2021 Geely Okavango joins Philippine 7-seater SUV battle royale

Sojitz G Auto Philippines (SGAP), the official distributor of Geely vehicles in the country, has officially launched the 2021 Okavango, which is a vehicle that looks ready to make its own statement in the seven-seater SUV segment.  

The said vehicle expands Geely Philippines’ model lineup to three that includes the Coolray and the Azkarra. The 2021 Okavango can be considered as a vehicle that’s meant to help maintain Geely PH’s momentum in the market. There’s no denying that the Geely Coolray subcompact crossover has put Geely PH in a good position since its launch last September 2019.

2021 Geely Okavango Philippines Quick look

Now, the brand is officially enlisted among the challengers in the Philippine seven-seater SUV battle royale. From the looks of it, the 2021 Okavango could pose a good challenge to the established seven-seater SUVs in the local market.

The 2021 Geely Okavango seven-seater SUV

But before anything else, you might be wondering what's behind the Okavango name. Okavango was derived from North-western Botswana’s vast inland delta, Okavango Delta. In 2014, UNESCO has recognized the Okavango Delta as its 1,000th World Heritage Site. It was also declared as one of the 7 Natural Wonders of Africa. 

>>> Related: Will the 2021 Geely Okavango’s pricing stir PH midsize SUV segment?

Exterior

The 2021 Geely Okavango has a bold and composed exterior

The Geely Okavango features an aggressive-looking exterior design. It has a bold and composed stance that gives the vehicle a commanding presence. In fact, if you look into its dimensions, the 2021 Okavango is larger than the Toyota Fortuner. The Okavango is 40mm longer and 45mm wider as compared to the said Toyota midsize SUV. However, Geely’s SUV comes with a ground clearance of 194mm only. To put things in perspective, the Ford Everest has 225mm of ground clearance while the Mitsubishi Montero Sport has 218mm.

Aside from its size, the Okavango’s commanding presence is also highlighted by sharp-looking headlights, an aggressive bumper design, and a large grille. Of note, the Okavango is fitted with LED headlights and LED fog lamps. 

The Geely Okavango comes with a commanding stance

The side of the 2021 Okavango comes with crisp character lines that further emphasize the vehicle’s fender flares. As such, the Okavango has a sharp and muscular look when viewed from the side. You also can’t help but notice the stylish aluminum alloy wheels of the Okavango that comes either in 17- or 18-inches, depending on the variant.

Look at those sharp character lines

The rear, on the other hand, features sleek LED taillights that give the Okavango a premium look. It also has a tailgate-mounted spoiler, which adds a bit of a sporty appeal to the vehicle. Moreover, the bulky built of the Okavango is further seen at the bumper.    

>>> Related: 2021 Geely Okavango: Expectations and what we know so far

Interior

Interior of the 2021 Geely Okavango

The 2021 Geely Okavango features a dark interior theme along with silver trims and glossy black accents. Right at the center of the dashboard, you’ll see a 10.25-inch multimedia touchscreen that’s standard in both Comfort and Urban variants. The vehicle is also integrated with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.

The top-spec Urban trim comes with leather seats as well as a power-adjustable driver and front passenger seat. Of note, the 2021 Okavango features seven individual seats. Interestingly, Geely PH said that the Okavango comes with up to 19-seat configurations, 42 storage nooks, and compartments including a double-layer console.

The Okavango can accommodate seven occupants

Another notable feature of the Okavango is the triple-zone automatic climate control that allows the driver, front passenger, and rear occupants to select their desired temperature setting respectively.

>>> Related: Which 2021 Geely Okavango variant should you buy? [Comparison Guide]

Tech & Safety

2021 Geely Okavango comes with six airbags

Like its other Geely siblings, the 2021 Geely Okavango comes with a boatload of tech and safety features. It is equipped with a 360-degree panoramic camera, an electronic parking brake, power tailgate, remote engine start, six airbags, among others. To give you confidence while you’re out on the road, the Okavango also has electronic stability control, hill start assist, and hill descent control. Not to mention, this vehicle comes with speed-sensing door locks.

Engine & Drivetrain

The 2021 Geely Okavango is offered in two variants, Comfort and Urban, which are both equipped with a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine featuring a 48-volt electric motor. The said power unit is the same engine setup found on the Geely Azkarra, and it can generate a maximum power output of 190 hp and 300 Nm of torque. It is mated to a seven-speed wet dual-clutch transmission.

Pricing

The Okavango has a starting price of Php 1,208,000 for the Comfort variant while the top-spec Urban trim is priced at Php 1,328,000. Geely PH is offering the 2021 Okavango with the following exterior colors: Storm Grey, Porcelain White, Luna Silver, and Marble Black. 

“It has been a challenging year for all of us particularly in the automotive businesses. However, I believe that the introduction of our affordable 7-seater crossover just came in the right time, as we expect new vehicle demand to recover in the coming months, particularly on core segments such as sub-compact cars, MPVs, and SUVs,”, said SGAP President & CEO Mikihisa Takayama.

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