GAC EMZOOM Lite lands from $27,990

GAC New Zealand has widened its small SUV range with the EMZOOM Lite, a new entry-level version of the EMZOOM priced from $27,990 plus on-road costs.

That’s $4000 less than the existing EMZOOM, which carries on at $31,990 plus ORC, and both come with GAC’s five-year/150,000km warranty.

Under the bonnet, nothing changes. The Lite uses the same 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine as the EMZOOM, producing 125kW and 270Nm and driving the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. GAC claims combined fuel use of 6.6L/100km. It’s also the same size, so you still get a 341-litre boot that stretches to 1271 litres with the rear seats folded down.

When we put the EMZOOM up against the Nissan Qashqai earlier this year, we liked its long equipment list, generous rear-seat space and the value it offered for the money, though we weren’t impressed with the tuning of the dual-clutch transmission. You can read our full EMZOOM vs Qashqai comparison here.

It’s good to see GAC hasn’t cut back on safety to reach the Lite’s lower price. It has the same driver assistance package as the EMZOOM, including adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, lane departure warning and high beam assist, along with six airbags and an electronic parking brake with auto hold.

The cabin keeps the EMZOOM’s big 14.6-inch touchscreen, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, alongside a seven-inch digital instrument display, keyless entry and start, climate control with rear air vents, and PVC leather seats.

To get to the lower price, GAC has taken out some of the comfort and convenience features. The Lite runs on 17-inch wheels instead of 18s, and it doesn’t get the EMZOOM’s panoramic sunroof, powered tailgate, rear wiper or flush-fitting electric door handles. The driver’s seat is manually adjusted rather than powered and isn’t ventilated, and there’s no wireless phone charger or ambient lighting.

Parking help is simpler too. The EMZOOM has a 360-degree camera, front and rear sensors and automatic parking, while the Lite has a reversing camera and rear parking sensors.

GAC EMZOOM pricing

GAC EMZOOM Lite specifications