The GAC GS8 AWD is an SUV that ticks all the right boxes

GAC Motor Philippines has been doing quite well ever since its local distributorship was taken over by Astara, a global mobility company, earlier this year. They even recently achieved their 1,000-unit sales milestone under the new company, led by its flagship GS8 midsize SUV.

We’ve already reviewed the GAC GS8 in its 2WD guise, but the Chinese automaker recently introduced its 4WD version thanks to customer demand. This time around, we once again got the chance to experience the model, including its new variant with a media drive.

For this drive, we met up at the brand’s flagship dealership along Ortigas Avenue in Pasig City, just outside Ortigas Center. From there, we were to drive to Cielo Alto Place in Tanay, Rizal through congested city streets and the infamous Marilaque Highway’s winding twisty roads, with a couple of stops along the way.

WATCH: 2023 GAC GS8 2.0 GT | Car Review

After a quick briefing, we were greeted outside the dealership by a fleet of both the GAC GS8 2WD and 4WD. We were assigned to Car No. 3, a GS8 4WD painted in silver, matched with an Ivory interior. We’ll talk about its looks and features later.

Also joining the drive as the lead car was another GS8 4WD fitted with various accessories from Thule, a Swedish vehicle accessory company. Installed were the Thule WingBar Evo Roof Rack which is priced starting at Php 22,500 depending on the car model, and a Thule Vector Roof Box which is priced at Php 125,000. 

Also installed is a Thule T2 Pro XTR Hitch Bike Rack which can accommodate two to four bicycles. This one is priced at Php 49,500. Of course, what’s a bike rack for if there are no bikes? Also present were two bicycles from Specialized. These are the Specialized Epic Expert (white) which can be purchased for Php 423,795, and the Specialized Epic Evo Comp (dark blue) which is priced at Php 325,995.

City Driving

I took passenger duties for this first part of the drive as I have already driven the GS8 2WD before. Once we got moving, the GAC GS8 instantly gave us the feel that we were not in just any SUV with its luxury car levels of comfort.

The ride was extremely smooth with the suspension excellently soaking up the large bumps and imperfections of C5’s infamous truck lane. It also did a great job of isolating outside noises such as road noise. We were kinda stuck in heavy traffic but I did not mind at all as I was extremely comfortable. Add the very supportive and comfy seats in both the front and rear parts of the cabin which I was able to try.

After escaping the congested roads of the Metro, we made a quick restroom break at Shell Boso Boso, a popular stop in the outskirts of Antipolo City, Rizal. Here I took over driving duties as I wanted to try out the GS8 4WD on the twisty mountain roads of Tanay and boy did it prove itself very well.

Fun To Drive 

Like the 2WD variant, the GS8 4WD is still powered by a 2.0-liter Inline 4-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine that produces 240 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque, mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission made by Aisin, and boy that did not disappoint.

Power delivery is great with largely no delays in normal driving. This is why I still prefer traditional torque converter automatic transmissions rather than dual-clutch transmissions that many Chinese automakers use in their products nowadays. Overtaking power is more than adequate but you will have to plan them sometimes as pushing the vehicle harder does tend to show its weakness. There is just a slight delay in downshifting which I can still forgive. It does however give quite the exhaust note which I won’t get tired of hearing at all.

Where the GS8 4WD shines is its handling. GAC Motor offers selectable steering drive modes depending on what we want. In this case we chose Sport steering mode which adds a bit of weight to the steering. This allows us to get more feedback from the electronic power steering system, therefore giving us more confidence to take on the twisties. Not once did we experience any under or oversteering as the steering was tuned very well.

In addition, the GS8 4WD is excellent when it comes to body control with a very planted feel and barely any body roll considering that this is a larger SUV. Matched with the very good steering, this SUV surprisingly can become much like a sports car. We were surely taking corners much faster than we would in the usual pickup based SUVs.

Exterior & Interior

Now let’s talk looks as the GAC GS8 definitely looks the way it performs. Its front fascia is certainly striking with its large front grille with V-shaped patterns in signature GAC fashion. The full quad-bulb LED headlights are extremely striking and give it an aggressive stance. Meanwhile, the 20-inch alloy wheels and boxier shape all add up to the upmarket and elegant look of this SUV. Overall, it really is a visually striking vehicle on the outside.

But it’s inside where everything is taken further. The dashboard is very modern with its large center screen at 14.6-inches, and looks very sleek thanks to the use of straight lines. It’s also undoubtedly upmarket with the use of soft touch materials and premium-feeling leather, as well as the color scheme in our assigned unit. Again, it gets a two-tone black with ivory scheme which just really screams luxury. Everything is laid out pretty well inside the cabin and everything is easy to use, including the electronic gear selector.

 The only gripe I had here was its lack of Apple CarPlay connectivity and its slow charging USB ports. The GAC team was showcasing the phone mirroring feature but it’s still nowhere as practical as Apple CarPlay. Also, it’s weird that you cannot get that feature on the GS8 as all other models in the lineup, and even the previous generation, had it as standard. 

Well you can’t have it all right?

GS8, Barbeque, Coffee 

After that extremely fun yet comfortable drive, we arrived at our first main stop, Isaw Haus in Tanay. Here we were treated to some amazing views while munching on the usual Filipino favorites. Isaw was served of course but this is something I’ve already told myself to never try. We were also served pork barbeque which I can say is already one of my favorites among those I’ve tried.

Anyway, not long after, we realized that we were too early to check-in at our accommodation for the day, so the guys at GAC Motor PH decided to make another stop at the nearby Palpitate Coffee and wow, their branch in Tanay is just amazing in terms of how the modern architecture blends with the surrounding area, plus the vibe of the place was extremely relaxed. 

Not long after, we finally made our way to Cielo Alto Place for some rest and relaxation.

Cielo Alto Place

A few minutes later, we arrived at our accommodation for the night, Cielo Alto Place. The moment we got the keys to our individual glamping tents, we were greeted by breathtaking views of the surrounding mountain ranges, but that’s not the only surprise here.

Once I got inside my room, I discovered that it wasn’t airconditioned and there were several insects around. We also had to deal with shared bathrooms. Not my cup of tea but we were thankfully able to make it work. The views more than made up for it anyway.

We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening chilling outside our rooms, talking about the latest news in the industry as well as our plans individually for the future. We also tried to get information on the brand and distributor’s plans for the future but they really are good at keeping secrets. Not only were we able to work, we were also able to relax. And by the time the sun was up the next morning, the view was extra amazing!

The Best At Its Price?

The GAC GS8 has proven once again that it might just be the most compelling option that you can currently buy at its price point. With luxury car levels of comfort, performance that is everything but disappointing, you have here one vehicle that is worth not even just considering, but purchasing.

At its price starting at Php 2.398-million for the 2WD variant, and Php 2,648,000 for the 4WD, it can compete not only with the Ford Explorer and Mazda CX-9 in terms of size and segment, but also with pickup-based SUVs like the ever-popular Toyota Fortuner, Isuzu mu-X and Nissan Terra, among others. With these SUVs staying on the road 99% of the time, the GAC GS8 is not just an alternative, but is the choice to get.