Disclaimer, GAC Philippines lent us the GAC Emkoo GE with a full gas tank for 15 days with access to its two RFID cards.

The GAC Philippines debuted the 2023 GAC Emkoo at the 2023 Manila International Auto Show. It's part of the brand’s growing crossover portfolio in the Philippines as it seeks to take a bigger piece out of the local market with Astara Philippines backing it up.

The new Emkoo brought futuristic styling to the motor show, turbocharged power, and many new features to attract the car-buying public. But the question is, is it worth it, especially as it goes head-to-head against the Ford Territory?

Also Read: Price Drop!: 2023 GAC Emkoo now starts at ₱1.298M

EV-like styling

One thing that sets the GAC Emkoo apart from the rest of its competition is its futuristic styling. The crossover has just the right amount of aggression, curves, and creases, making it look like an electric vehicle.

It can be partly attributed to its unique set of alloy wheels with a spoke design that you’d think came from a Tesla. 

Because of its wheels, I've had many people come up to me and ask if it is indeed an EV. To their surprise, I had to tell them it was gasoline-powered and came with a 1.5-liter turbo motor under the hood.

All things considered, it's a unique addition to the Philippine roads, and it stands out, especially with its LED headlights and angular LED taillights. 

Quirky interior

The interior of the GAC Emkoo is different, and I mean this in the best possible way. Its dashboard is simple yet effective but carries this theme of cylinders and switches. It looks good and is well executed, even in the entry-level GE model that doesn’t have all the fancy equipment in the top-spec model.

Despite its entry-level positioning, the crossover has leather seats that are comfortable and premium. To add to its premium feel, GAC has even added seat ventilation for the front passengers, allowing them to cool down in a hot cabin quickly.

While I appreciate the feature, I have yet to encounter a car brand that can fine-tune it to where you don’t feel like your back has a cold sweat and your thighs are wet. However, I must note that the feeling disappears once the temperature stabilizes. There is a learning curve to get used to, especially if you immediately set it to the highest setting. 

Something unique about the Emkoo is its door handles; while the exterior ones flip out when you open the car, the interior ones are like big switches you must pull to open the door. One common feedback I got with the interior is that it wasn’t second nature and that they found it difficult to get out of the car because of the door handle design.

Space inside the Emkoo is great as plenty of headroom and legroom are available in the back of the vehicle. We have to note that the car’s greenhouse is a bit small as the door sidings are large to give added safety to the passengers inside. It's a nitpick, but larger windows would give the crossover an extra feel of spaciousness.

However, it's a unique spin on its segment's humdrum interiors of other crossovers. It adds a youthful kick, which can be a great conversation starter piece for your passengers.

Touchscreen-based tech

The GAC Emkoo has a 10.1-inch infotainment system to manage most vehicle controls. If you must change the fan speed, utilize the capacitive buttons around the bezels. It's a hassle as the plastic used is a fingerprint magnet, making cleaning difficult. 

However, we do have to note that changing the temperature is easier as there is a switch next to the right center air vent, but it needs to be clearly labeled. 

Aside from this, more menu juggling is required to do other things, such as changing the driving mode where a dial or a button would have been more accessible.  I understand that GAC was going for a clean look for the interior of the Emkoo, but it becomes a hassle to do just basic things that buttons would otherwise do far more quickly.

It's one concerning flaw

One concerning flaw of the GAC Emkoo is positioning the push start button near the hazard lights button. They are close to one another and the same size and shape. It means that more likely than not, you will accidentally hit the push-start button instead of the hazard switch. We don’t typically mention these things in reviews as the push start button is usually far from the hazard switch, but this is a particular case. 

It means that there will be times when you will accidentally shut off the car. It happened to me when I was parking the Emkoo at a mall. 

We found that under speeds of 5km/h, the push start button will completely stop the car without warning. However, if you are traveling at speeds above it, then the vehicle will not turn off and continue to operate as usual and won’t throw any warnings your way.

It's great that if you have a rowdy passenger, such as a child, who accidentally pushes the button, you won’t suddenly stop if they press it at higher speeds, but at lower speeds, the sudden stop can lead to accidents. GAC will need to address this issue for the next iteration of the Emkoo, as it can be a potential hazard.

Relocating the push start button to the dashboard would be the ideal solution. The automaker could also change the shape of the hazard button to something that quickly tells it apart by feel. 

Excellent power and decent handling

Under the hood, the GAC Emkoo has a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine that produces 177 horsepower and 270 Nm of torque. It is mated to a 7-speed wet dual-clutch transmission that sends power exclusively to the front wheels.

While its power figures on paper seem on point, driving the vehicle reveals that it struggles a bit with acceleration. The 1.5-liter motor is ideal for other vehicles, such as the Empow and the GS3, which are lighter, but in the Emkoo, it feels a little underpowered for a bigger and heavier car. 

Having paddles to help you maximize the engine power would have been an excellent addition to the crossover, but unfortunately, it's unavailable. It comes with driving modes that allow you to change the steering feel and throttle mapping, but it still doesn’t beat having manual engine control.

The weight difference becomes apparent when you look at its fuel economy figures, as the Emkoo is a bit thirsty. It can do around 7 to 9 km/l in the city and 12 to 16 km/l on the highway. These figures are decent but less impressive than the ones we got with the Empow, which proved to be more frugal.

Fuel economy aside, the Emkoo handles well. The suspension is soft and comfortable, which is excellent if navigating the pothole-ridden streets of Quezon City. However, it does take away from its handling characteristics as the crossover tends to wallow in corners and has noticeable body roll.

However, considering how the crossover will be used as a daily driver, it is understandable as comfort has been prioritized.

Verdict

Priced at ₱1,298,000, the GAC Emkoo GE squares off against the likes of the entry-level Ford Territory and the likes of the Honda CR-V gasoline. 

It offers the same tech as its American rival and has adaptive cruise control with lane keep assist. However, the lane keep assist needs some refinement as it turns off and on intermittently at awkward times. Using the adaptive cruise control isn’t a problem as the car will even accurately display the distance between you and the vehicle in front in meters.

Interior quality is on point and is what you would expect from the segment, with plenty of interior space to spare for five passengers. Luggage space is also commendable, with room in the trunk for a full-sized wheelchair or two balikbayan boxes.

All things considered, the GAC Emkoo GE is priced right and is well equipped for its price point despite its one concerning flaw. You just have to take a mental note of where the hazard switch is and where the push start button is located to avoid any unwanted sudden stops.