Let’s check out the closest rivals of the GAC Empow

We constantly harp on about the thrill of driving a two-door coupe like the Mazda MX-5 or Toyota GR 86, but in day-to-day driving, the aforementioned aren’t always the most practical. 

The said sentiment, of course, is thoroughly understood by car brands, as such, the local market currently has a slew of “exciting” but practical sedans. One example is, of course, the GAC Empow, which was launched back at the 2023 Manila International Auto Show. 

While not as potent as grand touring cars or as agile as coupes, the GAC Empow strikes a good balance between engaging driving dynamics, usability, and accessibility. It has decent room for five occupants, plenty of creature comforts, and a relatively peppy powertrain. On top of all, it is also affordable.

It does, however, have several rivals in the Philippine market at the moment. So, which sedans are good alternatives to the GAC-made ride? Let’s find out here before having a short overview of the GAC Empow. 

GAC Empow

When it comes to exterior styling, the GAC Empow, particularly the top-spec GE variant, sits on the sportier side of the sedan spectrum. 

Up front, the nameplate sports a pair of sharply hewn LED headlamps, an aggressive-looking grille, carbon-fiber style trims, and a lot of bright yellow accent pieces. From the side, it boasts a mix of sport and sleek elements. It rides on a set of 18-inch wheels, and it also has yellow-colored calipers and fluidic character lines. 

Over towards the rear of the GE is a tailgate spoiler, a sloping roof rear section, and a hefty lower bumper equipped with rear diffusers. It also comes with functional quad exhaust pipes, which does a lot in making the model sound nice. 

Other notable interior equipment available to the Empow GE, includes the following:

• Rain-sensing wipers
• Heated and power-folding side mirrors
• Automatic headlamp functionality
• LED daytime running lamps
• LED taillights
• Headlamp height adjustment function

Inside the GAC ride is a well-arranged cabin brimming with creature comforts. Keeping everyone inside the car cool is a dual-zone automatic air-conditioning system. Occupants also have access to leather-wrapped seats, a second-row central armrest, an ambient lighting system, and an ample number of cupholders.

For the driver, the sedan provides a six-way power adjustable seat, a front-row 12-volt accessory outlet, a leather steering wheel, a seven-inch digital instrument cluster, a push-to-start button, and a passive entry system - among others. 

Onboard entertainment and navigation, on the other hand, is handled by a 10.25-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, and USB connectivity. Sound is outputted by a six-piece speaker system for the mid-spec GB and top-spec GE. 

Safety-wise, the sedan was kitted out with dual front airbags, front side airbags, and side curtain airbags. It was also packaged with an anti-lock braking system, ISOFIX child seat anchors, hill-start hold control, stability control, front and rear parking sensors, and a tire pressure monitoring system. 

For the GB and GE, GAC also provided a comprehensive suite of advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS), which includes the following:

• Adaptive cruise control
• High beam assist
• Forward collision warning
• Autonomous emergency braking
• Lane departure warning
• Lane keep assist
• Traffic jam assist

Propelling the GAC Empow is a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 gasoline engine. It was paired with a seven-speed wet-type dual-clutch gearbox, and it can produce up to 174 horsepower (hp) and 270 Newton-meters (Nm) of torque. 

A MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension ensure ride quality and stability for the GAC sedan. Stopping power, on the other hand, is handled by front and rear disc brakes. 

Here is a table summarizing the specifications of the GAC Empow GE: 

Model	GAC Empow GE
Exterior
Dimensions (L x W x H, in mm)	4,700x1,850x1,432
Wheelbase (mm)	2,736
Wheel size	18-inch
Lighting system	LED
Interior
Material	Leather
Amenities	Dual-zone automatic air-conditioning Ambient lighting Power-adjust driver’s seat Power-folding side mirrors Rain-sensing wipers 12-volt accessory outlet USB ports Six-piece speaker set
Infotainment system	10.25-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay
Seating capacity	Five
Powertrain
Engine	1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4
Fuel type	Gasoline
Transmission	Seven-speed wet type dual-clutch
Horsepower	174
Torque	270 Nm
Technology
ADAS	Adaptive cruise control High beam assist Forward collision warning Autonomous emergency braking Lane departure warning Lane keep assist Traffic jam assist
Price	P1.348 million

Honda Civic V Turbo CVT

One of the GAC Empow's biggest rivals is the Honda Civic, specifically its V Turbo CVT trim. The aforementioned Civic variant is priced at P1.6 million, which is a mere P252,000 more expensive than the top-spec Empow. 

 

Style-wise, the Civic V Turbo CVT variant is a lot less dressed up than the top-spec RS trim, but it still has a low-slung stance and a slick overall shape. Its exterior was also kitted out with automatic LED headlamps, LED daytime running lamps, LED taillights, power-folding side mirrors, and a set of 17-inch wheels. 

For its interior, the Honda sedan sports a minimalist but feature-rich cockpit. It has a lot of soft-touch surfaces combined with polished metallic decorative trimmings. 

