
Manual transmission models do not have gear display on the instrument panel. Below is relevant information: 1. Positioning of Emgrand: The Emgrand brand advocates "Excellence, Steadiness, and Prestige," representing Geely Automobile's development direction in safety, energy efficiency, and environmental protection. 2. Logo of Geely Emgrand: Its logo design is noble and exudes a strong international character, effectively shedding the historical baggage of Geely's original image while inheriting excellent inherent cultural genes. 3. Products of Geely Emgrand: Following the Emgrand EC718 and EC718-RV, subsequent models include GT, EC8, EX7, EX8, ET-9, EX9, and other sports cars, SUVs, MPVs, and pickup trucks, offering a rich and extensive product lineup.

I've been driving a manual transmission Emgrand for six years, and like most manual cars, the dashboard doesn't directly display the current gear. You mainly on feel to judge. However, there's a helpful green arrow indicator on the right side of the tachometer that flashes to remind you to shift up when you're at high RPMs in low gears - especially noticeable in eco mode. This feature is quite beginner-friendly; after about two months you'll develop muscle memory. But the most practical method is listening to the engine sound - with windows down, the audio feedback is extremely accurate. After driving for a while, you won't even need to glance at the dashboard.

My colleague just bought a Emgrand GL manual transmission, and I specifically checked its configuration for him. The older model's dashboard had a monochrome LCD screen in the center, displaying only mileage and fuel consumption data. The new model's combination instrument panel momentarily shows the gear number when shifting up or down, but it doesn't stay displayed while driving. However, the 'R' indicator lights up when reversing. Actually, after driving manual transmissions for a while, you'll find that gear display isn't very useful. The timing for shifting mainly depends on the speed and tachometer. I usually shift around 2000 RPM, and the engine sound becoming deeper serves as a reminder. In the past, driving cars with gear displays actually made it easier to get distracted.

Last week, I test drove the 2023 Emgrand manual elite model. There are no digital indicators near the gear lever, and the dashboard displays the current gear momentarily upon startup (it always shows N gear during a cold start). When the hill start assist system intervenes while driving, the gear indicator briefly appears. During the test drive, the dealership's demo car had an aftermarket gear shift indicator installed, but this is not a factory feature. The central small screen on the mechanical dashboard primarily shows the remaining range, and to check the current gear, one must look down at the gear lever position. Driving a manual car focuses on the coordination between the clutch and throttle; for beginners, recording a gear-shifting video with a is more practical than relying on gear displays.

My friend's auto repair shop often works on Emgrand models and has disassembled many instrument clusters. The original manual transmission instrument cluster indeed doesn't come with a gear position sensor, but you can install an aftermarket module later. The principle involves converting the gear lever position into electrical signals, and by connecting a display box to the OBD interface, you can see the digital gear position on the center console. The installation cost is around 200 yuan, but there's a risk since it involves modifying the wiring. Our shop suggests that owners who really need this feature should consider installing an OBD car computer with shift reminders instead. It not only displays the gear position but also suggests the optimal shift RPM, which is especially friendly for beginners and doesn't require cutting any wires.

When I got my driver's license, the training car was an old manual Emgrand. The instructor emphasized not to rely on the gear indicator, saying that a qualified driver should possess three abilities: judging engine speed by listening to the sound, feeling the gear lever position with the right hand, and sensing the clutch engagement point with the left foot. The current Emgrand's dashboard briefly displays a number next to the instant fuel consumption bar when shifting gears, but it lasts less than a second. When teaching my wife to drive, I found that sticking glow-in-the-dark stickers on the gear knob is the most practical solution—at night, you can tell the gear position by feeling the sticker. Modifying the gear indicator is unnecessary; instead, adding a non-slip textured gear knob can enhance the tactile feedback.


