Chinese brand Geely will start a new segment in South Africa when it launches a new sub-brand and small sedan called the Emgrand EC7 this May.
Sized and specced similarly to Hyundai’s Elantra and Kia’s Cerato but in typical Chinese fashion undercutting both in price, the new EC7 is targeted at budget-conscious buyers looking for the space of a mid-sized sedan at the cost of a compact one. The EC7 will come in two trim levels – Luxury priced at R149 990, and an Executive at R164 990. Both will come standard with leather seats, air-conditioning, two airbags and remote central locking, but the Executive adds stability control, side airbags, sunroof and an electrically-adjustable driver’s seat.
We test drove the car at a media preview held in South America this week, and while we’re impressed with the amount of features you get for the money, it’s still plain to see how Geely’s local importers are able to come up with its pricing.
QUALITY ISSUES
Fit and finish is miles better than older Chinese models, but is still a long way from where it needs to be to truly compete with Korean and Japanese offerings. The cabin is presented in a nice, upmarket look but if you go scratching around it’s easy to see where corners are cut and money is saved in production. The dashboard, in places, is made of hard plastics and it still has that familiar factory odour that Chinese brands can’t seem to shake.
The Emgrand EC7 gets power from a relatively low-tech 1.8-litre engine with 102kW and 172Nm paired with a five-speed manual transmission, and for our Chilean journey it toted four adults and a boot full of luggage without too much complaint from under the bonnet. In fact, its willingness is quite impressive.
CRASHY RIDE
If only the same could be said for the suspension system, which feels really under-engineered and crashy over even little bumps.
We also couldn’t help but notice the wipers’ reluctance to meet the windscreen in a meaningful way, resulting in smears of grime and water. We’re told that these, and some other small quality issues will be addressed in local models. Yes, there are some shortfalls in the EC7, which is to be expected in a car that’s so much cheaper than its rivals. But if there’s one redeeming factor it’s space, and this car gets a lot of it for the price. Rear legroom is excellent even with the front seats in realistic positions, and the boot is big enough to stash a small family’s requirements with ease. Geely South Africa is also willing to prove its faith in the brand by offering a five-year/100 000km warranty on all models.
The new Emgrand nameplate is an attempt to give Geely a more upmarket image, in the same way as Lexus to Toyota or Infiniti to Nissan, but obviously at a much lower end of the market. Most of Geely’s 40 South African dealerships will make space on their signposts for Emgrand branding, and the new marque will expand with a hatch version of the EC7 planned for later this year, and a small SUV called the GX7 in 2014. -Mercury Motoring