It was just last month when Sojitz G Auto Philippines (SGAP fielded the Geely Emgrand in the local passenger car arena, with a goal to corner a good portion of the category's vehicle sales.
Generations apart, SGAP revived the badge in the Philippines after its predecessor first introduced it at a time when China-made vehicles had to endure the negative stigma against them.
In its home country, the Geely Emgrand already reached cumulative sales of more than 3.38 million units until last year, making it a consistent best-seller for nine straight years.
But the question still remains, is the local revival of the Geely Emgrand worth it? Here is what customers can expect with the top-variant, the Emgrand Premium.
The 4,638mm-long and 1,822mm-wide body of the Geely Emgrand Premium would get one thinking that it is competing with the Toyota Altis or the Mazda3.
Probably the biggest among the subcompact sedan market, the Geely Emgrand Premium offers space —a lot of it. The 2,650mm-wheelbase provides sufficient leg for big and tall passengers, whether they chose to seat in the front or rear.
It also has deep trunk space that can accommodate up to 500 liters of load.
Unlike many mass-market subcompact sedans, the Emgrand Premium veered away from that athletic look and went all-out towards elegance.
The looks are very European, taking cues from the aesthetics found in a Volvo (which is Geely's sister company) vehicle. The energy pulse grille design, well-chiseled body lines and 17-inch double five-spoke alloy wheels blended perfectly — making it a sure standout among its rivals.
The interior of the Geely Emgrand does not spell cheap too.
The white and blue leather touches on the seats, door panels and dashboard harmonized with most of the body color options (proud teal, gray, dark blue, white, and probably, gold) except for red. Asked if they are going to bring more interior color combinations for the cabin, the local distributor admitted that there are no plans as of the moment.
Rear passengers get a fair share of aircon vents too, to guarantee every occupant's comfortable driving experience.
As mentioned earlier, Geely deviated away from the competition with the Emgrand and its powertrain performance reflected it as well.
Despite delivering ample power, the 1.5-liter inline-four, 16-valve engine matched to continuous variable transmission with eight-speed Tiptronic was more inclined in providing a smoother drive.
On paper, the car can churn 102 horses and 142Nm of torque. However, the car showed enough power to climb steep uphills experienced in Tagaytay Highlands.
Tech-wise, the vehicle is not short on features.
It has an eight-inch infotainment system that can utilize wireless screen mirroring function using EasyConnection (no Android Auto and Apple Carplay) with six speakers, the "intelligent interactive" air-conditioning system and a neat sunroof.
The driver seats of the Geely Emgrand Premium can be adjusted six ways electronically while the front passenger can move its chair manually four ways.
It only has two USB ports (front and back) but if one needs more power outlet, there is still a 12-volt socket within reach.
During the day-long drive, the author was able to use other safety features such as the anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, traction and stability control, tire pressure monitoring system and most especially, the hill start assist.
The pegging of the retail price for the Geely Emgrand Premium gave the shock that we are supposed to feel upon its arrival. The retail price of P908,000 was considerably dirt cheap compared to what it offers to the market.
Throw in a good service, aftersales package and a proper marketing program, the Geely Emgrand is on its way to enjoy the same amount of attention that its crossover sibling Coolray has.
Photos from Ruben D. Manahan IV
Also read:
Geely looks to bring in new model in Q2
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