GAC Trumpchi GS8 2022 Review
China’s GAC Motor plans to enter right-hand drive markets including Australia; this seven-seat family SUV is a sign of what’s to comeMG has already made waves in Australia, where it became a top-10 brand by sales last year, but several other Chinese brands are eyeing the Australian market as part of their global expansion plans.Among them is GAC (short for Guangzhou Automobile Group), which sells passenger cars under its Trumpchi brand. You might assume the name is a hat tip to the former US president but, rest assured, this isn’t the case as ‘Trumpchi’ is, in fact, Chinese for ‘Legend’. GAC sold about half a million vehicles bearing the Trumpchi nameplate in China last year, so the brand has significant sales volumes and turnover behind it. Most of Trumpchi’s sales are derived from SUVs, and sitting atop its crossover line-up is the GS8 – a three-row, seven-seat large SUV that could take the fight to the likes of the Toyota Kluger, Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento.
Price and equipment
Pricing is a strong point for the 2022 Trumpchi GS8 in markets where it’s sold. We tested the vehicle in the United Arab Emirates, where the GS8 GL 4WD (the only variant currently offered) costs the equivalent of $50,895.
This spend gets you a well-equipped SUV with all the bells and whistles you could ask for as standard, including three-zone climate control, heated/ventilated leather-trimmed seats, 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, panoramic sunroof, Apple CarPlay, 10-inch infotainment touch-screen, six-speaker stereo, front and rear parking sensors, surround-view camera and cruise control.
Also standard are 19-inch alloys and Matrix LED headlights and LED tail-lights. In addition, a five-year/150,000km warranty adds peace of mind.
Safety and technology
The 2022 Trumpchi GS8 GL doesn’t skimp on safety tech as the usual stability control, electronic-brakeforce distribution, brake assist and lane-change assist are supplemented by hill-start hold control, hill-descent control, front/side/curtain airbags and a tyre-pressure monitoring system.
For what it’s worth, the GS8 received a five-star safety rating from the China New Car Assessment Program (C-NCAP). Subjectively speaking, the vehicle also imparts a feeling of solidity when you’re ensconced within its cabin.
Powertrain and performance
The 2022 Trumpchi GS8 departs from the medium-large SUV norm as it eschews the usual V6 in favour of a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that ekes out 148kW and 320Nm.
Although these aren’t earth-shattering numbers, the GS8 feels lively enough out in the real world and performance is perfectly adequate for this type of vehicle, at least with a couple of occupants on board.
The manufacturer quotes a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 8.9sec, and that doesn’t sound too far-fetched. More importantly, there’s enough mid-range urge to cope with cut-and-thrust traffic and facilitate easy overtaking on the highway.
Drive is sent to all four wheels via an Aisin six-speed auto that’s relatively seamless and well calibrated in its shift points and there’s a drive mode selector that offers Mud, Sand and Snow settings, as well as a choice of three on-road modes (Smart, Sport and Economic).
It’s fair to say the GS8 isn’t pitched as a bona-fide all-terrainer in the vein of the Toyota Prado, but it’s certainly up to the challenge of taking on moderately sized sand dunes and rutted gravel tracks.
Driving and comfort
Although the 2022 Trumpchi GS8 offers seating for seven, it’s not as big (measuring 4836mm long and 1910mm wide) as the large SUVs like the Toyota LandCruiser Prado and Hyundai Palisade, so it makes for an easier fit in tight shopping mall carparks and is generally easier to manoeuvre for those averse to XL vehicles.
Refinement levels are generally good, although wind noise from around the windscreen pillars and mirrors intrudes on an otherwise near-silent experience. Some Chinese vehicles we’ve driven in past years imparted a feeling of flimsiness and presented woolly dynamics, but that’s not the case here.
The GS8 not only rides with a decent level of compliance, it also goes, stops and steers with far greater composure than expected. In fact, if you were to tape over the badges and logos and ask a couple of occupants to ride along with you, chances are they wouldn’t be able to discern that this isn’t a Japanese or Korean offering.
Cabin quality is also reflective of the attention to detail that’s gone into the GS8. The layout is neat and works well thought out, with a clear dash readout and all knobs and controls within easy reach.
There are a few smatterings of hard plastic but, overall, trim materials used throughout – even the faux wood trim on the dashboard – are of a good standard. Front and middle-row seating is comfortable, but the third-row pews are best left to the junior brigade.
A relatively large, upright glasshouse ensures good visibility in all directions, and a helpful feature is that the rear-facing camera flashes up the view in the adjacent lane on the infotainment screen whenever you indicate in that direction. This obviously leaves you with no excuse for ever cutting anyone off while changing lanes.
Editor’s opinion
The GS8 is a positive sign that GAC’s Trumpchi brand is coming of age as a credible car-maker that isn’t out of its depth when stacked up against the established Japanese and Korean brands.
On the whole, the 2022 Trumpchi GS8 is convincing offering that gets most things right and only falls a tad short in areas such as excessive wind noise and dubious styling that borrows design cues from the Hyundai Palisade, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade. The end result is a contrived mishmash that doesn’t quite gel from a visual standpoint.
However, it’s important to note that an all-new – and far better looking – GS8 will replace this model later this year in China, and the newbie will no doubt address many of the minor shortcomings of the existing model.
Broadening its appeal, there will also be a petrol-electric version that incorporates Toyota’s hybrid system, which could make it a cut-price alternative to the Toyota Kluger Hybrid.
Indeed, the biggest challenges for GAC if or when it eventually enters the Australian market will be pricing and how to overcome preconceived notions of Chinese brands, especially given Trumpchi’s pseudo-premium aspirations.
How much does the GAC Trumpchi GS8 GL 4WD cost?
Price: $50,925 (in UAE)
Available: TBC
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 148kW/320Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 9.1L/100km
CO2: 181g/km
Safety rating: Not tested
Related: Seven Chinese auto brands now likely in Australia
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Tags
- Comfort and refinement
- High standard of fit and finish
- Composed ride and handling
- Styling is fussy and contrived
- Wind noise from around windscreen pillars
- Third-row seats only suited to juniors
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