New GAC Emzoom coming to South Africa – What to expect

GAC Motors recently announced its intention to enter the South African market before the end of 2024.

GAC – short for Go And Change – is one of China’s top five automakers with over 2.5 million vehicles sold to date, and it boasts operations on five continents.

It currently has 12 models in its global catalogue covering the sedan, SUV, and MPV segments; and it confirmed that at least three of these will be coming to our roads including the Emkoo, Emzoom, and Aion Y.

Perhaps the most intriguing of these is the Emzoom, the brand’s entry-level crossover which has popular rides such as the Haval Jolion and Chery Tiggo 4 Pro in its crosshairs.

The Emzoom is scheduled to touch down in South Africa before the end of the year, promising lots to look forward to.

What to expect

In Asian and African markets, GAC’s most affordable crossover will be available in at least two trim levels both fitted with the same powertrain.

Buyers of either the Emzoom Standard or Emzoom R-Style can expect all-round LED lighting, a 10.25-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 7-inch digital driver’s cockpit, leather upholstery, an electric driver’s seat, a panoramic sunroof, 360-degree cameras, cruise control, rear parking sensors, and hill-start assist.

The R-Style derivative additionally comes with a unique front bumper design, colourful exterior accents, centre-mounted dual exhaust pipes, and distinctive 19-inch alloy wheels – as opposed to the 18-inch rims and tamer body kit on the Standard model.

The crossover comes in at 4,410mm long, 1,850mm wide, and 1,600mm tall making it slightly shorter, but both wider and taller than Haval’s Jolion.

Boot space is measured at 341 litres, expanding to 1,271 litres when the rear seats are folded flat.

The entire Emzoom range sports a turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine generating 130kW and 270Nm partnered with a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission.

This setup enables the crossover to sprint from 0-100km/h in 7.5 seconds while combined fuel usage is pegged at 5.9l/100km.

An optional MegaWave Performance package will also be available bringing a Sport Race-Track drive mode.

GAC Emzoom