Dongfeng VOYAH FREE

Model Overview

The VOYAH FREE is the maiden production model from VOYAH, a premium intelligent electric vehicle marque under Dongfeng Motor Corporation. Positioned as a "performance-grade intelligent electric SUV", it sits in the mid-to-large SUV segment. The vehicle made its global debut in December 2020, officially went on sale in June 2021, and commenced customer deliveries in August of the same year, commanding an average transaction price exceeding RM330,000. At launch, it was offered with two powertrain choices: a range-extended electric vehicle (REEV) and a fully electric (BEV) option, marking the initial commercial debut of VOYAH's MVP multi-scenario powertrain architecture.

In terms of dimensions, earlier iterations measured 4,905 mm in length, 1,950 mm in width, and 1,660 mm in height, with a 2,960 mm wheelbase. The facelifted "VOYAH FREE+" introduced in July 2025 grew slightly to 4,915 × 1,960 × 1,660 mm, whilst retaining the identical wheelbase. The updated range is available in 3 variants, with indicative pricing ranging from RM219,900 to RM279,900. Mechanically, the entire FREE+ lineup is powered by a 1.5T range-extender hybrid system and comes standard with the Harmony Space 5 smart cockpit as well as the Huawei Qiankun ADS 4.0 intelligent driving suite, representing a major technological leap for the brand.

Design Language

The exterior styling of the VOYAH FREE is shaped around the "City Light and Shadow Aesthetics" philosophy, striking a balance between sporty intent and contemporary flair. Up front, earlier models featured a vertical waterfall grille flanked by integrated headlights to create a wide stance. The 2025 FREE+ updates this with an illuminated "City Starry Grille" comprising 200 LED units that support customisable lighting animations, complemented by a full-width LED light bar and an illuminated emblem above, markedly sharpening its high-tech appeal. Headlamp illumination has also been bumped up to 1,050 lumens, a 46% increase over its predecessor.

Along the flanks, the profile is sleek and muscular, featuring flush pop-out door handles, 20-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels, and 255/45 R20 Michelin e·PRIMACY tyres engineered for low rolling resistance and reduced road noise. At the rear, smoked full-width taillights incorporate a herringbone light graphic, underscored by an illuminated "VOYAH" script, a roof-mounted spoiler, and a sporty black rear diffuser that together add visual depth.

Step inside, and the VOYAH FREE+ reveals a minimalist, driver-centric wraparound cabin trimmed generously in leather and soft-touch upholstery, with interior colour schemes including Amber Brown, Deep Sea Blue, and Aurora Purple. The dashboard does away with the previous motorised triple-screen setup, opting instead for a standalone 15.6-inch 2K floating infotainment touchscreen as the primary interface, supported by a 10.25-inch fully digital instrument cluster and a 29-inch AR-HUD head-up display system for a cohesive multi-screen user experience.

Powertrain and Performance

From the outset, the VOYAH FREE offered two distinct electrification pathways: full electric (BEV) and range-extended electric (REEV). The range-extender model is powered by a 1.5T four-cylinder engine functioning as a generator (producing around 110 kW in early trims) mated to front and rear dual electric motors, churning out a combined 510 kW (693 PS) and 1,040 Nm of torque, good for a 0-100 km/h sprint in roughly 4.5 seconds. Packing a 43 kWh ternary lithium battery pack, it delivers up to 318 km of CLTC pure electric range, a combined range of approximately 860 km, and a fuel consumption rating of 6.19 L/100 km in battery-depleted state.

The 2025 FREE+ brings an updated powertrain setup, pairing a 1.5T engine (code DAM15NTEDU) with dual electric motors in a range-extender configuration, where the engine puts out 95 kW, while the electric motors deliver a total output of 350 kW and 570 Nm of torque. The battery has also switched from ternary lithium to a 45 kWh 3C lithium iron phosphate (LFP) unit supplied by CATL, taking around 20 minutes to juice up from 20% to 80% via DC fast charging. The 2WD version delivers a CLTC pure electric range of 318 km and an overall cruising range of 1,458 km, whereas the 4WD version offers 259 km on battery power alone and 1,357 km combined, with a depleted-battery fuel consumption of 6.85 L/100 km and a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 4.9 seconds. The FREE+ also debuts "Lanqing Mode", which artificially simulates gear shift points and engine acoustics to preserve driver engagement in an electrified package.

On the pure electric front, the ultra-long-range BEV variant launched in 2022 comes equipped with a 106.7 kWh battery pack and a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system delivering 360 kW and 720 Nm, enabling a 0-100 km/h acceleration run in 4.4 seconds, a CLTC combined range of 631 km, and an energy consumption figure of around 18.3 kWh/100 km.

