Are you ready for the Geely Okavango?

MANILA: In Botswana, south of the African continent, the Okavango is an inland delta formed where the Okavango River “reaches a tectonic trough in the central part of the endorheic basin of the Kalahari.” Significant here is that it is the end of the line for the water; it does not find an inlet into another body of water and simply evaporates or seeps into the soil. It has been declared one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa.

It’s tempting to draw an analogy that the search of car buyers for a seven-seater crossover should end with the Geely Okavango, a vehicle that Sojitz G Auto Philippines (SGAP) is set to unveil on November 19.

In a press release, SGAP President and CEO Mikihisa Takayama said, “The Okavango is definitely a game changer for both the SUV and MPV segments — exquisite and well thought of in terms of design, space, and technology.”

Geely Philippines is fancying the Okavango (known as the Haoyue in China) as “the coming together of the best features of an SUV and an MPV into a single seven-seater crossover.”

 “We are definitely giving our customers a luxurious, uncompromising, and ‘wonderfully distinct’ ride,” added Takayama.

Geely Philippines said that the Okavango boasts flexible seat configurations (19 in total), along with 42 storage bins and compartments, with a double-layer console. “All adults can seat comfortably in all three rows,” the company added.

The vehicle features three-zone air-conditioning for the driver, front passenger, and rear seats; 360-degree panoramic camera with “a best-in-class guidance system and dynamic auxiliary lines.” Eco, Normal, and Sport drive modes are available.

Under the hood is a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine developed by Geely and Volvo paired to a seven-speed wet-type dual-clutch transmission. It features dual variable-valve timing (DVVT) for “a perfect balance of power optimization and fuel efficiency.” Supplemented by a 48V-EMS, the Okavango delivers maximum system power of 190hp and torque of 300Nm.

Other features of the Okavango include six SRS Airbags, overspeed warning, electronic stability control, hill start assist, central locking with speed-sensing auto lock, and hill descent control.

Pre-sales of the Geely Okavango have started, and early reservations during this period will get as much as P90,000 discount, along with a three-year periodic maintenance package which includes oil, parts and labor. Contact a Geely dealership for more information.

Geely Philippines said that the Okavango variants will be priced as follows:

Comfort - P1,208,000

Urban - P1,328,000

 

Photos from Geely

Also read: Geely Holdings' Horbury receives Lifetime Achievement Award from 'Autocar' UK