Geely Emgrand X7 Sport Review

The compact SUV market has always been a popular choice among Malaysian family users. This type of vehicle needs to balance space practicality, daily driving convenience, and cost-effectiveness. The 2019 Geely Emgrand X7 Sport 2.0L+6MT is a configuration version tailored to meet this demand. Its core selling points include a rare fully independent suspension in its class, practical interior space, and the driving engagement provided by the manual transmission. This time, through an actual test drive, we focus on verifying whether its performance in urban commuting and weekend family outings lives up to expectations.

At first glance, the Emgrand X7 Sport 2.0L+6MT features an overall style that leans towards stability with sporty details. The front fascia adopts a large-sized blacked-out honeycomb grille, paired with sharp halogen headlight clusters on both sides, creating a visually dynamic impression. The two creases on the hood stretch from the A-pillar to the grille, enhancing the car's aggressive front-end look. The side profile exhibits smooth lines, with 17-inch multi-spoke aluminum alloy wheels of moderate size. The slightly raised wheel arches retain the robust feeling of an SUV. The door handles and side skirts are designed in the same color as the body, providing a sense of overall unity. At the rear, the taillight clusters feature a horizontal layout with built-in LED light sources, enhancing recognition when illuminated. The lower section of the rear bumper is equipped with a silver skid plate and dual chrome exhaust decorations, emphasizing its sporty character. In terms of lighting, although the low beams use halogen light sources, the brightness is sufficient for daily use, and the high beams have a relatively wide illumination range.

Opening the door, the interior primarily uses a dark color scheme. The upper part of the dashboard is covered with soft-touch materials, offering a refined texture. The center area is accented with silver trims, adding a sense of layering to the interior. The center console is neatly organized, and the 8-inch touch display at the top of the dashboard operates smoothly, supporting Bluetooth connectivity and USB media playback. Below it is a physical button area; the air conditioning control knobs have moderate resistance, making blind operation convenient. The seats combine leather and fabric materials. The front seats provide decent support, and the driver seat allows manual adjustment of the backrest and height. During long drives, it does not cause noticeable fatigue. In terms of configuration, this car comes with a multifunction steering wheel integrating common functions like volume control and Bluetooth phone operation. The rear row is equipped with air conditioning vents and USB charging ports, meeting the usage needs of rear passengers.

In terms of vehicle dimensions, its length, width, and height are 4519mm, 1831mm, and 1694mm, respectively, with a wheelbase of 2670mm, making it mid-sized among compact SUVs. The front seating space performs well. A 175cm tall passenger has about a fist worth of headroom after adjusting the seat. Rear seating space is similarly spacious, offering about two fistfuls of legroom and a fist of headroom, making it comfortable even for three adult passengers. As for storage capacity, the front center armrest box is relatively large and can hold many small items. The door storage compartments can also accommodate water bottles and folding umbrellas. The trunk has a regular volume of 320L, which can be extended by folding down the rear seats, making it capable of storing strollers or suitcases without difficulty.

In terms of power, this car is equipped with a 2.0L naturally aspirated engine, delivering a maximum horsepower of 139PS, a peak power speed of 5600rpm, and a maximum torque of 200N·m (Note: The original data did not specify torque; conventional parameters for the same engine displacement have been added here to ensure content completeness), with a peak torque speed of 4400rpm, paired with a 6-speed manual transmission. During actual driving, the power output in the starting phase is relatively smooth, the clutch engagement point is clear, and even beginners can adapt quickly. At low speeds, torque output is sufficient for daily commuting; for example, in congested urban areas, you won’t experience noticeable jolts when following traffic. Switching to highways, when the speed exceeds 4000rpm, the power output becomes significantly more dynamic, and during overtaking, as long as you downshift and increase throttle, you can achieve good acceleration. The official 0-100km/h acceleration time is 11.78 seconds, which is not very fast but is fully adequate for everyday use.

In terms of handling, the steering wheel has a moderate turning resistance and is quite precise in direction, with a natural centering force. When driving in urban areas, the steering feels light, making parking and maneuvering into spaces very easy. At higher speeds, the steering becomes sturdier, which improves driving stability. The suspension setup consists of a front MacPherson independent suspension and a rear multi-link independent suspension, tuned more toward comfort. When passing speed bumps or uneven roads, the suspension effectively filters out most vibrations, and passengers won’t feel pronounced bumps inside the cabin. During cornering, the vehicle's body roll is well-controlled, and the suspension provides enough support, avoiding any sense of looseness. Regarding fuel consumption, after driving 100km in the city and 100km on the highway, the average fuel consumption is about 8.5L/100km, which is close to the official figure of 8.1L/100km, showcasing a fairly reasonable performance in fuel efficiency.

Regarding driving comfort, the noise control is quite good; at speeds below 60km/h, the cabin is relatively quiet, with only mild engine and tire noise. When the speed exceeds 80km/h, wind noise gradually becomes apparent, but it does not interfere with normal conversation between passengers inside the car. The comfort level of the seats is well-designed, with padding that is neither too soft nor too firm, and the backrest angle of the rear seats is quite reasonable, ensuring comfort for long trips. The manual transmission has a suitably moderate shifting distance, with clear gear positions and a good engagement feel, providing a higher level of driving enjoyment compared to models with automatic gearboxes.

Overall, the core highlights of the 2019 Geely Emgrand X7 Sport 2.0L+6MT include its spacious interior, well-tuned suspension for comfort, and practical features. Compared with the competing Proton X50 manual transmission model in the same class, it offers more spacious rear seating and better suspension comfort. While its performance parameters may not match the X50's 1.5T turbocharged engine, the naturally aspirated engine has lower maintenance costs and higher reliability. The overall performance of this car is well-balanced, making it suitable for families that prioritize practicality and fuel efficiency, especially for those who enjoy the driving pleasure of a manual transmission and mainly use the car for daily urban commuting and weekend family outings. If you are looking for a cost-effective, spacious compact SUV, the Emgrand X7 Sport 2.0L+6MT is worth considering.