Power Wheels Magazine A Notch Above
“Do you think there’s chance that sedans are going to make a comeback?” was the question asked by David Zaballero, Vice President and General Manager of Hongqi Philippines. Without much thought or any deep contemplation, we immediately replied, “Because of the Filipino’s penchant for going on trips with the whole family, we think that sport utility vehicles (SUVs) will remain more saleable and relevant than sedans.” After all, we just have to look at the auto industry’s sales figures to know that majority of buyers prefer 5-door SUVs, crossovers and multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) over 4-door sedans.
We were at the EVOxTerra HQ and Hongqi showroom to pick up our media test drive unit (at the far right) and wonder about the sudden, unforeseen demand for EVs and PHEVs.
We were at the EVOxTerra HQ in West Bicutan, Taguig City discussing with the Hongqi Philippines VP & GM about the sudden unforeseen demand for electric vehicles (EVs) brought about by the skyrocketing fuel prices while waiting for our media test drive vehicle, the 2026 Hongqi EH7, which coincidentally, is a 4-door sedan, albeit a premium all-electric one. We were going to test drive and review the top-of-the-line Flagship variant with two electric motors, all-wheel drive (AWD), a range of around 655 kilometers on a single charge, and the capacity to fast charge the battery from 10% to 80% in just 20 minutes.
“Plugging in” is the new “Fill ‘er up”. Topping up at an EV Charging Station (EVCS); 655 kms on a single charge; 10% to 80% in just 20 minutes with a DC fast charger. Say goodbye to range anxiety!
Similar But Not the Same
A few months ago, we’ve driven and reviewed the EHS7 Flagship – the sports utility vehicle (SUV) version of the EH7 Flagship – and we felt really spoiled by its features, amenities, and the abundance of room. We initially expected the same luxury and performance but with a bit confined interior since the EH7 sports a more sevelte sedan body. However, a quick drive on the Skyway and on twisty roads proved us wrong! The EHS7 SUV and the EH7 sports sedan may share similar equipment under the skins but their driving characteristics are drastically different.
A few months ago, we’ve driven and reviewed the 2026 Hongqi EHS7 Flagship, which is the electric SUV version of…
… the 2026 Hongqi EH7 Flagship electric sports sedan that we’re reviewing. Both vehicles share the same platform and EV components.
Like the EHS7 Flagship, the EH7 Flagship is propelled by a 202-kilowatt motor driving the front axle and a 253 kW motor driving the rear. Its combined power output of 455 kW or 610 horsepower already places it in realm of super cars. Furthermore, the combined torque of the two electric motors is rated at 756 Newton-meters or 1,025 ft-lbs, which is distributed to four fat tires that catapults this 2,374-kilogram sedan from zero to 100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds. (In comparison, the heavier and taller EHS7 SUV goes from 0-100 in 3.9 seconds, a scant 0.4 seconds slower.) Indeed, this Hongqi can accelerate like a super car.
The EH7 Flagship electric sports sedan can go from 0-100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds, 0.4 seconds faster than its EHS7 Flagship electric SUV sibling.
We did an impromptu night run at our secret drag strip to verify its 3.5-second 0-100 km/h acceleration claim. Not to brag, but we did 3.3 seconds to 100 km/h.
Balanced, Connected and Composed
Unlike the EHS7 Flagship electric SUV, our EH7 Flagship electric sedan has a low, sleek body, which endows it with a lower drag coefficient and lower center of gravity. The lower drag coefficient makes the EH7 more aerodynamic that allows it to slice through the wind easier and achieve highway speeds faster. The lower center of gravity makes the EH7 feel more balanced, connected and composed around fast corners and sweeping curves, aided by its staggered wheel combination – fat 245/45-19 Pirelli P-Zero tires on 8J x 19 two-tone alloy wheels in front and wider 265/45-19 Pirellis on 9.5J x 19 alloys at the back.
The EH7 Flagship electric sports sedan body has a lower drag coefficient for better aerodynamics and a lower center of gravity for sportier handling.
