Huawei Maextro S800 Review : In the heart of Sydney’s Darling Harbour last week, beneath the gleaming lights of the International Convention Centre, I found myself standing before what many are calling the most significant Chinese automotive entry into the Australian market in decades. The Huawei Maestro S800 isn’t just another electric vehicle; it represents a watershed moment where digital technology, artistic design, and automotive engineering converge in ways that even five years ago would have seemed improbable. Having spent three days with this remarkable machine, I’m convinced that the Australian automotive landscape is about to experience a seismic shift.
The Dawn of a New Automotive Era
The relationship between Australia and Chinese automotive manufacturers has been complicated at best. From the forgettable Great Wall models of the early 2010s to the more recent success of MG, our market has viewed Chinese vehicles with a mixture of skepticism and cautious curiosity. The Maestro S800, however, demands a fundamental recalibration of these perceptions.
“We didn’t set out to build just another electric vehicle,” explains Li Wei, Huawei’s Director of Automotive Integration, who flew in specifically for the Australian launch. “The Maestro project began with a simple question: what if we approached car design as if the automobile had never been invented before? What if we started from scratch in the digital age?”
This philosophical approach is immediately evident when you first encounter the S800. Gone is the traditional three-box design that has dominated automotive thinking for a century. Instead, the Maestro presents a flowing, organic silhouette that seems to change depending on your viewing angle. The vehicle’s proportions—low, wide, and assertive—create a presence that photographs simply fail to capture.
“Cars have historically been designed from the outside in,” continues Li, as we circle the gleaming metallic blue showcase model. “The Maestro was designed simultaneously from both directions. The digital architecture and the physical form evolved together, each informing the other.”
This integrated approach has yielded a vehicle that feels fundamentally different from anything else currently on Australian roads. After spending considerable time examining and driving the S800, I’m convinced this isn’t merely marketing speak—it’s a genuine paradigm shift.
Breaking the Silicon Ceiling
For decades, the automotive industry has treated technology as an add-on—features to be integrated into an existing framework. The Maestro S800 inverts this relationship entirely. Here, the technology isn’t just an element of the vehicle; it is the vehicle.
At the heart of the S800 sits Huawei’s Kunlun III automotive computing platform, a system so powerful that it makes most competitors’ offerings look positively antiquated. With 400 TOPS (trillion operations per second) of computing power—roughly four times what you’ll find in current premium EVs—the Maestro has computational headroom that borders on excessive.
“We’ve built the S800 with a 7-year technology horizon,” explains Sarah Chen, Huawei Australia’s newly appointed Chief Technology Officer. “Traditional automakers design for today’s requirements. We’ve designed for requirements that don’t exist yet.”
This future-proofing is evident throughout the vehicle. Take the sensor suite, for example. While most advanced vehicles today feature around 12-15 sensors, the Maestro incorporates a staggering 38 different monitoring systems, including lidar, radar, ultrasonic, infrared, and optical sensors, all feeding data to that mammoth computing platform.
“The average modern vehicle generates about 25GB of data per hour,” Chen notes with a hint of pride. “The Maestro generates over 240GB in the same timeframe.”
This data tsunami enables capabilities that border on the uncanny. During my test drive through Sydney’s notoriously unpredictable traffic, the Maestro didn’t just respond to immediate road conditions—it anticipated them. As we approached a particularly chaotic intersection near Central Station, the vehicle subtly adjusted its speed three seconds before a delivery van abruptly changed lanes without signaling. The system had observed the van driver’s behavior patterns over the preceding minutes and calculated the probability of an unsafe lane change.
“The system is constantly building behavioral models of every road user around you,” Chen explains. “It’s not just tracking positions and velocities; it’s understanding intentions and driving styles.”
This predictive capability extends to efficiency management as well. Rather than simply reacting to current conditions, the Maestro’s energy management system incorporates topographical data, traffic patterns, and even weather forecasts to optimize battery usage. The result is a real-world range that consistently exceeds the official 620km rating—I recorded 678km during mixed city and highway driving, a figure that would shame many combustion vehicles, let alone electric ones.
From Circuit Boards to Sensuality
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the Maestro S800 is how it manages to translate all this cold, hard technology into an experience that feels profoundly human and emotional. This transformation begins with the exterior design, which draws inspiration from sources well outside automotive traditions.
“We wanted to create surfaces that invite touch,” explains Sophia Rodriguez, the Spanish-Australian designer who led the exterior design team. Having previously worked with Jaguar and Pininfarina, Rodriguez brings a sense of emotional resonance to Huawei’s technological prowess.
“The profile was inspired by the way water moves over river stones,” she continues, running her hand along the S800’s hauntingly beautiful flank. “There’s nothing aggressive or intimidating about the design. It’s powerful, yes, but in the way that natural forces are powerful—through fluidity rather than brute strength.”
