ride, bottoming on bump stops and an under-damped rear axle before Aion re-tuned the chassis for Britain; Parkers and CAR both rated the low-speed ride busy over undulating town roads, although motorway refinement is good. Treat it as a geometry-for-UK-surfaces problem, not component failure — but inspect the dampers on any used car that has been hammered over potholes.