The EH7 Flagship rolls on a set of staggered wheels – front 245/45-19 Pirelli P-Zero tires on 8J x 19 two-tone alloy wheels and rear 265/45-19 Pirellis on 9.5J x 19 alloys. Those are red Brembo brake calipers peeking out…
At around 16 feet (5 meters) long and around 6 feet (2 meters) wide, the EH7 Flagship is classified as a midsize sedan but it’s as agile as a compact one. We sliced through Metro Manila traffic easily and darted through the Skyway effortlessly. Maneuvering through tight streets is not a problem with its 5.3-meter turning circle and 360° AVW (Around View Monitor) with multiple cameras and sensors around the car. Its curbside appeal is enhanced by its ultra-modern design, subtle gray finish, and Matrix LED headlights and tail lamps, which is shared with its electric SUV stablemate.
The Hongqi EH7 Flagship is a premium midsize electric sports sedan that stands out because of its ultra-modern design.
The EH7 sports sedan also shares the Matrix LED headlights and tail lamps with its EHS7 SUV stablemate.
Amplified Sensation of Speed
With a low body height of just 5 feet (1.5 meters) and a ground clearance of just 5.7 inches (120 mm), we are sitting closer to the ground inside the EH7 Flagship electric sedan than in the EHS7 Flagship electric SUV, which amplifies the sensation of speed. However, the lower height and steeply-raked front windshield required us to duck a bit to get into this sport sedan, but once inside, we were greeted with the ultra-modern and luxurious interior that Hongqi dubs as a “multi-mode interconnection experience”.
Because it is a low and sleek sports sedan with an aggressively raked front windshield, you need to duck your head a bit to get in. Once inside, there’s plenty of room and modern technology, though.
Luxurious and ergonomic seats covered in hand-stitched Nappa leather await the front seat occupants…
… as well as the backseat passengers. Folding center armrest has hideaway drink holders and a separate covered compartment for small items.
Five occupants sit in supreme comfort on ergonomic seats covered with hand-stitched Nappa leather. A large specially-shaped dual screen display dominates the dash with a large infotainment touch screen and an instrument cluster behind the multi-function square steering wheel. The digital instrument cluster displays speed, mileage, warning indicators, and the essential information needed in a modern electric vehicle – Battery Charge Level, Vehicle Driving Range, and the Current / Average Energy Consumption in kWh per 100 kilometers.
Square-ish multi-function steering wheel, and sculptured dual display screens dominate the dashboard.
Driving closer to the ground than its EHS7 SUV sibling amplifies the sensation of speed inside the EH7 sports sedan.
Fast, Furious and Luxurious
Like what we wrote when we reviewed its electric SUV sibling, our EH7 Flagship electric sports sedan accelerates like a “bat out of hell”. Of course, fast driving consumes energy fast and the worst Average Energy Consumption we recorded was 31 kWh per 100 km, which we computed to cost around P4.82 per kilometer*. This figure is still a lot more economical than the P8.15/km fuel costs we incur when we drive our gasoline-fed compact 4-door sedan with thrifty civility, especially considering today’s high fuel prices.
With 756 Nm of torque readily available, it’s quite tempting to drive this sporty EH7 Flagship fast and hard.
Fast and hard driving consumes energy fast and hard at 31 kWh per 100 kilometers, which costs around P4.82/km*. (This photo of the instrument cluster was taken after our fast drive.)
Tempering our right foot and our “need for speed” ego while driving the EH7 Flagship, we achieved our best Average Energy Consumption of 14.5 kWh per 100 km, which equates to just P2.25 per kilometer**. We also got our most economical Current Energy Consumption of 11.3 kWh per 100 km, costing just P1.76 per kilometer***. We also felt that driving with utter civility allowed us to fully enjoy the EH7 Flagship’s modern luxury features, such as the automatic dual-zone air-conditioning system with AQS (Automatic Air Quality Control), seat vents, ambient interior lamp, and great-sounding multi-speaker infotainment system. After all, Hongqi is often considered as the “Chinese Rolls-Royce“, thus, abject luxury is a necessity for their vehicle models.
