2026 Maxus Mifa 7 Elite review: In losing something, this e-MPV gains plenty

[SINGAPORE] You might not find the Maxus Mifa 7 Elite in anyone’s dream garage, but it’s meant to keep the dream of car ownership alive, even though Certificate of Entitlement (COE) premiums have climbed so much.

Indeed, prices are now so high that a car-buying ticket is like Jake Paul’s face: you really want to punch it good. Hence this new, cut-price Elite version of the Mifa 7, the only seven-seat electric multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) with sliding doors that sits in Category A. 

With its specifications rejiggered to knock S$20,000 off the price of the now discontinued Premium, the Elite runs a smaller 77 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery in place of the previous 90 kWh unit with nickel manganese cobalt chemistry, trimming the claimed range from 480 to 410 kilometres. Motor output is unchanged, so the Mifa 7 is as fast (or slow) as before.

For most local drivers, 410 km still means less than one charge a week and, for what it’s worth, I returned the test car with 75 per cent remaining and 292 km left in the battery pack, giving a predicted range of 389 km.

One upside of the smaller battery is faster charging. It takes 30 minutes to take the battery from 20 to 80 per cent on a 120-kilowatt DC rapid charger. 

Shrunken juice pack aside, some of the comfort kit has been pruned. The sunroof is gone, the front passenger seat goes manual, and the driver’s seat loses its heating, ventilation and memory functions. The side mirrors no longer return to a memorised position.

Not all is subtraction, however. For the new model year, the Mifa 7 gains a new light bar across its nose, and the 360-degree camera is now higher in resolution. Better yet, a companion phone app lets you monitor the car remotely and, crucially, pre-cool the cabin before boarding time. On some days, being able to switch on the air-con before you leave the front door feels like the height of civilisation.

A car like the Mifa 7 is always going to be as appealing to a keen driver as a steak done rare is to a vegetarian, but at least it’s not horrible to drive. It’s actually more pleasant than the bigger MPVs, such as Maxus’ own Mifa 9 or the Denza D9. It’s less unwieldy, and less of a sweaty-palmed ordeal in a multi-storey car park.

The motor is punchy up to around 60 kmh, beyond which the performance softens noticeably. For those who insist Singapore’s traffic conditions make power and acceleration irrelevant, here is your chance to put your money where your mouth is.

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As for the day-to-day stuff, the air-conditioning fills the generous space without strain, while the rear has its own climate controls and ceiling vents. Cabin plastics are a notch above acceptable, and when you silence the speed limit warning it stays silent on your next drive. Depending on how you see these things, the dashboard is either appealingly uncluttered, or skimpily bare.

While you get plenty of real estate for your money, there are irritations: wind noise at highway speeds, uneven panel gaps in places, and a mushy brake pedal that takes some acclimatisation. Although wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are present, you have to exit them to adjust the air-con, which involves more screen-prodding than anyone should need.

The boot remains the biggest weak point for family buyers. With all seats up, you get just 270 litres, and there’s no frunk to compensate. Even if you fold the third-row seat the bench stays in place, which leaves you with more space but no proper cargo compartment.

That was always the case with the Mifa 7 and, indeed, trimming the battery size and equipment list hasn’t made it a better car. But it’s arguably a better buy, and can now tempt buyers who are considering smaller offerings such as the Honda Freed and Toyota Sienta. That counts for a lot, especially when a fresh round of COE results feels like a punch to the face.

Maxus Mifa 7 Elite Motor power/torque 145 hp/350 Nm Battery type/capacity Lithium-nickel manganese cobalt/77 kWh Charging time/type 4 hrs 40 mins, 20-80 per cent (11 kW AC); 30 mins, 20-80 per cent (120 kW DC) Range 410 km 0 to 100 kmh 14.7 seconds Top speed 170 kmh Efficiency 20.9 kWh/100 km Agent Cycle & Carriage Maxus Price S$195,999 with COE Available Now