Nobody called this a premiere — and technically, it isn’t: the updated Hongqi HQ9 PHEV reached the Chinese market back on May 20. But that didn’t stop the massive hybrid minivan from stealing the show at the 29th Chengdu International Auto Show. The lineup now consists of three all-wheel-drive trims priced from 338,800 to 538,800 yuan — roughly $47,000 to $75,000.
The real upgrade is hiding under the skin, and it’s a big one. The old 20.1 kWh battery is gone, replaced by a 39.5 kWh pack. Rated electric range jumps to 220 km on the CLTC cycle and 168 km on the stricter WLTC standard. For comparison, the old version managed just 73 km WLTC — nearly a threefold gain that lets owners run this minivan around town for days without ever waking up the gasoline engine.
The powertrain pairs a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with electric motors, driving all four wheels. Combined output is rated at 358 kW, or roughly 487 hp, with 760 Nm of peak torque. The big seven-seater sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.7 seconds — genuinely quick for something this size.
Dimensions remain properly minivan-sized: 5,222 mm long, 2,005 mm wide, with a 3,200 mm wheelbase. The cabin, though, is almost unrecognizable. Both the driver and front passenger get large digital displays, while a 21.4-inch, 3K-resolution screen sits above the second row. Pricier trims turn the back seats into a private lounge: individually adjustable second-row captain’s chairs with extensive power adjustment, massage, and relaxation modes. On the show car, a dedicated touch control panel for rear passengers and an almost completely flat floor were both easy to spot.
Then there’s a feature no self-respecting Chinese MPV seems to launch without these days — a fridge. On the HQ9 PHEV, it’s rated from −5 to +50 °C, so the compartment can chill drinks or keep them warm with equal ease. The second row also gets multi-point massage and enhanced seat heating.
And here’s where it gets interesting. Back in 2024, the HQ9 PHEV started at 358,800 yuan; the 2026 version now starts at 338,800. The top end held steady at 538,800 yuan. So Hongqi cut the entry price by 20,000 yuan while nearly tripling electric range — for a big plug-in hybrid, that matters far more than another round of new screens or trim tweaks, and it’s a trickier balancing act than it might look.
