2019 GAC GS8 Price in UAE

As most of us are aware by now, Chinese cars are no longer unicorns on the roads of the UAE. On the contrary, their numbers only seem to be going up with each passing day. With the spurt of growth and its associated growth, major Chinese carmakers are pushing harder than ever to make the most out of the given opportunity. And GAC Motor – one of the Orient’s biggest and most successful companies is no exception. This is where the new 2019 GAC GS8 comes into the fray, and it’s GAC’s flagship SUV.

Technically, the GAC GS8 falls under the midsize crossover SUV order, though it remains the largest SUV ever made by the Chinese firm. Initially making its global debut at the Beijing Auto Show in 2016, the GS8 seems to be one of the most promising models in GAC’s lineup. In the UAE car scene, it competes with popular cars such as the Chevrolet Traverse, Mitsubishi Pajero, and Kia Sorento.

Exterior

Straight away, it becomes evidently clear that design is one of the 2019 GAC GS8’s strongest suits. Its large proportions along with its admittedly handsome appearance give it a tough yet sophisticated stance. The front looks interesting with its large quad-LED matrix headlights, wide chrome-clad grille, muscular hood, butch-looking bumper with LED foglights, mesh grille cover, and a faux skid plate. Meanwhile, the GS8’s elongated side profile gets the obligatory ‘look tough’ plastic cladding, subtle chrome garnishing, and sporty 18-inch rims.

The stylish backend of the GS8 features swanky 3D-design LED taillight units, well-sculpted tailgate, dual exhaust outlets, and a subtle rear diffuser/skid plate. Overall, this is one of the best designs from GAC. Dimensionally, the GAC GS8 measures 4.810 meters in length, 1.910 meters in width, 1.770 meters in height, and its wheelbase is 2.800 meters. Meanwhile, with the last row of seats down, total boot capacity is north of 800 liters.

Interior

The 2019 GAC GS8 has a well-appointed cabin with mostly decent quality materials and seemingly good build. For the most part, the varied selection of different colors, trims pieces, and textures all work together quite well in setting a luxurious tone on the inside. Owing to its large size, the interior offers more than adequate room for all seven occupants, though like most crossovers, the third row is tight. The large windows and wide cabin along with a massive panoramic sunroof create a sense of space and airiness too.

The GS8’s feature-packed list includes a tri-zone climate control, leather upholstery, automatic headlights, rain-sensing wipers, ambient lighting, parking sensors with camera, keyless-entry with push-start, cruise control, a 7-inch touchscreen, digital driver’s multifunctional display, wireless phone charger, and an electronic handbrake among others. It also gets 8 airbags, ISOFIX child-seat anchors, ABS with EBD and brake assist, traction and stability control, and hill-hold assist.

Engine and performance

Under the hood of the 2019 GAC GS8 lies a 2.0-liter four-popper with forced-induction via a turbocharger which, when combined with petrol develops 198 hp and 320 Nm of torque. A 6-speed automatic gearbox handles transmission duties, while drive (in the 2WD version) is sent to the front wheels.

Not a racetrack scorcher by any means, the 1.9-ton GS8 still manages to hit 100 km/h in 9.5 seconds and can hit a top speed of 200 km/h. Meanwhile, its claimed fuel economy figure hovers around 6.4 L/100 km.

Verdict

The 2019 GAC GS8 is the most expensive model in the brand’s lineup, and the lone 2WD trim currently sold in the UAE starts at AED 104,900. As for insurance costs, that starts at AED 1,635 for the same variant.