If you have Chinese new car fatigue, then, boy do we have something for you. Chinese carmaker GAC will be entering Australia in November, with three new cars.
The name GAC stands for Guangzhou Automobile Group – headquartered in Guangzhou, China’s fifth-largest Tier 1 city. Over the years, it has worked very closely with Toyota, which explains its use of Aisin parts.
First to roll onto our docks will be the M8 PHEV multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), the AION V compact electric SUV (as spied in Sydney earlier this year), and the EMZOOM compact SUV aimed at the top variants of Chery Tiggo 4 and MG ZS.
Starting with the M8 MPV, it is a luxury cruise-liner for the road in the manner of Lexus LM and ZEEKR 009. Its 274kW output is cheekily 1kW more than the Lexus LM 500h but features a 25.57kWh battery, with a ginormous 44.5kWh jobbie available in China – both made by CATL. It’s unclear which of these we’ll be seeing Down Under at this stage.
The AION V (hero image), meanwhile, will square off against the OMODA E5, MG S5, Kia EV5 and incoming 2026 Hyundai Elexio. In its home market, it can be had with CATL-made batteries ranging in capacity between 62-90kWh, with up to 510km of WLTP range.
Lastly, the EMZOOM will give GAC a sub-$30k small SUV, adding more heat to a cut-throat, Chinese-dominated segment. Known as the Trumpchi GS3 II domestically, it features a 1.5L turbocharged four-cylinder generating 130kW, tied to a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. Other markets suggest it may have fuel consumption as low as 5.9L/100km.
Styling and dimensions appear to be heavily inspired by the Nissan Qashqai, with edgy, geometric styling details on the outside. The interior features a 10.25-inch infotainment touch-screen, with nicely sculpted steering wheel and physical climate controls.
Pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale date for all three vehicles. All specifications are from overseas sources so may vary when they arrive here.
