Green Oranges and Great Wall Motors (GWM) have just sent a little bit of noise across the compact vehicle segment in Malaysia with a cutesy looking 4 door hatchback sitting 180mm off the ground. It is called the ‘M4’ and you can either call it a compact hatchback car to rival the mighty Perodua Myvi or a hard rival for the soon to be launched Ford Ecosport SUV.
The interior comes in black fabric with silver trim elements on the fascia and doors, while overlapping dials on the instrument panels allow space for a digital speedometer readout. The V-shaped centre section of the dashboard neatly separates the audio controls and their large digital display from the air-conditioning panel, including vertically ventilation outlets are located either side of the centre hangdown section.
Cargo space is a usable 310 litres (with the spare wheel under the floor), while a 60:40 split, folding rear-seat backrest gives you a bit more space when visiting the supermarket.
Electric windows and mirrors are standard, as are rear parking sensors, air-conditioning, a steering wheel adjustable for rake but not reach and an audio system with USB and auxiliarly plug-in support as well Bluetooth capability.
Dual front airbags and disc brakes all round with ABS and electronic brake-force distribution are part of the package, as are height-adjustable front seatbelts, Isofix child-seat mountings at the rear, childproof rear door locks, remote central locking and an immobiliser.
The M4 is sold with only one engine option which is a 1.5-litre petrol four with variable valve timing, rated for 103hp at 6000rpm and 138Nm at 4200rpm, driving the front wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox, for a claimed top speed of 170km/h. GWM quotes fuel-consumption of 6.0 litres per 100km in the combined cycle and this was achieved with the assistance of some experienced drivers. Now for the big surprise, this GWM M4 1.5 manual driven vehicles sells from RM45,000 to RM52,000 for the 6-speed automatic variant. This includes a three-year or 100, 000km warranty and service plan.
