Geely Coolray fuel consumption: How efficient is this crossover?

The Geely Coolray is one of the hottest cars to arrive in recent times as it helped make the brand’s name known in the country. So far it continues to be the best-selling model for Geely Philippines thanks to its various in-car features and sleek exterior design that appeal to many Filipino car buyers.

Geely Coolray

But due to soaring fuel prices, fuel consumption on cars has become a major consideration, and the Geely Coolray is no exception. This is why we have tested the Coolray to see how fuel-efficient it really is. With this, you can have an idea of which vehicle to choose if you are in the market for an affordable and efficient subcompact crossover.

Take note, the Coolray fuel consumption numbers listed below are based on our test. It may vary depending on different driving situations such as the number of onboard passengers, the weight of the cargo on board, and road conditions. As such, use the following as ballpark figures only.

Geely Coolray fuel consumption: City Driving

In city driving, the Geely Coolray's fuel consumption is rated at 7 to 8 km/l. This was registered while driving at an average speed of 10 to 20 km/h. You might’ve expected more from the vehicle considering its size. But we will give you a few factors as to why the Coolray returned the said fuel efficiency number.

For specifics, Geely Philippines’ entry to the subcompact crossover segment is powered by a 1.5-liter 3-cylinder turbocharged engine that is capable of generating 177 horsepower and 255 Nm of torque. It is connected to a 7-speed wet dual-clutch transmission (DCT) across the four variants, namely the Comfort, Premium, Sport, and Sport Limited.

One sporty crossover

Generally, 3-cylinder engines are more fuel-efficient than four-cylinder counterparts. In addition, the use of turbochargers can help return better fuel consumption numbers. But in the case of the Coolray, it uses a DCT instead of a continuously variable transmission (CVT) which is said to be the most efficient type of transmission in theory.

Rivals such as the Chery Tiggo 2 Pro uses a CVT and it managed to give us 10.6 km/l in the city. Sure, the difference between the two may not be significant. But in consideration of the high fuel prices in the Philippines, every liter of gasoline should count.

It is powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder mill

The advantage of a DCT is that it shifts gears more smoothly than manual transmissions or even torque converter automatic gearboxes. This type of transmission can be regarded as the one that gives a spirited driving feel, which lives up to the Coolray’s exterior design that is simply sharp and sporty.

We drove the top-of-the-line Geely Coolray Sport Limited for our fuel consumption test in the Philippines. At the front, the Expanding Cosmos grille comes with a red surround trim which adds to the sportiness of the front fascia. It also gets a quad exhaust system at the back along with a rear blacked-out spoiler, exuding speed.

Even the interior is refined

The said variant uses 18-inch alloy wheels with a gloss black finish. Larger wheels tend to provide better traction on the road which can keep you safer. Plus, it just looks appealing as there is more room to add style. But the downside of that is it is heavier than smaller wheels, disrupting the fuel efficiency.

For the base Geely Coolray, it comes with 17-inch two-tone wheels instead. These would perform better in terms of acceleration than the heavier 18-inch alloys which would be ideal, especially in city driving where you stop and go for the most part. The difference between the two shouldn’t be marginal. Besides, you still have to consider the number of passengers and how much you haul on a daily basis.

Geely Coolray fuel consumption: Highway Driving

As for the highway driving, the Geely Coolray’s fuel consumption has improved quite a lot based on our test. The best-selling unit of Geely Philippines posted 18 km/l while driving at an average speed of 90 km/h. It is an impressive number even as compared to rivals such as the MG ZS Trophy which returned 14 km/l.

Perhaps one of the factors why the Coolray got a good fuel consumption number is the use of a turbocharger. In city driving, the turbo couldn’t spool as much as it can on the highway, since it relies on the exhaust gas which intensifies at higher speeds. Now that the Coolray can go 90 km/h on the highway, the increased speed allows it to benefit from the said feature.

The Coolray posted strong highway driving fuel consumption numbers

In addition, you don’t have to stop on the highway so the extra weight from the added features of the top-of-the-line Sport Limited variant is not relevant, since there is ample opportunity for the Coolray to sustain its forward momentum. The Coolray comes with three drive modes, namely the Eco, Normal, and Eco. As the name suggests, you can activate the Eco mode to maximize the Coolray’s fuel consumption on the road.

In terms of the driving experience, the Coolray handles body roll well, providing a more comfortable ride. The handling is impressive which lives up to its sporty nature. Geely also did a good job with the vehicle’s noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) levels as the engine noise was suppressed well during our highway fuel efficiency run.

Geely Coolray fuel consumption: Verdict

Overall, the Geely Coolray is a well-rounded vehicle that can be used as a daily driver. It may not be the best in terms of fuel consumption in city driving, but the subcompact crossover makes up for it on the highway big time. Besides, the 7 to 8 km/l fuel efficiency rating isn’t bad in comparison to other small crossovers we tested such as the Volkswagen T-Cross with 7 km/l, the Kia Seltos with 8.6 km/l, and the MG ZS-T with 9.8 km/l.

A solid entry from the Chinese automaker

The fuel consumption of the Geely Coolray can be improved in the city by planning your trip ahead of time. Some of the things you can consider doing include choosing the least congested routes to work and avoiding driving during rush hour. As for highway driving, you can enjoy the vehicle’s good fuel efficiency rating which should help you and your passengers get to your destinations while saving some gas money along the way.

See more fuel-saving tips at Philkotse.com.