Dongfeng Box

The cabin layout of the Dongfeng Box looks as chic and minimalist as its exterior, with the dashboard, door panels, and seats getting quilted faux leather upholstery. Adding more panache to the cabin are the decorative stripes on the co-passenger side of the dashboard. 

The two-spoke multi-functional steering wheel of the Dongfeng Box, which has tilt adjustability, has a compact-sized 5-inch TFT instrument console, while there is a large 12.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which also features funky layouts and graphics matching with the cutesy theme of the overall styling of the car.

The Dongfeng Box has slim AC vents on the centre console and sides of the dashboard while having a floating console between the front seats that accommodates a storage box beneath it and a wireless charging pad over it. The cabin also gets automatic climate control, 32-colour ambient lighting, frameless auto-dimming inside rearview mirror, a 6-speaker audio system, and height adjustability for both front seats. 

The Dongfeng Box is one of those Chinese cars which have been designed for the urban youth, evident in its chic styling and vibrant colour choices. Some of the design elements of the Dongfeng Box have been inspired by Smart electric cars.

The simplistic front profile of the Dongfeng Box has a wraparound windscreen and a sloping bonnet, the latter of which flows down towards the minimalist and cute-looking fascia. Here, the Box has C-shaped split LED DRLs, with LED headlamps placed within the lower housing, while there is an additional LED DRL strip between these C-shaped LEDs. 

With 17-inch alloy wheels in E3 variant (steel wheels in E2), the Dongfeng Box has a unique cutout design for the C-pillar, which gives it a floating roof effect. The Box is now one of the most affordable cars to get frameless doors and flush-type door handles while also having door-mounted rearview mirrors. At the back, the Dongfeng Box has premium-looking, round-edged LED tail lamps, which have a gloss black panel between them below the rear windscreen. 

The Dongfeng Box has a suspension setup of independent MacPherson struts at the front and a non-independent torsion beam at the rear, which gives it a plush ride quality. The light steering setup is a boon for urban driving but can feel lifeless while driving at higher speeds. 

The Dongfeng Box has a front-wheel drive configuration, with the electric motor mounted at the front generating 95 bhp of maximum power and 160 Nm of maximum torque. This motor gives the Box a top speed of 140 kmph, which is decent for city runabouts. While the E2 variant has a 31.45kWh battery claiming a 330 km range, the more-premium E3 variant comes with a 42.3kWh battery that delivers a 430 km range. Both these LFP batteries take 30 minutes for a 30-80 percent charge using DC fast charging. 

The Dongfeng Box comes standard with dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, 360-degree parking camera, electronic parking brake, and hill hold assist. The range-topping E3 variant further gets ADAS features like autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane centring assist, park assist, and traffic sign recognition. 

While the Dongfeng Box has little recognition globally and might take some time to get familiar on the roads of Malaysia due to its limited after-sales support, this cute-looking electric car is a perfect option for those who want a decently-priced all-electric car for their daily short urban drives. The car has a chic design inside-out, and with decent performance on tap, it feels lively to drive.