Volkswagen ID.Unyx 09: sporty sedan for China with 370 kW and a range of 705 kilometers
The Volkswagen ID.Unyx 09 is a new sporty electric sedan for the Chinese market, developed in collaboration with Xpeng. The AWD top model has 370 kW of power and can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds. It also comes with Chinese apps and a new AI assistant. The entry-level version starts at 22,400 euros.
What is Volkswagen Unyx?
Volkswagen Unyx is the series name for models produced and sold by Volkswagen Anhui, one of VW’s three Chinese joint ventures. VW holds 75% of the shares while JAC owns the remaining 25%. The other two JVs are FAW Volkswagen and SAIC Volkswagen.
Currently, Anhui Volkswagen sells four models: the ID.Unyx 06, ID.Unyx 07, ID.Unyx 08, and the new ID.Unyx 09. Sales are weak. In September, VW-Anhui sold only 1651 cars, accounting for 1.7% of Volkswagen’s total sales that month. SAIC-VW sold 54,554 cars (56.22%) and FAW-VW sold 40,827 cars (42.08%).
The main reason is VW-Anhui’s limited sales network. The joint venture has only 189 locations in China, compared to around 1000 each for FAW-VW and SAIC-VW. However, VW-Anhui is working hard to expand its network and aims to have at least 300 locations in operation by the end of 2027.
The Volkswagen ID.Unyx 09 is currently the new flagship model in the ID.Unyx series. The car was designed using the Wolf Aesthetics design language, named after Wolfsburg, where Volkswagen Group’s global headquarters is located.
It is certainly a distinctive design, featuring a low nose and hood, a high window line, and a relatively short rear end. It resembles a liftback sedan, but the car actually has a traditional trunk. The designers paid close attention to the details, such as the daytime running lights that extend to the illuminated logo, the complex aerodynamic elements on the bumper, and headlamps that visually extend beyond the front doors.
At the rear, the Volkswagen ID.Unyx 09 features a subtle integrated spoiler and again light units that almost touch each other near the red-lit VW logo.
The interior of the Volkswagen ID.Unyx 09
The Volkswagen ID.Unyx 09 features a luxurious and spacious cabin with attractive leather seats finished in aluminum and faux wood. As this is a Chinese version of VW, there are no physical buttons visible. The seats are heated, ventilated, and come with a massage function.
The dashboard includes a large 85-inch AR-HUD, an 8.8-inch instrument panel, and a 15.6-inch touchscreen.
The “VW OS” operating system comes equipped with popular Chinese apps such as NetEase Cloud Music, QQ Music, Kugou Music, iQIYI, Youku Video, and Ximalaya. Additionally, the car features wireless Apple CarPlay, Huawei HiCar, and ICCOA Carlink.
There is also a new AI assistant character for the chatbot: Longdong Jiakechong, literally meaning “Lively Beetle,” a reference to the Volkswagen Beetle. This character appears on the screen and can engage in conversations with four people, make reservations, and provide recommendations.
The Unyx Sound audio system includes 20 speakers, which is considered average by current standards. Volkswagen has not disclosed the volume levels, so it likely won’t stand out in that regard either.
The trunk capacity is 481 liters with the rear seats up, and 1488 liters with them folded down. There is no frunk, which is notable since the Xpeng P7 comes standard with a 56-liter frunk in all trims. It is unclear why VW omitted the frunk.
Technical specifications of the Volkswagen ID.Unyx 09
The Volkswagen ID.UNYX 09 is built on an modified 800 V platform from Xpeng, which is also used in the Xpeng P7. On top of that lies the China Electronic Architecture, developed jointly by Volkswagen and Xpeng. CEA serves as the car’s digital backbone, controlling aspects such as the cockpit, connectivity, ADAS functions, and OTA updates. The dimensions of the Volkswagen ID.Unyx 09 are 5081/1980/1509, with a wheelbase of 3030 and a curb weight ranging from 2207 to 2307 kg. There are two variants:
Trim
Power
0-100 km/h
Top speed
Battery
Consumption
Range
30-80 km/h
Ultra/Full
RWD
230 kW/465 Nm
6.8
200
92 kWh
13.7
755
10.2m
Max
AWD
370 kW/695 Nm
4.6
200
92 kWh
14.6
705
10.2m
The engines are not from Xpeng but were developed by Volkswagen and manufactured at VW’s factory in Tianjin. The LFP battery is sourced from CATL. The fast charging technology, however, comes from Xpeng.
ADAS
The L2 Xingyun Intelligent Driving ADAS was developed in collaboration with Xpeng and uses Xpeng’s second-generation VLA model along with an Xpeng Turing AI chip featuring 750 TOPS of computing power.
The system has 26 sensors: 11 cameras, 12 ultrasonic sensors, and 3 millimeter-wave radars. It is an Xpeng system, so there is no lidar. The Volkswagen ID.Unyx 09 can drive largely autonomously on highways and in cities using this system, but it lacks Navigation on Autopilot (NOA).
Xpeng also offers more advanced versions with two Turing chips, over 30 sensors, and NOA functionality, but the Chinese company apparently keeps that technology under wraps for now.
Prices of the Volkswagen ID.Unyx 09 in China
Chinese consumers can now order the Volkswagen ID.Unyx 09, and deliveries have already begun. There are three trim levels, three interior color combinations, and four exterior colors: Morning White, Night Black, Sea Blue, and Twilight Purple. Four colors are exceptionally few for a car in this segment.
The Volkswagen ID.Unyx 09 costs between 179,900 and 249,900 yuan, which is equivalent to 23,700 to 33,500 euros. However, VW offers an immediate discount of 10,000 yuan (1,300 euros) on the entire model range, bringing the starting price down to 22,400 euros. It may be beyond budget for a sports sedan over five meters long, but competition is fierce. Direct rivals of the Volkswagen ID.Unyx 09 include models such as the ArcFox Alpha S6, Buick Electra L7, BYD Seal 08 EV, Fangchengbao Formula S, Geely Galaxy TT, and Hyptec GT. Volkswagen has no plans to bring the ID.Unyx 09 to Europe.
Xin Zhilei
Volkswagen Anhui has appointed Xin Zhilei as its brand ambassador. Xin is a famous Chinese actress born in 1986 in Heilongjiang province. Unlike most Chinese stars, Xin does not use an English name. She has appeared in 16 films and more than 20 television series. Internationally, she is best known for her role in the film The Sun Rises on Us All, for which she won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival.