GAC bringing cheaper Emzoom, could become one of Australia’s cheapest SUVs

The GAC Emzoom lineup will expand later this year with a new base grade, bringing the cost of entry down for the small Chinese SUV.

A new variant called the Premium has appeared in the latest government certification documents for the Emzoom, with a slightly lower kerb weight (1370kg vs 1415kg), doing without a sunroof, and featuring smaller 17-inch (instead of 18-inch) wheels.

It features the same turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, producing 125kW of power and 270Nm of torque and mated with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The Emzoom, which was launched here late in 2025, is currently offered in a single Luxury trim priced at $25,590 before on-road costs. It’s currently being offered for $26,990 drive-away.

That means GAC’s entry-level model is already one of Australia’s cheapest SUVs, but the new Premium grade is set to bring the price down even further.

It’s unclear at this stage how much it will cost.

Currently, Australia’s cheapest SUV is the MG ZS Vibe at $22,990 drive-away, undercutting base grades of the Chery Tiggo 4 and Mahindra XUV3XO at $23,990 drive-away respectively.

These in turn undercut the base Jaecoo J5 ($25,990 drive-away) and Hyundai Venue ($23,750 before on-road costs, currently $25,990 drive-away). GWM is currently offering its Haval Jolion Premium for $23,990 drive-away, a saving of $3000 on its usual drive-away price.

It’s unclear which other features GAC could strip from the Emzoom Luxury to bring the price down, besides its panoramic sunroof.

The Luxury comes standard with features such as automatic LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, power-folding exterior mirrors, a power tailgate, leatherette upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with ventilation.

It also features a 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, a six-speaker sound system, dual-zone climate control and ambient lighting.

GAC only started reporting its sales figures in monthly VFACTS sales reports in July, when a total of 422 Emzooms were listed as being delivered.

The Chinese brand entered the Australian market late in 2025 with the petrol-powered Emzoom, the electric Aion V mid-size SUV, and the plug-in hybrid M8 people mover. The lineup was expanded this year with the Aion UT small electric hatch.

MORE: Explore the GAC Emzoom showroom