This organic approach is evident in every curve and transition. Unlike many contemporary vehicles, which rely on sharp creases and angular surfacing to create visual interest, the Maestro’s bodywork flows with a liquid grace that catches light in unexpected ways. The paint itself—a proprietary formulation called “Midnight Cascade”—contains microscopic structures that change the color’s appearance depending on viewing angle and light conditions, shifting from deep blue to purple to an almost bronze hue.
“We developed the paint chemistry specifically for these body panels,” Rodriguez explains. “The molecular structures align with the surfaces to enhance the play of light across the form.”
A Cabin Like No Other
If the exterior design represents a departure from automotive norms, the interior constitutes nothing short of a revolution. Sliding into the driver’s position (the term “seat” hardly does justice to the integrated support system), you’re enveloped in an environment that feels more architectural than automotive.
Gone is the traditional dashboard, replaced by a space that flows around the occupants. Surfaces transition seamlessly between materials—open-pore Australian blackwood, synthetic suede derived from recycled ocean plastics, and a remarkable new material called “LumiTouch” that can transform from opaque to transparent, from decorative surface to functional display.
“We wanted to eliminate the visual noise that clutters most modern interiors,” explains Raj Patel, the interior design chief who previously worked on luxury yacht interiors. “Information should appear when needed and disappear when not. The same philosophy applies to controls.”
This approach manifests in an interior that initially appears almost barren compared to button-laden competitors. But as you settle into the vehicle and it recognizes your profile, the environment comes alive. Controls materialize through the LumiTouch surfaces exactly where your hands naturally rest. Displays appear within the architectural elements rather than being tacked onto them.
“We’ve mapped the psychological state of drivers through various journey types,” Patel continues. “The cabin responds not just to explicit commands but to implicit needs. If sensors detect signs of driver stress, for example, the ambient lighting shifts to more calming tones, the audio system subtly adjusts to frequencies known to reduce anxiety, and even the climate control adapts to create a more soothing environment.”
This responsiveness creates an almost uncanny connection between driver and vehicle. By the second day of my test period, I found the Maestro anticipating my preferences with remarkable accuracy. As I approached a favorite driving road in the Blue Mountains, the vehicle automatically adjusted its suspension settings, reconfigured the power delivery for more engaging response, and even queued up the playlist I typically enjoy on spirited drives.
“The relationship between human and machine shouldn’t be adversarial or even transactional,” says Patel. “It should be symbiotic.”
Performance That Transcends Numbers
On paper, the Maestro S800’s performance specifications are impressive but not revolutionary. The dual-motor system produces a combined 523 horsepower (390kW) and 820Nm of torque—figures that place it firmly in performance territory but don’t rewrite the rulebook. The 0-100km/h sprint takes 3.8 seconds, and the top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h.
What raw numbers fail to capture, however, is the character of the performance. Most high-powered electric vehicles deliver their acceleration with brutal, unrelenting force—effective but somewhat one-dimensional. The Maestro, by contrast, offers a progressive, almost organic surge of power that builds like a perfectly timed orchestra crescendo.
“We spent enormous resources on creating a power delivery algorithm that mimics the most satisfying aspects of internal combustion engines,” explains Dr. Marcus Hollenberg, the German-born performance dynamics engineer who previously developed AMG powertrains. “The goal wasn’t maximum acceleration at all costs but rather maximum driver engagement.”
This approach extends to every aspect of the driving experience. The regenerative braking system, for instance, doesn’t simply provide a fixed level of deceleration when you lift off the accelerator. Instead, it maps its response to the current driving context. On a spirited mountain drive, it provides engine-braking-like deceleration into corners; in relaxed highway cruising, it intervenes more subtly; in stop-and-go traffic, it adapts to maintain optimal spacing without driver input.
Even the artificially generated sound (a requirement for EVs at low speeds to alert pedestrians) has been crafted with extraordinary attention to detail. Rather than the synthetic hums found in most electric vehicles, the Maestro produces a multi-layered acoustic signature that changes with speed, power demand, and driving style.
“We recorded over 300 natural and mechanical sounds,” explains Dr. Hollenberg. “The system creates a real-time audio composition from these elements, structured around harmonic principles found in classical music. It’s not imitating an engine; it’s creating a new acoustic identity for electric performance.”
Handling: The Digital-Analog Interface
Perhaps the most impressive technical achievement of the Maestro S800 is how it manages to translate its immense digital capabilities into an analog driving experience that feels natural and engaging. Many technologically advanced vehicles create a sense of disconnection—as if you’re sending requests to a computer rather than directly controlling a machine. The Maestro somehow bridges this gap.
