Geely goes grand with the Emgrand

Nothing like the ugly ducklings the Chinese were known for not too long ago.

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The race is probably not as hot in Europe as it is in Africa where price, value for money, operating costs and escalating fuel prices are becoming crucial factors in the minds of buyers.

Until not so long ago Chinese cars were regarded by more than a modicum of pessimism by South Africans who judge new entrants by the standards set by the Germans, Japanese and Koreans. Their negative perceptions of Chinese cars were reinforced by cars such as the Cherry QQC which was, quite frankly, an unsafe, badly furnished and shoddily finished ugly duckling.

Beware, the Chinese are coming

But those days are in the past because the new Emgrand Geely clearly demonstrates that the Chinese can now compete with the rest, thrash them in terms of price and match them in the looks and safety departments.

The new Emgrand was recently unveiled to the local motoring media and surprised even the most critical and cynical automotive scribes, yours truly included.

There is a respectable range of extras and option extras available - and the total price doesn't make your credit card weep.

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OK, so it's nowhere near perfect, but then few cars are. The Emgrand is cast in the same rather bland mould as the likes of Toyota and others who compete in a segment where the main players generally are the car rental and fleet operator business, young families and first time private buyers.

Parts of the interior are still plasticky, the instrument panel is poorly lit, the trip computer is very basic, the steering column is not fully adjustable, the clutch tends to grab and things which modern car buyers have become accustomed to such as Bluetooth, USB and iPod connections are lacking (but will probably feature in the models of the next consignment due to arrive here a few months down the line).

Power's OK, but what are the consumption and emission figures?

But on the flipside side of the coin the Emgrand is powered by a version of Toyota's 1.8 engine and although not pace-setting it delivers a not too shabby 102kW and 172Nm which is enough to shove it from zero to 100km/h in about 10 seconds (claimed by Geely) and on to a top speed of 185km/h.

No fuel consumption and emission figures were available at the local launch.

At the introduction I drove the GL Luxury version (the slightly more expensive GT Executive is on its way) and was impressed by the slightly gruff keenness of the engine and willingness to cruise at well above the legitimate top speed.

What added to the pleasant progress was its light, positive and smooth five-speed manual gearbox and excellent cabin insulation which reduced road, engine and wind noises to the minimum. Rather surprisingly there was not even a hint of squeak or rattle to be heard.

Generous space in the back.

The steering has a pleasant neutrally-weighted feel and it only becomes a tad light at fairly high trotting pace and on poorly tarred surfaces. Even in windy conditions the Emgrand feels stable and the suspension is fairly firm. It handles the twisties as one would expect from an average four-seater sedan in this price range.

The cabin is spacious and so is the luggage compartment which can also be easily enlarged by 60:40 splitting rear seats to make space for items up to1.8 metres long. Rear seats passengers have plenty leg, shoulder and head space and the leather seats are surprisingly comfortable.

A good range of goodies

Driving pleasures include automatic climate control, power steering, central locking, CD/radio sound system, remote side mirrors and automatic headlights. The Executive model has some additional bells and whistles including a sunroof, extra airbags and fully adjustable electronic seats. SatNav is an optional extra.

A layout and design comparable with its competitors'.

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The Emgrand is also seriously well-kitted out in the safety department with airbags, side impact protection, traction control and ABS braking with EBD - enough to be awarded a four star NCAP rating.

Hi there, good looking...

When it comes to looks the smart new Geely certainly doesn't have to stand back for anything else in this class. Its sloping bonnet, striking chrome grille, front fog lights, sporty alloys and a rear end that hints at C-Class Merc all paint a fairly pretty picture. Remove its nameplate and bright red, gold and black Cadillac look-alike badges and you can easily mistake this Geely for a higher-priced Toyota on which it has obviously been modelled.

However, I have left the icing and cherry on top until last - the bottom line. The Emgrand EC7 GL Luxury comes to dealer showrooms with a price tag of just R149,990! The more upmarket GT Executive is just a tad more expensive at R164,990. Quite frankly, rand for rand the Emgrand is way ahead of its flock and is destined to appeal to car rental companies, fleet operators, small families, first and last time new car buyer and everybody else who make purchase decisions with their heads and not their hearts.

Buyers have the choice of seven colours including Alps Silver, Gothic Black or my favourite, Vienna gold and they will sleep peacefully in the knowledge that the Emgrand's purchase price includes a five-year/100,000km warranty, a two-year road assistance scheme and the option of three different service plans.

Put all of these factors on the table and you don't need to be a rocket scientist or search through a bag of fortune cookies to predict that the Emgrand's sales graph will soon be heading north. This time round, buying a Chinese car suddenly makes serious sense!

Specifications

Geely Emgrand EC7

Emgrand EC7

Geely Emgrand ec7 2013 interior