By Kap Maceda Aguila
SEVEN-SEATERS are all the rage these days — fueled in no small part by the Filipino penchant for moving in groups. Whether big family or big barkada, we are a highly social, sociable people.
The so-called Asian utility vehicle (AUV) was the first expression of this tenet, which evolved in developmental pace with automobiles in general. Arguably, the MPV (multi-purpose vehicle) and the typical commuter van upped the ante in various degrees. Creature comforts, well, steadily creeped into the picture as in the case of SUVs. Consumers started to expect more and wanted additional boxes ticked.
Posh people movers are now growing in popularity — perhaps a logical reaction also to the copious amounts of time we spend mired in gridlock. Why stress out when you can stretch out?
Launched here in February last year, the GAC M8 is a push toward securing more of the luxury MPV market for Astara-administered brand here — famously known to be dominated by Toyota via the Alphard, and Lexus through the LM.
To be certain, GAC is still on the way to greater prominence and more widespread renown in the country, but it has certainly endeared itself to a growing segment of buyers — more notably through its best-selling GS3 Emzoom and its category-pushing qualities and a surprising cache of benefits for its asking price.
Brands that are serious about contending in the Philippine market — and are equally focused on staying for the long term — are easy to spot. They are the ones who steadily build up their portfolio to cover more categories, and sometimes price points. In this regard, GAC is certainly making its case, earnestly expanding its dealership network and its vehicle offerings. There’s no doubt, too, that GAC counts itself as one of the brands that make better-quality vehicles amid a flood of marques and models from China. GAC leadership is not shy about revealing the company it kept as it went about its business there: Toyota, Hino, Peugeot, Mitsubishi, Honda and others join a list of OEMs that truly helped the brand get to where it is today.
You could even say that the GAC M8 MPV is, like others in the current lineup, a direct beneficiary of these collaborations.
The larger sibling of the M6 Pro is also decidedly more upscale, and it doesn’t hide its intentions. A massive grille — said to be reminiscent of a “regal lion’s mane” — dominates the front fascia. Flanking it are LED headlights with aggressively designed daytime light assemblies you could imagine as stylized fangs. Yes, you might even say that the face of the M8 is inspired by a certain spindle grille and the Peugeot lion.
Back to the illumination, the headlights get automatic height adjustment, alarm, a “follow me home” function, and adaptive driving beam tech. While chrome makes the grille look even more impressive, a satin silver touch on the underskirt neatly frames the profile — particularly on the Elegant Black-hued G8 GX Master we were able to test recently. Meanwhile, 225/55 tires are affixed to 18-inch alloys. The wheels also feature very Rolls-Royce-esque center caps which stay level to display the GAC logo correctly even while the vehicle is in motion.
Under the hood snarls a turbocharged 2.0-liter gas engine, mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The power plant outputs 248hp and 400Nm — enough grunt to ensure sprightly acceleration, particularly when Sport mode is engaged. For everyday purposes, Eco mode does great and helps you space out your gas station visits.
Inside, the M8 has generous space for all occupants of its 2-2-3 configuration. The most spoiled are those who get to sit in the pair of captain seats. More on those later.
The driver can customize the settings of his/her seat in 12 ways — all powered. The front passenger, on the other hand, gets a four-way power-adjusting seat. Both front seats boast ventilation and heating functions — to adjust as needed.
Back to the second-row dwellers, they get an embarrassment of riches toward making each journey pleasurable and convenient. It starts with tray tables that fold out from the back of the first-row seats -— perfect as a worktable or for on-the-go snacking. As for the seats themselves, they can slide forward and backward electronically and recline. There are leg rests, too, which offer four-way power adjustment. Along with the ventilation and heating options like the first-row seats, the captain seats can give a massage as well. Seat-position memory ensures that occupants can easily restore the seat to their preference at the touch of a button.
The third row of MPVs is typically not a place you’d want to be sitting in. In the M8 though, it’s surprisingly spacious. You also get access to your own A/C vents, cupholders, and charging ports. There’s even a central armrest, and four-way (though manual) seat arrangement. A 40/60 split folding feature provides some flexibility, depending on cargo/passenger needs. Adding a dual sunroof further heightens the airy/spacious feel within.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto open the door to easy connectivity and utility through the large 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen — hooked up to an eight-speaker audio system. The all-digital affair is completed by a 12.3 full-LCD instrument cluster.
GAC makes it known that work has been done in the M8 to filter out noise. The front windshield is soundproof, along with the second-row windows. Meanwhile, (count ’em) three-zone auto air-conditioning integrates a “fragrance system” just to complete the sensorial experience — along with customizable multi-color intelligent ambient lighting.
As for its complement of safety features, the GAC M8 is equipped with an electronic stability program, hill-start hold control, and hill descent control. Its electronic parking brake has autohold to arrest unintended rolling. Front-row seatbelts have pretensioners and force limiters with height adjustment, along with crash locking tongue (CLT) technology. Pretensioners and force limiters are also present in the second- and third-row seatbelts.
The M8 also has dual front SRS air bags, side air bags and side curtain air bags, and a suite of advanced driving assistance system (ADAS) aids: rearview camera system, surround-view camera system, and Fusion Automatic Parking Assist (FAPA); others features are lane departure warning, lane keep assist, autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control with intelligent speed limiter, traffic jam assist, integrated cruise assist, blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert, rear cross traffic braking, and rear car approaching warning.
There’s clearly a lot of things to love in the M8, and if you’re browsing the price point on the lookout for a luxe MPV, this should be in your consideration set.
The GAC M8 GX Master is priced at P3.948 million, while the GL Master gets a P2.998 price tag. As with all GAC Motor vehicles, the M8 comes with an after-sales warranty for the first five years or 150,000 kilometers, whichever comes first.