There was a time when almost all the ’value-for-money’ crossover SUVs hailed from either Japan or South Korea. Of late, however, that trend has been changing quite rapidly. This is because some Chinese carmakers are now offering way better deals than many of their other Asian counterparts. One of those Chinese brands is Geely, and their counter-argument to some of the other Asian offerings is the Geely X7 Sport. As with most modern-day crossover SUVs, the Geely X7 Sport is constructed around a unibody chassis that’s been borrowed straight from the Emgrand GT sedan.
The Geely X7 Sport was first unveiled in 2016, and soon went on to become one of the Chinese brand’s best-selling cars. As of now, sales of Chinese cars such as the Geely X7 Sport have been on a steady climb in markets such as the United Arab Emirates. The X7 Sport offers a good design, decent comfort, modern onboard technology, and an affordable price tag. Its main rivals in this market include the MG GS, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, and Toyota RAV4.
Exterior
The exterior styling of the 2019 Geely X7 Sport is modern and urbane with its clean lines and neat proportions. The taut front fascia of the Geely X7 Sport gets a clamshell hood, chrome-garnished grille, smart-looking headlights with LED daytime-runners, and sporty front bumper with well-integrated halogen foglights, center air intakes, and a faux skid plate.
The side profile of the Geely X7 Sport features distinctly flared fenders, stylish 18-inch alloy wheels, the obligatory black plastic cladding, generous ground clearance, sleek character lines, a rising window line, and blacked-out D-pillar with a ‘floating roof’ effect. The aggressive back end houses a small rear window, fashionable LED taillights, and a brawny bumper with dual exhaust and an air diffuser. The 2019 Geely X7 Sport measures in at 4.519 meters in length, 1.831 meters in width, 1.694 meters in height, and boasts a wheelbase of 2.670 meters, and a minimum boot space of almost 400 liters.
Interior
The cabin design of the 2019 Geely X7 Sport is modern, minimalistic, and quite sophisticated. There are no weird quirks or misplaced button in here – everything works like it’s supposed to. The build quality feels sturdy, while there are enough squidgy materials and trim around. The fit & finish feels good, and there are no ergonomic issues here, whatsoever. The five-seat X7 Sport can easily swallow adults and keep them comfortable as well. The seats offer good support, and there’s plenty of head and leg room for all occupants.
The Geely X7 Sport can be had with all the usual bells & whistles such as automatic climate control, leather seats, panoramic glass roof, keyless entry with push-button ignition, all-around parking sensors with rear camera, cruise control, an 8-inch touch-infotainment system with navigation, and an 8-speaker sound system. Some of the safety features of the X7 Sport include 6 airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist, stability and traction control, and a tire-pressure monitor.
Engine and performance
The 2019 Geely X7 Sport is powered by a 2.4-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine that develops 155 hp and 225 Nm of torque. In the AWD variants, this is sent to all four corners via a 6-speed automatic transmission. This results in a 0-100 km/h runtime of 11 seconds, top speed of 170 km/h, and a terrible combined fuel consumption figure of 11.5 L/100 km.
Verdict
The 2019 Geely X7 Sport costs between AED 65,000 and AED 85,000 for the base FWD and fully-loaded AWD variants, respectively. Meanwhile, the cost of insurance starts from AED 1,463 and AED 1,913 for the above-mentioned two trims, respectively.
