2021 Geely Okavango Urban Plus Review | Philkotse Philippines

Filipinos love to travel in groups, which is why seven-seater SUVs, crossovers, and MPVs are some of the popular vehicles of choice in the local market. A testament to this is the Toyota Innova’s sales performance last year, which tallied more than 7,300 units sold. The said number allowed the Innova to clinched the fourth spot as the best-selling car in the Philippines last 2020.

Geely Philippines is among the car brands in the Philippines that knows for a fact that Filipinos have a soft spot for seven-seater vehicles. This is the reason why it decided to offer its challenger in the tightly contested seven-seater vehicle segment. Geely PH launched the Okavango last November 2020 to rival the likes of the Toyota Innova. 

When it was first launched, people were a bit confused as to what vehicle segment does the Okavango particularly belongs to. Why so? It comes with dimensions that are similar to midsize SUVs but the Okavango comes with a price tag that is within the ballpark figure of crossovers and MPVs in the Philippine market. 

After about three months in the market, Geely PH launched a new variant of the Okavango dubbed the Urban Plus which comes with features that customers asked for. The new features are subtle but the good thing about it is that Geely gives its potential clients more options to choose from. 

So, does the subtle changes integrated into the Okavango matter? Also, can the Okavango Urban Plus be considered a practical buy? To know the answer to that, we took the Okavango for a test drive to see what it can offer. Here’s the 2021 Geely Okavango Urban Plus Philkotse car review.     
 

The 2021 Geely Okavango Urban Plus comes with a bold and aggressive exterior design. It looks confident and has a proud stance especially its front end. The Okavango is fitted with sharp-looking LED headlights that are integrated with daytime running lights, giving it an added swag. 

Of note, the Okavango Urban Plus’ headlights are one of the new features integrated into the vehicle. Compared to other Okavango variants, the Urban Plus has adaptive LED headlights that automatically adjust the high and low beams. The ray of light emitted from the headlamps also goes along with your steering input, which gives better visibility when driving at night.  

 2021 Geely Okavango Urban Plus

The headlights complement well to the Okavango’s large grille that features horizontal bar accents and a U-shaped trim, which gives the vehicle a distinctive design. The vehicle’s muscle is provided by the angular bumper that houses the Okavango’s LED fog lamps. Overall, the front end of the Okavango gives the vehicle a bold look and a composed stance. 

The Okavango comes with prominent fender flares

Turning at the side, the first thing that caught my attention is the Okavango’s chiseled look, which is made possible by the character lines you see on the fenders. It gives the vehicle a muscular appeal and a lively finish. 

On other hand, the Okavango Urban Plus gets a set of 18-inch two-tone alloy wheels that look stylish. It also has a power-folding side mirror with turn signals, roof rail, and black cladding. The black cladding is meant to give the Okavango a touch of subtle ruggedness. But in this case, I find it to be irrelevant since you can’t quite notice it in this particular Okavango that comes with black exterior paint. 

The way I see it, the black cladding fits better in other exterior colors of the Okavango such as the Storm Grey or Luna Silver as it adds an accent to the overall look of the vehicle.     

Sleek and sharp LED taillights

The rear comes with a sharp styling that’s highlighted by the LED taillights. You can also see a chrome bar accent that connects the taillights, creating a seamless look.  Apart from that, the Okavango has a spoiler and shark fin antenna that give the vehicle a hint of sportiness. Then, the Okavango flexes its muscle once again when you look at its bumper. Similar to the front, it gives the vehicle a muscular look that adds thickness and volume to the car.

The Geely Okavango comes with a modern-looking dashboard layout

The interior of the 2021 Geely Okavango Urban Plus comes with a dark theme with accents of silver and glossy black trims. Similar to other Geely cars, the Okavango comes with a modern-looking dashboard layout that’s highlighted by the 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen. 

It also has a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster that changes the interface as you change from one drive mode to another. The Okavango also has an electronic gear selector and electronic parking brake. The modern-looking dashboard layout is good but it might be intimidating for some individuals who prefer a more conventional layout.

Another thing I noticed while seated on the driver’s seat is the abundant use of hard plastic materials inside the Okavango. This comes as a bit of a surprise because other Geely cars such as the Coolray and the Azkarra come with lesser hard plastics. The said cars are instead integrated with enough soft-touch materials that give the cabin a premium-like feel. 

Individual seats for the second row

Aside from practicality, the Okavango is a vehicle that values space, which is why Geely opted to put three individual seats on the second row. This design gives a more comfortable ride experience especially on long drives. Three full-sized adults can easily fit in the Okavango’s second row. There’s a dedicated aircon vent for second-row passengers, which helps cool down the cabin more efficiently. Of note, the controls for the rear vents are touch-sensitive, which is a plus considering the Okavango’s price point.

