Geely EX5 review: A lavish electric family SUV at a keen price
The Geely EX5 won’t turn many heads from the outside, but climb aboard and the appeal becomes clearer. With a lavish cabin, clever storage and a generous equipment list, this electric SUV gives familiar rivals plenty to think about
The Geely EX5 might have an unfamiliar badge on its bonnet, but the company behind it is anything but a newcomer.
Mind you, it's not a simple setup. Geely (pronounced with a soft "G") is a huge group that includes Volvo and Lotus, but the Geely cars we're seeing in the UK, and there are plenty on the way, are arriving under the banner of Geely Auto, a sub-brand of Geely Automotive Holdings.
Confused? Yeah, me too, but for the most part it doesn't matter, because it's more important to remember it's a new car brand and it's got big plans in the UK.
The first of Geely's current line-up I've been behind the wheel of has been the EX5, and it was the first car Geely launched here. I'll be testing the others, the EX2 and the new Starray very soon.
Anyway, now you've had the guided tour of yet another new Chinese brand, I can discuss the EX5 in more detail. It's a family SUV with countless bells and whistles, a lavish interior, and lots of room. And you can get one for a starting price of £31,990. Yep, it's another bargain.
The styling is fairly forgettable, with smooth bodywork, flush door handles, and the obligatory full-width rear lighting, but things get more interesting inside, where there’s an imaginative sweeping dashboard, a substantial centre console and a 15.4-inch touchscreen.
There’s also a separate display in front of the driver, and some really clever storage solutions.
Rear passengers are well catered for, too. The five-seat layout leaves plenty of room for adults in the back, and the reclining rear backrests are a thoughtful touch. The boot’s quoted 461 litres includes the storage beneath its floor, but it's a decent size nonetheless.
The familiar compromise is the reliance on that enormous touchscreen. It's quite fiddly to get to the everyday controls that really should be connected to a physical button, but I realise you hear this a lot from road testers. Being honest, I think we're now just trying to hammer home the point that nobody likes having to go into submenu after submenu to adjust the air conditioning.
The EX5 is fully electric, with the front-mounted motor producing 218PS. Entry-level versions can reach 62mph in 6.9 seconds, which is comfortably quick enough for something whose main job is moving a family around.
The SE, Pro, and Max use a battery with around 60kWh of usable capacity, with official ranges of 267, 258, and 255 miles respectively.
The Ultra gets a larger 68.4kWh battery and a claimed 280 miles. Those figures will drop in real-world use, but you already knew that.
On the road, the emphasis is on comfort. The ride is relaxed, the steering quite numb, and it can be a bit "floaty" on the open road.
Prices start at £31,990 for the SE, rising to £33,990 for the Pro, £36,990 for the Max, and £38,990 for the Ultra.
Even the cheapest gets a surround-view camera and wireless phone charging, while the Max adds a panoramic sunroof, powered tailgate, head-up display and heated, ventilated and massaging front seats.
There’s also an eight-year, 125,000-mile vehicle warranty, with separate battery cover for the same period.
The EX5 offers plenty of space and equipment before you start climbing the range, and if you compare the space and spec pound for pound against the more traditional rivals, you'll quickly see the appeal.
Overall, it's a convincing family-car proposition. The badge might need explaining to the neighbours, but the price shouldn’t.