Chinese brand AION secures top insurance rating
Chinese brand AION has been awarded a group 32 insurance rating after a 12-month collaboration with Thatcham Research.
The Thatcham Research ratings assess vehicle risk and are based on damage and repair costs, performance, safety, and security features.
Collaboration saw Thatcham Research working closely with the AION design and manufacturing teams in China to optimise the vehicle’s damage and repair performance for the UK market.
Ben Hurford, aftersales director at AION Auto UK, said: “From the earliest days of planning our market entry, we focused on optimising all aspects of our commercial and operational processes and, crucially, the readiness of the AION V itself for the UK market.
“The team began working with Thatcham Research in mid-2025 on a very diligent and robust project that, with this rating, has achieved a key goal for us ahead of our launch.”
Design changes
Ben Townsend, head of automotive at Thatcham Research, said: “Our work to adapt the AION V for the UK market led to important design changes that will reduce likely damage in the event of a collision. As a result, repair times after an accident are expected to be cut by around 50%.
“This was made possible through open discussions, strong access to technical teams, and a willingness to act on our recommendations. We’re keen to apply this approach to future models to achieve even better results.”