The Okavango Urban Plus comes with a panoramic sunroof

The thing that separates the Urban Plus from other Okavango variants is the addition of a 60-inch panoramic sunroof. The panoramic sunroof adds flair to the Okavango’s interior. It’s also a good move by Geely to have it installed since most of its segment rivals, such as the Maxus G50, come with a panoramic sunroof. Moreover, it’s worth noting that the sunroof of the Okavango Urban Plus comes with a rainfall sensor that automatically closes it in the event of a downpour.

Third row passengers still get generous space

The third-row seats of the Okavango offer generous space. Two individuals standing 5’6” will have no problem sitting in the third row since it has a decent amount of legroom. The reason for this is that the second-row seats come with a slide adjustment that you can move forward or backward. And oh, the passengers seated on the third-row also get their own aircon vents.

The Okavango's cargo space can accommodate an assortment of items

In terms of cargo space, the Okavango offers enough luggage room for up to three medium maletas when the third-row seats are up. You can fit more items when you fold down the third-row seats and loading a week’s supply of groceries is not a problem.    

The 2021 Geely Okavango Urban Plus comes with a modern-looking dashboard. Placed right at the center is a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen that features crisp images and is responsive to every touch. But the said touchscreen doesn’t come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, a feature that’s now becoming a standard in the local market. The touchscreen instead has QD Link that can mirror your phone’s interface. 

Parking the Okavango is made easier

The 10.25-inch touchscreen also serves as the display for the Okavango’s 360-degree panoramic view. The said feature provides a view of the vehicle’s surroundings. It’s like having a bird’s eye view of what’s in front, at the back, and at the side of the Okavango. The said screen also serves as the rear camera display when you put the gear to reverse. 

The modern-looking cabin is further highlighted by the 2021 Geely Okavango Urban Plus’ 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster, electronic power tailgate, and remote autostart. 
 

The 2021 Geely Okavango Urban Plus is powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine that features a 48-volt Electric Motor Synergy (EMS) mild hybrid system. This is the same engine found on the Geely Azkarra.   

The said power unit delivers 190 hp and 300 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a 7-speed wet dual-clutch automatic transmission. It comes with three drive modes: Eco, Comfort, and Sport. 

The Okavango's 1.5-liter gasoline engine

But what’s the thing with the 48-volt EMS mild hybrid system? To keep it simple, the Okavango uses a 48-volt battery system and an electric motor. This setup allows you to have two things: better fuel efficiency and a slight increase in power. 

The EMS automatically shuts down the engine when you come to a complete stop. It also gives the vehicle a subtle power bump when you apply more pressure to the gas pedal, which makes overtaking more manageable. The system sounds great in theory but the mild-hybrid system only comes into effect on a few occasions during the duration of my test drive. This is also what I’ve experienced during my time with the Azkarra.   

The somehow odd EMS mild-hybrid system is compensated by other driving experiences the Okavango can give you. The first thing I noticed while driving the Okavango is how smooth its transmission is. It doesn’t come with shift shock, giving you a smooth driving experience. The throttle response and power delivery are also notable as it gives adequate power when you need it. This helps you overtake slower vehicles with more confidence. It also aids you to get through an uphill road with minimum engine stress.  

The Okavango has a bold and composed stance

In terms of steering, the Okavango comes with a light feel and it responds to your inputs relatively well. The handling is also something of note considering the overall size of the vehicle. But don’t expect to have a sporty, performance-oriented type of agility. You have to remember that the Okavango is a seven-seater crossover SUV.   

When it comes to absorbing road impacts, the Okavango’s suspension slightly leans on the firm side. This means that you’ll feel a significant amount of bumps but not to the point of compromising the overall ride comfort. The Okavango is stable when driven on the open highway. The steering wheel gets a tad firmer when you start to gain speed, which gives you better control of the vehicle. Road noise is also reduced to a minimum while forward visibility is nice thanks to the front quarter glass that lessens blind spots. 
 

The Geely Okavango is one of the vehicles that should be on your list when you’re shopping for a seven-seater vehicle. It comes with a unique styling and a feature-rich interior that offers a lot of space. It also comes with a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine the delivers adequate power. 

2021 Geely Okavango Urban Plus

The 2021 Okavango Urban Plus is priced at Php 1,478,000, which is Php 150,000 more as compared to the mid Urban variant. For that extra price tag, you get a panoramic sunroof, adaptive LED headlights, and a fully digital instrument cluster. Is it worth it? Well, it all boils down to your preference. 

If you fancy having a panoramic sunroof and adaptive LED headlights, then you should definitely pick the Urban Plus variant. If sunroofs are not your thing, then why spend an extra Php 150,000, right? But overall, with all the features that the vehicle offers, the Geely Okavango can be considered as one of the practical buys in the local market today.   

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