Sedans—save for the omnipresent Toyota Vios—are not nearly as popular as they were in decades past. Part of the reason for this is the rise of crossovers. For roughly the same amount of money, consumers can avail of SUV-like ground clearance and storage space while retaining some of a sedan’s driving dynamics.
Still, this simple fact hasn’t stopped carmakers from bringing in new models to try and revive the body type. And even though subcompact sedans now rule the roost, more and more compacts are hitting showrooms with each passing year. One of the newest to land in our market is the Empow, a sort of welcoming party for the newly rejuvenated GAC.
The Empow’s is touted as a direct competitor to the Honda Civic. Bold claim. Does it live up to the hype?
Styling
The Empow is a head-turner. Don’t just take my word for it. During the time I had this unit, I saw numerous motorists and pedestrians craning their necks to catch a quick gander. At one point I had it parked right next to a gym entrance, and a friend observed how he and a few others took a good look before stepping inside the building. “Parang Civic kasi,” he said.
And it is indeed a looker. The entire thing has a fastback-like shape that exudes a sporty yet classy and subdued vibe. Up front, you get a massive grille that extends down to the bumper. It’s a bit on-the-nose of current trends, but it works well in this case. Sleek LED headlamps and sharp hood strakes cap off the sports car-like front end.
The package gets a bit more rounded as you move along the sides. In the rear, the slope blends seamlessly with the trunk and peaks into a small spoiler lip. The taillights, meanwhile, appear to be inspired by Lexus.
The design is gorgeous, but the fastback shape does result in a glaring flaw: the trunk opening. The storage space runs deep and cavernous, but the opening to insert items is but a small, rectangular space. This is fine for most pieces of luggage, but anything taller (or things that can’t be slotted in sideways like groceries) will be difficult to manage.
Interior
The first thing that stands out when you step inside the empow is the two-layer center console that looks straight out of the tenth-generation Civic’s product planning guide. In this case, the homage is tastefully done, providing you plenty of storage nooks and charging ports within easy reach. And despite the center console’s considerable size, personal space isn’t a problem. My 5’5” frame fit comfortably in the front seats, and the same goes for the rear. Leg- and headroom for five average-sized passengers wouldn’t be an issue here.
Soft-touch leather abounds all throughout the cabin, from the seats to the doors and all along the dashboard. It gives the car a premium feel, while the red stitching gives it just enough to color to prevent blandness. The seven-inch infotainment display sits in the center, while the screen itself stretches all the way left behind the steering wheel to give you a fully digital information screen. The big screen is reminiscent of current concept cars, though I still personally prefer a separate display. In the rear, passengers get a dedicated A/C vent and USB port.
Engine performance
The Empow runs on a 1.5-liter turbopetrol engine capable of 168hp and 270Nm of torque, paired to a seven-speed wet dual-clutch gearbox. For you number crunchers out there, that’s 8hp less than the Civic’s powertrain, but a considerable 30Nm more. There are four driving modes available from the get-go: Eco, Comfort, Sport, and DIY. Then there is Sport+, which apparently learns your driving behavior and only unlocks “once driving milestones are achieved.” That last mode was still locked when we got the unit.
When several settings are available, I normally opt for the happy medium to test out the car’s capabilities at both city and highway speeds. In this case, though, Comfort leaned a little too much towards the athletic end of the spectrum. Its throttle response was a tiny bit too potent for bumper-to-bumper conditions, while lifting off the pedal initiated an unnecessary engine braking process. For urban roads, Eco mode is adequate.
For highway jaunts, flicking to Sport mode is the way to go. Here, you get the expected acceleration and thrill that a finely tuned small engine with forced induction can provide. It just takes its time getting there. If you bury your foot while in Sport mode, there is a good two seconds of nothing while the revs climb until you finally get that much-needed boost. It’s a little disheartening when you first feel it, especially when compared to the much nimbler CVT-equipped Civic.
While the Empow disappoints on the sporty end, its economic side fares just fine. On this drive, we managed 9.3km/L in the city and 18.5km/L on the highway—no small figures in the age of expensive fuel prices.
Ride and handling
The engine’s civilian leanings carry over to the car’s handling as well. Try as you might, the Empow falls short of its purported Japanese rival’s reputation for being a sporty sedan for the masses. The steering is soft with little feedback at speed, while the entire car rolls to and fro with every turn. It’s capable, yes, but the McPherson struts up front and multi-links in the rear are geared more towards comfort than precision handling.
But they sure are comfortable. The suspension absorbs speed humps and road imperfections with ease. Even big dips and potholes are just literal bumps in the road for the Empow. You barely feel a thing while sitting inside the well-insulated cabin. It’s rare you get this level of comfort in a crossover, let alone a compact sedan that sits this low to the ground.
Extra features
The Empow offers quite a bit of tech for its price point. The amenities here include active cruise control, power-adjusted driver’s seat, power sunroof, lane keep warning and assist, front collision warning, rear parking sensor with camera, and Apple CarPlay. My personal favorite here is the auto-hold function. This is a lifesaver in bumper-to-bumper traffic, and it’s nice to see the feature becoming more and more widespread.
Verdict
So, can the Empow stand toe-to-toe with the Civic? In some ways, no. It’s not nearly as sporty, so it’s not likely to inspire a cult following the way the Japanese sedan has. It is, however, a well-equipped packaged that’s plush and comfortable to drive, offers plenty of interior space, and will make you glance back at it when you leave it in the parking lot. It’s no Civic, but it stands on its own as a capable sedan with plenty to offer.
Specs: GAC Empow GB 2023
Price: P1,215,000
Engine: 1.5-liter turbopetrol
Power: 168hp
Torque: 270Nm
Transmission: 7-speed DCT
Drive layout: FWD
Seating: 5
Score: 17/20
More photos of the GAC Empow GB 2023
