Strong design features mark SUV from new marque in South African market.
Initially sceptical about a Chinese car that I didn’t know much about, I was pleasantly surprised, as the GAC Emkoo impresses on almost every level. To begin with, it has striking looks, with the exterior design being a head-turning conversation starter.
So many people came over to ask, “What car is this?” The GAC is all about bold angles, which gives it a commanding presence on the road. It appears sleek and robust without looking chunky or squared off and is definitely designed to stand out.
The interior has a Sino-inspired design. Read ‘bling’ but not too in your face. A touch of super-shiny chrome and a sparkly crystal gear selector stand out against a sleek dark grey console. Colour-changing LED lights line the cab on start-up and can even be programmed to change and pulse in time to your music. And yet, the flamboyance works. The cab does not look cheap or plasticky and is well-designed, with plenty of storage space and easy access to USB ports, a wireless charging pad, and coffee cup holders. And the front, back and boot are all very spacious.
The Emkoo has a 1.5l, 4-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine, putting out 138kW. It sports a 50l tank and a claimed fuel consumption of under 6l/100km. This was easily achievable while driving in Eco mode on the open road. It was slightly higher, though, at about 7l/100km, in the madness of city traffic.
Fun and control
The drive quality of this vehicle is exceptionally smooth and the noise-cancelling technology works well, leaving the cabin peacefully devoid of road noise. The funky interior and exterior door handles (the outer handles are invisible when driving) are interesting and fun. The front seats are heated and ventilated, and it’s likely that, once you’ve discovered this cooling option, you’ll use it all the time.
There are also plenty of safety features, and the car will not move in drive or reverse if the driver’s seatbelt is not on. It’s a bit control freaky but in a good way – though it is slightly annoying when you just want to move the car in your driveway.
With all of these bells, whistles, and tech, this high-end SUV still comes at an affordable price, plus a new lifetime engine warranty (if you are the car’s first owner). The warranty is also subject to reasonable conditions like the car being serviced at a registered GAC dealer and not being used as a taxi or for motorsport. Fair enough!
Is there a downside to this vehicle? Let’s nitpick. When parked in the sun, the cab is a heat magnet, and the interior becomes incredibly hot very quickly. This could be remedied by some sort of sun screen or perhaps a stronger tint on the windows. That said, the air conditioning is powerful and controls the internal temperature to a manageable level in under a minute.
Some of the few other complaints are that the blind spot indicators on the mirrors do not always work, which is a pity, as this is a game-changing safety feature for many drivers – and the touch screen menu is not as intuitive as other cars. But once you get it figured out, everything you need is there.
In all, this car is fantastic to drive, good-looking and competitively priced. While new to the South African market, the brand appears committed to establishing itself here. GAC, by the way, stands for Guangzhou Automobile Group Co Ltd.
Text and photography | Di Brown
For more information, go to gacmotorza.co.za
