This stylish new GAC GS3 Emzoom compact crossover lands locally in two guises: Exclusive and Premium R.
Following on from the preview earlier this year, WTC Automotif has since debuted the stylish new GAC GS3 Emzoom in Malaysia. Arriving first in Complete Built UP (CBU) form before being locally assembled over here, this new competitor to Proton’s X50 and Honda’s WR-V lands in two primary guises: the Exclusive and Premium R, costing RM 118,900 and RM 128,900 respectively.
Incidentally the second iteration of this crossover to be sold in Malaysia (following on from the virtually unknown predecessor which landed locally back in 2019), the major selling point of this GS3 Emzoom has to be its exterior aesthetic. Starting up front, this compact crossover nets what GAC dubs a ‘Mecha Wing’ front fascia, which consists of its unique angular frameless grille flanked by a set of equally-angular and slim Laser Eye Split LED headlights.
Left: Exclusive, Right: Premium R
These angular lines and creases then continued further on from the front towards the rear, with the profile of this compact crossover complimented by flush-fitting electric door handles and 18-inch alloy wheels on both variants. A set of angular Light Dart LED 3D-effect tail light clusters is joined by a small ducktail-style spoiler moulded into the rump, which is then topped off by another an aggressive-looking spoiler mounted to its roof.
Left: Exclusive, Right: Premium R
In terms of dimensions meanwhile, the additional R Style Sport Package body kit and a pair of R-Style Sport Exhaust on the Premium R trim makes it 36 mm longer than the 4,410 mm length quoted on the Exclusive variant. Both variants this compact crossover nevertheless measures in at 1,850 mm in width and 1,850 mm in height, with also touting a largest-in-class wheelbase measurement of 2,650 mm.
Moving on within now, the GAC GS3 Emzoom follows on from its stylish exterior by netting a similarly snazzy black-and-blue cabin aesthetic. Though there is unfortunately to be a bit of Tan Chong creeping into the interior appointments, with most of the cool kit being left to the higher-end Premium R trim.
This aforementioned statement is to be exemplified by the Exclusive netting a 10.25-inch central infotainment display with Wireless Apple CarPlay (but no Android Auto, only Android mirroring) and 360º surround view camera, but with the Premium R adding on a panoramic sunroof and Fusion Automatic Parking Assist (FAPA). The higher-tier GS3 Emzoom is also to be the only one within the range with automatic climate control, six-way power adjustment for its leatherette driver’s seat, multi-colour ambient lighting, a wireless smartphone charger and a hands-free power tailgate.
Moreover, the higher-end GS3 Emzoom is to be the only variant as well to feature High Beam Assist (HBA). The lower trim though fortunately still nets GAC’s comprehensive suite of active and passive driver aids, which includes but is not limited to Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), Traffic Sign Recognition System (TSR), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Intelligent Speed Limit Control (ISLC).
Both variants of this compact crossover are to be powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, which has been touted to send 177 PS and a supposed best-in-class torque output of 270 Nm through to the front wheels via a 7-speed wet dual-clutch transmission. GAC currently claims for the GS3 Emzoom to achieve a suitably zoom-y 8.0 second century sprint time, with those who don’t attempt to achieve that all the time capable of averaging a reasonable 5.9 litres per 100 km on the NEDC test cycle.
Four colours are currently on offer with the GAC GS3 Emzoom: Salt Lake Blue, Ivory White, Graphene Grey and Super Star Silver. To commemorate the official launch of this Chinese compact crossover locally too, there is a Special Launch Package on offer for the first 2,000 early bird customers, which consists of:
- A GAC Smart Watch Key (worth RM 1,388)
- 3 times complimentary scheduled service maintenance, including labour, parts and lubricants.
- 7-year/180,000 km engine and powertrain warranty for the first registered owner, in addition to the standard 5-year/100,000 km vehicle warranty
WTC Automotif currently touts for it to have appointed 15 official dealerships nationwide to date, with over 20 showrooms and service centre operating in the main cities of Peninsula Malaysia by Q3 2024. The local distributors will also plan to expand its GAC lineup in the near future with the already-announced Aion Y Plus e-MPV, while the Emkoo mid-sized crossover and Aion S Plus all-electric sedan are rumoured to arrived shortly after too.