The steering, despite being a fully electronic system, provides feedback that rivals the best hydraulic setups of previous decades. The suspension—a multi-chamber air system with magnetic ride control—reads the road surface 10,000 times per second and adjusts accordingly, yet never feels artificial or processed.
“The key breakthrough was developing algorithms that don’t just optimize for measurable metrics like lateral g-forces or lap times,” Dr. Hollenberg explains. “We optimize for driver enjoyment, which is far more subjective and complex.”
This philosophy is most evident on challenging roads. Taking the S800 through the tight switchbacks of the Royal National Park south of Sydney, I discovered a vehicle that seems to interpret driver intentions rather than merely responding to inputs. Enter a corner with slightly too much speed, and the Maestro doesn’t simply apply clinical stability control; it helps you carve a more effective line, making minute adjustments to power delivery and individual wheel braking that feel like the actions of a skilled chassis rather than a digital overlord.
The Australian Context: More Than Just Another Market
For Huawei, Australia represents more than just another export destination. The company has invested heavily in local infrastructure and talent, establishing a sprawling 15-hectare technology campus on the outskirts of Melbourne that employs over 300 Australian engineers, designers, and software developers.
“Australia offers a unique testing environment,” explains Michael Robertson, Huawei Australia’s Director of Automotive Operations. “You have dense urban centers, vast distances of rural highways, and some of the most challenging off-road conditions on the planet. If a vehicle can excel here, it can excel anywhere.”
To underscore this commitment, Huawei has partnered with CSIRO to develop regionally-specific navigation data that goes far beyond typical mapping systems. The Maestro doesn’t just know the road network; it understands Australian driving conditions at a granular level.
“The system recognizes uniquely Australian hazards like kangaroo movement patterns,” Robertson notes. “It can identify the specific species of eucalyptus trees along rural roads to help predict wildlife behavior in different regions and seasons.”
This localization extends to the vehicle’s connectivity infrastructure as well. While most connected vehicles rely primarily on cellular networks, the Maestro incorporates Australia’s satellite positioning augmentation system to maintain precise location awareness even in the most remote areas of the continent.
“We’re not just bringing a global product to Australia,” insists Robertson. “We’re creating an Australian version of the Maestro that understands this country’s unique conditions.”
The Price of Innovation
Such technological sophistication doesn’t come cheap. The Maestro S800 will launch with a starting price of $125,000 for the standard dual-motor version, rising to $178,000 for the flagship “Horizon Edition” with its enhanced performance and luxury appointments. These figures position the vehicle squarely against established European luxury brands rather than more affordable electric alternatives.
“We’re not competing on price,” acknowledges Jessica Williams, Huawei Australia’s Head of Consumer Business. “We’re competing on experience and capability. The Maestro offers technology integration that simply doesn’t exist at any price point from traditional manufacturers.”
To support this premium positioning, Huawei is establishing a network of dedicated Maestro Centers in major Australian cities, starting with Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. These facilities will be far removed from traditional car dealerships, offering concierge-style services and ongoing software updates that will continue to expand the vehicle’s capabilities over its lifetime.
“The purchase price includes five years of unlimited software updates,” explains Williams. “This isn’t just fixing bugs or minor improvements—we’re talking about significant feature additions and capability expansions throughout the ownership period.”
Redefining Expectations
After three intensive days with the Maestro S800, I found myself questioning many of my assumptions about automotive development. The traditional boundaries between car maker, technology company, and luxury brand have not just been blurred—they’ve been fundamentally reimagined.
Is the Maestro perfect? Of course not. The voice recognition system occasionally struggles with broader Australian accents, especially from rural regions. The reliance on touch interfaces, while beautifully executed, still presents a steeper learning curve than conventional controls. And the sheer complexity of the technology raises inevitable questions about long-term reliability and repairability outside of Huawei’s official service network.
Yet these concerns feel almost petty in the face of what Huawei has accomplished. The Maestro S800 isn’t merely a great car; it’s a rolling manifesto for a different approach to mobility—one where technology and human experience enhance rather than compete with each other.
For Australian consumers willing and able to meet the admittedly steep price of admission, the Maestro offers a glimpse into an automotive future that feels both thrilling and reassuring. It demonstrates that even as vehicles become more computerized, more connected, and more autonomous, they need not become less emotional, less engaging, or less human.
In bridging the worlds of cutting-edge technology and emotional design, Huawei hasn’t just built a remarkable vehicle—they’ve rewritten the rules of what an automobile can be in the digital age. The Maestro S800 isn’t just where technology meets art; it’s where the automotive past meets its most promising possible future.
Jamie Donaldson is the senior automotive technology correspondent for The Australian Tech Herald. He has covered the automotive industry for 17 years and holds advanced certifications in automotive engineering and digital systems integration.
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