After eight months of anticipation, Chinese manufacturer GAC Motors has finally opened its doors in South Africa.
For those unaware, GAC is a subsidiary of Chinese state-owned Guangzhou Automobile Group and initially announced its intention to enter the local market in January 2024 through a partnership with Portuguese distributor Salvador Caetano.
The Asian brand has a long history in the automotive world, first starting out as a bus manufacturer in 1946, and transitioning into passenger vehicles in 1997.
GAC went from strength to strength since its establishment as a carmaker and forged working relationships with some of the biggest names in the game.
It currently produces vehicles in conjunction with BYD, Honda, and Toyota, and it used to work with Fiat-Chrysler, Isuzu, Mitsubishi, and Peugeot.
Today, GAC is the fifth-largest automotive retailer in China and has a presence in over 39 countries across Africa, America, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
In 2023, it sold in excess of 2.5 million vehicles to the tune of R490 billion in revenue.
GAC aims to have around 20 dealerships established in South Africa before the end of 2024, with its footprint expected to double over the next few years as it proves itself as a “trustworthy mid-to-high-end Chinese auto brand,” it said.
Zooming onto the scene
With such an impressive resume to its name, you’d expect that GAC’s first product for our market – the GS3 Emzoom – would be an impressive machine, and I’m glad to report it’s not far off at all.
The Emzoom is a mid-range crossover intended to compete with the likes of the Haval Jolion, Omoda C5, and Toyota Corolla Cross.
Inspired by the shape of a diamond, I found the design of the newcomer to be rather out there but not offensive; it certainly turned a few heads on our two-hour journey around Gauteng, especially in the flashy R-Style specification.
The flagship model is privy to a selection of cosmetic upgrades that lend it a more aggressive aesthetic, including sportier bumpers, a roof spoiler, orange highlights, and a rather exuberant exhaust system.
What struck me is that the crossover is also bigger in the metal than it appears on a screen. Standing 4,446mm long, 1,850mm wide, and 1,600mm tall in R-Style guise, it sits about in the middle of its above-mentioned rivals.
Pulling on the sleek, retractable door handles opens up to a cabin that is well-appointed and spacious to boot.
Visibility is excellent out of the driver’s seat allowing you to easily navigate the angular GAC through tight spaces, and the buttons and controls offer a reassuring resistance instead of feeling hollow and plasticky.
The 10.25-inch touchscreen in the centre – which is standard on all specifications – is uncluttered and easy to navigate, and it provides access to wireless Apple CarPlay as well as Carbitlink smartphone mirroring apps.
GAC said that Android Auto is unavailable at the moment due to licensing issues, but it should become a standard feature within the next 12 months once all the paperwork is sorted out.
In the meantime, customers can purchase an aftermarket device directly from dealers that plugs into the USB port and provides Android Auto.
Attention to detail in the Emzoom, such as the contemporary faux-leather inserts on the dash and doors, the two-tone leather seats, the crystal gear lever, aero-style aircon vents, and a phone-holder mount built into the front fascia, is rare to find at this price range.
Another standout feature is that its rear bench can fold completely flat to create a 1,271-litre stowage compartment.
What’s unique about this is that the automaker will be selling a specially made inflatable mattress as an optional extra that perfectly fits this cavity, and the headrests can be flipped to function as pillows, thus enabling owners to use their crossover as a tent.
Under the hood of the Asiatic crossover, you’ll find a 1.5-litre, turbocharged petrol mill good for a respectable 130kW and 270Nm.
The drive unit helps the GAC pick up speed relatively quickly on the open road with a 0-100km/h time of eight seconds flat on the cards, providing punchy low and mid-rev performance.
Power is relayed to the front wheels only with a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission that is occasionally a bit sluggish to react when the urge hits to exhume your inner racing driver, but you should have no problems with it during your everyday travels in traffic.
What was impressive was the Emzoom’s desire for petrol. Chinese cars have earned a reputation of sorts that they are generally not as frugal as their European rivals.
However, the GAC did better than its compatriots we’ve driven before, reporting a reading of 8.7l/100km after our two-hour jaunt – not bad considering we didn’t coddle the throttle and it was a fresh-off-the-boat engine with a grand total of 600km on the odometer.
The official consumption figure provided by the manufacturer is 6.2l/100km, which it should get closer to once it’s properly run in.
Verdict
The overall package that is the GS3 Emzoom is one of the better ones we’ve seen come out of China in recent times.
Granted we drove the top-spec model with all the bells and whistles, but when considering the fundamentals such as its build quality, performance, and finishes, the crossover is a commendable product.
GAC has big ambitions for the domestic market including the introduction of two new vehicles within the next year.
If the Emzoom is but its most affordable offering, we are excited to see what it brings to the table next.
The crossover is now available in three flavours from a starting price of R469,900, which includes a 5-year/150,000km warranty and a 5-year/60,000km service plan.
GAC GS3 Emzoom
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