Neta U

Model Overview

The Neta U is the second mass-produced all-electric model from Hozon Auto's Neta brand, officially launched on 21 March 2020. Positioned as an A+ segment fully electric compact SUV focusing on long range and smart tech, the Neta U served as a strategic product aimed at elevating the brand upmarket. At its debut, six variants were made available, offering NEDC-rated ranges of 400 km and 500 km, with post-subsidy prices ranging from RM139,800 to RM199,800. Neta Auto subsequently introduced the facelifted 'Neta U·Zhi' in April 2022, adjusting post-subsidy prices to between RM117,800 and RM179,800; on 6 April of the same year, the lineup expanded with the 'U Show Edition' variants, priced at RM118,800 for the 400 U Show Edition and RM130,800 for the 500 U Show Edition. As a key sales pillar for Neta Auto, the Neta U was tasked with capturing market share in the RM100,000 to RM200,000 electric family SUV segment, while industry-first innovations like its 'transparent A-pillar' garnered significant early buzz in the market.

Design Language

The exterior design of the Neta U embraces a futuristic aesthetic inspired by the brand's 'Self, Confidence, Presence' design philosophy. Up front, full-width 'Urban Starlight' LED headlamp clusters serve as the visual centerpiece, paired with a minimalist closed-off grille that creates a distinct high-tech EV identity. Dimensionally, the Neta U measures around 4,530 (4,549) mm in length, 1,860 mm in width, and 1,628 mm in height, with a 2,770 mm wheelbase. These standard A+ segment compact SUV proportions afford it a noticeable cabin space advantage over class rivals. In profile, taut character lines, blacked-out B-pillars, and a floating roof accentuate its athletic stance. Inside, early variants featured a dual 12.3-inch floating twin-screen setup combining a digital instrument cluster and an infotainment touchscreen, supplemented by an 8-inch climate control touch panel to deliver a three-screen interface. Higher-spec variants are equipped with the 'Xiao You' AI emotional interaction robot atop the dashboard, capable of swaying to music, displaying animated expressions, and handling voice commands to enrich the in-cabin experience.

Powertrain & Performance

The Neta U was offered with several powertrain configurations. Early front-wheel-drive (FWD) variants housed a permanent magnet synchronous electric motor producing 150 kW and 310 Nm of torque, clocking a 0-100 km/h sprint in 7 seconds, while the all-wheel-drive (AWD) variant cut the century sprint down to 4.9 seconds. Later iterations featured an uprated 170 kW motor with torque unchanged at 310 Nm; real-world testing recorded a 0-100 km/h time of approximately 7.04 seconds, closely matching official claims and proving its dependable power delivery. Meanwhile, the entry-level variant runs on a 120 kW/210 Nm motor, with top speed rated at around 150 km/h. Across the range, the model primarily adopts a front-engine, front-wheel-drive (FWD) layout, with battery packs tailored between lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and ternary lithium chemistries depending on the variant.

Chassis & Handling

Underneath, the Neta U features front MacPherson struts and a rear multi-link independent suspension—a mainstream, comfort-oriented setup for electric SUVs in this segment. Braking is handled by front ventilated discs and rear solid discs, complemented by an electronic parking brake (EPB). The electric power steering (EPS) is lightly weighted, making it effortless to manoeuvre in city traffic. Drive modes such as Sport, ECO, and Standard/Comfort come standard across the range, allowing drivers to tailor throttle response accordingly. It also features adjustable regenerative braking, enabling drivers to modulate energy recovery based on driving habits and traffic conditions. Overall chassis tuning is biased towards everyday family comfort, delivering pliant ride quality and steady high-speed cruising manners while soaking up road imperfections decently, though body control under spirited driving leaves some room for improvement.

Cabin & Features

The Neta U stands out with a forward-thinking smart cabin and tech suite. Early models sported dual 12.3-inch floating displays integrating navigation, voice control, smartphone connectivity, in-car Wi-Fi, and over-the-air (OTA) updates, offering class-leading system fluency and functionality. The headline feature on flagship variants is the industry-first 'transparent A-pillar', which embeds high-resolution OLED displays into the interior A-pillar trim. Powered by external cameras, it projects real-time blind-spot feeds onto the screens, significantly broadening the driver's field of view and minimising blind spots. From the 2022 model year onward, an upgraded Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 7nm automotive chip with 8 TOPS of AI compute was introduced, providing seamless processing power for multi-screen operations and voice commands. In terms of comfort amenities, standard equipment across the range includes automatic climate control, a multi-function leather-wrapped steering wheel, leatherette upholstery, and rear air conditioning vents. The boot offers a standard cargo capacity of 454 litres, expandable substantially via split-folding rear seats.

Safety & Smart Driving

On the safety and driver assistance front, the facelifted 'U·Zhi' and subsequent variants stepped up to Level 2.5+ Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). High-spec variants utilise 5 millimetre-wave radars, 12 ultrasonic sensors, and a Horizon Journey 3 chip-powered vision system to deliver over 22 ADAS functions, including Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with stop-and-go, Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), and Highway Assist (HWA). The vehicle also incorporates a C-Booster intelligent brake-by-wire system and a Sentry Mode that pushes alerts to the owner's smartphone app and saves 360-degree camera footage if an impact is detected while parked. Basic safety kit standard across the board includes rear parking sensors, a reverse camera, Auto Brake Hold, Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC), and Hill Descent Control (HDC). Structural rigidity is underpinned by a high-strength steel cage construction, while Electronic Stability Control (ESC), a 360-degree surround-view camera, and a transparent chassis view provide comprehensive active and passive protection.

Market Performance & Evaluation

The Neta U was instrumental in propelling Neta Auto to its sales peak in 2022, registering 51,021 units sold and, together with the Neta V, making up 98% of the brand's total annual volume. Grounded by its 'transparent A-pillar', Level 2+ ADAS suite, and accessible price point, the model initially found strong traction among buyers in the RM100,000 to RM200,000 electric compact SUV segment. However, fierce market rivalry and sluggish product updates caught up in 2023, dragging full-year sales down to 34,714 units. As operational hurdles and internal management woes mounted for Neta Auto, the brand's presence in the domestic new energy vehicle (NEV) arena waned considerably, product updates ground to a halt, and buyer interest faded. From a product standpoint, the Neta U leveraged its generous wheelbase, smart cabin, and bold innovations like the 'transparent A-pillar' to inject fresh excitement into the mass-market EV space during the early wave of electrification, successfully transitioning from a pure budget buy to a tech-laden contender. Yet, hindered by struggles in brand upmarket migration, overlapping internal model competition, and stagnant refreshes, it ultimately fell short of evolving from a mere volume driver into an established quality nameplate—its trajectory from peak to decline epitomising the harsh survival challenges confronting second-tier EV startups in the post-subsidy era.