It is lively. It is responsive. It is the Geely Coolray. A first drive experience of the newcomer to the Geely stable on some wet and slick roads in Gauteng showed a small SUV that embraced a sporty spirit and could handle itself more than admirably.
A bit of background – astute readers will recognise this as the Proton X50, the badging Geely uses in the Malaysian market and, for a while, here. However, the Coolray is a an updated and refined version of that. In China it goes under the name Binyue.
Also, it is a SUV but it is not an offroader. Rather the SUV designates a body styling and not off-tar ability. Indeed, the Coolray sits at the sporty end of the market segment.
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Every Coolray derivative – and there are three – is powered by Geely’s 1,5-litre turbo-charged direct-injection petrol engine. The four-cylinder unit produces 128 kW at 5 500 r/min and 290 Nm of torque between 2 000 r/min and 3 500 r/min.
Power goes to the front wheels through a seven-speed wet dual-clutch transmission, and the result is a 0–100 km/h time of 7,6 seconds, Despite this, combined fuel consumption is claimed at 6,5 l/ 100 km.
Drivers can choose between four modes: Eco, Comfort, Sport and Adaptive.
While the launch drive did not facilitate acceleration testing, the responsiveness of the car off the line and the overtaking acceleration suggest the claimed figures may not be far off the mark.
The Coolray has an assertive look, mixing athletic proportions with motorsport-inspired details featuring sharp body surfacing, a muscular shoulder line and a contrasting two-tone roof on Vanguard and Vertex models.
Up front, a vertical-slat grille is framed by aerodynamic fins, while LED headlamps give the car a focused look. At the rear are twin-pod LED taillamps and a sculpted bumper. The flagship Vertex adds a motorsport-inspired rear wing with integrated side fins and ‘S’ badging.
Underneath, the Coolray rides on a 2 600 mm wheelbase with MacPherson struts up front and a torsion-beam rear setup. Electric power steering provides precise responses, while ventilated front discs and rear discs handle stopping duties – much needed on those wet roads.
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Inside, a 14,6-inch infotainment touchscreen dominates the dashboard, supported by an 8,8-inch digital instrument cluster – for me this was somewhat disproprtionate and the driver screen looked smaller than it actually is.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, along with Bluetooth and multiple USB ports and, depending on trim, buyers can also get wireless charging, multi-colour ambient lighting, power-adjustable seats, a panoramic sunroof and an power tailgate. The cabin seats five, with 330 litres of luggage space expanding to 1 054 litres with the rear seats folded.
Safety features across the range include anti-lock braking, EBD, ESC, traction control, hill hold control, hill descent control, tyre pressure monitoring and ISOFIX anchor points.
Vanguard and Vertex models add six crash bags, while the Vertex offers a Level 1 ADAS package with adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, traffic sign recognition, intelligent high beam control and traffic jam assist. Vanguard and Vertex also get a 540-degree panoramic camera system.
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The entry-level Nova includes alloy wheels, LED lighting, keyless entry, a multifunction steering wheel, the 14,6-inch display, digital instrumentation, automatic climate control and a comprehensive safety package. The mid-range Vanguard adds 18-inch gloss-black alloy wheels, perforated leather upholstery, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, ambient lighting, a six-speaker audio system, the 540-degree camera and additional airbags. The flagship Vertex tops the range with a panoramic sunroof, electric tailgate, wireless charging, distinctive styling elements and advanced driver assistance technologies.
With no mechanical differences between the three derivatives, buyer choice comes down to affordability and the Nova enters the market at R399 900, the Vanguard on R399 900 and the Vertex at R429 900.
Colin Windell for Colin-on-Cars in association with
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