REVIEW: GAC GS3 Emzoom – B-SUV 1.5L turbo priced from RM119k OTR in Malaysia; We try it in China
The The official arrival of GAC Motor in Malaysia brought the GAC GS3 B-segment SUV with it in 2021, although three years have passed since its successor, the second generation GAC GS3 Emzoom entered the Malaysian market, already in production available for booking in Malaysia in January, priced under RM130,000 and offered in two variants – Exclusive and Premium-R.
Emzoom GAC GS3 2024 has been Officially launched in Malaysia In these two variants, prices range from RM 118,900 for the Exclusive version, up to RM 128,900 for the Premium-R version.
As a B-segment SUV, the GS3 Emzoom is a new model entering a fiercely competitive segment in Malaysia with the likes of Chery Omoda 5, Honda HR-V And Proton X50These are some of the formidable competitors that the GS3 Emzoom faces.
Before doing so, vehicle importer and distributor GAC Warisan Tan Chong Automotif (WTCA) invited the publication to Guangzhou, China to taste the B-segment SUV as a test before the GS3 Emzoom reaches its shores. Malaysian sea. How did the B-class crossover segment perform in brief overseas sampling?
Firstly, the exterior of the GS3 Emzoom is immediately apparent as a completely redesigned model compared to its predecessor, where the use of straight lines and sharp creases is more evident than the the new car visually signifies the generational change.
To these eyes, it’s a striking aesthetic, with the GS3 Emzoom’s headlights and taillights, exterior mirrors, and front and rear bumper styling especially providing distinct visual cues. giving the company’s B-segment crossover a unique identity.
The same goes for wheels, their design also has sharp corners and straight lines. Sporting an R-Style look in the brand’s native China market (Premium-R was revealed for Malaysia), this variant offers a sportier look thanks to front bumper extensions and a kit-like setup. diffuser on the rear bumper, with contrasting orange accents.
The interior of the latest GS3 Emzoom also represents a significant change in styling, with the infotainment and covered analog gauges of its predecessor being inherited in the new model by a A set of digital displays for the drive unit as well as infotainment, both located on the dashboard. fascia more openly.
While the center console and infotainment screen are slightly tilted towards the driver, the dashboard gives a more spacious, open feel instead of the narrow, enclosed feeling despite the central dashboard. The center is placed relatively high, providing an extra space for small details on the vehicle. floor below the transmission selector and pair of cupholders.
From the driver’s seat, the three-spoke multifunction steering wheel has a sporty look and just the right feel, with the implied sportiness once again emerging in details including perforated leather on the left area and right side of the wheel rim. .
Before turning the steering wheel in the left-hand driver example, sitting still in the GS3 Emzoom’s driver’s seat provides touch points of a perceived quality that seems on par for the class, with leather, sturdy metal trim The bumpers and touch panels are soft where they’re immediately visible, and the plastics feel harder in more concealed areas of the cabin.
A brief sampling of the infotainment menus of the local Chinese market units on offer revealed sufficiently clear feedback and a clear display.
Our driving time with the GS3 Emzoom in Guangzhou, China was organized within the confines of a temporary route that included acceleration and braking zones on straights, on-ramps and figure-eight sections, providing information Brief, if limited, hands-on information about the brand’s latest B-segment SUV.
Kicking off our drive time on the GS3 Emzoom with a straight-line acceleration and braking test segment that summons the 177kW/270Nm 1.5-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder petrol engine , the reaction is strong enough. Its exhaust note is as expected for the commonly used configuration, although much softer than the car’s appearance one would initially expect.
Although no timed runs were carried out, the claimed result of 7.5 seconds in the 0-100 km/h sprint is credible. Acting as a link to the driving front wheels, the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic is one that leans more towards the comfort side of this type of transmission, as there are faster-shifting dual-clutch examples on the market. market.
Taking on the downhill and figure-eight sections of the test course, the GS3 Emzoom continued to display a more relaxed demeanor than its rather extroverted exterior would lead one to believe, instead letting revealing a chassis that is more forced than attractive. a sharp driver wants to continue.
The steering is light, even for a B-segment car, and lacks any real feedback, as the steering wheel doesn’t take much load even when the front tires are heavily required when the GS3 Emzoom moves at high speeds . course limits. The setup process also seems to have relatively slow ratios, with a significant amount of wheel rotation.
The GS3 Emzoom chassis appears to be one set up for comfort, with significant lean even for a crossover, from what feels like relatively low spring rates. On the contrary, the trade-off for the very audible tire protests in the handling section is a commendable level of compliance to moderately sharp ridges as demonstrated when passing through the upper joints concrete slab in the test area. As for the main trip, more precise detection will have to be reserved for later sampling on our local roads.
As an incredibly comfortable device, the GS3 Emzoom therefore belies its overly sporty exterior. If the brand’s Malaysian-spec GS3 Emzoom continues to calibrate the chassis for the local Chinese market, this could still be nimble enough for the challenges of our local road surfaces, especially especially in the Klang Valley.
Considered separately, the GS3 Emzoom focuses on sharp styling and, as GAC claims, best-in-class engine torque output with 270 Nm on tap and while GAC’s new entrant appear physically larger than its competitors, whether present or not. Not that that advantage carries over to the interior space which will require further exploration.
Elsewhere, as an ownership proposition, the brand is being built by distributor WTCA, who are aiming to have more than 20 showrooms and service centers nationwide by the third quarter of the year. now, with 15 domestic agents to date. This will bode well for the brand as it is relatively young in the Malaysian market.
2024 GAC GS3 Emzoom Premium R in Malaysia
2024 GAC GS3 Emzoom exclusive in Malaysia
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