Geely EX5 – value to the Max

ALONG with many of the other Chinese brands making a move on the UK new car scene, you may not be familiar with the name Geely.

But we aren’t talking about some speculative start-up here, more a giant of Far East engineering that employs in excess of 50,000 people, has been listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange for 20 years and manages household names like Volvo, Lotus, Polestar and smart.

Leading the charge is the Geely EX5 compact SUV while the company’s second UK model, the Starray EM-I hybrid SUV, is already shipping to the 50-plus retail sites ahead of a plan to add up to 10 more models to the line-up over the next three years.

So what does the EX5 offer to make it competitive against the plethora of similar offerings on offer to new electric car buyers?

What we have with the EX5 is a five-seat, family focused compact electric SUV offering Tardis-like interior space, advanced safety tech, a decent electric driving range and some smart design features.

Best of all is its price point, which starts at £31,990 and adds an extra £5K if you want the flagship Max trim grade, so there’s plenty of appeal for prospective buyers of a sensibly priced, highly specced SUV.

But even at entry level you’re getting a car with a range of up to 267 miles (255 for the Max), fast charging from 30-80 per cent in as little as 20 minutes and standard kit including a heat pump, auto grille shutters to optimise engine temperature plus selective degrees of regen braking.

The cabin, while looking hi-tech and welcoming, majors on space in a big way – and it all starts with the Geely’s design team.

By pushing the wheels out to the corners more room is created under the floor for the battery, so offering as much passenger space as many mid-size SUVs, despite its compact footprint.

It means tall passengers can still stretch out in the back, even if the front seats are slid well back, while still leaving things bright and airy up front.

A highlight – and class-exclusive feature – is the fully flat folding front seats (driver and passenger in SE and Pro trims, driver-only in Max) ideal for long trips or family days out, while our tested Max model also had front seats with heating, ventilation, six massage functions plus a panoramic sunroof. And every version comes with a 256-colour interior ambient lighting set-up.

Geely says there are 33 stowage spots around the vehicle, though actual luggage capacity isn’t as agreeable with only 302 litres of storage. That said, there’s a large container under the boot floor and if you fold down the rear seats the capacity leaps to a more satisfying 1,877 litres.

Dominating the cabin is a glossy 12.4-inch touchscreen with crisp graphics and bright icons but which is ultimately irritating to use due to its menus and sub-menus, though there is an AI-driven voice assistant.

You also get some buttons on the steering wheel and Max models have a 13.8-inch head-up display to help keep your hands on the wheel.

Out on the road the EX5 is comfortable and well damped if not especially spirited, despite having an ultra-sporty steering wheel. There’s also a choice of driving modes, but just leaving it in the Normal setting suits the car ideally.

Every model is extensively kitted and splashing out on Max trim ensures the likes of metallic paint, panoramic sunroof, electric tailgate and a 16-speaker audio system with speakers in the headrests plus various sound modes from Opera Hall to Studio.

Online navigation is also standard, along with a smartphone charging pad, but beware the annoying voice prompts which tell you to ‘go straight ahead at the traffic lights’ multiple times before you even get close to them.

Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard and apps on offer include Spotify, Amazon Music, Audible and TuneIn.