Dominating the dashboard of the V Turbo variant is a nine-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also has an eight-piece speaker system, USB ports, and Bluetooth connectivity. 

Cooling inside the entry-level Civic is handled by a single-zone automatic air-conditioning system with rear vents. Other notable interior bits of the model include a seven-inch gauge cluster with an analog speedometer, a urethane steering wheel, fabric seats, a push-to-start button, an electronic parking brake, and a smart entry keyless system. 

For its basic safety kit, the Civic V Turbo comes standard with dual front airbags, side airbags, anti-lock braking, stability control, hill-start assist, ISOFIX child seat anchors, front and rear parking sensors, and a multi-view parking camera - among others. 

The aforementioned are supported by the Honda Sensing ADAS suite, which consists of the following: 

• Adaptive cruise control
• Low speed follow
• Collision mitigation braking
• Lane keep assist
• Road departure mitigation
• Lane departure warning
• Automatic high beams
• Lead car departure notification

Under the hood of the Civic V variant is a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 gasoline engine paired with a continuous variable transmission (CVT). At maximum, the said powertrain can generate up to 175 hp and 240 Nm of torque. 

For its suspensions, the Honda Civic uses a MacPherson strut-type for the front and a multi-link for the rear. It also has front and rear disc brakes. 

Here is a table detailing the specifications of the Honda Civic V Turbo CVT: 

Model	Honda Civic V Turbo CVT
Exterior
Dimensions (L x W x H, in mm)	4,681x1,802x1,415
Wheelbase (mm)	2,735
Wheel size	17-inches
Lighting system	LED
Interior
Material	Fabric
Amenities	Push-to-start button Eight-piece sound system Sing-zone automatic air-conditioning Honda Connect Ambient lighting USB type C ports 12-volt accessory outlet Power-folding side mirrors
Infotainment system	Nine-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Seating capacity	Five
Powertrain
Engine	1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4
Fuel type	Gasoline
Transmission	CVT
Horsepower	175
Torque	240 Nm
Technology
ADAS	Adaptive cruise control Low speed follow Collision mitigation braking Lane keep assist Road departure mitigation Lane departure warning Automatic high beams Lead car departure notification
Price	P1.6 million

MG GT Sport

Another rival the GAC Empow faces in the Philippine market is the MG GT. It is a fair bit more affordable than the GAC model, with its price ranging from P1,015,888-P1,193,888. Nevertheless, its top-spec Sport trim fits into the turbocharged compact-sized sedan niche. 

Power-wise, the MG GT Sport depends on a 1.5-liter inline-4 engine with forced induction. It is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and it can churn out 158 hp and 250 Nm of torque. 

Ride quality for the MG sedan is ensured by a MacPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension system. Braking power, meanwhile, is provided by front and rear discs. 

On the outside, the MG nameplate comes with an aggressive appearance thanks to its prominent grille, sharp LED headlamps, and sloping side profile. Its other notable exterior components include power-folding side mirrors, LED daytime running lamps, automatic headlamp functionality, and a set of 17-inch wheels. 

The interior of the MG GT Sport, on the other hand, received a well-arranged cockpit with plenty of driving features, which include the following: 

• Push-to-start button
• Power-adjustable front seats
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Cruise control
• 12.3-inch virtual digital gauge with seven-inch screen

Handling onboard entertainment for the MG model, on the other hand, is a 10-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The model also has a wireless smartphone charging pad, USB ports, and Bluetooth connectivity. 

Safety for the model is handled by a 360-degree view camera, anti-lock braking system, stability control, dual front airbags, side airbags, curtain airbags, ISOFIX, and tire-pressure monitoring - among others. 

It also boasts several ADAS features, such as lane departure warning, forward collision warning, and intelligent high beam control. 

Here is a table listing the specs of the MG GT Sport: 

Model	MG GT Sport
Exterior
Dimensions (L x W x H, in mm)	4,675x1,842x1,480
Wheelbase (mm)	2,680
Wheel size	17-inch
Lighting system	LED
Interior
Material	Leather
Amenities	Push-to-start button Power-adjustable front seats Leather-wrapped steering wheel Cruise control Lumbar support Wireless smartphone charging pad Power-folding side mirrors
Infotainment system	10-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Seating capacity	Five
Powertrain
Engine	1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4
Fuel type	Gasoline
Transmission	Seven-speed dual-clutch
Horsepower	158
Torque	250 Nm
Technology
ADAS	Lane departure warning Forward collision warning Intelligent high beam control
Price	P1,193,888

Final thoughts

Obviously, all three models listed here are potent candidates for a fun-to-drive but still daily-drivable ride. Regardless, each will have its strengths and weaknesses, as well as some key characteristics that will make them unique from each other. 

So, what’s a serious sedan buyer to do? Well, like we always say, it is always a good idea to test drive every single vehicle in the segment you’re looking to get. Doing so, after all, will help you determine the right nameplate that will fulfill what you need (or want) from a car. 

Also read: 

Sprightly affordable: MG GT

Check out the MG GT's 6 exciting hues

MG GT: pros and cons