I used to think minivans and MPVs weren’t all that. Besides, our parents managed to do just fine with their sedans back in the day. It also didn’t help that, in my formative years, these vehicles were labeled uncool and about as fashionable as fanny packs.
That is, until, I became a parent.
These might not be the envy of car enthusiasts, but to families, it’s a godsend. MPVs won’t lure you in with sleek and sharp styling. Instead, these tug at your logical side to a point that you’ll find sexiness in sensibility.
Having driven a few since the arrival of our child, I couldn’t get enough of these to try and borrow for testing. I’m at the point in my life where if someone waves keys to a sports car and an MPV in front of me, I’d gladly take the latter. Wagons are a different case, of course.
But I digress. You’re likely reading this review of the GAC M6 Pro because you want to know how it fares not only as a vehicle, but also as a family (mini) bus. So, from a parent’s point of view, let’s get started.
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Styling
Let’s be real here: Nobody really buys an MPV for its styling. The bare minimum is to look inoffensive and neat. The M6 Pro ticks that box to a tee. It won’t wow you, but it’s pleasing enough to the eye for you to actually consider it as an option for your next family car.
Cover the GAC badges and you can mistake it for, well, a generic minivan. Nothing wrong with that and it’s just right for its target demographic. Sure, the headlights and tail lights try to add some zing to the exterior, but you won’t mistake it for anything else other than a family shuttle. It’s as unpretentious as they come.
There is just one thing I wish the M6 Pro had: Sliding doors. It’s almost criminal that it doesn’t have it and it would’ve boosted its practicality score. It already looks like a van anyway, so why not give it those sliders, too?
Interior
This is the part that matters the most for MPV and minivan shoppers. Is it spacious? How are the seats? How many can it hold? Those are the pressing questions we’ll be answering here today.
The M6 Pro isn’t the biggest MPV or minivan around. It’s under 4.8 meters long, so it isn't too far off the average compact sedan or SUV. It also isn’t too terribly wide, either. Despite that, GAC managed to fork out every bit of cubic meter out of the relatively limited area with great success.
You won’t have any problems in the front, that’s a given already. It’s the second row that has acres of space. These captain chairs slide back and forth and the only limit in legroom here is how much you’re willing to move the seat. The flat floor is also great for putting down a couple of items, while the center aisle makes short work of getting to the third row.
That said, those hoping for a version with a bench seat in the middle row will be disappointed. All variants of the M6 Pro come with those individual perches, limiting the passenger count to seven, but more realistically, six.
Normally, the third row is a penalty box, but that’s not the case for any MPV and minivan of this size. There’s reasonable amounts of space back there, and the high roof means you’ll have to be very gifted vertically before you brush your head against the ceiling.
Cargo space behind the third row isn’t half bad either. There’s a deep well back the with those seats in place and it still offers a flat floor after you tumble it backwards. For anyone who owns a Honda Odyssey or Kia Carnival might find the mechanism familiar. To stow, the backrests must be flipped forward and, with a tug of another strap, falls back into the well to form a flat floor. One must remember to hook it into place to prevent it from bouncing around at the back.
We’re glad to report that, for the most part, the interior feels much better than the pre-facelift version formerly known as the GN6. Its previous iteration was awash with very synthetic feeling leather and rattly plastics. GAC has rectified most of it with better materials. Yes, hard plastics remain, but if you’re coming from the older model, this is a definite improvement. It doesn’t smell like melted plastic anymore, either.
There’s finally a console box in the M6 Pro, something that was missing in the GN6. Nevermind that it feels a bit hollow, it’s a welcome addition. Also, there are proper cupholders now at the front, another thing the old model lacked. All in all, your spouse and kids will like it in there.
Engine Performance
So far, so good, then for the M6 Pro, but what about performance? Yes, these things aren’t meant to go up against sports cars and roadsters, but they have to be strong enough to carry people and cargo, all while not drinking too much fuel.
