GAC has been making waves these last couple of years. With an invigorated lineup of models and an aggressive distributor, perhaps it’s no surprise we’re seeing more of their offerings on the road today.
Okay, it’s far from Toyota levels of sales, but one can’t deny that the Chinese automaker has a little more presence these days. Of course, there will be commenters out there that Chinese cars aren’t worth the time, effort, or space to talk about. But whether we like it or not, there are genuinely good offerings out there.
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Case in point, the GAC GS8. Truth be told, if it had a more familiar badge (read: Japanese) on the grille and tailgate, people will be falling head of heels for it. We tested the flagship crossover a couple of months back, so why do we have one here again?
Simple. What we got is the top-spec version of the GS8, the GT 4WD. Aside from the addition of two powered wheels, it has a couple more features exclusive to this variant. It’s also P250,000 more than the two-wheel drive version. Time to find out if it’s worth the extra outlay, then.
Styling
Truth be told, there’s not much to say here. It looks exactly like the two-wheel drive model. There’s no extra ground clearance, no extra cladding or any of that. You’ll find little in the way of distinguishing marks to differentiate the top-spec from the entry-level. The only indicator here is a subtle 4WD badge on its tailgate.
Those who want a little more distinction might be disappointed, but honestly, it looks fine as it is. We’ll boldly say that the GS8 is one of the good looking midsize crossovers out there. It does the boxy look without looking retro, and it’s brash without being obnoxious.
Interior
It’s the same story with the interior. Again, the look is the same as the two-wheel drive, but that’s no bad thing at all. A friend told this writer that the design and layout takes a page from the Lexus and Mercedes-Benz playbook. We can draw some parallelisms, namely the flat surfaces, large screens, and even the air-conditioning trims. If you cover the badge, it already looks like you’re getting way more for what you paid for.
So, it looks good, but does it feel the same way? GAC went the extra mile of sticking heaps of soft touch materials and padding all throughout the interior and common touch points. Nothing your finger grazes feels low-rent or cheap. The buttons, or whatever’s left of it, are pleasant to press. No clunkly, hollow, and rattly noises in here.
That being said, we’re still not the biggest fans of putting a whole lot of basic functions into the touchscreen. In the case of the GS8, however, at least it’s logically arranged. Titos and titas with, um, difficulty in eyesight will appreciate the huge fonts on display. Still, we prefer buttons for their tactile feel and you don’t have to take your eyes off the road for too long to confirm you’ve done something.
Our tester came with a white on grey interior combination. It makes the already spacious cabin feel even more cavernous thanks to the light hues. But it’s not just an illusion, either. There’s buckets of room inside and the flat floor means even the person sitting in the middle of the second row won’t struggle for space. Headroom is excellent, even with the panoramic sunroof, and there’s no issues when it comes to leg, hip, and shoulder room.
The cargo area is what you’d expect from a vehicle its size. The low floor offers more than enough for road trips, outings, or a month’s worth of groceries at over 800 liters of space. There isn’t much real estate behind the third row, but flip those down and you’ll rarely have the chance to fill it up to the brim.
Engine performance
If you’re looking for diesel power, you’re looking at the wrong segment. Yes, midsize SUVs are predominantly diesel, but this is a crossover we’re talking about here. Like the GT 2WD model, the 4WD uses a 2.0-liter turbo engine that’s good for 248hp and 400Nm of torque. Confidence in overtaking? You bet.
The thing is, though, it doesn’t feel fast. The only way you’ll know you’re going quite quickly is with the background moving faster than usual. It’s smooth, quiet, and refined in ways a four-cylinder diesel will never match. On pure pace, the GS8 is quicker than pickup-based SUVs without question. It just doesn’t shove you to the back of the seat because it’s so plush, but more on comfort later.
