LDV MIFA 9

AN ELECTRIC PEOPLE MOVER TO SHIFT MINDSETS

- ALEX INWOOD

YOU PROBABLY haven't heard much about the LDV Mifa 9. That's because when it launched in Australia late last year, most of the spotlight was nicked by its sister vehicle, the LDV eT60 which made national headlines as Australia's first electric dual-cab ute.

That's a shame because unlike the eT60, which is overpriced, under specced and undercooked to drive, the Mifa 9 is far more convincing. For starters, this electric people-mover rides on a fresh platform, and is powered by the latest version of LDV's battery and e-motor tech.

It's not only interesting to look at but it ushers in a new cabin design that's fresh, minimalist and, in the more expensive versions, feels properly opulent and spacious.

Before you start thinking about trading in your tatty diesel-powered Kia Carnival, however, there's a catch - the price tag. At $106,000 for the cheapest version and $131,000 for the desirable flagship, the Mifa 9 isn't only priced outside the realm of most family buyers but it's actually twice as expensive as a top-spec Carnival.

Three trim levels are offered: the Mode ($106,000), Executive ($117,000) and the flagship Luxe ($131,000) with those prices being before on-road costs. Need some context? LDV also sells petrol-powered versions of the Mifa people mover and spec-for-spec, the EV is more than $50,000 dearer. Ouch.

The silver lining to the high pricing is that you do score a lot of space and a lot of equipment for your cash.

Size-wise, the Mifa 9 measures in at almost 5.3 metres long (making it bigger than a Mercedes-Maybach GLS) and the list of standard equipment is equally enormous.

Every Mifa 9 arrives armed with 18- or 19-inch alloy wheels, smart key entry, LED headlights, wired Apple CarPlay, a large 12.3-inch infotainment system, a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, adaptive cruise control, blindspot monitoring and lane departure/ warning systems.