Xiaomi’s YU7 SUV is a Ferrari Purosangue Copy With McLaren Headlamps

• Xiaomi YU7 is the Chinese carmaker’s first SUV and is for the Chinese market only
• Three configurations, including a dual-motor version capable of hitting 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds
• Expected to cost more than the Tesla Model Y in China

The Xiaomi SU7 electric sedan grabbed its fair share of the limelight when it launched in March 2024, but things have become more interesting with the debut of its first crossover called YU7. It’s the SUV version of the SU7, and it seems to be a curious blend of a Ferrari Purosangue design flanked by McLaren 750s’ “eye socket” headlamps. This is a high-performance SUV that would certainly hang with those supercars in a sprint from 0-100km/h (3.2 seconds), but the shark nose does look ungainly when juxtaposed against a swoopy crossover body.

Still, we have to remember that the shape is inspired by aerodynamics for electric efficiency and range, including the headlamps, which channel air from the bonnet. In fact, there’s no less than “19 optimised vents,” which seems a little over the top.

Prices for the YU7 will be revealed in July, but CEO Lei Jun has already squashed rumours of the car costing around 200,000 yuan (approx. USD$27,800), hinting that it will likely have a more premium positioning over its main competitors in the Tesla Model Y and BYD Sealion 7. Xiaomi’s focus for this vehicle will be the Chinese market, but it has hinted that it will enter global markets in a few years’ time, if there’s enough demand.

We struggle to imagine a situation where the Xiaomi YU7 doesn’t find a letter from the bosses at Ferrari, and this might have something to do with its China-only positioning in the market. The rear three-quarter view is where the similarity to the V12-powered Ferrari Purosangue is even more evident. Like the Ferrari, it falls just under 5 meters in length and has a long wheelbase spanning about 3 metres—both more than the Tesla Model Y.

Other design highlights include a long clamshell hood, auto flush door handles, 275 mm rear wide tires and an active grille shutter for aerodynamics. Three colours will be available at launch in China, including Emerald Green, Titanium Silver, and Lava Orange.

Compared to the visual drama of the exterior, the interior is minimalistic and comes with a thin panoramic display at the top of the dashboard and a 16.1-inch infotainment touchscreen. While the focus has been on performance, the YU7 does come with all the usual luxury features like zero gravity seats doused in Nappa leather with massage and recline. The rear seats can also be reclined to 135 degrees while there are dedicated climate control functions here too. Speaking in terms of practicality, the 678-litre boot capacity can be further expanded to 1,758 litres, and there’s 141 litres of storage in the trunk.

Power-wise, the flagship “Max” version of the Xiaomi YU7 has a dual-motor configuration good for 681HP and 866Nm of torque. The acceleration from 0-100 km/h is a supercar rivalling 3.2 seconds, and this variant is also the only one to get the larger 101.7 kWh battery pack with a claimed range of 770km (CLTC).

If this is too powerful, then buyers in China can look at the “Pro” variant with 489HP and 690Nm of torque. Here, the range marginally drops to 760km due to the smaller 96.3 kWh battery pack. The variant with the highest range, though, is the single motor version with 835km per charge, and power is around 316HP, which is sufficient.

800V architecture means that the YU7 can charge its battery up to 80 per cent in just 12 minutes, which makes it one of the fastest charging EVs on the market, and 600km of range can be added in only 15 minutes.

This is a Chinese market-only vehicle (for now), and prices will be revealed in July 2025. In terms of pricing, CEO Lei Jun has said that it will cost more than the rumoured 200,000 yuan (USD$27,800), hinting that it could be having a more premium positioning over the Tesla Model Y, which is priced from 263,500 yuan (USD$36,351). Besides the uncanny resemblance to the Ferrari SUV, the YU7 carries on the same product attributes of its sedan sibling while undoubtedly giving a lot of bang for the buck.