First Drive: GAC Emzoom Nova
Car buying in South Africa is less straightforward than ever. There are rising interest rates, a battered rand, and the ever-increasing cost of living, which make it even harder for the average consumer to make a purchase.
Vehicle manufacturers are aware of this and are increasingly seeking ways to rethink where their product range begins. If you were to ask me, entry-level cars matter now more than ever, and nobody understands that better than Chinese marques that have found themselves a home in SA. GAC is one of them. The Chinese manufacturer has been steadily building its local portfolio, and its latest addition, the Emzoom Nova, might be its most important model yet.
What is the Emzoom Nova?
It’s positioned as the entry-level model in the Emzoom range, and it’s named after the Nova star, a celestial body that suddenly increases in brightness, which is the kind of energy the brand says it wants to bring to the segment. But gone are those days when base really meant base, and the Nova brings more value to the table in its segment, alongside models such as the Omoda C5, Toyota Corolla Cross, VW T-Cross, and Kia Sonet, to name a few. While this is an important segment for manufacturers, it’s tightly contested, and you just can’t bring a knife to a gun fight.
What does it bring to the market?
Chinese manufacturers rarely hold back when it comes to features. At R359,900, it comes across as reasonably well equipped for the money, even if a few reminders of its entry-level positioning still creep through.
The seats, for example, are wrapped in a mix of synthetic leather and fabric, the driver’s seat is manually adjustable, there are two airbags instead of six found in the pricier variants, the wiper-less tailgate is manually operated, and the smaller 3.5-inch instrument cluster does feel a touch basic in an era where screens are becoming a measure of accomplishment. Still, the important stuff is there, such as cruise control, automatic air conditioning, a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, rear parking sensors, 17-inch alloy wheels, and keyless entry with remote start. This is exactly where Chinese brands continue to put pressure on more established players.
How does it drive?
A short stint behind the wheel through the back roads of Johannesburg’s suburbs revealed a crossover that leans more towards comfort than outright sharpness. It rides properly well over broken surfaces, soaking up the kind of bumps and imperfections South Africans deal with daily. The ride quality, in fact, is one of its stronger cases. But there is noticeable lag from the drivetrain when pulling away from a standstill. Interestingly, it’s not something unique to the Nova; we experienced it even in the range-topping R-Style derivative.
Under the bonnet sits the same 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine sending 130kW and 270Nm to the front wheels through a 7-speed DCT gearbox. On paper, those are genuinely impressive figures for the segment, and once the powertrain settles into its stride, the Emzoom Nova feels adequately punchy.
Our take…
At that price, the GAC Emzoom Nova becomes an interesting package because cars like this are no longer judged by how good they can be at the top of the range, but rather by how much they offer at the bottom. And in that regard, the Nova makes a fairly convincing first impression. Yes, there are reminders that this is the entry point into the Emzoom range, but the overall package still feels honest, especially in a market where buyers are increasingly chasing value over badge prestige.
