First Drive: GAC Emkoo Premium CKD – Five Things We Learnt

Here are five things we learnt about the upcoming, locally-assembled GAC Emkoo SUV in its entry-level Premium guise.

In case you missed it, GAC Malaysia (WTC Automotif) is slated to launch its first C-segment SUV in Malaysia, the GAC Emkoo. This upcoming SUV was first previewed more than a year ago in its fully imported (CBU) form, but we were recently invited to check out the locally-assembled (CKD) version of the Emkoo ahead of its launch.

We were specifically assigned the entry-level Premium variant of the Emkoo, which, to our surprise, comes with a pretty comprehensive package that is on par with some ‘flagship’ SUVs out there.

Without further ado, here are five things we learned after spending a brief time with the GAC Emkoo Premium CKD…

1. It’s Pretty Big!

Just like its smaller sibling, the GAC GS3 Emzoom, the Emkoo also manages to hide its rather sizable facade with its striking, mecha-inspired design.

Some key design highlights include the sharp, L-shaped LED headlights flanking its striking front grille with V-shaped inserts, flush door handles, a sharp, coupe SUV-ish roofline with a rakish rear windscreen, L-shaped LED taillights, a roof-mounted rear spoiler with an F1-style middle brake light, prominent rear bumper accents with fake tailpipes, and many more.

Not to forget, the base-spec Emkoo also rides on 19-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels with a two-tone finish, with each wheel shod in a Continental EcoContact 6 tyres measuring 235/55/R19.

Dimension-wise, the Emkoo spans 4,680 mm long, 1,901 mm wide, 1,670 mm tall, and has a 2,750 mm wheelbase. This puts it on par with other prominent C-SUVs like the Kia Sportage, the Hyundai Tucson, the GWM Haval H6 HEV, and the Honda CR-V.

Last but not least, a total of five colourways will be available for the Emkoo, including Star Lake Green, Frost White, Super Star Silver, Graphite Grey, and Asphalt Black.

2. Spacious & Well-Equipped Interior

Thanks to its large facade, the Emkoo gets a pretty sizable cabin for a C-segment SUV standard. But what really surprised us is how well-equipped this supposed ‘entry-level’ variant of the SUV is.

Up front, the Emkoo Premium gets a pretty modern front dash setup, with the crown jewel being the 10.1-inch central infotainment screen that comes with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support. The main screen is accompanied by a smaller 7-inch digital metre cluster.

Also present here are the leatherette steering wheel that houses multiple buttons for both the media and ADAS controls, plus a floating central console with a 50-watt ventilated wireless charger and the gear switch, while the two front seats are powered, but only the driver side is ventilated.

Space is abundant at the back, where rear passengers get plenty of legroom and headroom, as well as basic amenities like two A/C vents and one USB-A charging port. With its flat flooring, the Emkoo can harbour three passengers at the rear in a relatively comfortable manner too.

Boot space is more than decent, with the standard cargo space measuring 638 litres and able to be expanded to 1,586 litres once the rear seats are folded. Not to forget, the Emkoo also comes with a space-saver spare tyre for better convenience.

3. The Turbo Engine is Quite Peppy, But…

Powering the Emkoo is a 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbocharged petrol engine that outputs 177 PS and 270 Nm, with all the power sent to the front wheels (FWD) via a 7-speed wet DCT gearbox. GAC claims a century sprint time of 8.8 seconds for this C-SUV and an impressively low fuel consumption rate of 6.6 litres per 100 km.

During our short drive stint, we find the 1.5 TGDi engine has enough grunt and beans to propel this sizable SUV in a relatively smooth and effortless manner. We also find the throttle to be quite ‘eager’ and receptive, even in both Eco and Comfort driving modes.

Handling-wise, there’s not much to complain about with the Emkoo, nor is it noteworthy. Steering can feel quite light and lifeless in Eco and Comfort modes, but things feel lively and more solid once you put it in Sport mode.

Our only complaint for the Emkoo is its subpar noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) suppression. Once you get closer to highway driving speeds, the tyre roars and wind noises get more prevalent and noticeable, despite the fact it rolls on premium Continental tyres.

But the good thing is that the Emkoo does feel a bit more ‘settled’ compared to its smaller sibling, with ride and comfort level being quite decent throughout our short stint inside it.

4. Near-Full ADAS Package, Even for the Entry-Level Variant

Another thing that took us by surprise is that even in its entry-level form, the GAC Emkoo is brimming with both passive and active safety features.

With the exception of the Fusion Automatic Parking Assist (FAPA), the Emkoo Premium gets all the ADAS functions featured in the top-spec Premium Pro model. This includes automatic emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control (ACC), blind spot detection (BSD), lane keep assist (LKA), lane departure warning (LDW), door open warning (DOW), forward collision warning (FCW), rear cross-traffic alert (RCTA), and many more.

While we didn’t have time (and also were fortunate) to test out all these ADAS functions, we still think it is good to see automakers offering full safety functions even for their base-spec model.

5. Potentially One of the Most Affordable C-SUVs on the Market

With a tentative price tag of RM120,000, the entry-level GAC Emkoo Premium could be one of the most affordable C-segment SUVs on sale in our market, once it debuts in the near future, that is.

This affordable price tag is made possible by the quick CKD effort taken by WTC Automotif, and the fact that the model we’ve tested briefly is the final CKD spec car shows that its local assembly work is already up and running as we speak.

Sure, we can’t be sure whether the final price will be above or even lower than the tentative price given. But with the GAC Emkoo coming soon, Malaysian buyers seeking C-SUVs are now spoiled with more affordable choices than ever before.