GAC Emkoo Review

The C-segment SUV market has been gaining popularity in Malaysia over the past two years. Consumers not only want spacious interiors but also have a considerable demand for power and features. Many brands have positioned their key models in this niche segment. The arrival of the 2025 GAC Emkoo Premium targets "premium features + balanced performance," which precisely addresses the pain points of many family users. In this test drive, I mainly wanted to assess its real-world space performance, power responsiveness, and whether the standard smart features are genuinely practical, offering a reference for friends considering purchasing a C-segment SUV.

The exterior of the Emkoo Premium grabs attention at first glance. The overall design leans towards a sporty aesthetic, avoiding the bulky feel of traditional SUVs. The front features a large grille with blacked-out vertical slats inside, flanked by sharp LED headlights, giving it high recognizability. The air intakes below the headlights are not just decorative but slightly optimize airflow at high speeds. A waistline runs from the front to the rear of the vehicle, complemented by 19-inch multi-spoke wheels, presenting a sleek visual impression. A chrome trim beneath the windows adds a touch of sophistication. The rear design leaves a lasting impression, with a full-width LED taillight forming a unique illuminated band when lit. The diffuser design below the rear bumper enhances the sporty vibe, though being a front-wheel-drive vehicle, the diffuser serves more of a decorative purpose.

Stepping inside, the interior design of the Emkoo Premium leans towards simplicity and practicality. The dashboard is wrapped in soft-touch materials, providing a pleasant texture without any cheap plastic feel. The 10.1-inch floating central display is user-friendly, supporting Bluetooth, CarPlay, and Carlife functionalities, which are convenient for daily use. The instrument panel is a 7-inch LCD screen, displaying essential information such as RPM, speed, and fuel consumption. Although it’s not as large as the 10.25-inch screen in the Pro version, the data is easy to read. As for features, the Emkoo Premium comes standard with keyless entry, a multifunction steering wheel, automatic air conditioning, and power-adjustable front seats — the driver’s seat is 6-way adjustable, and the passenger seat is 4-way adjustable, making them easy to customize. The rear is also equipped with air conditioning vents and USB ports, ensuring the comfort of rear passengers.

Space is one of the strengths of the Emkoo Premium. With body dimensions of 4680mm×1901mm×1670mm and a wheelbase of 2750mm, it ranks among the top in its class. After adjusting the front seats to a comfy position, a 180cm-tall passenger still has a headroom of one fist and two fingers. In the rear, legroom can reach two fists, and headroom is about one fist, making it comfortable even for three adult passengers. The trunk offers a standard capacity of 638L, which can easily accommodate two 28-inch suitcases plus a few backpacks. Folding the rear seats in a 60:40 split expands the space to 1586L, making it convenient for carrying large items. Additionally, the door storage compartments and central armrest box are quite spacious, making it no problem to store small daily items.

In terms of power, 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 transmission. The power response is very active during start-up, and a light press on the accelerator lets you feel a noticeable push-back. The official 0-100km/h acceleration time is given as 8.8 seconds. In actual driving conditions, overtaking on city roads is very easy, and even on highways at speeds over 100km/h, there is still sufficient power reserve. The transmission's shift logic is quite smart; gear changes are smooth during daily driving, barely noticeable. When switched to sports mode, the shifting speed increases significantly, better suited for users who prefer aggressive driving.

The handling and suspension performance exceeded my expectations. The combination of front MacPherson and rear multi-link independent suspension handles bumpy roads very well—when encountering speed bumps or potholes, the suspension quickly filters out most vibrations, avoiding harsh impacts. During cornering, body roll is well-controlled, and the steering is fairly precise with minimal play, providing the driver with a high level of confidence. As a front-wheel-drive vehicle, its stability on both city roads and highways is excellent. Even in rainy, slippery conditions, the stability control system intervenes promptly to ensure safe driving.

Regarding fuel consumption, this test drive primarily involved city roads, with a few highway stretches, resulting in an average consumption of around 7.2L/100km, which is quite close to the official figure of 6.6L/100km. Considering it's a turbocharged engine, this level of fuel efficiency ranks in the upper-middle range among competitors in the same class. Noise control is also commendable; at speeds below 80km/h, almost no noticeable wind or tire noise can be heard inside the cabin. Once the speed exceeds 100km/h, wind noise becomes slightly more apparent but doesn’t interfere with normal conversations. The seat comfort is also worth mentioning, as the cushion and backrest offer good support, making extended driving sessions less tiring. The rear seats’ angles are adjustable, allowing for a more comfortable seating position.

Overall, the core advantages of the 2025 GAC Emkoo Premium are clear: its 2750mm long wheelbase provides spacious front and rear cabin space, meeting the travel needs of family users. The 1.5T engine paired with the 7DCT transmission strikes a balance between power and fuel efficiency. The standard features like 6 airbags, ACC adaptive cruise control, and active braking are relatively generous at its price point. Compared with similar models like the Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4, the Emkoo Premium offers richer configurations while being more affordable, making its value proposition quite prominent.

This model is well-suited for family users who value well-rounded performance, especially those who often travel with family and don’t want to compromise on power and features. At the same time, its sporty appearance can attract a segment of younger users. If you are looking for a spacious, well-equipped, and powerful C-segment SUV, the Emkoo Premium is worth considering.

The 2025 GAC Emkoo Premium doesn’t have any significant shortcomings. It’s an “all-rounder” C-segment SUV, perfectly described as a “high-value family companion.”