GAC Motor is planning for a grand reintroduction into Malaysia next year, headlined by a RM60m local assembly (CKD) plant that will mark the company’s first CKD operations in the region. The GAC GS3 Emzoom has already been previously confirmed for local production, but during our recent trip to the company’s headquarters in Guangzhou, GAC’s local distributor WTC Automotif (WTCA) also revealed that its elder sibling, the GAC Emkoo, will also similarly be introduced in Malaysia in the near future.
While the company stopped short of confirming its CKD plans for the Emkoo, it wasn’t too hard to put two and two together, as there was a right-hand-drive version of the car parked on display at the test drive area during our trip – Malaysia is the brand’s first foray into right-hand drive local assembly.
So then, what do you have to know about the GAC Emkoo? For starters, it’s a C-segment SUV that will rival against the likes of the Proton X70, Mazda CX-5, and Honda CR-V. The Emkoo is built on the GPMA (GAC Global Platform Modular Architecture) platform that also underpins the GAC GS3 Emzoom.
In terms of dimensions, it’s one of the largest in its segment, measuring 4,680 mm in length (2,750 mm wheelbase), 1,901 mm in width, and 1,670 mm in height, making it slightly shorter in both height and length than the sixth-gen Honda CR-V that has just opened its order books for Malaysia, although it does have a longer wheelbase, and also measures 35 mm wider.
As with the GS3 Emzoom, the GAC Emkoo also boasts an almost otherworldly look on the outside, characterised by its use of sharp lines and X-Wing-inspired design cues, as well as a unique front fascia consisting of the slim “Eyes of Revelation” LED headlamps and the borderless V-shaped grille.
The design is comparatively more muted in its interior, only standing out with its tubular motif on the dashboard air vents and door handles. That said, the GAC Emkoo does feel fairly premium on the inside, thanks to the minimalist dashboard design, massive panoramic sunroof, as well as a large central infotainment display that controls most of the car’s functions, as per standard in 2023.
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In China, the GAC Emkoo is offered in three distinct powertrain options, including a 1.5-litre turbocharged inline-four mill with 177 hp and 270 Nm, a turbocharged 2.0-litre inline-four making 252 hp and 499 Nm, as well as a 2.0-litre hybrid system boasting a combined output of 238 hp.
It’s unclear which of the three powertrain options will eventually make its way into Malaysia, although the Philippines market could give us a slight hint, as the SUV model is only offered solely with the 1.5T powertrain option in the archipelago.
Further details for the GAC Emkoo will obviously have to wait until the model’s launch in Malaysia, for which WTCA still have not provided any concrete timeline yet. If we have to guess, though, we’d wager that it’d probably be sometime in the second half of 2024.
As usual, keep your eyes peeled on AutoBuzz.my as we bring you the latest information. As a teaser for what’s to come, we’ll also have a first-drive experience video up on our YouTube channel – so keep a look out for that if you’re interested in the GAC Emkoo!
ALSO READ: 2023 GAC GS3 Emzoom makes global market debut in the Philippines, coming to Malaysia too!
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