Though Maxus has had a presence in Ireland for a few years now thanks to the Harris Group, most of its offerings were in the commercial vehicle space, with plenty of good-value vans in the line-up. That has expanded considerably of late, notably in terms of electric options, and in parallel Maxus has entered the passenger-car market, too. The Maxus T90EV pickup straddles both worlds so the firm’s first proper car was the Mifa 9, a simply enormous people carrier designed as an alternative to a luxury limo. It was claimed to be the world’s first electric MPV (not our words), though its luxury trappings and high price means it is suitable more as a luxury hotel airport shuttle than a practical family car.
The follow up to that is the Mifa 7 tested here. It too is a seven-seat electric MPV and, though it doesn’t look it, it’s more compact than the Mifa 9. Crucially, it should be much more affordable. We had an early opportunity to try the Mifa 7 out on Irish roads before it launches fully on the market. Hence the trade plates...
How much is the Maxus Mifa 7 in Ireland?
Harris Group hasn’t confirmed the starting price of the Mifa 7 yet, though it should undercut the Mifa 9 by a useful margin. That car costs from €79,950. We’d assume a starting price of in the region of €60,000 for the Mifa 7, which should net buyers the entry-level Elite version. It and the mid-ranking Mifa 7 Luxury feature 77kWh batteries, while the Premium model alone has a 90kWh battery.
The Mifa 7 Premium can be quickly identified from the outside as it’s the only one with roof rails and privacy glass from the B-pillars back. It also uniquely gets a powered tailgate, two power sliding side doors (only one on the other trim levels, bizarrely) and a panoramic sunroof. Inside, it features a heated steering wheel, heated and vented front seats, electric adjustment for the front passenger seat, proper Nappa leather upholstery and a wireless phone charger.
All versions ride on 18-inch alloys (though the Premium model gets Continental tyres in place of the Chao Yang items fitted to the other models), and the minimum specification also includes LED lighting all round with auto headlights, power-adjusted driver’s seat, front and rear automatic air conditioning, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12.3-inch touchscreen and digital instrumentation, 360-degree camera system and an impressive array of active safety technology such as adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assistance - and a lot more besides.
Furthermore, while the Mifa 7 itself comes with a five-year/100,000km warranty, its battery is guaranteed for up to eight years or 200,000km.
Is it as big inside as it looks on the outside?
In a word, yes. The tape measure says the Mifa 7 is about 400mm shorter than the Mifa 9, but that doesn't seem to have affected passenger space and it really is massive inside. Behind the front seats are two ‘captain’s’ chairs with lots of adjustability and a big enough gap between them for those sitting at the very back to scoot through. Three can sit there, and average-sized adults will fit on the outer positions without too much grumbling, but the middle seat is pretty much unusable as the seatbelt buckles are so close together.
Up front, there’s loads of space to stretch out as the car is so wide, with a big centre console and expansive digital dashboard. Between the front seats there’s a lot of storage, including cupholders and the wireless charging pad, a covered box and more space underneath. Full-width air vent details complement stylish sculpting of the doors.
Middle-row occupants get their own digital air conditioning controls and a pair of USB-C sockets, plus neat hidden cupholders at the back of the centre console.
How many child seats can fit in the Maxus Mifa 7?
There are ISOFIX points on the two middle-row seats and on the outer seats at the very back, though if those rearmost seats are in use there’s unlikely to be room in the boot behind for a buggy. And there’s no chance you’ll get a third child seat or booster into the centre position of the third row, either. If you can do without the back row of seats, then the boot holds a massive 760 litres.
Any interesting on-board technology?
As found in loads of cars now, the Mifa 7 has two 12.3-inch displays within a single housing, giving the cabin a thoroughly modern feel. The layout of the infotainment will take a little getting used to though as it wasn’t easy to find some fundamental settings at a glance on the move during our short drive. Still, it’s full of useful features including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The Premium version of the Mifa 7 tested here comes with a heat pump to help with efficiency - and hence range - in colder temperatures, and V2L (Vehicle to Load) technology that allows owners to plug other devices into the car for use in a remote location.
How safe is the Maxus Mifa 7?
Though few Irish car buyers will have heard of Maxus, let alone the Mifa 7, the car has already been tested by Euro NCAP, the independent organisation that is an authority on safety. And the Mifa 7 came away with a full five-star rating this year thanks to 92 per cent adult occupant protection, 87 per cent child occupant protection and 75 per cent for ‘Safety Assist’. Despite the size and shape of the vehicle, it also achieved a commendable 81 per cent in the ‘Vulnerable Road Users’ section. The latter was at least in part thanks to its massive suite of active safety functions fitted as standard.
What’s the Maxus Mifa 7’s range on a charge?
Our first test wasn’t extensive enough to get a feel for the efficiency of the Mifa 7, but Maxus has released some data to give us an idea of what to expect. The two versions fitted with the 77kWh battery officially manage up to 410 kilometres on the WLTP cycle (or up to 553km in the city), while the 90kWh battery extends that to 480km on average with a theoretical 635km in an urban environment.
What’s the Maxus Mifa 7 like to drive?
In our short test drive on damp roads, the Mifa 7 proved to have more than adequate performance. Indeed, it struggled for traction at times on the exit of junctions and there’s precious little feedback to the driver as to what’s going on at road level. Nonetheless, it’s smooth at a cruise, quiet and the suspension does a good job of isolating bumps and poor road surfaces from the cabin.
The only demerit of note was over-eager driver assistance systems on smaller country roads.
The indicated range was 440km, though we didn’t get to test that claim.
Dig into the touchscreen menu and you’ll find a few driving settings to tweak to your preference. There are three driving modes to choose from - Normal, Eco and Sport - while the brake pedal feel can be altered between Standard and Sport and the power steering between Standard, Sport and Comfort.
The reasons you’d buy a Maxus Mifa 7
There aren’t loads of electric cars on the market that can seat seven people in comfort (ok six in reality), and even fewer if you discount the van-like options, so the Mifa 7 is quite unique in that regard. It’s well-specified, modern and a little different, too, though its attractiveness to buyers will largely depend on its Irish pricing.
Ask us anything about the Maxus Mifa 7
If there’s anything about the Maxus Mifa 7 we’ve not covered, or you’d like advice in choosing between it and other vehicles, you can avail of our (completely free) expert advice service via the Ask Us Anything page.
