Rode around in my cousin's new ride.

[565]

So my cousin got a new vehicle to replace his Cadillac ATS.

He told me he got a 7 passenger vehicle to ferry around his two kids and his parents around (as they take care of his kids).

My cousin lives in China, and apparently luxury minivans (MPVs) are a thing there.

Anyway he got a Chinese company Wey Gaoshan extended model.

I thought I was going to find it weird but ultimately lacking.  I also expected it to be smaller than our good American focused Mini Vans.

First off this thing was HUGE.  I looked up the specs afterwards and it's nearly 10 inches longer in wheelbase and overall length than a Sienna and 5 inches taller. It's marginally narrower, but it's very slab sided so all it's width translates into interior space.

And speaking of interior space, the inside was like an executive lounge compared to the children penalty box that our minivans are.

He drove us around in it and even with 5 adults in it the thing fucking MOVED OUT.  Apparently it's packing 480hp and 565 ft lbs of torque from a plug in hybrid powertrain and a 38kw battery pack that gives it around 90 miles of EV only range, does 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds.

It's got a cooler/heater for food, trick massaging chilling reclining captain seats.

Honestly I've never been jealous of any of my friends or family's vehicles until now.

If this thing was available in the states I would absolutely buy the shit out of this thing.  The grill is hideous but I wouldn't see it while sitting in one of those 2nd row chairs, I just need to find someone to drive me around in it.

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[565]

Well I did more research and it seems like these luxury MPVs are really exploding in China.

I think the Lexus LM kicked off the trend and everyone is trying to get in on the new trend.  Unfortunately they all copied the Lexus LM in trying to have the largest and ugliest grill possible.

https://uk.motor1.com/news/689410/mpv-vans-back-in-fashion-europe-china/

It seems like several have over 500hp, including this one packing 560hp

https://www.motor1.com/news/699935/voyah-dreamer-electric-mpv-video/amp/

Honestly for 65k, I'd love a 560hp plug in hybrid, super spacious luxurious van if it ever came to the states (but sadly likely never will).

[565]

More random luxury MPV reviews.

[r0tor]

Well at least Lexus knows what it looks like when you take their waterfall grill too far

[Morris Minor]

If you order a black limo in Europe, like as not a luxury minivan will show up, probably a Mercedes Sprinter type thing, with all the leather, captains' chairs, twiddly bits and trimmings.

(I had a big gripe with one I rode in in London. This particular one was configured with a couple of rear-facing seats - guaranteed to induce motion sickness)

[Submariner2]

Well I did more research and it seems like these luxury MPVs are really exploding in China.

I think the Lexus LM kicked off the trend and everyone is trying to get in on the new trend.  Unfortunately they all copied the Lexus LM in trying to have the largest and ugliest grill possible.

https://uk.motor1.com/news/689410/mpv-vans-back-in-fashion-europe-china/

I thought our Super Duty pickups had the most obnoxious grilles on the planet (followed by the BMW 7 series) but boy was I wrong.

It seems like several have over 500hp, including this one packing 560hp

https://www.motor1.com/news/699935/voyah-dreamer-electric-mpv-video/amp/

Honestly for 65k, I'd love a 560hp plug in hybrid, super spacious luxurious van if it ever came to the states (but sadly likely never will).

[AutobahnSHO]

Wild. Seats look super more comfortable than US minivans- but those are designed to be removable so need to be lighter weight.