The Geely Azkarra Premium: Not a hybrid, not a problem

A mild hybrid. That’s one of Geely’s main selling points, and the brand offers it in a couple of models right now. But as affordable and simple as the Chinese automaker has made this tech to be, some Filipinos just don’t have that extra P100,000-plus to put down.

Which is why, if you’re seriously looking at the Azkarra compact crossover but just can’t go north of P1.5 million, the Premium trim – without the mild hybrid system – that goes for P1.438 million might just be the one for you.

And you won’t be remiss for including this in the shopping list because one look at its body and a minute in the cabin should be enough to leave a favorable imprint in anyone’s mind. This total newcomer has not failed to wow the market in all aspects, which is quite surprising considering the people’s skepticism of automobiles made in China.

For the benefit of the uninitiated, the company’s automotive arm Geely Auto Group has been in the business of making cars (and its relevant parts and components) for 23 years and has used its ownership of several major auto brands including Volvo (since 2010) and Lotus (since 2017) to enhance and improve its products throughout the years.

This nameplate’s exterior is pure proof of that. Designed by Peter Horbury, who was once Volvo’s vice president of design before becoming the current senior vice president of design for Geely, it is superbly shaped with several subtle lines on the hood, muscular shoulders in the form of a deep groove over the fender, sharp character lines along the side, and the outline of the daylight opening (side windows) is highlighted by a thin chrome strip that kicks out at an angle towards the rear with the blacked out C pillar. Just describing the front and profile view is a whole sonnet in itself.

Then there’s the aggressively shaped spoiler around back with an integrated stop lamp, a horizontal branded bar connecting the intricately designed rear combination lamps, dual exhaust tips, and it even comes with a rear undercover garnish.

Geely calls its grille design “expanding cosmos” and if you check it out, there is a difference compared to what other models like the Okavango have. From the pentagon shape of the logo itself, it seems to radiate outwards to make two other pentagons before it even gets to the main five-sided frame of the grille itself. On either side of it are full LED headlamps with LED daytime running lamps.

It has a fairly large key fob, but its smart system immediately unlocks the doors if you’re within arm’s length of the Azkarra – yes, it doesn’t even wait for you to reach out for the handle. To lock, simply touch the notch on the front door handles.

Seats use PVC (polyvinyl chloride) leather that has white stitching. It feels a little different and isn’t quite a firm as the original but is bolstered enough for support, especially around the back, and soft enough for comfort.

One thing I like about the interior is it gets a fair amount of polished aluminum accents that are very well placed (door handles, center console, the dashboard, and even on the leather multi-function steering wheel) for maximum visual effect. But it looks especially nice framing the 12.3-inch infotainment system with 720p resolution before it thinly stretches out and terminates along the front aircon vent (passenger side). It also has a seven-inch LCD screen in the instrument panel that shows the digital speedometer, tachometer, and various other gauges with relevant vehicle data.

Cabin space is very good for a compact crossover. It seats five comfortable and offer plenty of headroom and elbow room, plus it has 378 liters in luggage capacity at the back.

But on top of all that, my two best features would have to be the CN95 cabin filters, which block 95% of all airborne particles, which includes allergens and even the COVID-19 virus, and the huge glass ceiling that Geely calls “panoramic starry sky sunroof.”

A start/stop button engages its 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, which allows it to put out a very healthy 177hp and 255Nm of torque despite having to fill only three cylinders with gasoline. This makes it so much more fuel efficient compared to its four-cylinder counterparts, even without the 48V EMS (the more technical term for its mild hybrid system).

This small displacement engine is powerful enough to make the Azkarra feel light, fast and responsive even in Eco mode (it has Comfort and Sport as well). Acceleration is quick, making it very agile, which is perfect for people who expect to draw some excitement and fun from their daily drives. Made an overtaking maneuver on the SLEX and I hit 100kph easily without even hearing the engine groan under the load.

Combined fuel economy is 9.2 kilometers per liter, which is very good considering this is a compact crossover with considerable ground clearance and a hefty body.

The front wheels get drive from the six-speed automatic transmission that’s surprisingly smooth. I describe it as such because most automatic or even CVT (continuously variable transmissions) gearboxes, especially out of China-made units, feel iffy and struggle to determine the proper gear when faced with the kind of stop-and-go traffic we have on EDSA. But not this one. Upshifts went almost unnoticed and it smartly handled aggressive throttle pressure.

Another uncanny aspect is the comfort level it provides. The suspension setup is very good for a first-generation unit. Its chassis settled easily around corners and was balanced as I went through a high-speed bend, plus it kept the cabin calm and quiet with a very high level of insulation versus noise, vibration, and harshness from the road and other exterior elements

Geely didn’t scrimp on safety features too. This trim comes with six SRS airbags (driver, passenger, front row side, and side curtain), has ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) + EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution), Electronic Stability Control, Hill Start Assist, and even Hill Descent Control.

Wow, right? These are the reasons it’s getting rave reviews but I’ll ask the big question on everyone’s mind, is it durable? Well, we’ll find out soon enough. The Korean models back in the late ‘90s (remember how they were so unreliable back then?) started out just like this and look at where they are now.

The Geely Azkarra Premium may not have a mild hybrid system, but it’s gorgeous, high-tech, drives great, safe, affordable (in relation to vehicles in the same segment), and has all the makings of a great crossover.

Photos by Eric Tipan