GAC Motor Philippines, under the management of Astara Philippines, has officially entered the local premium MPV segment with the launch of the all-new 2024 M8.
2024 GAC M8
For a bit of history on this imposing-looking model, its first generation version was introduced in 2017 in China. The GAC Group followed that up with the second-generation model, which was revealed at the 2022 Chengdu Auto Show.
To clear up any confusion, the second-gen 2024 GAC M8 is labeled as a minivan in the global market but it is designated as an MPV by GAC Motor Philippines.
The GAC M8 is set to compete against the likes of the Toyota Alphard, but what can prospective buyers expect from this new GAC seven-seater model?
Exterior
In terms of appearance, the GAC M8 is particularly striking upfront. It features a humungous grille with vertical chromed slats that stretch from below the tip of the bonnet down to the front bumper. This is flanked by large L-shaped automatic LED headlamp clusters with integrated LED daytime running lamps and turn signal lamps.
M8's huge grille features vertical slats
Over to the side, the size of the M8 is emphasized by its massive doors and its generously sized windows. It then rides on 18-inch alloy wheels, and it also sports a silver-colored side skirt, power-folding side mirrors, panoramic sunroof, chrome door handles, dual power sliding doors, and many others.
The rear of the imposing but elegant M8 meanwhile, mirrors the front end thanks to its inverted L taillights. The taillight clusters are very eye-catching as they are linked by an LED bar that spans the width of the vehicle. Down below the massive power tailgate meanwhile, is a shapely silver-colored rear bumper. The top of the rear section meanwhile, gets a reasonably-sized roof spoiler.
M8 from the rear
Size-wise, the 2024 GAC M8 is 5,212mm long, 1,893mm wide, and 1,823mm in height. Its wheelbase spans 3,070mm. At its heaviest, the M8 has a curb weight of 2,192 kg.
Interior
Inside, the M8 gets a plush cabin with a generous amount of space for seven occupants. All are kept cool by a triple-zone automatic air-conditioning system with rear vents, and the entire interior is made livelier thanks to a multi-color ambient lighting system. All seats and plenty of touchpoints are also clad in leather.
M8's cockpit
For the frontmost row of the M8, it provides a 12-way power-adjustable seat for the driver and a power-adjustable front passenger seat. These front seats are ventilated and heated, and they also feature four-way adjustable headrests.
The dashboard, in turn, gets a sculpted two-tiered look which is dominated by a massive central touchscreen display. The said display is seamlessly linked to the center console which houses an intricate-looking gear shifter and vehicle control buttons, which in turn, are surrounded by piano black plastic trims.
The driver’s side gets a three-spoke leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel. Behind the wheel is a 12.3-inch digital driver’s information display.
The top-spec version features power-adjustable captain seats
The second row of the M8 then gets power-adjustable captain seats that also have heating or cooling functionality. On higher-spec trims, these seats feature a massage function. Lower-spec trims then get a folding central armrest with cooled cupholders. The third row of the M8 meanwhile, has manually adjustable seating with a 60:40 split functionality.
Other features found on the top-spec variant are particulate matter (PM) 2.5 sensors, and a fragrance system. These help in keeping the air inside the M8 fresh and pleasant.
Tech & Safety
Present aboard the higher-spec trims of the M8 is a 14.6-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The large central display is linked to an eight-piece speaker system.
Powering up devices on the M8 is done via a 12-volt power outlet, and a generous amount of type A and type C USB ports spread around the interior. For the high-spec trim though, a wireless smartphone charger is available.
The M8 GX Master is equipped with a 14.6-inch central touchscreen
Handling safety for the M8 is a total of six airbags, anti-lock braking, stability control, ISOFIX child seat anchors, a surround-view camera, keyless entry and keyless start system, hill-start assist, and tire pressure monitoring, among others.
The aforementioned safety features are reinforced by several advanced driver-assistive features. These include adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, traffic jam assist, blind-spot detection, rear-cross traffic alert, emergency lane keeping, door open warning, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, as well as automatic parking assist.
Engine
Propelling the 2024 GAC M8 is a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine that can generate up to 248 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque. Power is sent to its front wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
M8 from the side
For ride comfort and stability, the M8 uses MacPherson struts for the front and a multi-link suspension for the rear. Braking meanwhile is handled by discs for all four wheels, as well as an electronic parking brake with an autohold function.
Price
As of its launch, the GAC M8 has two variants: the GL Master and the top-spec GX Master. The lower-spec GL Master is priced at Php 2,998,000, while the top-spec trim retails at Php 3,948,000.
This premium MPV has a power tailgate and lots of trunk space
Just like all GAC vehicles, the M8 comes with a five-year or 150,000-kilometer (whichever comes first) warranty.
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