Chinese car brands have spent the past few years competing hard on equipment and price in the UAE, and the EXEED MX is the newest example. Al Ghurair Mobility has launched the five-seat SUV locally in two trims. The Comfort costs AED 114,999 and the Luxury costs AED 124,999, and both come with all-wheel drive.
That standard four-wheel traction stands out. Many SUVs in this price range are front-wheel drive in their entry trims and charge extra for AWD. The MX also offers seven drive modes, including settings for sand, mud, snow and off-road driving. In the UAE, the sand mode is the one that matters. It isn’t yet known how capable the MX is beyond graded desert tracks, and ground clearance and approach angles haven’t been published.
Both trims use the same 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 192kW, or about 257hp, and 400Nm of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic. Those figures are competitive for a family SUV of this size. Acceleration times, fuel consumption, dimensions and cargo space weren’t included, so buyers comparing it with rivals will need to check those details at the showroom.
The standard equipment list is long, as Chinese brands now usually offer. Every MX gets a 15.6-inch central touchscreen, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless charging, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The safety kit includes a 540-degree camera system that can display the area beneath the car, plus autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping assist, blind spot detection and rear cross traffic alert.
The extra AED 10,000 for the Luxury trim buys brown leather in place of the Comfort’s beige upholstery, massaging front seats, a 21-speaker sound system instead of 14 speakers, multi-colour ambient lighting, and 20-inch wheels instead of 19-inch ones. It also adds a “Boss Key” that lets the driver move the front passenger seat, a feature borrowed from chauffeur-driven luxury cars. For the price difference, the Luxury trim looks like reasonable value.
EXEED is the premium brand of Chinese carmaker Chery, and the warranty is clearly aimed at buyers who still doubt the long-term reliability of newer Chinese brands. The MX comes with a seven-year or 200,000km manufacturer’s warranty, subject to terms and conditions. Services are required every 10,000km, which is a fairly short interval and worth considering in running costs.
The MX enters a crowded segment where Chinese brands keep adding features and cutting prices. Strong value on paper is no longer enough to stand out. The real test will be how the MX holds its resale value, and whether that seven-year warranty proves as reassuring in practice as it sounds.
