It has a funky name, but the GAC Empow is a legit sports sedan

Sometimes, the universe really answers questions you didn’t ask. Mainly I see this on YouTube as a ‘see how (items) are made’ and I’ll stop working and watch that instead. Other times, it’s a trivia from a friend who revealed that a certain influencer is rich because of generational wealth. Then as a motoring journalist, some answers are provided by media drives.

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The GAC Empow is in a unique position right now. Honda pulled out the base model Civic making all remaining variants above the PHP 1.5M price range. The question now, is the GAC Empow all show or is it a legit contender in the niche sports sedan space? That was answered when I went with GAC to the Batangas Racing Circuit for a trackday.

GAC started the day with something light – traction control. They put the Empow through a wet linoleum test wherein they sped up to 60kph and once the right side of the car is on the wet linoleum at that speed, they’ll do a full stop. The Empow passed with flying colors as its traction control was quick to understand the situation and shifted grip to the one on the asphalt. The same thing happened once we accelerated out of the linoleum with the Empow limiting the rev until all wheels were out of the wet surface. Only then did it let go of the fuel control and we reached full throttle.

Next, they removed the linoleum in the mix. It was a full-throttle and stop with the Empow. First was a run for 60kph which I thought wasn’t possible since the distance from the start and stop positions was relatively short. I even asked the instructor if I can attain that speed and he simply shrugged and said just go full throttle – which I did. With my heavy body, and another male in the car, the Empow was able to sprint up to 62kph in that distance and make a quick stop.

The 100kph sprint was more fun for me. This time I didn’t doubt if the Empow could reach 100. I was curious about the braking distance since again, I’m a heavy person and there’s an instructor in the car. When I braked at the designated cones, the Empow had a strong bite on the brakes, but I think my distance was a bit longer than the others, judging from how long before I fully stopped. Still, the Empow did an excellent job in this sprint and stop activity considering the additional weight it had with me.

Of course, the Empow can’t just flaunt its engine, the suspension and steering have to be in the spotlight too. Doing slaloms in a car isn’t my strongest suit but the Empow made light work of those cones. I must also add that the instructor gave me a few tips on how to tackle the obstacle better but still, having done this numerous times in different cars, the Empow was fluid through those cones.

Its strengths all culminated when I finally did a full lap of the Batangas Racing Circuit. The GAC Empow was calm and composed in all corners and straights, even when I sprinted to around 140kph, then had to slow down to 50 in a short distance. It’s a very forgiving car that it won’t mind if you miscalculate the corners, it will be able to finish that turn and you’ll go out feeling like you did a good job. The transmission was also spot on at every turn. I didn’t use the paddle shifters and yet the car always makes the right decision in shifting at every situation. The straights were also friendly in that the Empow doesn’t feel like it was anywhere near its limit.

Combine this driving experience with its plush interior, at least for the top variant I tried, and I realized GAC has a legit sports sedan in the Empow. It has the performance to back up its aesthetics while having the interior that you’ll appreciate when you’re cruising in the city.

The GAC Empow surprised me with its capability in that it never made me feel inadequate on the track. I never panicked because the car always had my back whether on the slalom or the full course. The best part is this performance can be experienced in all variants of the Empow as they all come with the same engine and suspension setup. It doesn’t matter which model from the PHP 1.225M to PHP 1.348M range you can get, the GAC Empow will certainly put a smile on your face. Or was it just me? Nah, I’m sure you’ll like this too.

Photos from GAC Motor Philippines