CARS OF THE WORLD

GAC Trumpchi Emkoo 2023.

Better than Tucson, but cheaper by 2 million rubles. Sales of the new GAC EMKOO crossover have started.

A few months after the official presentation, the GAC company has brought to the domestic market the latest crossover EMKOO.

This technological model is presented in eight versions at a price of 984 thousand to 1.39 million rubles at current exchange rates.

Now the GAC EMKOO 2023 is available only with a 1.5-liter turbo engine.

Versions with 2-liter turbo and hybrid units will appear on the market until winter.

Chinese novelty is comparable to Hyundai Tucson in level of equipment and characteristics.

EMKOO has a 177-horsepower turbo engine, developing up to 270 N*m and supplemented by a seven-speed «wet» clutch robot.

A crossover with a supercharged 2-liter unit producing up to 252 hp and 400 N*m will appear in the Chinese market closer to winter.

An eight-band automatic transmission is offered with this engine. GAC Hybrid is based on an «atmospheric» engine of the same volume.

Its total power reaches 140 hp and torque — 180 N*m.

An important feature of the internal combustion engine in the hybrid is that its thermal efficiency reaches 42.1%.

It is stated that the Chinese model is equipped with multimedia with the latest generation software and a high-performance processor.

Top versions are equipped with Yamaha acoustics and leather seats. At the same time, the standard crossover is equipped with a virtual dashboard and a large touchscreen designed to control almost all built-in functions.

The new EMKOO has a sporty style, not typical of GAC models. In the front and rear there are thin optics in the form of broken LED stripes.

The interior of the Chinese model is «empty»: the cabin does not have many of the usual things found in most compact crossovers.

GAC already has the Trumpchi GS4 compact crossover, it debuted in 2019 and is still relatively fresh.

But the GS4 is aimed at a relatively conservative audience, and another car, the GAC Trumpchi Emkoo, will now be responsible for attracting the young. The name is chosen in the same vein as the GAC Trumphi Empow sedan.

The novelty is built on the same GPMA (Global Platform Modular Architecture) platform with independent rear suspension, and dimensions are close to the GS4 model: the same 4.5 meters in length.

But Emkoo looks more unusual and aggressive. The new crossover has full LED headlights, recessed door handles, 19-inch wheels, standard panoramic roof (no sliding section) and a large spoiler on the fifth door.

The front panel with two screens without visors should also appeal to the Chinese youth.

Analogue buttons and switches are almost absent: the «music» and climate control is fully integrated into the media system with the operating system Adigo 5.0.

There is a projection screen, contour lighting and audio system Yamaha. Unusually designed door handles, which must be pulled up.

GAC Trumpchi Emkoo is offered with three power units to choose from, but the drive is only front in any case.

The basic combination is petrol turbo engine 1.5 TGDI and seven-speed «robot» with two wet clutches.

The second version — with a 2.0 TGDI engine and eight-speed «automatic» Aisin. Alas, characteristics have not been disclosed yet. And the third version is equipped with the Julang Hybrid 2.0.

The power plant includes an atmospheric gasoline 2.0 family Julang Power of its own design: it works on the economical Atkinson’s cycle, has a geometric compression ratio of 15.6:1 and a high thermal efficiency of 42%.

The transmission is replaced by the fourth-generation THS (Toyota Hybrid System) electromechanical variator, familiar from Toyota and Lexus cars.

GAC and Toyota have long been cooperating in China and have a joint venture to produce vehicles for the local market, so the use of hybrid components is legitimate, and the first model with Toyota powertrain last year was a large crossover GAC Trumpchi GS8 second generation.

The Julang powertrain family will expand: GAC promises rechargeable hybrids and even hydrogen powertrains.

The GAC Trumpchi Emkoo crossover will appear on the Chinese market in the second half of this year. Export deliveries to Southeast Asia and the Middle East are planned for 2023.