Since its launch last year the GAC GS3 Emzoom has always stood out in the looks department. The Emzoom is GAC’s hottest seller, and according to GAC Brand Head, Franz Decloedt. It comprises 70 percent of the brand’s sales ever since the model’s launch. The top-tier R-Style variant meanwhile, fills up 40 percent of all Emzoom sales. And that’s really no surprise, considering just how good-looking the car is.
To give us some seat time in this top-selling model, GAC organized a drive from GAC’s new Alabang dealership to our destination at My Country House Restaurant along the Tagaytay Ridge.
The drive started at GAC Alabang dealership, which is notable for being the second in the world to feature the brand’s new dealership design language. Design, whether on the car or showroom is crucial to GAC. GAC’s new design ethos celebrates geometric cuts and angles, and the new Emzoom is proof of that, together with its bigger brother, the Emkoo.
At first glance, one is sure to notice all the triangular shapes and hard cuts all over the car. Up front you’ve got DRLs where standard headlamps would be, with the latter sitting lower in the bumper. The DRLs are aggressively shaped and are a combination of triangles, all beautifully echoed by the triangular tail lights. Between the DRLs is the massive grill which makes use of vertical lines and a triangular bulge that keeps with the theme. On the top-tier R-Style variant, the front bumper is finished off with a rather sporty front chin spoiler with small canards jutting out of the side. The belt-line is kept high and the roofline low which contributes to the sleekness of the vehicle.
Over at the back, a more aggressive rear treatment is obvious in the R-Style with the rear diffuser and center mounted twin exhaust pipes. Lower variants get a milder rear with a hidden, single exhaust pipe. Special 19-inch mesh wheels on the R-Style and 18-inch directional 5-spoke wheels on the GS and GB variants all fill up the wheel-wells nicely and give justice to the car’s styling.
Inside, the Emzoom's dashboard layout is thoughtfully organized, with controls that are within easy reach and thankfully, with HVAC controls that are all tactile switches. The shifter is GAC’s short, crystal toggle, which surprisingly, is more than enough for its purpose. When in “D,” tugging the toggle down once more engages Sport Mode and vice-versa. Unlike most standard automatics, “Park” is now a push-button affair, and when pushed, automatically engages the e-brake.
The driving position is low and snug, with the windows roughly around shoulder height. However, a 6-way power adjustable drivers seat, plus tilt and telescoping tiller adjustments, allow the driver to find the optimum position. Front seating spaces are comfortable, despite the somewhat large center console, with enough headroom for six-footers all around. The only niggle I found was that the bottom-center storage space where the USB ports and the DC plug are located is hard to get to.
In terms of technology integration, the R-Style has all the modern bells and whistles you’d expect from Chinese brands, most obviously with the 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple Carplay. Unfortunately there is no Android Auto, but downloading the CarBit Link app connects Android devices to the car. The digital gauge cluster is easy enough to read and understand (albeit the UI being a bit too fancy for my taste), plus the steering wheel has fingertip controls for most features such as ADAS settings, hands-free calling and music management.
The Emzoom is powered by a 1.5-liter turbo engine, producing 177-Ps and 270-Nm of torque, paired with a 7-speed wet dual-clutch transmission. What’s great with the Emzoom is that even with the lower-spec variants, you get the same engine and transmission combo, and with the exception of the 19-inch wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport tires, all Emzoom variants ride with a sportiness that matches the car’s looks.
En route to My Country House Restaurant in Tagaytay, I drove the R-Style up Casile road (a route most cyclists know as RevPal, or Reverse Palace). This road climbs up from Canlubang all the way to Tagaytay ridge through tight barangay roads, starting from the now run-down Marcos Twin Mansions, all the way to Palace in the Sky. It is here where Sport Mode and the Emzoom’s handling shine through. Power was always on tap but with minimal drama. The only other thing I wished for at that moment were shifter paddles as sadly there is no other way to enjoy the 7-speed DCT but through the throttle pedal.
The GS3 Emzoom comes equipped with Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS), an Electric Tailgate, and a Surround View Camera System. Safety features are comprehensive, including dual front airbags, dual front side airbags, side curtain airbags, hill-start hold control, hill descent control, an electronic parking brake with auto hold, and an electronic stability program.
Decloedt said that, given the price, people see the value in the car because of the style and the look, as it's really handsome. Aside from all the features one would want in a subcompact SUV, the value that one gets at the R-Style’s price of ₱1,198,000 could amount to much more. The lowest-tier GS variant starts at ₱998,000 while the mid-tier GB comes in at ₱1,098,000.
The brand’s vigorous expansion is a perfect reflection of the Emzoom. It represents a push for something different for the Filipino buying public which is value-laden yet premium-feeling.