Executive vans: The new luxury limousines
In the last five years, the executive / luxury vans have become the new gold standard for first class chaffeur-driven transport around Metro Manila.
And, of course, there are practical considerations for getting a van. They are easier to get in and out of versus a traditional SUV where you reach up, or a traditional sedan where you sit down. The elderly, people with disabilities or parents with infants will know what I am talking about. There is, of course, more space inside to stretch your legs, are packed with features, and some have bubble roofs that allow you to stand inside the cabin.
And, as mentioned, Toyota’s now ubiquitous Alphard is the gold standard, with the Lexus LM being its even more upscale cousin. The problem is the scarcity of these vehicles as they are in such high demand, with very limited quantities available.
The closest replacement perhaps for the Alphard are these two executive vans from China, namely: the GAC M8 and the Hongqi HQ9.
The M8 almost looks like a clone of the Toyota Alphard. Perhaps not so surprising given that GAC assembles Toyotas in China, as well as Toyota’s key rival Honda, with decades of experience doing so. They know how to build cars of exceptionally high quality. And it shows with the M8: It feels solid, loaded with tech, luxuriously appointed with leather and tactile touch points throughout, and drives very well.
On the highway, we took it on a drive to Clark in Pampanga via NLEX and averaged around 14 -15 km per liter. Built atop GAC’s modular global platform, the M8 is suspended by a multi-link rear suspension and a Macpherson front strut design. Power comes from a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged and direct injected gasoline engine producing 248hp and 400 Newton Meters of torque. It doesn’t seem a lot to haul such a large vehicle with a 2,192kg weight, but the excellent 8-speed automatic makes full use of the available power.
It’s serene and comfortable, which is what you want your executive express to be so you can conduct business while traveling inside of it. It’s well-equipped too with a 14.6- inch infotainment display that has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless charging pad and advanced driver assistance features like a lane departure warning (LDW) system, lane keep assist, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), forward collision warning (FCW), and adaptive cruise control.
Exclusive to the top-spec GX Master we had is a blind spot detection system (BSD), rear cross traffic alert (RCTA), rear cross traffic braking (RCTB), emergency lane keeping, and rear car approaching warning (RAW). At a shade under 4 million pesos, it seems expensive until you experience it on a proper long drive.
Hongqi, which means Red Flag in Chinese, on the other hand, is the state-owned luxury car brand under the FAW Group. Started in 1958, it is the oldest Chinese luxury car brand. They build the official state limousine of Chinese President Xi Jin Ping. Thus, they also build cars to a very high level, fit for a head of state that leads the second most powerful nation in the world with a GDP of 18.53 trillion dollars, according to Forbes Magazine.
The HQ9 is their luxury van, powered by the same formula: a 2.0-liter direct injected turbocharged engine driving an 8-speed automatic transmission. It has a mild-hybrid assist, and surprisingly despite its massive 2,885kg heft, seems to shed its weight well when driven particularly on the expressway where it really shines.
We took it on a long drive to Pangasinan and back, for a total of 10 hours of driving back and forth, and after 490 kilometers, the leviathan HQ9 still returned a very highly impressive 17 km / liter. Fluke or not, it was amazingly efficient, knowing we were 4 full-grown adults inside. With oodles of space, my wife and father-in-law fell asleep while my friend and guide had a lengthy conversation on business, politics and cars while driving around Pangasinan.
Inside, the interior features saddle-brown leather seats, faux wood trim, and a two-screen setup. The center console is dominated by a large wireless charging pad and additionally, an impressive 16-speaker Dynaudio surround sound system delivers impressive tunes. The driver gets a digital instrument cluster and a large infotainment screen in the middle of the dash.
The HQ9 has decent safety equipment one expects from a luxury vehicle (traction / stability control, ABS-EBD and brake assist) plus equally decent ADAS equipment with adaptive cruise control, active emergency braking and lane-keeping assist, among other things.
Should you ask about dynamic handling, acceleration, etc. and you’re barking up the wrong tree. Both have soft, pliant suspension that has just the right amount of control and feedback, with steering effort next to nothing, making tight maneuvers a breeze, and an overall effortless feel. It knows its market, and its market knows what it wants (space, comfort, refinement and a luxurious cabin).
And at the princely sum of P5.55 million, it’s not cheap and is more expensive than an Alphard. But, Hongqi reminds us that it’s made for heads of state and therefore the Lexus LM should be a more appropriate comparison, of which the HQ9 is cheaper.
Frustrated that your Alphard is taking forever to arrive? Then check out these two luxo vans.
