The Philippine crossover segment is one of the most competitive categories in the local automotive scene. On that note, plenty of models have made their mark in the division, but one nameplate has created an impactful impression among car buyers and continues to do so despite facing some challenges.

Here’s why I think the Geely Coolray Sport is still one of the coolest crossovers in town after spending some time with it.

A looker

The Geely Coolray Sport is one handsome crossover, thanks to the vehicle’s aggressive and sporty styling.

At the fore, the crossover wears the borderless, mesh-type Chronos grille with red accents adorned with the Geely emblem in the middle. Flanking the latticework is a pair of LED headlamps and LED daytime running lights with auto headlamp control.

It also gets large horizontal air vents below the grille and a slightly protruding chin, both of which also have red trims.

The X-shaped Energy bumper design seamlessly combines the upper and lower portions of the fascia together to achieve an athletic-looking front end.

Sporty Jet Black 18-inch wheels wrapped in 215/55 Continental tires give the side profile of the Geely Coolray Sport some added character. They are complemented with sport utility vehicle-like appointments that come in the form of black wheel arches, black door claddings (with red accents), blacked-out pillars, and two black side mirrors.

Adding a touch of opulence to the Geely Coolray Sport are chrome trims on the aforementioned side mirrors and windows. It also has body-colored door handles and a set of gray roof rails.

The rear end of the Geely Coolray Sport dons a double-deck spoiler with an integrated third brake lamp and two LED taillamps that are connected by a chrome bar with an embossed “GEELY” script. Below is a chunky rear bumper with a diffuser, a handful of reflectors as well as quad exhaust pipes.

Overall, the Geely Coolray Sport looks like a proper crossover with plenty of sharp angles and straight lines. However, it makes cleaning and detailing a challenge as getting to the nooks and crannies could take some time and effort — but that’s something I can live with.

Additionally, the electric tailgate with angle and memory function has a decent-sized rear glass, which I still find helpful as I could still maneuver the crossover without heavily relying on parking nannies.

Driver-centered

Welcoming the driver and the front passenger are bucket-type leather-feel seats.

Not only do they offer ample bolstering but they also have a cooling feature, which many will find helpful these days. The seats have maroon accents and stitching as well as embroidered “S” badges under the headrest.

A maroon leather armrest not only offers generous storage space but also makes driving more comfortable. Sitting close to it is the Geely Coolray Sport’s center console with two cup holders, a slot for keeping smartphones, and a cardholder. I appreciate that it has a matte, brushed aluminum finish, which will not become a fingerprint magnet.

The buttons for selecting the crossover’s various driving modes can also be found on the center console, as well as the ergonomic leather-wrapped shifter. There’s a smartphone tray under the physical air conditioning controls, but sadly it does not have wireless charging.

The Geely Coolray Sport has a leather-wrapped steering wheel with a flat bottom. It has buttons for the crossover’s various features such as answering — or rejecting — calls, changing the radio station or moving through your playlist, as well as increasing and lowering the volume of the audio unit.

Speaking of which, the crossover packs a 10.25-inch high-definition infotainment screen with QD link. It can mirror most Apple and Android smartphones, and can assist those who need help with navigation.

The infotainment screen is complemented by a digital instrument cluster that displays relevant information for the person sitting behind the wheel.

All the abovementioned features are easily accessible and within reach of the driver making my experience inside the Geely Coolray Sport’s cockpit easy and straightforward.

There are also several appointments that help the passengers enjoy both short and long trips aboard the Geely Coolray Sport. These include comfortable leather seats, a pull-down armrest with two cup holders, and a sunroof.

Ample power

Under the sculpted hood of the Geely Coolray Sport is a three-cylinder, 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, mated to a seven-speed wet dual-clutch transmission.

On paper, it makes as much as 174 horses with 255 Newton-meters of pulling power.

The said numbers translate to decent acceleration with power delivery evenly distributed throughout the rev range. On that note, owners can easily get used to the Geely Coolray Sport making it an easy crossover to drive even for beginners.

Stopping power comes from a set of disc brakes, front and back.

In addition, the vehicle gets MacPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam setup at the rear. The suspension system — coupled with the crossover’s large tires and athletic dimensions — make it a stable automobile to drive both in the city and on the freeway.

The Geely Coolray Sport performed admirably well during a trip to Batangas. Even with a loaded trunk and four occupants, the crossover easily cruised through the South Luzon Expressway and the slightly ascending Talisay-Tanauan Road. It also effortlessly tackled the light bends and straightaways that led to our destination.

Safe, easy

The Geely Coolray Sport also packs a robust list of safety features that makes it a good crossover for young professionals and those looking to start a family.

Its standard safety technologies include a slew of airbags and seat belts, an anti-lock braking system, traction and stability control, hill start assist, hill hold control, blind spot detection, and cruise control. It also has parking nannies such as a 360-degree camera, corner sensors, and active park assist.

The Geely Coolray Sport also has a remote start feature which can help drivers “pre-cool” the vehicle and activate the single-zone automatic A/C so they don’t feel like stepping inside an oven when they get in the crossover.

Pricing

Coolray Comfort: P1.083 million
Coolray Premium: P1.218 million
Coolray Sport: P 1.299 million

Final thoughts

The Geely Coolray Sport offers its owners a good package for a reasonable price. It checks all the right boxes in many car buyers’ checklists, which is why it was no surprise the nameplate quickly garnered a handful of followers when it was released.

Today, the crossover still makes for a strong argument for those looking to buy a personal ride or a sporty and stylish family carrier.

Photos from Juan Paulo Papa

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