Geely Emgrand EC7

Geely Emgrand EC7 at a glance

The EC7 is a four-door saloon and five-door hatchback of roughly 4.6 m. Geely launched the Emgrand brand in July 2009 with the EC7 as its first vehicle, describing it as a medium-to-high-end line. At the time the company planned three sub-brands: Gleagle for entry-level cars, Emgrand for the mainstream and Shanghai Englon at the top.

Production was based at Geely's Ningbo plant. According to the Chinese trade press, the first EC7 was delivered in mid-August 2009, two months before the 1.8-litre EC718 appeared at Hangzhou. Geely called it its first independently developed global model, planned for export from the start. Wikipedia lists Siemens (engine electronics), Lear (seats) and Saint-Gobain (glass) among the suppliers.

When Geely dropped the separate Emgrand brand in 2014 and moved to a single Geely badge, the car simply became the Geely Emgrand. For the wider company story, see our history of Geely.

Where the EC7 was built and sold

Besides the Chinese plant, the EC7 was assembled or sold under local names in several countries:

• Egypt: Ghabour Auto (GB Auto) assembled the first-generation EC7 from 2013 to 2019, with more than 150,000 cars reported.
• Taiwan: Yulon sold it from May 2012 as the Tobe M'way saloon and Q'way hatchback.
• Uruguay: Nordex assembled it as the Emgrand 718.
• Iraq, Mozambique (as the Matchedje X3) and Sri Lanka also had local assembly, and South Africa and Namibia received the car in 2013.

Which Emgrand is which

The Emgrand name covers several unrelated cars, so it helps to separate them. This page covers only the original EC7 and EC7-RV.

The electric and plug-in versions are separate models. The rest of the Geely range is in our catalogue.

Engines, transmissions and performance

Every EC7 is front-wheel drive with a four-cylinder petrol engine; there was no all-wheel-drive, diesel or hybrid version of this car. Wikipedia describes the first-generation engines as Mitsubishi-derived 4G15 (1.5 L) and 4G18 (1.8 L) units, while spec databases list Geely codes such as MR479QA for the 1.5.

Power figures for the 1.8 vary. The launch output was 102 kW, but later data, partly for the 2016 Emgrand 7, quotes 93 to 95 kW, so a car's papers depend on year and market. The 1.3 turbo comes from a CarNewsChina report ahead of the 2014 Beijing show, not from confirmed catalogue data.

A 5-speed manual was offered throughout, but automatic options depended on the market: the Australian importer planned a 6-speed automatic for the 1.8, the 2011 UK plans mentioned an automatic on the 1.8 only, and spec databases list a CVT for some 1.5 versions. German Wikipedia also mentions a 7-speed dual-clutch unit, so check the exact car rather than assuming.

Performance is modest. The 1.5 manual is quoted at 15.0 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) and about 166 km/h (103 mph) flat out, while Geely gave the 1.8 EC718 a top speed of 185 km/h (115 mph) at launch.

Dimensions, interior space and boot

At about 4.6 m long with a 2,650 mm wheelbase, the EC7 saloon sits at the large end of the compact class. The figures below are for the saloon; the EC7-RV hatchback is shorter, at about 4,397 mm (173.1 in).

The main dimensions agree across the 2009 launch data and later spec sheets within a few millimetres. The 680-litre boot figure comes from a single spec database, so treat it as indicative.

The chassis is conventional: MacPherson struts at the front, a semi-independent torsion beam at the rear, and disc brakes all round, ventilated at the front. Tyre sizes listed for the EC7 are 205/65 R15, 205/55 R16 and 215/55 R16.

EC7 fuel economy and running costs

For the 1.5 manual, spec data gives 6.7 L/100 km (42.2 mpg UK) combined, with 8.7 L/100 km (32.5 mpg UK) in town and 5.5 L/100 km (51.4 mpg UK) on the open road. CVT versions are quoted at 5.6 to 5.9 L/100 km (50.3 to 47.9 mpg UK), but those entries seem to belong to later cars, and the test cycle is not stated for any of them.

The 1.5 was rated for Euro IV and 92-octane fuel. Because the EC7 never reached EU showrooms, parts supply in its country of sale matters more to running costs than fuel use.

EC7 trims and equipment

Equipment varied strongly by market. The Australian plans of 2011 listed electronic stability control and side curtain airbags as standard on the 1.8 saloon. Typical equipment lists from other markets show ABS, EBD and two front airbags on all cars, with side airbags, stability control and tyre-pressure monitoring on higher trims. On a used car, check what is actually fitted.

Safety: the Euro NCAP result

Euro NCAP awarded the Geely Emgrand EC7 four stars in its 2011 programme, making it the first Chinese-designed and Chinese-built car to reach that level. The car tested was a European-specification 1.8 saloon, and Euro NCAP looked at it because Geely planned to enter Europe through the UK by the end of 2012.

GoAuto reported 75% for adult occupant protection. The breakdown was mixed:

• In the frontal offset test the driver's footwell deformed and tore in places, and the brake pedal moved 176 mm (6.9 in) into the footwell, which cost points for lower-leg protection.
• The car scored maximum points in the side barrier test.
• Chest protection in the side pole test was rated weak.

Euro NCAP secretary general Michiel van Ratingen called the result "a milestone for the Chinese automotive industry". The Jaguar XF, Fiat Panda and MG6 were among the other four-star cars of 2011. Child and pedestrian percentages were not available to us, and no C-NCAP result for the EC7 was found.

The four stars apply to the 2011 European 1.8 saloon only, not to the 2014 facelift, the hatchback or any later Emgrand.

Rivals and which EC7 to look for

By size the EC7 belongs with compact saloons such as the Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Elantra. Its arguments were a long wheelbase, a large boot and a Euro NCAP result no Chinese car had matched before. Geely's 2011 UK plans promised a five-year, 161,000 km (100,000-mile) warranty, but we found no evidence that UK sales started. You can compare it with other Chinese cars or the full list of saloons.

If you are considering one, the car's market of origin matters more than its year:

1. Identify where it was built or sold (China, Egypt, Taiwan, Uruguay or elsewhere), because engine output, gearbox and safety kit differed.
2. Check the airbags and ESC actually fitted; the Euro NCAP car was well equipped, not every EC7 is.
3. Prefer the 1.8 if you drive mostly on motorways, given the 1.5's 15-second sprint.
4. Confirm local parts supply before buying.

Facelifted cars from 2014 reportedly have new headlights, grille, bumpers and rear lights, and a minor 2013 update brought slightly smoked headlights.

What came after the EC7

The Emgrand name continued on newer saloons that are different cars. After the 2014 update (which Wikipedia counts as a second generation on the same platform) came a third generation in 2018, a BMA-platform Emgrand in 2021 that Proton also sells as the S70, and a fifth generation unveiled in October 2025.