2025 GAC Emkoo Premium Review

The competition in the C-segment SUV market in Malaysia has been intensifying lately, with many brands focusing on features and cost-effectiveness. This time, I test drove the 2025 GAC Emkoo Premium, positioned in this segment. What attracts me the most is its price of less than 125,000 MYR, yet it is fully equipped with features such as L2-level driving assistance and electric seats. The primary purpose of this test drive was to assess whether its space, performance, and daily usability could truly live up to the "high cost-performance" label beyond the specs on paper.

Starting with the exterior, the overall design style of the Emkoo Premium is sporty. The front grille is large and blacked-out, paired with sharp LED headlights, giving it high recognition. The side profile features sleek lines extending from the hood to the rear, avoiding overly complex designs. The 19-inch wheels are just the right size and well-proportioned with the body. The rear design is relatively simple, with connected LED taillights that provide good visual appeal when illuminated. The black skid plate below the rear bumper enhances the SUV's ruggedness. Overall, the exterior is easy on the eyes, not too aggressive but not dull either.

Sitting inside the car, the interior materials are in line with the standards of this price range. Most areas of the dashboard are wrapped in soft-touch materials, offering a fairly smooth texture. The center console layout is straightforward, featuring a 7-inch digital instrument panel with clear displays and a 10.1-inch central touchscreen positioned in the center with decent responsiveness. It includes basic functions such as navigation and multimedia. Its strong point lies in the configurations: the front seats support electric adjustment—6-way for the driver's seat and 4-way for the front passenger seat. The rear seats can be folded 60:40 and also come with adjustable backrest angles. The automatic air conditioning is divided into front and rear zones, and there are independent air vents for the rear seats, which makes daily use very convenient. Notably, it comes standard with keyless entry, rain-sensing wipers, and electrically foldable side mirrors—all these detailed features significantly enhance the ease of everyday use.

The space performance is what family users care about most. The Emkoo Premium has a wheelbase of 2750mm, which is on par with the mainstream level in the same class. I am 175cm tall, and after adjusting the driver’s seat, there is still more than two fist-widths of legroom in the rear, and the headroom doesn’t feel cramped either. The trunk's standard capacity is 638L, which can accommodate two 28-inch suitcases without a problem. Folding down the rear seats expands this capacity to 1586L, sufficient for transporting larger items occasionally. The storage spaces inside the car are also quite practical, with a decently sized central armrest box and door panel storage compartments in the front row, providing spaces for phones and personal belongings.

For the powertrain, the Emkoo Premium is equipped with a 1.5T turbocharged engine, delivering a maximum horsepower of 177PS and a peak torque of 270N·m, paired with a 7-speed DCT gearbox. During daily driving, it accelerates briskly, with sufficient torque output at low revs. It feels neither sluggish during urban driving nor while starting off. Switching to Sport mode makes the throttle response sharper; while the acceleration thrust may not be overwhelming, there is enough power reserve for overtaking. The gearbox's shift logic is relatively clear, and during normal driving, gear changes are barely perceptible; only during sharp acceleration is there a slight delay.

In terms of handling, the steering wheel has moderate steering effort and is reasonably precise, making daily driving quite easy. The chassis is equipped with a combination of front MacPherson and rear multi-link independent suspension, tuned more towards comfort. It absorbs speed bumps or minor jolts quite well, with minimal noticeable bumps transmitted into the cabin. On highways, the vehicle exhibits good stability, and even at a speed of 120km/h, it doesn’t feel unstable. However, when cornering sharply, there is some noticeable body roll, but this is typical for an SUV and within normal levels.

As for fuel consumption, during my test drive, which was split evenly between city and highway driving, the displayed fuel consumption was around 7.2L/100km, which is not far off from the official number of 6.6L/100km. Considering the traffic congestion in the city, this fuel consumption performance is quite decent. Regarding braking, the brake pedal delivers a linear feel, and the braking force is evenly distributed. During emergency braking, the vehicle’s posture remains relatively stable, without any obvious nose-dive effect.

When it comes to driving comfort, the Emkoo Premium performs remarkably well. The cabin noise control is well-executed, with minimal tire noise and wind noise below 80km/h. Only at higher speeds, slight wind noise can be heard inside the cabin. The seats offer good support and wrapping, making long drives comfortable and less tiring. Additionally, its Level 2 driving assistance system is very convenient. The ACC adaptive cruise control significantly reduces fatigue on highways, while lane departure warning and automatic braking functions enhance everyday driving safety.

To sum up, the 2025 GAC Emkoo Premium has clear core strengths—high configuration, spacious interior, and affordable price. Compared to class competitors like the Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4, it offers much richer configurations at a similar price point, especially features like Level 2 driving assistance and electric seats, which are rare in its price range. Its overall performance is balanced, with no obvious shortcomings, making it very suitable for families that value practicality and cost-effectiveness or for first-time car buyers looking for a one-step solution.

In conclusion, the Emkoo Premium is a very practical model. While it doesn’t have particularly standout highlights, it does deliver on space, configuration, and fuel efficiency to meet daily needs. If you’re looking for an affordable, well-equipped, and spacious family SUV, it’s definitely worth considering.