2025 Lynk and Co 01: The Scandinavian-Chinese SUV
The 2025 Lynk & Co 01 Land in Southeast Asia with Volvo DNA, high-endinterior, hybrid efficiency, with aggressive pricing in Vietnam & the Philippines. Is it the region’s new SUV disruptor has been holding out for?
A New Challenger Emerges
If you’ve lived in Southeast Asia long enough, you know the pecking order of SUVs. Toyota dominates the reliability tables. Honda sits pretty on family-friendly practicality. Mazda teases with design panache. Hyundai and Kia with cost.
But in 2025, a new visitor makes its way down to the driveway: the Lynk & Co 01, a hybrid SUV that cuts sharply, drives well, and secretly whispers, “I’ve got Volvo DNA.”
For those confused—Lynk & Co is a collaboration of China’s Geely and Sweden’s carmaker Volvo. It is like K-pop meets Nordic minimalism: memorable, fashionable, and built to be memorable.
The 01 was Lynk&Co’s first baby, debuting back in 2017 in Europe with a radical idea: subscription-based car ownership. Fast forward to today, it has matured into a refined plug-in hybrid SUV now rolling into Southeast Asia with a facelift that says, “I’m not here to blend in. I’m here to take the spotlight.”
Interior: Scandinavian Calm, Tech-Heavy Cool
Slide into the 2025 Lynk & Co 01 and you’re greeted by an interior that punches way above its weight. This is where the Volvo influence really shines—solid build quality, clean lines, and that reassuring “everything clicks where it should” feel.
The first thing your eyes land on? The 15.4-inch floating touchscreen that takes over the dashboard. It’s powered by a Snapdragon 8155 processor, so swipes and taps come back with the response time your trusty old laptop could only wish for. Coupled with a sharp digital driver’s display, it’s like flying an appliance rather than a vehicle.
Features at a glance:
Wireless smartphone charging pads (cables are so 2020)
Physical steering wheel controls (thank you, Lynk& Co, for not making us go touchscreen-only insane)
Premium seats with ventilation and memory, for long Hanoi-to-Ha Long Bay road trips or Manila-to-Tagaytay weekend getaways
Acoustic insulation that keeps out the scooter chaos, and tricycle horn honks away
It’s a modern cabin that doesn’t feel cold—functional without the cheap feel. In short: luxury feels, minus the luxury badge tax.
Performance: Punchy Hybrid Power
Now let’s discuss what sets the 01 apart from being a pretty face. Under the bonnet, the 2025 Lynk& Co 01 Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) packs efficiency with unexpected punch.
206 kW (≈ 276 hp) of combined power
535 Nm torque for seamless overtakes
75 km pure EV range (WLTP) — sufficient for most everyday commutes in electric-only mode
0.9 L/100 km fuel economy — essentially guzzling fuel as if it was scared of paying for it
The charm of this system is versatility. During the weekdays, use school drop-offs or office trips in complete electric quiet. At the weekends, flip the throttle and you have enough oomph to enjoy highway drives. It’s no performance SUV, but nor does it ever feel slow.
If Toyota hybrids are courteous and Honda hybrids are utilitarian, the Lynk & Co 01 hybrid is fun—the SUV equivalent of wearing sneakers to the office under a suit.
Safety: Volvo’s Fingerprints All Over
Safety is not an option here—it is an integral part of the Lynk & Co 01. Taking a heavy leaf from Volvo’s DNA, this SUV is loaded with tech that wants to keep you safe any way.
Highlights include:
Adaptive Cruise Control & Pilot Assist (because no one enjoys bumper-to-bumper EDSA traffic)
Lane Keeping Assist & Traffic Jam Assist
360° camera and blind-spot monitoring—necessary when navigating Manila side streets or Hanoi’s scooter throngs
Automatic emergency breaking that responds quicker than your phone
A safety cage built tough with Volvo’s structural integrity
In summary, it’s a small SUV that gives you the feeling that you have a bodyguard on board at all times.
Capabilities: Urban Smart, Weekend Ready
Here’s where expectations have to be straightened. The 01 is not your mud-crawling, jungle-conquering off-roader. It’s not a Ford Everest or Toyota Fortuner competitor. Rather, it’s designed for urban jungles and highway getaways.
Its careful steering and suspension calibration make it perfect for urban driving, and the hybrid system gets your money further. Light dirt roads? It will do just fine on gravel and rough spots, but don’t push it to climb mountains. This SUV likes coffee shop parking lots, office buildings, and coastal freeways over mud holes.
Pricing and Availability: The Southeast Asia Equation
And now the numbers—because SUVs thrive or perish on prices.
Vietnam: From VND 999 million (~USD 40,000), the 01 fits well into C-segment SUV territory. That slots it against Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid and Honda CR-V e:HEV, but with a more upmarket feel. Local importer GreenLynkAutomotives is expanding showrooms from 12 to 31 by end of 2025, alongside constructing an assembly plant in TháiBình. Translation? They’re taking it seriously.
Philippines: Lynk & Co officially opened their doors in 2024, with the 01 already on offer at their Alabang showroom in Manila. Pricing has not been as forcefully advertised as in Vietnam, but it should fall somewhere between the Honda CR-V Hybrid and entry-level luxury SUVs such as the BMW X1. Plans for expansion include having several showrooms across the country.
Malaysia & other RHD markets: As of 2025, no plans. Blame strategic priorities and tax policies. If you’re in KL dreaming of a , you’ll need to wait—or move.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Premium, Volvo-inspired cabin design
Hybrid punch with 75 km EV range
Safety features that rival luxury brands
Competitive pricing in Vietnam
Bold, stylish design that turns heads
Cons:
Not designed for heavy off-roading
Tech-heavy interface may overwhelm traditional drivers
Still missing from RHD markets such as Malaysia
Last Judgment: The SUV Southeast Asia Never Saw Arriving
The 2025 Lynk & Co 01 is more than another SUV release—it’s a shocker. It boldly disrupts Japanese supremacy in Southeast Asia with a mix of flair, safety, and hybrid capability that feels new in a segment filled with plenty of choices.
For Vietnamese customers, it’s an easy choice if you need something high-quality short of entering German luxury space. For Filipino customers, it’s a rich substitute for the usual culprits—new, secure, and unusual.
It won’t be the vehicle for farmers in dirty provinces or extreme adventurers, but for the urban executive, young family man, or high-tech millennial, the Lynk & Co 01 has everything you need.
Call it Volvo’s gen-z sibling, China’s luxury SUV test, or just the new disruptor for Southeast Asia’s SUV market. One thing’s certain: Lynk& Co 01 is no longer the new one. It’s the SUV redefining the game.
FAQs
Q: Is the 2025 Lynk & Co 01 sold in Southeast Asia?
Yes. Sold in Vietnam (from VND 999M) and the Philippines. No release yet in Malaysia or other right-hand-drive nations.
Q: How far can the 2025 Lynk & Co 01 PHEV go electric?
It provides up to 75 km pure electric driving on full charge, perfect for daily use.
Q: How much horsepower does the Lynk& Co 01 offer?
The Lynk& Co 01 Plug-in Hybrid for 2025 makes 206 kW (~276 horsepower) and 535 Nm torque.
Q: Is the Lynk& Co 01 safe?
Very safe—thanks to Volvo-engineered crash protection and sophisticated ADAS features such as adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, and automatic emergency braking.
Q: How much does it cost?
In Vietnam, it begins at approximately VND 999 million (~USD 40,000). Prices differ in the Philippines but place it against the Honda CR-V Hybrid.
