GAC slashes Emzoom entry price to $22,990

GAC has sharpened its attack on Australia’s budget SUV market with a new entry-level Emzoom Premium priced at $22,990 driveaway, a move that undercuts several established rivals and puts the Chinese brand near the bottom of the small-SUV price ladder.

The promotional price, available nationally until September 30, slices $4000 from the cost of the existing Emzoom Luxury grade, which starts at $26,990 driveaway. At that figure, the Premium matches the current deal price of the MG ZS Vibe and sits below the Chery Tiggo 4 Urban and Mahindra XUV3XO AX5L, both listed at $23,990 driveaway, as well as the Suzuki Ignis GL at $25,135 driveaway.

It’s a notable repositioning for the Emzoom, which arrived in Australia late last year in a single Luxury specification priced at $25,590 plus on-road costs. The new grade shows just how aggressively newer Chinese marques are targeting the affordable end of the local market.

What stays, and what gets cut

The Premium keeps the same turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine as the Luxury, producing 125kW at 5500rpm and 270Nm from 1400-4500rpm, driving the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Claimed fuel consumption is unchanged at 6.6 litres per 100km on the combined cycle, with GAC quoting 8.5L/100km around town and 5.4L/100km on the extra-urban loop.

Standard kit remains reasonably generous despite the lower entry point. The Premium rolls on 17-inch alloy wheels with a temporary spare and includes automatic LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, synthetic leather upholstery, single-zone climate control with rear vents, keyless entry and start, a 7.0-inch digital instrument display, and a 14.6-inch central touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There are six speakers, a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, and six airbags.

Driver assistance tech covers autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keep assistance, lane centring, automatic high beam, and tyre-pressure monitoring.

Predictably, the sharper price means some Luxury-grade items have been dropped. Stepping up to the $26,990 Luxury adds 18-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof, powered tailgate, folding and heated exterior mirrors, powered hidden doorhandles, ambient cabin lighting, a powered and ventilated driver’s seat, wireless phone charging, extra USB ports, and a rear centre armrest. It also gains a 360-degree camera, front parking sensors, additional rear sensors, automatic parking, blind-spot view, hill-descent control, extra seatbelt pre-tensioning, and rear seatbelt reminders.

The Emzoom remains unrated by ANCAP, despite an earlier five-star ASEAN NCAP result cited when the model was announced for Australia.

For shoppers who just need a cheap, reasonably equipped small SUV and don’t care about sunroofs or powered tailgates, the Premium makes a strong case. The deleted items are mostly convenience features, not safety gear, so the core proposition holds up. The real question is whether the $22,990 price sticks once the promotional period ends in October.

Emzoom is becoming GAC’s volume player

The cheaper variant arrives as the Emzoom emerges as an important model for GAC’s still-young Australian operation. The brand appeared in VFACTS sales reporting for the first time in July, recording 1008 sales across four model lines, with the Emzoom accounting for 422 units — its best-selling model for the month.

That performance follows GAC Australia CEO Kevin Shu’s claim in late July that the company had sold around 4000 vehicles since launching locally in November 2025 and was running ahead of its internal sales target. The company plans to expand its Australian network to 60 sites by the end of this year and introduce more than 10 additional models over the next two to three years.

GAC launched locally with the Emzoom, Aion V electric SUV, and M8 plug-in hybrid people mover, subsequently adding the Aion UT electric hatch. All GAC passenger vehicles are backed by a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Orders for the Emzoom Premium are open now, with first vehicles scheduled to reach dealerships in early September. The $22,990 driveaway offer applies until September 30, and GAC has yet to confirm pricing beyond that window.