Restrained economical driving returned a Current Energy Consumption of 11.3 kWh per 100 km (P1.76/km) and an Average Energy Consumption of 14.5 kWh per 100 km (P2.25/km).
Performance & Safety Technology
The EH7 Flagship’s independent suspension is composed of front dual wishbones, rear 5-link system, and Hongqi’s proprietary IDCS (Intelligent Damping Control System) that delivers a balanced, composed and luxurious ride. Its SACC (Super Adaptive Cruise Control) makes highway drives a breeze while its AR HUD (Heads Up Display) keeps our eyes on the road by projecting the necessary vehicle information on the windscreen, including vehicle speed, navigation and several Enhanced ADAS (Advanced Driving Assistance Systems) warning functions.
Our EH7 Flagship’s AR HUD kept our eyes on the road while providing vital vehicle information.
We found some ADAS warning chimes a bit annoying, such as the FCW (front collision warning), and especially the road speed limit sign identification and intelligent speed limit recommendation tandem, which often misreads a “10-Ton Weight Limit” traffic sign as a speed limit sign, and then promptly buzzes a warning when we exceed 10 km/h. Thankfully, these chimes can be defeated with a few clicks on the infotainment screen. Moreover, we appreciate the alphabet soup of ADAS features that help us keep the car in the lane, warn of potential dangers on the road, and generally ensure our safety.
The EH7 Flagship comes with a full suite of ADAS technology that will help enhance safety driving. We appreciate the big battery level/charge display that can be shown on the infotainment screen.
Spoiled Rotten Again!
Like the EHS7 Flagship, the EH7 Flagship made us feel like spoiled brats every time we approach it for a drive. It automatically unfolds the side mirrors, unlocks the doors, and reveals the concealed door handles when we get close to it. We don’t even have to touch the key fob! When we get in, the doors fully close with a soft suction, the seats automatically adjust to our preferred preset position, the A/C is automatically turned on to cool the interior, and the infotainment system turns on automatically. All we have to do is step on the brakes to activate the electric drive system, shift to Drive, and then drive off. It’s that effortless!
Since everything is done automatically by the EH7 Flagship, all you have to do is sit down in the driver’s seat, step on the brake pedal, select D, and drive away. It’s that easy!
It also spoils us by ensuring that we get our daily dose of Vitamin E through the large panoramic glass roof, which some vampires might not appreciate because there’s no retractable shade or screen to cover the glass during bright and sunny days. Hongqi claims that the glass absorbs 90% of the sun’s UV rays and keeps the interior cool and bright, which people who “love to stay in the shadows to protect their privacy” may not appreciate. Fortunately for us, we’re not one of those kinds of people.
The panoramic glass roof runs the entire length of the EH7 Flagship’s roof. There’s no retracting shade or screen cover, though. That might be a deal-breaker for some buyers or a come-on for sun worhippers like us.
We would like to revisit Hongqi Philippines VP & GM Zaballero and report that there still are car buyers who love to drive sports sedans to get an adrenalin rush every now and then. These potential buyers enjoy the power, luxury, and handling and appreciate efficient use of energy (or fuel). They may or may not have been considering a hyper-expensive European electric sports sedan, but once they’ve test driven a 2026 Hongqi EHS7 Flagship – and find out about its accessible price of just P2,880,000 – they might end up buying one instead. We are smitten by this Hongqi electric sports sedan, which we believe is a great vehicle to take us away from our dependence on fossil fuel and go full electric in luxury and style!
With all its features, we think that the Hongqi EH7 Flagship represents a bargain compared to more expensive European luxury EVs.
Editor’s Note: Cost per kilometer* is computed as follows:
Worst Average Energy Consumption: 31.0 kWh/100 km = 0.310 kWh/km x Meralco Power Rate (P15.54/kWh) = P4.82/km
Best Average Energy Consumption: 14.5 kWh/100 km = 0.145 kWh/km x P15.54/kWh = P2.25/km
Best Current Energy Consumption: 11.3 kWh/100 km = 0.113 kWh/km x P15.54/kWh = P1.76/km
