The brand Geely might not ring a bell to a lot of Filipinos, but the brand is huge in their home country of China. And despite just entering the Philippine market only a few years ago, the brand’s three models have been the consistent best-seller in the subcompact SUV segment. Based on the recent reports from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc (CAMPI) and the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors, Inc. (AVID), Geely continues its strong sales streak for the month of May as the 2021 Geely Coolray became the best-seller in its segment yet again.
Geely’s formula is simple: offer consumers an affordable vehicle with ample interior space, sporty styling, and lots of features. A first glimpse of the Geely Coolray will give you European car vibes, thanks to the fact that Geely owns Volvo. It’s very premium looking yet sporty. All variants have a unique roof-integrated spoiler and quad-exhaust pipes, although only the top variant has full LED headlights, taillights, and daytime running lights. The other models have projector headlights instead.
Moving on to the interior, it’s hard to believe you’re getting so much for the price. Just like the exterior, the interior is very similar to European cars. In fact, the insides look a lot like the ones you’d see in Volvos. The sport and premium variants both have seats made of two-tone leather. The panels are made of soft-touch leather and brushed aluminum. The steering wheel is wrapped with high-quality leather. There’s also a huge panoramic roof for those days you just want to drive with the sky over your head. Overall, the interior is easily the best in its class. Even the base model is impressive as it is only lacking a sunroof and the seats are made of nice fabric.
As part of the formula, Geely has given the Coolray an ample amount of tech. Almost everything inside the Coolray is electronic, including the handbrake. Except for the comfort variant, the headlights are steer-sensitive and the engine is a remote start. The sport variant can even park itself via the fully automated parking feature. All variants of the Geely Coolray have a high-resolution 360-degree view monitor and a 10.25″ infotainment system that is connected to 6 speakers.
Of course, the Geely Coolray didn’t cheap out on what’s most important—safety. All variants are equipped with six airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX child seat tethers, and five 3-point seatbelts. It also has blind-spot monitors on top of the array of proximity sensors and 360-degree cameras.
The powerplant of every Geely Coolray variant is a turbocharged 1.5L gasoline engine with three cylinders. It produces 177 hp and 255 Nm all sent to the front wheels via a 7-speed wet dual-clutch transmission. Suspension is McPherson at the front and torsion beam axle at the back. Brakes are discs front and back.
To sum it all up, the Coolray exemplifies the phrase bang for the buck. It competes with subcompact SUVs such as the Nissan Juke, Honda HRV, and Hyundai Kona. However, it offers features you would normally find in a luxury segment hence it easily outclasses its competitors. The only issue with the Coolray is it doesn’t have an established track record like its competitors though that’ll change with time.
2021 Geely Coolray Philippines Price
- Coolray Comfort – PhP 978,000
- Coolray Premium – PhP 1,088,000
- Coolray Sport – PhP 1,198,000.