While the XPENG X9 secures Euro NCAP's maximum 5-star rating, its performance varies across the different stages of safety.  The car excels in Post-Crash safety but its Safe Driving performance suffers from a poor score in Speed Assistance.  Ultimately, the X9 secures a maximum five star rating thanks to its performance in Crash Avoidance.

Safe Driving

The XPENG X9 has Child Presence Detection as standard, which issues a warning if a child has been left unattended in the car.  The driver monitoring system identifies driver fatigue and various types of distraction, but not phone use.  The X9 makes good use of manual controls for comfort and infotainment features but relies too heavily on its screen for some driving controls. The XPENG X9 speed assistance system does not meet the pre-requisites for scoring.  During an on-road drive of some 2000 km, the system did not meet Euro NCAP's threshold for correct identification of the speed limit, and does not correctly indicate the presence of conditional limits which it cannot interpret, such as those that apply only to heavy goods vehicles, for example.  Euro NCAP is informed that XPENG is working on an improved system.  The car scores almost full points in an evaluation of its adaptive cruise control system, and full points for its steering assistance.

Crash Avoidance

The XPENG X9 is equipped with all of the latest crash avoidance technologies, and scores well for most of them.  However, the sensitivity of the avoidance systems are not linked to the level of driver awareness, increasing the possibility of intervening unnecessarily.

Crash Protection

Protection of all occupants – adults and children - was good in both the frontal offset test and the full-width impact. Additional data and validated computer modelling demonstrated good or adequate protection in various combinations of test configuration and occupant stature. Analysis of the deceleration of the impact trolley during the test, and analysis of the deformable barrier after the test, revealed that the XPENG X9 would be a moderately benign impact partner in a frontal collision. Good protection was provided to all critical body areas in the side barrier impact, and protection was at least adequate in the more severe side pole impact. The XPENG X9 has a centre airbag to protect against occupant-to-occupant injuries in a side impact. The airbag performed well in Euro NCAP’s test, with good protection of the front seat occupants’ heads. The protection provided by the car to the head of a struck pedestrian or cyclist was good only in the windscreen area, with many regions of poor and weak performance on the bonnet surface. The pelvis was marginal. In contrast, protection of the femur and tibia generally good or adequate.

Post Crash

Third Party Service (TPS) eCall is not available but, in the event of a crash, the advanced eCall system provides detailed information about the car's occupants and the type of impact sustained by the car. The XPENG X9 scored well for other aspects of its post-crash safety, including the provisions for quick and safe extrication by first responders.