Sojitz G Auto Philippines Corp. (SGAP), the official distributor of Geely vehicles in the country, has confirmed that it will be soon joining the sedan market. Geely PH will be launching its new model that could most likely be the Emgrand, a challenger to the likes of the Toyota Vios.
2022 Geely Emgrand
SGAP President & CEO Yosuke Nishi said that the company decided to jump into the sedan market due to the market’s positive response to the Geely brand. He added that the car brand also wanted to capitalize on the growing demand for vehicles brought upon by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our confidence in the decision to finally enter the challenging sedan market comes from the overwhelming support and trust we have been getting from the people for the past two years. Not to mention the growing demand for entry level vehicles that started when the pandemic broke out.” SGAP President & CEO Yosuke Nishi said.
Geely PH is ready to join the sedan market
Although, Geely PH has yet to confirm if the Emgrand is indeed its soon-to-be-launched sedan. But from the looks of it, all hints suggest that the Emgrand will be Geely’s challenger in the local sedan market.
The car brand shared that its upcoming sedan is built in Geely Auto’s new 5G Connected Factory. The said facility features a 100 percent automated welding line as well as Automated Guided Vehicles or AGVs, which deliver specific panels and parts to the different sections of the factory. Geely explained that the AGVs are linked to a 5G+ network resulting in seamless operation as to inventory levels and production status.
The new sedan that Geely PH will offer shares the same platform as the Coolray. As previously reported, the Geely Emgrand is a subcompact sedan that sits on the same B-segment Modular Architecture (BMA) found in the Coolray.
The Geely Emgrand comes with distinctive taillights
The Geely Emgrand measures 4,638mm long, 1,820mm wide, and 1,460mm tall along with a wheelbase of 2,650mm. Those numbers make it at par with the dimensions of the Honda Civic, and the Toyota Corolla Altis. In fact, the Emgrand is longer, and wider than the two Japanese compact sedans.
In terms of pricing, the Emgrand sold in China comes with a starting price of 69,900 Yuan (around Php 559,000), and the top-spec variant has a price tag of 88,900 Yuan (around Php 711,000). With that price point, the Emgrand can undercut subcompact sedans in the Philippines such as the Toyota Vios, Honda City, Mitsubishi Mirage G4, among others.
Interior of the Geely Emgrand
The 2022 Geely Emgrand is equipped with a 1.5-liter gasoline engine that puts out 113 hp and 147 Nm of torque. The Chinese-spec version is available with either a five-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
Know more about Geely vehicles as well as other cars available in the Philippines in Philkotse’s Car Guide section.