The GC7 debuted to the world in 2012 and it is one of the newest cars manufactured by Chinese company Geely. According to Geely,->ke3815 the GC7 is a “high-performance business sedan” targeted squarely at the midsize market that is dominated by names like Accord,->ke237 Camry,->ke246 Jetta->ke306 and more. The car was created to take on not only the Chinese domestic market, but the European market as well. With BYD->ke4952 targeting sales in the United States, Geely will surely follow suit.

The GC7 is the right size, has the right interior trim and technology,->ke1701, and it features a collection of engine and transmission options that range from fuel efficient 1.5-liter units to larger and more powerful 2.4-liter engines. Transmissions include five and six-speed manuals, as well as a six-speed automatic.

The car has been doing decently in the Euro markets, but how would the GC7 fair on North American soil? We have collected all the relevant information about this mainstream sedan->ke142 after the break to help come to a decision.

Click past the jump to read more about Geely GC7.

Exterior

Geely describes the exterior of the GC7 as “stylish” and even uses the phrase “perfect combination of technology and art.” I will say that the GC7 some interesting design details like the large “Eagle-Eye” headlamps, but it is far from stylish. The actual shape is a very generic one that would be hard for most people to discern if the badges were removed. In a segment that prizes conformity, this is not a bad thing, just one to take note of. If you want a car that stands out and helps provide an outward appearance of your personal tastes and preferences, this is not it.

There a few features that make the outside handsome however, like the small sculpting line that runs at the lower side of the profile, the chrome grille, and the leaf-shaped fog lamps. The rear end does look a little disproportionate with its overly large taillamps that look like they were swiped from an early 2000s S-Class.

Exterior Dimensions

Interior

The interior of the GC7 looks to be smartly designed in regards to ergonomics, storage capacity and passenger space. Like many of the Geely products, the car uses a two-tone interior color scheme that is tan on the bottom with a black dash, steering wheel and door panel trim. The GC7 also sees the addition of silver metal-flake paint trim on the plastics of the center console and the door pulls.

To make the car better for large cargo, the rear seats fold down to make a passageway to the trunk, and there is an available sunroof option for those who like a little more sunlight in their driving lives.

If you like less sunlight, The GC7 does have a rear window sunshade, which is a nice touch.

Drivetrain

The GC7 is currently on the market with a large collection of drivetrain options. In total there are six different configurations across four engines and three transmissions. The lowest level engine is a 1.5-liter four-cylinder with 96 horsepower. This engine only comes mated to a five-speed manual transmission. Geely doesn’t quote a 0-to-60 time, (hint: it’s probably a long time) but it says the car will reach a top speed of 102 mph. Eventually.

The next engine in the lineup is a 1.8-liter unit. This four-cylinder also comes only with the five-speed manual, but it sees horsepower jump by nearly 30 percent to 125. With that power bump, top speed increases to 114 mph, making this 1.8 the fastest of the GC7 family. Once again, Geely has given no quoted acceleration times.

The most abundant engine in the family tree is the 2.0-liter four-cylinder. It is available in three configurations with either a five or six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic. Regardless of your transmission choice, the engine produces 139 horsepower and 131 pound-feet of torque. If you value speed and performance, make sure you choose one of the two manual transmission versions of this engine. Both of those will see 60 mph arrive in 13 seconds; the automatic takes 18 seconds. The automatic 2.0 is also the slowest car in the entire GC7 lineup with a top speed of only 99 mph. The two manual models will clip 112 mph.

The largest and most powerful engine in the GC7 is a 2.4-liter unit that, once again, has four cylinders. This model arrives with 150 horsepower, 154 pound-feet of torque, and is sold exclusively with the six-speed automatic cog-swapper. Despite the extra power, the automatic still saps performance, and the 2.4 can only manage to equal the top speed and acceleration numbers of the manual-equipped 2.0 models. That means the same 13-second run to 60 mph and the same 112-mph top speed.

Drivetrain/Specifications

Prices

Current pricing for the GC7 (based on conversions from Chinese Yuan) comes in at $10,900 for the base car with the 1.5 and moves up to as much as $15,000 for the higher trim-level cars. With a price of $11k, the Geely GC7 may stand a chance in the market, but once it creeps up to that $15k mark, there are lot of great machines that can be purchased new from more reputable manufacturers here in the States.

Competition

Ford Fiesta

The Ford Fiesta may be a bit smaller than the Geely GC7, but with a base price of $13,800 it will be hard for buyers to ignore. It is available in both sedan and hatch body styles, comes with a 120 horsepower motor, it looks like a million dollars, and you can load with some of the most advanced tech in the segment.

If Geely can deliver one of the more powerful versions of the GC7 for a price in the $13,000 range, there will be a lot of incentive to pick one up over the Fiesta simply for the extra space, but if Geely only offers a model in the $15,000 or higher bracket, smaller cars like the Fiesta seems likely to stifle sales for the Chinese company.

Chevrolet Cruze

Once you get into the true segment of the GC7 here in the U.S. we have some really heavy hitters. The Chevrolet Cruze comes standard with a 1.8-liter engine that produces 138 horsepower, but also offers a 1.4-liter turbo or a 2.0-liter diesel engine. The Cruze also has one of the most handsome exteriors, as well as one of the best built interiors in the class.

That quality and power does come with a cost. The cheapest Cruze you can buy is $17,520. A far cry from the potential $11k price tag of a GC7 if Geely imported it. That said, Geely will need to dramatically increase its interior equipment and design if it hopes to compete on anything more than price when it comes to cars like the Cruze.

Conclusion

Like so many of the cars from Geely, there is a lot of promise but it is hard to see how the car will compete on American soil until it actually arrives. Every car company in the States has quickly improved the quality and equipment of every lower level car they sell. The GC7 will need to arrive with an unbelievable price tag or a ton of equipment and interior improvements without adding a lot of price. Both of those are lofty goals, even for a massive Chinese company like Geely.