For many young car enthusiast buyers, the choice for a new cars typically revolves around a few storied Japanese brands. This is because these long-time models have built up a following over the years and boast of a selection of parts and accessories for every conceivable corner of the vehicle.
These usual choices can get tiring after a while. Thankfully, those looking for something different might just find something in the GAC GS3 Emzoom R-Style.
‘Something different’ is possibly the biggest understatement for this car as it dares to distance itself from every style, performance, and tech cliché its competitors have tried.
The GAC is uniquely different thanks to its extremely angular styling. Sharp character lines are all over car, be it on the façade, profile, pillars, or rear.
Its headlights feature triangular LED daytime running lamps. It’s bold grille looks like something out of a stealth fighter. Orange highlights beautifully accent the grille, wheels, front splitter, and rear diffuser. It rides on 19-inch wheels right out the gate, shod on Michelin Pilot Sport tires exclusively for this variant.
Its styling and packaging are all ingredients you’d expect on a top-of-the-line tuner model like a Civic Type-R or GR Corolla. Yet here we find them on a small crossover from a brand like GAC.
The unique traits continue when you enter the cabin. Keep the key in your pocket and the car lights up and opens its flush door handles as you approach.
Inside the GS3 Emzoom boasts of a black and Camel Brown cabin. It’s a welcome change from the typical all-black interiors and brightens up the cabin a great deal. And that’s even before opening the sunroof. There’s a generous amount of premium materials on the door panels and dashboard. It is undoubtedly high tech but surprisingly minimalist when it comes to screens and buttons.
The driver gets a seven-inch instrument cluster and 10.25-inch touchscreen. It comes with wireless Apple CarPlay, and a wireless charging pad, paired with a six-speaker DTS audio system.
Passengers behind get their own air con vents and a USB port for charging. The seats have a drop-down center armrest, while the rear backrest can drop down for extra space.
Powering this car is a 1.5-liter four-cylinder turbo. It produces 174-horsepower and 270-Nm of torque, channeled through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. There’s even an exhaust button that opens up the tailpipe and gives the engine a more guttural sound.
Keeping it aloft are McPherson struts in front and a rear torsion beam. It may not seem like much, but paired with the Michelin Pilot Sport tires, the GS3 returns amazingly good handling. There’s more than enough ground clearance to take on most of the city’s obstacles, but it’s still low enough to give you that sporty feel.
Perhaps the cherry on the already loaded cake is the broad selection of driver assist features. These include adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera, Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Warning, High Beam Assist, a speed limiter, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, among others.
The real treat is the drive the GS3 Emzoom returns. It’s peppy, sharp, and quite enjoyable to pilot. It’s quite comfortable and astonishingly quiet for a daily car and will gladly provide that extra pep and excitement when you pop it into sport mode. It’s also quite economical easily returning anywhere from 12 - 14 km/L in mixed use.
The only downside is its size. While it’s great for a young couple starting a family, you’ll quickly yearn for more space once a baby or two join the mix. Still, considering it offers all this at just P1.298 million, it’s quite a steal.
Granted, the GS3 Emzoom may be no replacement for all-out tuner cars like a Civic Type-R or Subaru WRX, it certainly comes close with all its included features, head-turning styling, and surprisingly good performance. For those tired of the usual Japanese hot hatch or sedan choices, this GAC GS3 Emzoom, particularly in R-Style trim, will easily scratch that itch at a fraction of the price.