Sneak Peek: Geely’s hybrid 7-seater Okavango

After making a splash in the compact SUV segment with the Coolray. The little SUV enticed with its sleek styling and modern interior, and Geely is set to continue the approach with the all-new Okavango SUV.

What is it: The Okavango is Geely’s entry in the seven-seat SUV category. Its 4835mm x 1900mm width, on a 2815mm wheelbase, allows for more space for people and cargo. It carries a full set of creature comforts that are usually seen in the premium category, and something unique: a hybrid drivetrain.

Powertrain: Okavango is powered by a 1.5 liter 3-cylinder gasoline engine. Equipped with a turbo and augmented by a 48-volt electric motor, the hybrid system outputs a decent 190hp and 300Nm of torque. It feeds power through a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Styling: The new SUV follows a “Expansive Aesthetic” concept, meaning a broad body accentuated with styling cues to make it look even wider. European-type styling cues include matrix-LED headlamps, and simple LED taillights connected by a chrome strip across the hatch.

Interior: The versatile interior can be configured in 19 ways, including the conventional seven-seat front-facing layout, with the third row folded, and second row also giving way to long and tall cargo. You can also fold flat the second row to form a 2.2-meter bed, or fold down the second row seatbacks for a conference-style layout. Maximum trunk volume is 2360 liters. The instrument panel features a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, with a 10.25-inch touchscreen panel mounted in the center. Triple-zone airconditioning with built in CN-95 air filter allows individual temperature settings for the three rows.

Chassis: The Okavango rides on 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels as standard, with available 18-inch on the higher-grade Urban variant. The platform uses McPherson struts up front and a torsion beam at the rear. Brakes are discs at all four corners.

Safety: Active safety features include electronic stability control, a 360-degree monitor view, hill descent control, hill start assist, and tire pressure monitor. There are six airbags including curtain airbags.

The well-specced, cleanly-styled and interestingly-named Okavango will be an interesting new entry in the very popular three-row SUV playing field.