What sort of car tells the world that you’ve made it? Someone with an Asian background might say a luxury MPV whilst one from Europe would refer to a posh sedan or SUV perhaps. With New Zealand being such a melting pot of cultures, there are plenty of SUVs to do the trick, sedans a little less so now and MPVs? Well, until the recent influx of Chinese brands, there was really only one luxury option, one that wasn’t even available here brand new and continues to only be offered in second hand form! Even as a used vehicle, this existing offering is pricey but it seems to have a vice grip on the local luxury MPV market. Chances are that you can picture the exact make and model of the luxury MPV that I’m referring to here.
GAC Motors is one of the newer players to enter our local market and their flagship offering, the M8 LUX (Master) reviewed here is aimed squarely at this existing player. The clincher is that you can have a brand new M8 for less than its second-hand rival but the question then begs, how much does the brand name factor into such a purchase?
GAC or ‘Guangzhou Automobile Group’ was only founded in 2008 but it has seen a meteoric rise since then. Its parent company is ‘GAC Group’, a Chinese state owned venture that can actually trace its roots back to 1948 and while it has many sub-brands in China, these are consolidated under the GAC brand internationally. As one of China’s ‘big four’ automakers, GAC’s aim is to make ‘complete vehicles’, taking care of everything in-house, from R & D to parts manufacturing.
They landed on our shores late last year with three initial offerings, the entry level Emzoom compact SUV, the Aion V mid-size SUV and the M8 luxury MPV flagship.
The M8 is a (flag)ship indeed as it dwarves the other two GAC offerings, both in size as well as price. It measures in at 5.21m long, 1.89m wide and 1.82m tall but looks so much more imposing given its proposition as a luxury MPV. In fact, those dimensions might sound like a lot but it is pretty standard stuff for a vehicle of its class. Plus, you would be hard pressed to find a true 7-seater SUV, luxury or otherwise, that was sub-5m these days!
While its proportions might be on point for the segment, its design is a big miss for our market. Culturally, Kiwis don’t like to flaunt their wealth, such an activity is generally frowned upon but those that do, do so in an understated fashion. The M8 is not that. A verdict that was made clear to me as I drove down Ponsonby Road and witnessed the grimaces on the faces of the locals in one of Auckland’s most premium suburbs, renowned for its design nous. Whether it was that colossal shiny grille or the crystalline like ‘GAC Design’ LED headlights, either way, it left Ponsonby’s locals aghast at its mere sight. A shame though because it is rather inoffensive looking when viewed from the side but go around the rear and that boldness is back again in the form of overtly large LED taillights.
I’m of the opinion that colour choice is crucial to how the M8’s design elements stand out and with a ‘Blade Shadow White’ backdrop, they were so much more jarring than if the colour had been ‘Elegant Black’ which would be my recommendation for those looking to get one.
The M8 is available locally in two trim levels, the ‘M8’ and ‘M8 LUX’, both available in the two colour options and both being plug-in hybrids. However, the ‘LUX’ model adds a key exterior feature over its entry level counterpart and that is in the form of Michelin acoustic tires that help muffle road noise and ensure an even more comfortable experience for the occupants inside, a notable strength of the M8.
In this ‘LUX’ spec, the M8 is officially a seven seater with a 2-2-3 arrangement in place. From the get go, it’s clear that this is a vehicle designed to be driven in rather than to drive yourself because the middle row is where all the comfort features appear. Still, the front is plenty comfy.
The two front seats are covered in ‘premium leather’ and are ‘semi-aniline’ as opposed to just ‘leather’ on the entry level M8, there’s electronic adjustment and heating functions too for both up front. And if the windows weren’t large enough, you have access to a sunroof above to add more light to the cabin. Storage solutions have been sorted with dual door cubbies, under-armrest space and a decent sized glovebox, there’s also a floating centre console that opens up more storage areas.
It’s not the only item that is in abundance up front with ambient lighting strips being applied to the dashboard, doors and even around the gear selector. These are controlled through the 10.1 inch infotainment screen which has a notable amount of features to customize not just the lighting but also the Yamaha Premium audio experience of which there are 8 speakers, you can also alter the drive modes from the same unit as well as doors, windows and sunshades/roofs! It’s not just the infotainment screen but also a command centre for the vehicle. It’s also the safety hub with all features accessible in this screen as well as the ability to view feedback from your parking sensors and 360 degree camera. The driver gets a 12.3inch gauge cluster for even more information!
Before I get to the middle row, I’ll briefly address the colour schemes on offer. Just like the exterior, there are two colour schemes on offer, red & black as pictured here or brown & black which is available as a no-cost option. Either way and like the exterior, it’s not the most tasteful thing you’ll come across. The red inserts are all up at eye level which can make the view appear quite jarring at times, the seat uppers resemble a sort of velour/suede hybrid and are exactly as pleasant to touch as they sound. That aside, piano black plastic has been used liberally up front, coupled with faux chrome finishes on the buttons, the combination of which is certainly not understated luxury, so it follows in the path of the exterior’s styling.
Like the front row, the middle is also complete in the same ‘premium leather semi-aniline’ material, it’s a comfortable place to be and effectively, the best seats in the house as far as the M8 goes. The two captain’s chairs feature electric adjustment for everything including leg rests, with memory functionality of course! A ‘one-touch SPA mode’ will have you near horizontal in a few moments with a massage kicking in for some proper relaxation. Leaning back allows the middle row occupants to appreciate the glass roof overhead, complete with ambient LED lighting via the ‘Tech Glass’ film that has been applied to the window. Once the spa treatment has finished, occupants can right themselves to watch their favourite shows on the drop down TV screen, how’s that for luxury! If mobile devices or tablets are more your jam then there’s USB-C sockets on both chairs plus tray tables that drop down from the front seats for an airplane like experience!
And indeed, the M8’s ride can offer the feeling of wafting along a cloud rather than a road. The suspension has been set up for a comfortable, softer ride rather than one that leans towards performance and handling. Rightly so, this is a 5m+ luxury MPV after all, not a sports car! M8 eats up bumps and speedhumps rather well, thanks in part to those acoustic tires. Even in the ‘intelligent hybrid’ mode that I spent most of my time in, you can seldom hear the engine come to life, the whole experience has been designed with occupant comfort in mind.
Badges on the side indicate the M8 to be PHEV powered and it is, a 2L turbo engine coupled with a 25.5kWhr battery will deliver 274kW of power and 630Nm of torque. Predicted electric only range is 106km (WLTC) but in the real world, one might be able to expect even more, my review vehicle indicated 94km at 78% charge! As with all PHEVs that I review, I was keen to see how they perform in tandem rather than as individual powertrains so with most of my time spent in hybrid mode, the M8 returned an average figure of 5.3L/100km which wasn’t bad at all considering the size of the vehicle and despite that, it still maneuvers around quite well.
The Verdict
Yes, the M8 LUX (Master) is GAC’s most premium and therefore expensive offering locally at $89,990 but its feature list is extensive. As a luxury MPV, it will comfortably sit 7 with the middle row occupants being particularly pampered. Not only is it efficient but also safe with things like a ‘Rear Window Airbag’ being included. The toughest pill to swallow is its styling, this is not a pretty vehicle either inside or out, the overtly large grille, shiny dashboard surfaces and garish interior colour scheme firmly oppose the idea of understated luxury. Then there’s the badge, GAC is still very much an unknown name here and design aside, it is great value but is that enough for it to corner the segment’s current benchmark?
2026 GAC M8 LUX (Master): 4/5
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Car courtesy of GAC Motors New Zealand. Photos and words by Matthew D’Souza.
