2019 Geely New Emgrand 1.5L-5MT Review

The Southeast Asian economy-class car market has always been a battleground of cost-effectiveness and practicality. Consumers, within a limited budget, hope for a vehicle that meets daily commuting needs while also satisfying basic requirements for space and safety features. The 2019 Geely Emgrand 1.5L-5MT, as a popular contender in the A-Segment category, has made its core selling points stand out with a superior wheelbase and six standard airbags, aiming to gain a differentiated advantage among competitors in the same segment. This time, we conducted both a static experience and dynamic test drive to comprehensively evaluate whether it can truly balance family needs and driving quality.

Looking at the exterior, the design of the new Emgrand leans towards a stable and timeless style. The front features a large-sized grille, paired with chrome trim that echoes the brand's logo, resulting in a recognizable appearance; the side of the car has smooth lines, with a waistline extending from the front fender to the rear adding a touch of dynamism. The minimum ground clearance of 152mm is also suitable for various local road conditions. The rear of the car is designed simply, with horizontally arranged taillights that provide clear visual effects when illuminated, while the black trim on the lower part of the rear bumper adds a sense of layering. Overall, the exterior design is not overly aggressive, meeting the "decent" aesthetic expectations of family users.

Sitting inside, the interior layout focuses on practicality. The dashboard adopts a symmetrical design, with its upper part covered with soft-touch materials, providing a tactile sensation superior to the hard plastic typically found in many cars of the same segment. A 7-inch touchscreen is centrally located on the dashboard, with acceptable operating smoothness and support for basic multimedia and Bluetooth connection functions. The instrument panel consists of traditional mechanical gauges, supplemented by a small-sized driver information display, clearly showing data like speed and fuel consumption. In terms of features, the most noteworthy aspect is the six standard airbags (front dual airbags, side airbags, and front and rear head curtain airbags), which are relatively rare in A-Segment models. The rear row includes air conditioning vents and ISOFIX anchors, catering to the needs of family users in terms of details.

Space performance is one of the core advantages of the new Emgrand. With a length of 4632mm and a wheelbase of 2650mm, it belongs to a higher level within the A-Segment. When seated in the front row, a 175cm tall tester has a fist-width of headroom. In the rear row, there is legroom equivalent to two fists and four fingers of headroom, making it comfortable for three adults even when fully loaded. The trunk has a capacity of 680L, which can accommodate three 20-inch suitcases in its regular state, and the space can be expanded by folding down the rear seats, meeting the storage needs for short family trips.

For dynamic driving, the 1.5L naturally aspirated engine delivers a maximum power of 108PS and a peak torque of 140N·m, paired with a 5-speed manual transmission. The power output is smooth during starting, making it suitable for low-speed urban commutes. When the RPM increases to 4400rpm, torque reaches its peak, providing adequate mid-range acceleration (60-100km/h). However, overtaking requires downshifting and increasing the RPM. The chassis adopts a front MacPherson independent suspension and a rear torsion beam non-independent suspension, with a tuning focus on comfort: it absorbs most minor bumps when encountering speed bumps or uneven roads, though body roll is slightly noticeable during quick cornering. Overall, the handling prioritizes stability.

In terms of fuel consumption, we drove 50km each in urban congestion and suburban highways, with an average fuel consumption of about 6.2L/100km, which is slightly higher than the official figure of 5.8L. Considering the differences in manual driving habits, this performance is reasonable for this class. The braking performance is decent, with the front and rear ventilated disc brakes delivering linear brake force and stable body posture during emergency braking. Regarding noise control, the engine noise is minor at idle, but wind and tire noise become slightly more noticeable when the speed exceeds 80km/h, though still within an acceptable range.

Overall, the core advantages of the 2019 Geely Emgrand 1.5L-5MT focus on space and safety configurations: the 2650mm wheelbase provides rear-seat space, and the standard 6 airbags are more competitive compared to rivals like the Toyota Vios and Honda City. Additionally, its practical interior layout and decent fuel economy meet the needs of family users. However, its power output is relatively flat, and its noise control at high speeds is average, which are its shortcomings.

This car is suitable for budget-conscious consumers who value practicality for family use—for instance, office workers who need to balance daily commuting and weekend family outings, or first-time car buyers focusing on safety features for their young families. It does not have particularly outstanding performance or luxurious tech features, but it fulfills the fundamental mission of a "family car" with its spacious design and safety configurations.

In summary, the 2019 Geely Emgrand 1.5L-5MT is a "no significant drawbacks" household sedan. With a focus on space and safety, it offers greater practicality in the A-Segment market and serves as a practical purchasing solution for family users.