In the case of the M6 Pro, it uses 1.5-liter turbocharged petrol engine. It makes 174hp and 270Nm of torque, which felt adequate for its purpose. The engine is willing and pulls well enough even with a whole family, some luggage, and several coolers on board. It doesn’t strain even with the extra load and we have to give it props for that.
It’s high praises for the engine, then, but the same couldn’t be said about its transmission.
See, the old GN6 has a smooth six-speed automatic, but this new one shifted (no pun intended) to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
The thing about dual-clutches is they can either be the smoothest transmissions out there or be one of the jerkier ones. Sad to say it’s the latter here. Mind you, it won’t cause you or your occupants to bang heads into the dashboard. But whether it’s shifting up or down, the dual clutch in the M6 Pro lets everyone inside know it’s doing something.
It makes its presence felt in stop and go traffic or pulling out from a traffic light. For families, that might induce a bit of motion sickness from your spouse, kids, or in-laws. You’ll need to adapt your driving style to the transmission for a smoother experience on board.
Dual clutches, for the most part, don’t like traffic which we have a lot of here, a point it drives home clearly in this MPV. A shame, really, because the old automatic was way smoother. We wish GAC retained that arrangement.
At least fuel economy is decent. It’s no diesel, but it’ll happily return 7-8km/L around the city (with passengers) and do 14km/L on the highway.
Ride and comfort
Okay, time for the M6 to claw back some points. Let’s start by saying it no longer feels as numb as the old one. There’s a little more feel and feedback behind the wheel, and you actually know where the front wheels are pointed. It no longer feels floppy around the bends, a sore point in the previous version, and it feels more confident taking them. You passengers won’t complain too much when you’re cornering around provincial byways.
There’s a little tradeoff in the ride department, but we’re willing to accept that in place of the handling improvements. You’ll only notice it if you drive the past and present versions side by side. Still, the ride is generally pliant and does a fine job of ironing out road imperfections. Low-speed ride is good, although things can get a touch choppy on, er, less than perfect highway roads (ie. STAR Tollway). It won’t upset anyone in the back, but it is noticeable.
Extra features
As it’s primarily a family car, it’s best to start off with its safety features. This top-spec variant comes equipped with advanced driver assist systems. It includes adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, and a 360-degree view camera, just to name a few. In terms of passive safety, there are seatbelt reminders that extend to the second row, along with six airbags. A tire pressure monitoring system is a handy inclusion.
The M6 Pro comes with a new instrument cluster, now fully digital with this update. It’s generally easy to interact with and displays more useful information. Its infotainment screen was also given an overhaul and its interface is now in line with the rest of the GAC lineup. It looks more modern, easier to use, and no longer looks like an aftermarket unit. Second-row passengers will like the USB charging ports, one of which is directly mounted on the seat.
Apple CarPlay is standard, but Android Auto isn’t. Android users will have to hook up their phones via Bluetooth connection. Also, this range-topped comes equipped with a DTS sound system with eight speakers. All in all, it’s not what anyone would call barren.
Verdict
At P1,598,000, the M6 Pro undercuts several similarly equipped MPVs and minivans. One can’t deny its value proposition and it’s understandable to be tempted by it. As a family vehicle, it performs its duties without complaints. Your spouse and children will enjoy the space, practicality, and comfort it provides, making it a legitimate contender for anyone looking for a family shuttle.
However, it’s the drivetrain that takes the shine off this otherwise competitive package. Its engine is punchy and offers more than enough performance for the daily drive, but the dual clutch transmission isn’t always willing to dance with it. Once GAC figures out how to make it shift smoother, it’ll be an even more comfortable experience for both drivers and passengers alike.
Still, that didn’t mean we didn’t enjoy our time with it. It was a great van to have around the household and more than equipped to take on the task of parenthood and family life. To moms and dads out there, the M6 Pro is still worth checking out, provided you can make the transmission cooperate to your commands.
Specs: 2024 GAC M6 Pro GL
Price: P1,598,000
Engine: 1.5-liter inline-4 turbopetrol
Power: 174hp
Torque: 270Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch
Layout: front wheel-drive
Seating: 7
Score: 8/10
