The GAC S7 The large plug-in hybrid SUV made a surprise appearance at the Chinese automaker’s Australian brand launch in Sydney this week and could launch here in 2026.
GAC has arrived Down Under with three models – the Emzoom small SUV, the Aion V mid-size electric SUV and the seven-seat plug-in hybrid People M8 – and had previously promised to launch a second SUV next year, as part of a local lineup of eight models by 2029, including a crew cab.
Officially being considered for a local launch, the Toyota Kluger-sized S7 could be the next SUV to join the brand’s Australian arsenal.
A spokesman for the car manufacturer said this Daily Sparkz The S7, an unregistered left-hand drive example of which was on display at the event, was imported here from China to gather feedback from dealers and potential customers.
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It is Ranger Rover-like exterior design includes a 2.6 meter wide “emotional” light strip at the front that uses 2248 artificial intelligence (AI) LEDs to create “expressive” lighting effects.
The five-seat S7 is 4900mm long, 1950mm wide and 1780mm high, making it roughly the same size as the Kluger, which has a length/width/height of 4966/1930/1755mm. The Kluger is slightly longer, but the S7 features a 30mm longer wheelbase under a shorter body.
Like the Kluger, the S7 features car-like monocoque construction rather than the body-on-frame design favored by off-road SUVs like the Toyota Prado and Ford Everest.
The S7 is also larger than the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV mid-size SUV – which seats up to seven and is 4710mm long, 1862mm wide and 1748mm high on a shorter 2706mm wheelbase – and its arch-rival BYD Sealion 6 PHEV.
The hybrid system in the GAC – as offered in China, where it was launched earlier this year – includes a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine producing 118kW/220Nm and a choice of one or two electric motors.
Single-motor versions have front-wheel drive, a combined output of 170kW/470Nm and an all-electric range of 82km (WLTP) with the entry-level 21.3kWh battery, while a larger 36.1kWh version improves this to 145km.
The larger battery is standard on all dual-motor, all-wheel drive variants and extends the electric vehicle’s range to 136 to 145 km, depending on trim level.
GAC claims that DC fast charging provides an 80 percent battery charge in 30 minutes.
The second engine increases total output to 250kW/393Nm and reduces the claimed 0-100km/h time by 2.1 seconds to 5.8 seconds.
Load volume for all versions is 720 liters with the second row in place, expanding to 2050 liters with the second row folded down. There is no seven-seat version.
The interior features a 15.6-inch infotainment touchscreen with Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, 60W wireless mobile phone charging, a standard panoramic sunroof and leather upholstery.
There are also a number of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) with LiDARs, radars and cameras used for autonomous emergency braking, automatic parking and semi-automatic driving on/on/off-ramps.
The S7 is sold in China under GAC’s Trumpchi brand, but all models from the automaker and its sister brands are sold here with GAC badging.
GAC is launching in Australia with 12 dealers on the east coast, but aims to expand its retail network to 100 dealers across the country, with the aim of becoming one of the top 10 local car brands by 2030.
MORE: Discover the GAC showroom