Oh, but it’s gas-powered. It’ll be heavy on fuel, right? Obviously, it’ll never match a hybrid in terms of efficiency, but for a boosted 2.0-liter hauling two tons of steel, glass, and power motors for various features, it’s not bad at all. In heavy traffic, you’re looking at about 6.6 to 7.1 km/L. With the roads a little more open, 8 to 9 km/L is easily achievable. Highway stints are no problem, sipping fuel at 14.1 km/L.
Ride and handling
If one were to buy an SUV based on comfort alone, the GS8 should be on their list. The seats themselves are plush and supportive, but couple that with a set of softly tuned springs and dampers, and you have yourself one of the nicest-riding crossovers in the market today.
However, some might say that the ride is a little too soft. Perhaps a few more tweaks to the body control will dial out the wallowy and floaty feel when hitting road imperfections diagonally. Body sway is noticeable, but not disturbing. But to be perfectly honest, its ride is only something a truck-based midsized SUV can only dream of.
A little more steering feel would also be appreciated. Yes, we know these things aren’t meant to be sport by any measure, but the lack of weight on the wheel sees one constantly adjusting the steering to keep it straight. On the flipside, you wouldn’t want overly sharp steering on the highway as you’ll find yourself darting all over the place.
Putting the GS8’s steering setting in sport mode does improve it a little bit, but there really has to be more on-center feedback. All in all, though, it’s good with just a little bit more polish needed.
Extra features
We’ll start off with an oddity first. The GS8, regardless of trim, serves as the crown jewel of the GAC lineup. Why then does it still not have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto? What’s even more bizarre is that its smaller siblings, the Emkoo and Emzoom, have that feature. GAC should find a way to fit that in its flagship, pronto.
That aside, the top-spec GS8 is generously spec’d. Advanced driver assist systems are standard, so too are cooled seats, a hugely comprehensive infotainment system (to a point that it can be redundant at times), 360-degree view cameras, 3D mode, stacks of USB ports, the list goes on.
So, what are the exclusive features in the AWD? The first is the chilled center storage box that comes in handy when you have drinks on board. The second is the ten-speaker Alpine sound system that pumps out tunes in a more crisp manner. It would be a waste to just play podcasts with it. The last one is the additional modes for off-road driving, namely sand, mud, and snow, you know, just in case.
By the way, do be careful if you plan to take the GS8 AWD off-roading. Yes, there’s just enough ground clearance, but a piece of trim under the front bumper is perilously close to the road. The chances of seeing any of these on a rocky trail are slim, but it can snag on more everyday hazards such as steep ramps and tire stoppers in car parks. It’s just something to bear in mind.
Verdict
Design, space, and value are the strongest points of the GS8 4WD. It’s difficult to find a similar vehicle for the price that offers as much as this GAC. At P2,648,000, it’s similarly priced to truck-based four-wheel drive SUVs, but the room and comfort that it offers is tough to beat.
However, it’s not perfect; no car ever is. The chassis tuning just needs a few more tweaks to make it even better, and a tad more feedback behind the wheel would be greatly appreciated. Still, we wouldn’t sway you away from buying one if you’re interested. Badge snobs need not apply.
The extra P250,000 sounds like a lot, but the all-wheel drive system with its extra modes isn't a cheap piece of technology. The premium sound system isn't worth pennies, either. If you frequent places that are dusty, sandy, or have generally loose surfaces, the all-wheel drive might come in handy.
Haters will find this hard to believe, but the GS8 is a genuinely solid midsize crossover. As we mentioned before, if it wore a Japanese badge, more people would be singing to the choir about it. However, there is one big threat looming in the distance in the form of the all-new Hyundai Santa Fe. It’s just as big, just as boxy, and aims to be best value crossover in its size segment.
So, Big Test, anyone? Watch this space.
SPECS: 2024 GAC GS8 2.0T GT 4WD AT
Price: P2,648,000
Engine: 2.0-liter turbopetrol
Power: 248hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Layout: All-wheel drive
Seating: 7
Score: 8/10
