Geely has unveiled its biggest SUV to
date, the seven-seat Hao Yue, marking the brand’s entry into China’s D-segment
SUV market. That’s an interesting move since that segment is currently
dominated by foreign joint-venture brands in China. Geely Auto is hoping to
give the competition a hard time by offering its latest intelligent vehicle
technologies and efficient powertrain systems “in a highly competitive
package”.
Designed under Geely’s ‘Expansive
Aesthetic’ concept, the Hao Yue features a broad muscular body characterized by
broad wheel arches, the brand’s latest grille and all-LED lights. The SUV
measures 4,835 mm in length, 1,900 mm in width, and 1,780
mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,815 mm. Aiming to
balance space and functionality, the Hao Yue comes in both five- and seven-seat
configurations.
The second- and third-row seats folding
completely flat to maximize the cargo compartment when needed. With the rear
seats folded down, the rear interior space can reach 2.2 square meters, which is the equivalent of a king-sized bed. At the same time, the trunk
space expands to a cavernous 2,360 liters.
Geely says the Hao Yue offers extensive
legroom, allowing occupants as tall as 1.9 meters to sit comfortably.
All seats are adjustable, including on the second-row which gets eight-way
adjustable backrests. Buyers can also opt for a ‘VIP’ seven-seat configuration
that includes independently-adjustable seats.
The dashboard features two 12.3-inch
displays, one for the instrument cluster and the other for the GKUI Geely Smart
Ecosystem infotainment interface. GKUI allows users to interact with the
vehicle through an AI-powered voice assistant and is also able to integrate a host
of IoT applications. An advanced WHUD heads-up navigation display is also part
of the package.
Geely is also proud of the fact that the
Hao Yue lacks the harmful ‘new car smell’, with all materials used for the
interior “undergoing stringent environmental testing with requirements over 20
times higher than Chinese national standards”. The big SUV is also equipped
with the Icon-sourced CN95-grade air purification system that’s said to protect
even against droplets that may contain viruses.
In addition, no fewer than 17 Level 2
driver assistance systems are offered, including semi-autonomous driving and
one-button automatic parking. Power comes from Geely’s latest 1.8-liter
turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine making 181 HP and 300 Nm of torque.
The standard transmission is a seven-speed
dual-clutch automatic with front-wheel drive, with AWD available as an option.
According to Chinese media, a 247 HP 2.0-liter turbo engine co-developed with
Volvo will be introduced later on.
