2024 GAC Emkoo GL – A nearly complete package

Crossovers are all the rage, with automakers left and right trying to get a piece of the very lucrative market. GAC Motor Philippines has also joined the bandwagon with its entry into the segment, the GAC Emkoo.

It faces stiff competition from established nameplates from Japanese, Korean, and American brands. Still, its feature set, power, and advanced safety features bring something unique. It begs the question, what makes it special, and what defining features make it stand out?

EV Styling

For starters, we look at its styling.  One of the common questions I got asked when I had the Emkoo was if it was an electric vehicle (EV), and it’s not hard to see why. The car’s angles make it look like a futuristic EV thanks to its sharp LED daytime running lights and signal light combination. It also helps that the Emkoo has folding door handles that give it a more streamlined shape with its side profile. It also helps that the Emkoo has massive 19-inch wheels that fill the wheel wells nicely, thanks to 235/55 series tires.

The angular design also carries over the crossover’s rear with its massive sloping tailgate and thin LED taillights. One of the drawbacks of the massive tailgate is its weight; in the lower variant, it doesn’t receive a power function to lift on its own. However, this top-spec GL variant is thankfully powered, which makes getting cargo in and out of the crossover a breeze. 

As for its rear styling, the angular design language carries over from the front, giving the crossover a boxy appearance at the back. GAC has also given the Emkoo a sporty touch with its silver diffuser and faux exhausts integrated into the bumper. While these are just accent pieces, the rear exhaust tips are hidden under the bumper, away from prying eyes.

Futuristic Interior

Like its exterior, the cabin of the GAC Emkoo also has a unique and futuristic styling. Screens dominate the dashboard with a large 12-inch infotainment front and center. The infotainment center does have Apple CarPlay, but unfortunately, it does not come with Android Auto. As a replacement, GAC has given it Carbitlink, which has its own applications and can screen mirror your phone. While the bezel for the screen is large, it was designed that way because it houses the capacitive touch volume and fan speed controls. It takes a while to get used to these controls, especially with the temperature control switch disguised as part of the dashboard. 

The leather seats of the Emkoo are also soft and supportive and even have a ventilation function. The ventilation ramps up quickly and will feel like a cold sweat when you first turn it on with maximum settings applied. However, once your body gets used to it, it will feel like a gentle cool breeze on your back and on your butt.

Space is also great inside the Emkoo, with plenty of room for the second row, even with the first row fully pushed backward. The seating position of the second row is also great as it’s not too upright and is at the right angle to be comfortable and supportive. However, if you are after the view from the second row, well, it can be blocked by the rather tall doors of the crossover. Regardless, the doors are tall for a reason, as they help protect you in the event of a crash.

Another highlight of the Emkoo is its panoramic sunroof. However, despite the great sky view and natural lighting, it cannot be opened to let fresh air in from the top. Still, it’s a great addition to the vehicle, adding to its premium feel. 

Sufficient Power

The GAC Emkoo is not a quick car, but it is fast enough to surpass highway speeds thanks to its 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine, which produces 177 horsepower and 270 Nm of torque. It does come with a wet 7-speed DCT, which handles the power delivery well and gives it a smooth driving experience. 

However, it does have one weakness when it comes to traffic. Unlike conventional automatic vehicles, the DCT in the Emkoo takes a while to engage, but it won’t let the car slide as long as no throttle input is detected, making its clutches disengage. The best way around this problem is to let the transmission do its thing and crawl through traffic on its own instead of applying gas to make it move forward. Once the clutch engages, you can apply the gas for a smooth accelerating experience.

Despite this flaw, the Emkoo has decent fuel economy figures even with its large angular body that it has to lug around. The GAC crossover delivered around 7 to 11 km/l in the city’s heavy to light traffic conditions. On the highway, it was a different story as it was able to push out 12 to 16km/l while on the highway. These are decent numbers but lower than what is seen in the GAC Empow and GAC GS3.

Excellent Ride Quality

One of the things we liked about the Emkoo was its excellent ride quality. Its suspension kept most of the bumps and road imperfections at bay. The truck lane of C5 didn’t feel harsh or uncomfortable, as the combination of the crossover’s springs and dampers made everything smooth. When you drive the Emkoo, you can feel the suspension doing its work, giving you as comfortable a ride as possible.

However, that smoothness does come at a cost when it comes to handling. The Emkoo is not a sports car, but if you want to take it on a spirited driver, prepare to account for the car’s weight and a bit of wallowing in corners. As no paddle shifters are available, keeping the engine within its power band is hard, as the DCT will occasionally shift up even if you don’t want it to. You will just have to trust in the programming of the transmission. Regardless, if you drive the crossover normally, it will deliver crisp and quick shifts.

A quirk in its design 

One quirk in the futuristic design of the GAC Emkoo is the position of the push start and hazard light buttons. These are placed too close to one another and are the same shape and size. If you accidentally press the push start button instead of the hazard light switch, your car will turn off. What’s more worrisome is that it can also happen at speeds below 10kph. However, at higher speeds, the car won’t turn off. 

When the car does turn off, it slams the transmission into park, bringing you to an abrupt stop, unlike in other vehicles that shift the transmission into neutral and then into park once the car comes to a halt. You will always have to be mindful of what button you are about to press if you are reaching for the hazard light switch.

Conclusion

The GAC Emkoo GL is competitively priced at Php 1,498,000. This puts it right in competition with the likes of the Ford Territory and Honda HR-V. However, unlike its American and Japanese rivals, the Emkoo gives you more futuristic styling and roughly the same features and power for much less.

It may have its quirks, but the crossover is well-built and delivers a comfortable ride, one of the many highlights of the Emkoo. While it may take some time to get used to its interface and climate controls, it becomes second nature fairly quickly once you get used to it and where everything is placed. 

The transmission delivers quick shifts for its power delivery, but unfortunately, you don’t have manual control over it as there are no paddle shifters available for the crossover. Despite this, the transmission tuning is decent for daily driving. Still, you will occasionally experience rolling back on steep hills if you don’t let the DCT do its thing and don’t apply enough throttle before the clutch engages.

Overall, the GAC Emkoo is a nearly complete package that will give its rivals a run for their money. Thanks to its great feature set, it checks all the right boxes for its price point, but its only letdown is its push start and hazard switch design, which can lead to unwanted shutdowns. Still, you get a lot of car for what you pay for, even if you go for its lower variant, which is already rich in features as it is.