In this day and age, the value that your car can offer is becoming more important. You can blame the Chinese car brands for that as their tax levy allows them to bring in cars with less importation duties, ergo, lower prices. Hence, these companies can stuff their spec sheets better than the competition.
Case in point: Geely. The Chinese automaker has become known for its vehicles that offer more for less, catapulting the brand to the list of 10 bestsellers in the Philippines for 2021.
Geely’s newest contender, the Emgrand, is a perfect example of that. At P798,000 for the Comfort variant that we drove on a quick getaway to Tagaytay, the Emgrand is priced as a small sedan but goes big on so many levels.
Here are six things that the Geely Emgrand Comfort has that other subcompact sedans don’t.
Massive cabin space
As mentioned, the Emgrand is huge for its segment. In fact, it’s not only bigger than the segment leader, the Toyota Vios, but it also has a size advantage over the Corolla Altis.
This size discrepancy translates to better cabin space, comparable, if not better, to the compact Toyota sedan. Leg- and headroom are both massive front and rear, while trunk space is equally spacious. If there’s something that you can’t upgrade in a car, that would be space and the Emgrand already has that right off the showroom.
Pleasant driving & riding comfort
Of course, a roomy cabin promotes better riding comfort but the recipe isn’t complete without a suspension that’s tuned for that. It should be able to absorb road imperfections without translating the impact to the driver and passengers.
The Emgrand Comfort stays true to its name as demonstrated during the quick drive. Its dampening is tuned for comfort. In fact, no other sedan within its price point comes close to how comfortable it rides.
Classy appeal with great build quality
Small sedans in the market are limited in terms of design. Imagine having to draw a sleek-looking vehicle but you’re bound by the limits of size. That’s why subcompact sedans in the country are either sporty-looking to offset the size disadvantage, or trying to look classy but kind of failing to do so because of the odd proportions and disappointing build quality.
The Emgrand doesn’t have that problem. It looks sleek and classy at the same time. Its resemblance to the Geely-owned Volvo sedan certainly helps its case. However, a close inspection shows the Emgrand’s great build quality, which adds to the overall classy demeanor.
LEDs all over
Admit it or not, LED fixtures these days are becoming more important in making cars look more expensive. That’s why small sedans aren’t all equipped with LEDs; there are some that do but are on the pricier side of the range above P1-million.
The Emgrand, even in its base sub-P800k Comfort variant, comes already equipped with LED daytime running lights and headlamps. It even has LED taillights, though the Comfort variant does away with the LED light bar of the Premium variant.
Cruise control
The cruise control feature is usually found on cars above P1-million. But that has changed with the emergence of Chinese vehicles. This feature is very convenient, especially on long drives.
There are only two cars below P800,000 that come with cruise control – the Changan Alsvin and the Geely Emgrand Comfort. The Emgrand, however, looks and feels more expensive than the Alsvin – and way bigger, too.
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Another feature that isn’t found on most affordable cars is tire pressure monitoring. It’s a tech that uses sensors on the wheels to detect real-time tire pressure, making sure you’re aware of any deflation (or inflation) while you’re on the run.
The Emgrand has this on its list of features even on the Comfort trim. The Alsvin is also the other sub-P800k vehicle in the market that has this feature.
Electronic Parking Brake with Auto Brake Hold
Among the modern niceties in cars these days, Auto Brake Hold is one of my favorites. These features alleviate the stress of keeping your foot on the brake while at a halt, which is very useful in stop-and-go situations (hello, EDSA).
While Auto Brake Hold (along with Electronic Parking Brake) are features that you’ll likely see in pricier vehicles, both have already transcended on more affordable ones – and yes, the Emgrand Comfort has this on its arsenal. Nifty.