Emgrand prix

Erstwhile SUV/crossover specialist Geely has joined the subcompact sedan wars. And if size matters, then it’s bringing a bazooka to a swordfight.

SUBCOMPACT CARS like the Toyota Vios, Mitsubishi Mirage, and Honda City represent the entry-level category in sedans. It is the biggest and most popular segment in “automobiledom,” represented by over a dozen car brands from BMW to Volkswagen.

Being an entry-level category, the emphasis has always been on price, with size taking a distant backseat.

Until now.

Erstwhile SUV/crossover specialist Geely has joined the subcompact sedan wars. And if size matters, then it’s bringing a bazooka to a swordfight.

Its new Emgrand sedan is classified in the subcompact sedan class based on its retail price (which starts at P798,000), its engine size, and the fact that its three previous generations have all competed in said category. But don’t tell that to the people who put the 2022 Emgrand together — because they’ve come out with a car that’s a mere 1.5 inches shorter than the all-new and very generously proportioned 2022 Honda Civic.

“The Geely Emgrand aims to continue what we have begun from our young brand. We have heard and listened to our customers and this gave us the confidence to bring in a sedan for the Filipino market. Now we are offering a sedan that will inspire you to elevate your life, be driven and provide you a more worthy vehicle for your daily mobility needs,” said Sojitz G Auto Philippines (SGAP) President and CEO Yosuke Nishi.

The first-generation Emgrand was launched globally in 2009. Since then, it has been a consistent best-selling sedan in China for nine consecutive years with cumulative sales of more than 3.38 million units. The Philippines is the first overseas market to launch the fourth-gen Emgrand after its debut in China last year, a testament to Geely’s high confidence in the Philippine market.

The latest Emgrand is assembled in Geely’s new Changxing factory, an advanced 5G smart factory, allowing it to achieve luxury-car levels of intelligent vehicle manufacturing. For one, the 100% automation welding operations ensure the gap and flush of the vehicle are less than 3.5mm. This factory also enables Geely to adopt the longest roof laser (instead of spot) welding on the Emgrand — increasing its strength by 50%.

The new Emgrand employs the B-segment Modular Architecture (BMA), which was developed within the Geely Auto Group. This platform was also used for the Coolray and was designed to exceed the criteria for any five-star NCAP safety rating. Also, with BMA’s more than five million kilometers of test mileage, higher reliability and durability is expected from the Emgrand. BMA also enables the subcompact sedan to realize bigger space with its wide body, better riding comfort, and achieve better control and stability.

The new Emgrand is powered by a new 1.5-liter dual continuous variable valve timing, normally aspirated engine, which delivers 102hp at 5,600 rpm and 142Nm of torque. The engine is mated with an eight-speed continuous variable transmission (CVT).

Geely designers have created a segment-first, wide-body, low-slung style that’s highly evocative of the much larger Volvo S90 full-size luxury sedan — not surprising given that Geely owns Volvo. It starts with a new “Energy Pulse” radiator grille, auto-on projector LED headlamps (in the Premium variant) and LED daytime running lamps with welcome lights and “follow me home” feature which illuminates your path when approaching or walking away from the vehicle.

For the rear, sharp rhythmic taillights give more visual accent. The rear combination lamps feature 190 LED bulbs which project unique light patterns when you lock or unlock the car.

Overall, it’s a very understated look that should resonate with those looking for an elegant compact or even midsize sedan but whose budget is limited to the subcompact class.

Inside the luxurious cabin, you’ll find seats made of memory foam with light luxury suede and environment-friendly faux leather in an eye-catching white-and-blue combination (in the Premium). The dashboard and door panels are also made of plush, soft-touch materials instead of the usual hard plastic found in many of its rivals.

The steering wheel is also wrapped with constant-temperature leather that’s designed to not feel hot even if you leave the car exposed under direct sunlight — a feature I’d like to try out in a future test drive. With its class-leading exterior dimensions, the Emgrand offers the best seating space and generous headroom to fit three adults comfortably — something you can’t say of most vehicles in its class.

There is plenty of storage space and a trunk that boasts a 500-liter capacity — expandable thanks to the 60:40-split fold-flat back seats. A quiet and relaxing ride is expected as NVH is claimed to be at a decibel level that’s even lower than that of luxury European sedans.

The Emgrand also features a unique Intelligent Scene Air-conditioning System which aids in deodorizing capability, making the air fresh all the time. The air-con is also equipped with a CN95 filter that ensures that the air entering the cabin is free from viruses and bacteria.

Apart from the active and passive safety features such as ABS with EBD, electronic stability program, traction control, hill hold control, electric parking brake with auto-hold, six air bags (Premium), the Emgrand features three ultrasonic reversing radars and HD wide-angle reverse camera (Premium), real-time temperature and tire pressure monitoring system, and a unique rear intelligent monitoring system that gives you a reminder to check the rear seats before getting off the car.

The Emgrand Premium boasts a 12.3-inch HD digital meter with a 3D interface. An eight-inch HD central screen is also standard to support entertainment and control functions of the car such as shifting driving modes from Eco, Comfort or Sport; opening and closing of the sunroof (Premium); and accessing other intelligent features of the air-con.

The entry of the Emgrand in the Philippines following its three SUV siblings beefs up Geely’s strong sales momentum. With only three models in the lineup, Geely Philippines saw its sales almost triple in 2021 with 6,104 units sold. This was a significant increase of 182% from the 2,158 units in 2020. Based on Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors (AVID) reports, Geely Philippines has maintained the ninth spot in total industry sales, but has increased its overall market share to 2.1% which is more than double compared to the previous year’s 0.9%.

“Indeed, the new Geely Emgrand packs in enough features you would normally expect from bigger cars minus their expensive price. If I am to sum up the proposition of the Emgrand to the market, it is ‘value for money.’ That’s what Geely is known for and that’s exactly what you get on the all-new Emgrand,” Mr. Nishi added.

The Emgrand comes in six colors: Proud Teal, dark blue, gold, gray, red, and white. Retail prices are P908,000 for the Premium variant and P798,000 for the Comfort. It comes with a five-year/150,000-km warranty.

Considering that the subcompact sedan segment is oversaturated and the seemingly viable contenders can be counted on one hand, the very upmarket new Geely Emgrand seems to be the dark horse that can actually succeed in a cutthroat environment where many others have failed.