Forthing Taikon EV Luxury review: not perfect, but hard to beat for value

The Forthing Taikon EV is an interesting proposition in New Zealand's increasingly crowded electric SUV market. It is a relatively large, family-focused SUV with a slightly unusual take on styling and a cabin that packs in plenty of technology, but without straying too far from the familiar formula.

Under the skin is a 64.4kWh LFP battery feeding a 150kW/240Nm electric motor, with a claimed 400km WLTP range, but the EV also brings some other interesting numbers to the table.

With pricing starting at $42,990 for the Luxury and rising to $47,990 for the Exclusive, it sits firmly in the value end of New Zealand's electric SUV market. Yet the specification list is anything but basic, and it essentially offers a Toyota RAV4-sized package that is loaded with tech and a fully electric drivetrain for less money than a rental-spec RAV4 GX.

And that is perhaps the Taikon EV's biggest appeal. It isn't trying to be a minimalist, stripped-back electric car; instead, it takes the traditional family SUV formula and adds a generous dose of Chinese-market exuberance. There are screens, cameras, clever features and plenty of space, all wrapped in styling that makes it considerably harder to mistake for anything else on the road.

But being different - and cheap - isn't necessarily enough. The real test is whether the Taikon EV can combine its impressive specification and competitive price with the refinement, efficiency and driving dynamics expected of a modern electric SUV.

On the outside: what are the Forthing Taikon EV Luxury's main design features?

From the outside, you would be hard-pressed to tell the entry-level Luxury model apart from its higher-specification Exclusive sibling. The design language is consistent across the range, featuring a modern and stylish five-door SUV silhouette with a few distinctive design cues to set it apart in the crowded segment.

While the rear does relatively little to distinguish itself - it’s an SUV, after all - the frontal styling is aggressively edgy, with its slim DRLs emphasised by dramatic black strakes that run down past the vertically stacked headlights, while the centrally located charging port is flanked by a pair of honeycomb style intakes, which adds a nice touch of stylistic flair to an often cookie-cutter segment.

The gloss black exterior trim and black 235/55 R19 wheels nicely complimented our test car’s vibrant ‘Atomic Red’ paint finish (a $495 option), while overall the Taikon presents a clean, contemporary design that should appeal to a broad audience, without any overt or polarising styling cues.

OVERVIEW

On the inside: what's the Forthing Taikon EV Luxury's cabin like?

Stepping inside, the Taikon’s cabin features a pleasant layout, with generally good quality materials. Yes, there are some hard plastics, but this is to be expected in a $40k-ish fully-electric SUV that offers size and equipment considerably above much more expensive rivals.

From the outside, you would be hard-pressed to tell the entry-level Luxury model apart from its higher-specification Exclusive sibling

While the Luxury lacks some of the bells and whistles of the high-spec Exclusive, like the panoramic sunroof, the core experience remains positive - you will notice a few blanked-off buttons, a tell-tale sign of its entry-level positioning, but that’s about it.

As expected from a Chinese EV, the interior is dominated by the large infotainment screen, while the Taikon also offers wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, along with a wireless phone charger.

An odd quirk is the single-zone climate control, which feels a bit basic, even at this price point, while the seats are power-adjustable and ventilated for both driver and front passenger, with the driver uniquely getting a massage function, but curiously, neither front seat is heated. 

For practicality, the rear seats offer a 60/40 split-fold, but the tailgate is a manual affair, not powered.

INTERIOR

On the road: what's the Forthing Taikon EV Luxury like to drive?

This is where the all-electric Taikon truly separates itself from its PHEV counterpart, and for all the right reasons. To put it simply, the driving experience is significantly better.

The Forthing Taycan EV is a genuinely pleasant surprise. It's a competent, stylish, and enjoyable electric SUV that rectifies the biggest flaw of its PHEV sibling: the powertrain.

While the PHEV variant offers flexibility on a long journey it is, quite frankly, slow at open road speeds. Where the PHEV feels like it runs out of puff at speeds over 80 km/h, the single-speed, front-wheel drive EV delivers consistent and adequate acceleration across the board.

It punches off the line quite well, though it can spin the front wheels if you're enthusiastic with the pedal, probably due to the cheap Atlas tyres. There’s a noticeable amount of body roll when pushed, leading to predictable understeer, but for the kind of daily driving this SUV is built for, it’s perfectly acceptable and quite pleasant.

Driver assists are generally excellent, with little that is particularly naggy or intrusive. However, they can be adjusted to suit, or turned off entirely, staying off even after restarting the car. This is also helped by the fact that it does lack a driver attention monitor.

The ride feels just a fraction firmer than the PHEV’s, but it remains comfortable. One weird point of difference between the PHEV and fully electric Taikon is the fact that the PHEV is rear wheel drive, while the EV is front wheel drive. Nope, no idea why, but the PHEV also gets a more sophisticated multi-link rear suspension set up, while the EV makes do with a torsion beam set up.

However, despite the more basic rear suspension and FWD configuration, the  EV is simply the more competent and complete vehicle to drive.

SPECIFICATIONS

On ownership: what's the Forthing Taikon EV Luxury's warranty and servicing situation?

The Taikon comes with a particularly strong warranty package  of 7 years/200,000km for the car and 8 years/200,000km for the battery, as well as 7 years roadside assist. Service intervals for the EV version of the Taikon are set at 12 months or 20,000km.

On the whole: what do we think of the Forthing Taikon EV Luxury?

Overall, the Forthing Taycan EV is a genuinely pleasant surprise. It's a competent, stylish, and enjoyable electric SUV that rectifies the biggest flaw of its PHEV sibling: the powertrain.

The EV’s power delivery is smooth and sufficient for any real-world situation, making it feel capable where the hybrid has significant holes in its performance. While it does miss out on some equipment - lacking features like a 360-degree camera, traffic sign recognition, and a few cabin luxuries - you are not losing anything tangibly necessary for a good driving experience.

While the Exclusive spec PHEV and Luxury spec EV land at roughly the same price, you would be mad to opt for the higher-spec PHEV when the EV offers a vastly superior driving experience. This is definitively the one to go for.

Forthing Taikon EV Luxury FAQs

What kind of car is the Forthing Taikon EV Luxury?

A medium-sized family SUV.

Does the Forthing Taikon EV Luxury have hybrid or EV technology?

It is a fully electric vehicle.

What’s the energy economy of the Forthing Taikon EV Luxury?

Forthing claims a combined average consumption of 15.5kWh/100km for the Taikon.

Is the Forthing Taikon EV Luxury safe? 

The Taikon hasn't been tested by ANCAP yet, but does feature 6 airbags.

What safety and assistance features does the Forthing Taikon EV Luxury have?

What are the Forthing Taikon EV Luxury's main rivals?

• BYD Sealion 5 Essential ($43,990): Not an EV, but matches the Taikon everywhere else.
• Leapmotor B10 ($44,990): Closest direct all-electric rival in terms of spec, but considerably smaller.
• Omoda E5 ($40,990): Similarly a 5 seat family electric SUV, but also smaller.
• Chery Tiggo 7 SH Ultimate ($43,990): Similar in terms of spec and size, but not a full EV.
• GWM Ora 5 Ultra ($39,990): Similarly exceptional value for money electric SUV, but again, smaller.