A detailed review of 2022 Geely Emgrand Premium 1.5L CVT

Autofun Philippines –  There are two main reasons why automakers introduce smaller crossover SUVs in the local market. The first is that the focus of the global auto industry is shifting (or has moved) to SUVs. That’s what customers want, and that’s what manufacturers want to deliver.

The second is something that isn’t really talked about much, but is very clear:

No one wants to challenge Toyota Vios directly.

Sure, there are the usual rivals like the Honda City, Nissan Almera and even the smaller Mitsubishi Mirage, but if you notice, they don’t want to compete directly with the number one car and automaker in the country. . Despite the obvious similarities, companies try to offer something different by going a little bigger (or smaller), looking for something sportier (like the Ford Fiesta), with a premium price tag. much lower price (like what Hyundai and Kia did with the Chinese-made model). Reina and Soluto respectively), or add unique features that Toyota won’t offer. Even then, it’s still not easy. Vios is still king.

With all these signs, why did Geely Philippines decide to throw his hat in the ring? Simple answer: they love their chance with Emgrand. And after driving the Emgrand Premium variant, so did we. If you’re looking for curbside appeal, then Emgrand has it. The car simply looks good; Looks like Geely pulled out a retractable beam and pointed it at the Volvo S90. But yes, it is attractive, especially in this metallic teal blue. 

Even when you press the unlock button, the front and rear LED lights dance neatly. The car’s proportions are those of the classic 3-box sedan and there seem to be high-end expectations about it. Just look at details like how the doors are perfectly aligned, the finish of the wheels (including the matte nuts) and the consistency of the gaps between the panels. They obviously took the time to calibrate the car’s assembly from the start, and that’s a good indicator of a quality car.

If you’re a fan of light shade (or aren’t), then the Emgrand Premium is a perfect candidate for that so you can show off that blue and white leather interior. The dashboard, door cards and seats are made this way. Admittedly not everyone likes this color combination, especially if you have small children, but it just adds to the fun factor to the car. I almost wonder why they don’t give that kind of option to Coolray.

But what I really love about the interior is how effective it looks and how well thought out it is. Dual monitors have a clear view of them; one serves as your instrument cluster while the other is the infotainment screen and center console (more on that later). No fancy curves or lines, except for the dotted pattern on the door card. There’s a spacious tray for your wallet and another for your phone perfectly placed for the USB port. There’s even a small hook next to the passenger’s knee; you can use it if you have a small shoulder bag or if you are taking it home.

The back is a nice place to live. The interior color combination with the windows, sunroof (yes, this one has one, but not the panoramic) and small rear glass maximize light when sitting in the back. On the center console, there are two air vents and a USB port with a well-placed pocket if you need to recharge.

Perhaps the best part is that you get more legroom here than many of the competition. The reason is that the Emgrand runs on a 2650mm wheelbase; for ease of visualization, the Almera has a 2620mm wheelbase, the City is 2600mm, while the Vios is 2550mm. As is common with cars from the People’s Republic of China, the wheelbase is slightly longer because the Chinese prefer cars with a longer wheelbase; that’s why automakers produce LWB models of regular SWB cars there. The advantage is that there is more space for the legs and knees.

Back to the front, and yes, I really appreciate the cleanliness of it. Like they hired Marie Kondo to do the furniture. Create more buttons and spaces (AKA:

“abang”) brings you joy? If not, delete them. But some feel that Geely may have gone a little too far, and that’s why many of Emgrand’s functions that normally have their own button panel have been removed.

If you look at the sunroof, there are no controls on the map reading panel. The car also has Eco, Comfort and Sport driving modes, but there are no buttons for these features near the gear lever where they normally are. This car also has traction control, but there’s no switch to turn it off (if you really want to) next to the driver’s left knee, where the headlight dimmer and button are located. open the trunk. And by the way, there is no trunk open button on the trunk. You use this button or your car’s trunk remote.

Many functions that normally have their own buttons have been removed because Geely chose to centralize everything in the infotainment panel. This is where you control the sunroof and driving modes and activate/deactivate the driver aids. This will be a bit strange for some riders (maybe even many), but I think it’s great, especially when you start to consider the decision-making process with Emgrand. They want to offer more features to customers but at a very attractive price.

Now, if you’re driving the Emgrand from Coolray and expect similar acceleration, you’ll be disappointed. Yes, both the Emgrand and the Coolray have 1.5L petrol engines, but the crossover is a turbocharged three-cylinder while the sedan is a non-turbocharged four-cylinder. The Coolray has 177 hp, but the Emgrand has 102 hp. And there’s also the question of transmission: This Emgrand has a CVT while the Coolray has a wet DCT which we consider to be the best in its class and for the price, barrier-free.