2024 GAC M6 Pro 1.5T 7WDCT GL

Innova Fighter

MPVs have become more and more popular in our market due to their versatility and ability to carry passengers comfortably. Clearly, GAC Motor recognizes this and offers serious contenders in the midsize and large premium MPV segment. For 2024, GAC’s Innova fighter, the GN6 gets a more premium update inside and out; and is now the M6 Pro.

The 2024 GAC M6 Pro will go against similarly specc'd competitors such as the Geely Okavango and MG G50.

For 2024, the GAC M6 Pro gets a striking new face with a more pronounced front grille and signature lighting. It's a serious step up from the GN6 and features more chiseled details like what we saw on the M8 Pro, its larger and more premium stablemate.

The side and rear look pretty much carried over except for the new chrome strips on the side skirt and lower part of the rear bumper. It gets a slightly revised set of LED tail lights. While I am primarily not a big fan of chrome, the added lower bits do seem to balance well with the existing chrome trim outlining the roof.

Finishing off the exterior updates is a fresh new set of wheels finished in polished aluminum and gunmetal paint. The new wheels give it a very cosmopolitan look.

The interior is carried over with slight tweaks in color and material. It was already well-designed and sensible, so it was good that they did not try to reinvent it. The most prominent change they made to the cockpit would be the new crystal-design shifter, a significant styling improvement compared to the conventional-looking shift lever.

The large glass panels give the M6 Pro a good amount of greenhouse and a commanding view of the road. A slight downside to this, however, was more prominent outside noise. But I prefer a better view as it makes navigating through traffic easier and you get a really nice view all around. There's also the large sunroof that opens until the start of the second row, you can also opt to open the shade should you want to enjoy a bit of sunlight during the day or the stars at night.

In the second row, the M6 Pro comes with captain's chairs with PVC leather material that feels quite smooth. It gives a good amount of recline to give you a lounge-like feel although they do not have ottomans like the M8 Pro. As with its predecessor, the second it still does not have cupholders for coffee cups. It does come with low-mounted drink bottle holders tucked in the left-side seat.

The third row features bench-type seating that can fit three adults comfortably. It comes with cupholders on each side with USB charging ports as well.

The 7-inch digital instrumentation is retained, while the infotainment gets upsized from 8 inches to a new 10.25-inch touchscreen that offers wired Apple Carplay connectivity. Android users however can only connect Bluetooth or the CarLife app, sorry no Android Auto.

Under the hood is an updated 1.5-liter engine also found in the Empow, GS3 Emzoom, and Emkoo; and mated to a 7-speed WDCT. Many OEMs are interestingly trying to distinguish their newer and “smoother” wet-clutch DCTs from the “rougher” dry-clutch DCTs. Power and torque get a slight bump from 171 PS and 265 Nm to 177 PS and 270 Nm.

In terms of performance, acceleration was quite smooth, and felt capable. I drove mostly in the city with light to moderate traffic. Overtaking was no sweat as you stepped on the throttle and the engine obliged. The transmission logic, however, did feel a bit laggy for me, perhaps the electronic control module was programmed for better comfort and to reduce any form of shift shock be it minute. It felt no different in all three driving modes (Comfort, Economy, or Sport).

In terms of comfort, it is quite decent considering it rolls on 18-inchers. For the front and second-row passengers, the ride is supple and a bit firm, but third-row occupants may have a slightly different experience having to sit above the rear beam. The rear suspension setup is likely to favor load-carrying capacity for the M6 Pro to carry passengers and cargo.

In the handling department, don't expect to carve corners with this 4.9-meter MPV but it does maneuver decently and with ease thanks to the electric power steering. It feels light to drive despite being a large and hefty vehicle.

The M6 Pro tries to shine further with a comprehensive ADAS (Advanced Driver Assist System) suite which gives it features such as Passive Entry Passive Start (PEPS), Surround View Camera System, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Keep Assist (LKA), High Beam Assist (HBA), Integrated Cruise Alert (ICA), Traffic Jam Assist (TJA), and Traffic Signal Recognition System (TSR).

With the styling, performance, and safety improvements, the 2024 GAC M6 Pro does make itself a serious contender in the competitive segment. While GAC Motor could have only given the M6 Pro some subtle upgrades here and there, they instead decided to give the MPV a stylish makeover, a more powerful turbocharged engine, and more features to increase its value-for-money proposition that starts at Php1,230,000. The GL variant tested retails for Php1,598,000.

With it, will the modern bells and whistles be enough to convince a badge-biased market to consider this as a sensible alternative?