Arcfox T1 Premium review: cost-effective like a fox

If you're confused about why Arcfox's Kiwi distributor has chosen to launch this premium-focused name with a $35k budget city hatch... well, we are too.

But it's also kind of on-brand. When BAIC created Arcfox in 2017, the first model was an upmarket city car very close to kei-dimensions called Lite, with a rear-mounted motor. A bit like an original Smart, in other words. Small but fancy.

Arcfox very quickly expanded into a broader range of models, and some of those will also come here. The next for New Zealand is the T5 medium-crossover, due 2027.

For now, though, there is where we are: the Arcfox T1 Premium, a pure-electric city hatch that's currently on sale at a very sharp $34,990. That's a special price until the end of October; full retail is $36,990.

On the outside: what are the Arcfox T1 Premium's main design features?

There's a fox on the bonnet! The Arcfox brand name is a reference to Vulpes Lagopu, the Arctic fox, representing new frontiers and symbolising intelligence and agility. Where do they come up with this stuff? 

Not so long ago we would have been staggered at a fully featured EV for less than $40k, but now there are loads of them.

But the fox badge is very cute. In fact, the whole car is very stylish looking.

Complements about the look were forthcoming from all quarters while we had the T1. It's a very conventional hatchback shape, but there's some nice styling detail and the hero Vana Blue paint finish is pretty, although you have to pay an extra $750 for it. The only free colour is white.

OVERVIEW

On the inside: what's the Arcfox T1 Premium cabin like?

The T1 is and isn't like a premium car inside. It is, because there are some elements clearly lifted from more expensive models, like the beautifully shaped steering wheel, bronze-tinged window switches and the ceramic-look door releases (they're actually just plastic).

It's odd that a car allegedly inspired by the Arctic doesn't have heated seats, even though it does offer ventilation for both front chairs.

There are also some fancy looking trim elements around the dashboard and doors.

But just fancy looking, because a lot of the T1-specific cabin architecture is hard plastic and clearly built down to a price. The centre console "island" in particular felt a tad loose and quite creaky on our test car.

Standard equipment is deeply impressive for a budget car, though. You get power adjustment for both front seats, a grunty 66kW phone "supercharger" that'll possibly cook your mobile, fantastic 360-degree camera setup with transparent view that'll give you a cm-to-object display when needed, and power tailgate.

It's odd that this car allegedly inspired by the Arctic doesn't have heated seats, even though it does offer ventilation for both front chairs. We've encountered this with other Chinese brands, a common explanation being that they are produced for export mostly to countries with warm climates like South East Asia. Anyway, summer's coming.

The T1 lags behind most of the Chinese competition in having no connectivity, so there's no remote app and no over the air (OTA) updates. Nor does it have Android Auto phone projection (there's a CarbitLink app available that simulates it, meh), although you get wireless Apple CarPlay. 

The EV platform allows for a relatively long wheelbase, so this is a super-spacious little car for the exterior footprint. The boot is especially impressive, with 459 litres (closer to a medium-sized vehicle) and an extra 71l of underfloor storage.

INTERIOR

On the road: what's the Arcfox T1 Premium like to drive?

Fast it ain't. The T1 has a modest 70kW electric motor and while it's not especially heavy for an EV, it's still 1.4 tonnes. Performance is acceptable for city running and if you're in a hurry, you might have your foot flat for sustained periods. Which is quite fun, just beware overtaking on the open road or going for a gap on the motorway.

It could handle more performance; the chassis is pretty good, despite running on budget Linglong tyres. It's front-drive, but there's not enough power to create anything approaching torque steer; the T1 turns into corners with confidence and soaks up mid-corner bumps quite well at speed.

The ride is firm for a city car, but that's pretty much par for the course with EVs. It's tricky to balance the weight and rigidity of the platform with a cushy gait. And it's fine, really.

The range is as modest as the acceleration. Let's say a bit less than 300km real-world, which is actually fine for urban use.

The range is as modest as the acceleration. Arcfox claims 310km WLTC from the 42kWh battery, but that's a sneaky distillation of the official WLTP rating (it's just the driving component, not the whole formula). Let's say a bit less than 300km real-world, which is fine for urban use but you do find yourself thinking about plugging in again a bit on busy driving days.

More fancy stuff: the T1 has automatic parking and "reverse path trace", which can autonomously reverse the last 50 metres you've driven. It works quite well even in tricky environments, but that's partly because it goes really slow. The default seems to be 1km/h (yes really), but it can theoretically operate at up to 10km with a little throttle input. However, get too aggressive and it will self-cancel immediately... which it did every time we tried to speed things up.

The ADAS stuff is mostly pretty good and well-calibrated; the steering assist can be activated or cancelled by a simple click of a steering wheel button, whch is a handy feature.

However, the adaptive cruise is all-but-unusable on a busy motorway. It's easily activated with a Tesla-like tip of the gear selector and will happily overtake (or indeed undertake) slower traffic at close quarters; but the slightest hint of a curve and it delecerates to as little as 60km/h on a 100km/h highway, enraging the traffic behind. You get sick of over-riding it to speed up, and simply switch it off.

SPECIFICATIONS

On ownership: what's the Arcfox T1 Premium warranty and servicing situation?

The vehicle warranty is 6 years/200,000km, while the traction battery is covered for 8 years/200,000km. Servicing is required every 12 months/10,000km, with service plans available.

On the whole: what do we think of the Arcfox T1 Premium?

The Arcfox T1's greatest strength might also be its greatest drawback. It's a very conventional hatchback shape, which many buyers may love - it's definitely an emerging trend among small EVs - but may turn off others who are into the whole sit-up-tall SUV thing.

The T1 looks quite sophisticated, it's stacked with standard equipment and handles corners pretty well for a little 'un. It's a shame there's not a little more performance to do it justice and the lack on online connectivity is a big minus.

All things considered it's a good package, but there's also a lot of competition in this segment. Not so long ago we would have been staggered at a fully featured EV for less than $40k, but now there are loads of them.

Arcfox T1 Premium FAQs

What kind of car is the Arcfox T1 Premium?

A 5-door EV city hatchback.

Does the Arcfox T1 Premium have hybrid or EV technology?

It's pure electric.

What’s the efficiency of the Arcfox T1 Premium?

The WLTC "cruise" range is 310km, with energy consumption of 13.6kWh/100km.

Is the Arcfox T1 Premium safe?

It has not been tested by ANCAP - it's not on sale in Australia, even - but it gets 5 stars from NZ's VSRR protocol.

What safety and assistance features does the Arcfox T1 Premium have?

What are the Arcfox T1 Premium's main rivals?

• BYD Atto 1 Premium ($36,990): Even smaller but tons of fun. The larger Atto 2 starts at over $40k.
• Geely EX2 Inspire ($37,990): The most sophisticated of the bunch, RWD and fancy rear suspension.
• GAC Aion UT Lux ($39,990): Arguably the driver's choice, more expensive but currently on sale.
• MG4 Urban ($38,990): Another super-spacious FWD EV hatch, not to be confused with RWD MG4.
• Suzuki Swift RSC ($30,990): Electric power is not compulsary. This money gets you a Swift with everything, including two-tone paint.