Chassis and Handling

The chassis setup is a standout engineering highlight of the VOYAH FREE. It rides on front double-wishbone independent suspension with four ball joints and a rear H-arm multi-link independent setup, with aluminium alloy accounting for over 90% of the chassis components, trimming unsprung and structural mass by around 30% versus a conventional steel chassis. Such sophisticated chassis hardware is typical of high-end luxury marques and uncommon in this segment. The 2025 FREE+ further gains an EDC Magic Carpet adaptive suspension system that leverages a front-mounted camera to scan road surfaces ahead and adjust damping firmness and ride height within milliseconds. The adaptive air suspension boasts 100 mm of travel (the most generous in its category), lowering the ride height at motorway speeds to improve aerodynamics and stability, lifting ground clearance up to 163 mm for rougher terrain, and offering an auto-lowering function for easy cabin access. Steering duties are handled by an electric power steering system calibrated for a light yet direct helm feel. Stopping power is courtesy of front and rear ventilated disc brakes paired with Bosch's iBooster 2.0 electronic brake booster.

Cabin and Equipment

The 2025 VOYAH FREE+ is fitted as standard with the Harmony Space 5 cockpit system across all variants, driven by the flagship 5nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295P cockpit processor to ensure silky smooth animations and rapid response times. The digital cockpit is headlined by a 15.6-inch 2K ultra-crisp central touchscreen, a 10.25-inch full digital driver display, and a 29-inch AR-HUD, complemented by a dedicated rear touchscreen to form a five-screen ecosystem. With Huawei one-tap screen casting and seamless cross-device task handover, navigation routes and media playback can transfer directly between a smartphone and the car; the infotainment system also supports Huawei Super Desktop, HUAWEI HiCar smartphone integration, and over-the-air (OTA) software updates. In the comfort department, the front passenger enjoys a "Queen Seat" with a 163° recline angle and an electric ottoman, while the rear seatbacks can recline up to 129° and feature both ventilation and heating. Standard equipment includes soft-close doors, a 7-litre multi-temp storage compartment (-6°C to 50°C with UV sterilisation), a panoramic glass roof with an electric sunblind, and rear privacy glass. Audio is handled by a premium 22-speaker immersive sound system, marking a notable upgrade over older variants.

Safety and Intelligent Driving

On the passive safety front, the VOYAH FREE is built around a rigid safety cage cabin, with high-strength steel comprising 75% of the vehicle structure, 31% of which is ultra-high-strength thermoformed steel. The A-pillars incorporate a TRB+Patch composite hot-stamping technique rated at 1,500 MPa, while the side door intrusion beams utilise 2,000 MPa-grade aluminium-silicon coated steel. In the 2021 C-NCAP crash safety evaluations, the VOYAH FREE scored an overall rating of 92.3%, achieving the highest score among Chinese new energy vehicle brands with a full 5-star rating at the time, registering 94.39% for adult occupant protection, 75.09% for pedestrian protection, and 100% for active safety systems. On the battery safety front, it employs an in-house developed Amber/Mica battery pack architecture with 3D thermal barrier wall technology and a five-tier PACK safety enclosure, monitored round-the-clock via a dedicated cloud-based BMS.

For driver assistance, earlier versions carried a Level 2 ADAS suite supported by 24 onboard sensors, complete with active night vision. The refreshed New VOYAH FREE introduced in August 2023 was the first to adopt the Baidu Apollo Highway Driving Pro system, employing high-definition maps and computer vision backed by 13 HD cameras, 5 millimetre-wave radars, and 12 ultrasonic sensors to deliver Highway NOA (Navigate on Autopilot), automated highway ramp navigation, and active avoidance of heavy vehicles. The VOYAH FREE+ launched in July 2025 makes the switch to the Huawei Qiankun ADS 4.0 intelligent driving suite, equipping all variants with a 192-line roof-mounted LiDAR, 3 millimetre-wave radars, and a comprehensive 29-sensor array as standard. This suite supports mapless City NCA navigation in urban areas, automated stop-and-go with pedestrian avoidance in heavy traffic, and end-to-end parking spot-to-spot navigation assistance. On the active safety front, the updated suite supports high-speed autonomous emergency braking (AEB) at up to 130 km/h and emergency steering assist (eAES) with a rapid 150 ms response time, substantially bolstering safety margins in critical scenarios.

Market Performance and Reception

As the flagship model of the VOYAH brand, the VOYAH FREE has maintained consistent sales figures since its 2021 introduction. By September 2025, cumulative year-to-date sales stood at roughly 37,800 units, with monthly figures expanding from approximately 1,570 units early in the year to 5,239 units in August and 4,553 units in September, contributing between 25% and 38% of VOYAH's total brand volume. Following its market launch in August 2025, the updated VOYAH FREE+ achieved 1,620 deliveries within a single week, capturing second place in the RM200,000 to RM300,000 hybrid SUV segment. From an ownership standpoint, users frequently praise its exceptional chassis composure, class-leading suspension hardware (air suspension + all-aluminium setup), and practical electric-only range, though earlier trims drew criticism for sub-par infotainment fluidness and ADAS performance relative to newer competitors. The integration of Huawei's Harmony Space cockpit and Qiankun ADS on the FREE+ has effectively resolved these earlier shortcomings. Overall, bolstered by its robust mechanical underpinnings, high-end chassis kit, and continuously upgraded smart technology, the VOYAH FREE has carved out a distinctive niche in the mid-to-high-end new energy SUV market, competing against the likes of the Li Auto L6, AITO M7, and IM LS6.