2022 Maxus G10

Maxus G10 2021-2022 Review

It may not be the brand you think of first when it comes to purchasing a personal car, but Maxus has had a reasonable presence in Malaysia over the years and their most notable model happens to be the ten-seater G10 MPV. First launched in Malaysia back in 2016, it went through a minor update in 2017 as an SE variant, with the Executive variant introduced later on.

For the time being, the Maxus G10 Executive is the only variant available in Malaysia, as a locally assembled product. While the product and brand hail from China, it is definitely designed and engineered to global standards and expectations. It sports a turbocharged petrol engine that produces a hefty amount of power, and is of the front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout.

It’s impressive that Maxus could get the G10 assembled locally despite the relatively small production output, although it is built alongside its more commercial siblings down in Johor. Still though, for the time being there aren’t going to be many changes to the model or variant line-up, especially as Malaysia isn’t particularly high of a priority.

Maxus G10 2021-2022 Specifications

The sole variant of the Maxus G10 is powered by a singular engine – a four-cylinder, turbocharged, direct-injection petrol engine that produces a good 225 hp and 345 Nm of torque. This engine is paired with a six-speed conventional automatic transmission sourced from ZF – the same manufacturer that produces transmissions for BMW and other automakers – and drive is delivered exclusively to the rear wheels.

It is this aspect that is both curious, as well as necessary. Front-engine, front-wheel drive MPVs are pretty par for the course, even for European manufacturers, but there is a need for rear-wheel drive when you get to especially large loads. In the case of seating ten people, evidently with a fully loaded vehicle the front wheels wouldn’t have enough weight over it, leading to a potential loss of traction when heading up an incline.

Dimensionally the Maxus G10 is no shrinking violet, but neither is it as wide as some pickup trucks you see on the market. The length is the most notable dimension at 5,168 mm long, with a width of 1,980 mm, and a height of 1,928 mm. The wheelbase stretches 3,210 mm long – meaning you could almost fit an entire Perodua Kancil within the wheelbase of this four-row MPV.

The seating configuration is in a 2 – 3 – 2 – 3 design, with the third row being captain chairs and the second and fourth row being bench seats. Having the seats able to fold down gives you flexibility in storage space or seating as you need it – which means that you could potentially have it set up as a seven seater with full room for luggage if you really needed to.

Also interesting to note is the fact that the rear suspension is of a self-levelling design, developed by Sachs. It’s the Nivomat system, working in conjunction with a live-axle setup that looks to be five-link in design – two pairs of unequal length trailing arms and a panhard rod. This design is also known for its robustness, hence the usage in pickup trucks until today.

Maxus G10 2021-2022 Exterior

You can have your Maxus G10 in five distinct colours – Obsidian Black, Blanc White, Sapphire Blue, Champagne Gold, and Lava Grey. The singular variant comes outfitted with 18-inch aluminium alloy rims, that look positively dwarfed by the overall size. The front lights are Xenon HID units, while the rear features LED tail lights. The front grille and exterior door handles are chrome finished, and there is a powered tilt and slide sunroof to help let light and air in if you so desire.

Maxus G10 2021-2022 Interior

The only option for the interior trim is a beige leather material, though that helps to provide a more airy sense within the cabin. The overall layout is as you would expect with an MPV, with the second and fourth rows sliding on rails and tilting forward to allow access if needed, and the third row being captain seats with a walk-through centre. These captain seats in particular come with recline and massage functionality, adding a level of luxury not commonly seen at this price point.

Maxus G10 2021-2022 Safety Features

Cutting edge is definitely something you wouldn’t describe the Maxus G10 as when it comes to safety, but it manages to provide the right amount of equipment to keep you out of harms way. ABS and EBD are standard, as is electronic stability control and emergency brake assist. There are two front airbags, as well as a tyre pressure monitoring system. The steering system also has an energy-absorbing function – basically helping to reduce the risk of hand and arm injury in a collision, and something that was coined by the Europeans many generations ago.

Maxus G10 2021-2022 Strengths & Weakness

The most obvious strength of the Maxus G10 has to be the fact that it can carry 10 people. Nothing can really beat it in this regard without also being a massive semi-commercial or full-on commercial vehicle. The fact that the Maxus G10 can do this while also maintaining some semblance of passenger-car esque operation and characteristics is surely a testament to its strength.

Unfortunately, Maxus still doesn’t exactly have the name brand recognition that other more established brands have. Ultimately, you have to think about the number of times you’ll actually need a ten-seater vehicle to ferry people around – it’s much like buying a camping tent or a barbeque grill. These are nice items or products to have and when the time calls for it, it’s certainly very handy and practical, but when you’re not maximizing usage then you really just have something that takes up unnecessary space.

Maxus G10 2021-2022 Price

The current sole variant of the Maxus G10 is the Executive and it’s available on sale for RM 165,888 – inclusive of five years of free service for up to 100,000 kilometres (parts and lubricants only), and a five year warranty package up to 120,000 kilometres.

Maxus G10 2021-2022 Features

Keyless entry and start are included as part of the purchase price, as are automatic wipers with rain sensors, automatic locking, a rear window defroster, one-touch operation for the driver side window, automatic cruise control, an automatic electric tailgate for convenience, automatic climate control with rear ventilation, a six-speaker audio system, and a 10.2-inch mounted DVD screen for rear occupants.

Perhaps the most impressive item throughout the cabin is for the front two occupants – a 15-inch high resolution smart interactive touch screen that also functions as the infotainment system. Coat hooks, a lighter and ashtray, as well as a luggage lamp are all provided as standard too.

Maxus G10 2021-2022 Fuel Consumption

The manufacturer quoted fuel consumption for the Maxus G10 is 10.3 kilometres per litre travelled, which is really understandable considering the size and weight of this model. Given the fact that it is rear-wheel driven as well definitely doesn’t help fuel consumption, but it is a necessity that simply cannot be avoided. There is also the fact that with such a large frontal area, it doesn’t manage to punch a particularly small hole through the air as it travels.