The Chinese automotive industry has progressed a lot in the last decade or so. From cheap and low-quality vehicles looking mostly like proven models from European and American automakers, the local manufacturers have evolved to producing genuinely good-looking and technologically advanced machines. Just like anywhere around the world, the SUV segment in the People's Republic is booming and this means nearly every automaker from China has at least one high-riding contender.
Li Auto was founded in 2015 and while it
is currently not among the country’s 10 largest automakers, it has a strong
image and is even looking to raise US$ 2 billion from US investors in a new stock
offering. The L9 is only the company’s second model but it has a lot to offer. Design-wise,
the L9 is a typical large SUV. The front and rear ends have minimalist designs with
coast-to-coast LED strips creating a very unified look. To a certain extent,
the L9 looks like a more expensive vehicle than it actually is.
No matter how cool the SUV is on the
outside, the cabin is probably even more impressive. There, a pair of two
15.7-inch screens dominates the dashboard and Li Auto says they are the
thinnest currently available on the market, each 4 mm in thickness. As the video
at the top of this page shows, the reaction times of the displays are very
quick and below the screens, there are two wireless charging pods. Another
small screen attached to the steering wheel provides basic information about
the vehicle.
The rear seats are probably the most
comfortable place in the L9. With heating, ventilation, and massage functions,
the two chairs at the back are as comfy as the front ones but there’s also
adjustable foot support. More impressively, there’s a massive fridge that can store
up to six soda cans and also act as a little oven that keeps your
food warm.
