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GAC Motor GS5 is China's latest compact SUV

GAC brings its entire lineup to this year's Paris Motor Show.

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Headshot of Steven Ewing
Steven Ewing Former managing editor
Steven Ewing spent his childhood reading car magazines, making his career as an automotive journalist an absolute dream job. After getting his foot in the door at Automobile while he was still a teenager, Ewing found homes on the mastheads at Winding Road magazine, Autoblog and Motor1.com before joining the CNET team in 2018. He has also served on the World Car Awards jury. Ewing grew up ingrained in the car culture of Detroit -- the Motor City -- before eventually moving to Los Angeles. In his free time, Ewing loves to cook, binge trash TV and play the drums.
Headshot of Antuan Goodwin
Headshot of Antuan Goodwin
Antuan Goodwin Senior Writer, Electrified Cars
Antuan started out in the automotive industry the old-fashioned way, by turning wrenches in a driveway and picking up speeding tickets. He now has nearly 20 years of expertise and experience behind the wheel of hundreds of cars, including electric, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, hydrogen, and traditional combustion vehicles. For each car he tests, Antuan covers more than 200 miles behind the wheel and evaluates driving dynamics; acceleration and braking performance; range; and efficiency. Antuan's goal is to use his extensive car knowledge to educate CNET readers and help with their next car-related buying decision. Whether you're EV-curious, an EV-enthusiast or a combustion-car loyalist, Antuan will bring you the unbiased advice, reviews, best lists and news you need. You can reach Antuan at antuan.goodwin@cnet.com
Expertise Nearly two decades of testing, driving, reporting on, writing about, reviewing, and editing content about electric and ICE cars. Category focus is on electrified cars, EVs, HEVs, PHEVs, ICE cars, EV infrastructure, EV chargers, EV adapters, EV news, auton Credentials
  • North American Car, Truck and SUV of the Year (NACTOY) Awards Juror
Steven Ewing
Antuan Goodwin
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GAC's latest creation has a very Hyundai-like design.

Andrew Hoyle/Roadshow

Chinese company GAC Motor is showing its latest lineup at the Paris Motor Show this week, and the highlight is the debut of the new GS5 compact crossover.

GAC says the GS5 features its "Light and Shadow 3.0" design aesthetic, with full LED headlights and taillights. It actually kind of reminds us of the Hyundai Santa Fe, which considering Chinese automakers' reputations for copycat designs, isn't exactly a good thing.

Inside, the GS5 has what GAC calls the "Trumpchi Cloud Concept 2.0" infotainment system, with embedded navigation. The GS5's small dimensions means it offers seating for five adults.

Under the hood, there's a 1.5-liter turbocharged I4 engine, though output ratings are nowhere to be found. GAC does say the crossover should get about 33 miles per gallon, however, which is pretty respectable for the class. A new six-speed automatic transmission handles shifting duties, which actually seems like a downgrade from the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox used in the Trumpchi GS5, this car's predecessor.

GAC Motor really wants to sell its cars in the US, but between the current American political climate and consumer attitudes toward Chinese cars, it doesn't seem like too realistic of a possibility. The GS5 even wears the corporate GAC logo instead of being bundled under the Trumpchi brand for, um, reasons.

Here's hoping GAC can get its wares Stateside someday.

China's latest crossover is GAC Motor's GS5

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