Geely EX5 review: More than meets the eye?

Can the Geely EX5 break through in the over-saturated family SUV market?

It’s Friday, so it must be time for another Chinese brand to unleash an electric C-segment SUV on the world.

This time it’s the turn of Geely.

Who?, you ask. Geely is the multinational parent company of everyone from Volvo and Polestar to Lotus and Farizon. But, like fellow Chinese behemoth Chery, it’s not content to let its sub-brands do the talking for it. So it is launching its own line of models in the UK, starting with the EX5.

In a predictable turn of events, the EX5 is a largish family SUV that looks to wow buyers with a generous spec and ultra-low price rather than good looks or cutting-edge tech. Think Leapmotor, Jaecoo or Omoda.

Physically, the EX5 is close to the Skoda Enyaq or Kia EV5 but price-wise is competing with the Elroq and EV3, as well as the likes of the Volvo EX30 and Renault Scenic. So it’s not exactly short of rivals, but can it do anything to stand out amongst them?

Geely EX5 design, interior and technology

While some Chinese brands have gone for “bold” design (think Omoda E5), the Geely EX5 is all about blending into the background.

Apart from the six-square badge on the smooth front end and the wraparound rear light bar, you could be looking at any one of a host of newly launched family SUVs. There’s nothing objectionable about its generic shape but nor is there anything that invites a second glance.

Inside, it’s a similar situation. There’s an asymmetric centre console with an interesting pinstripe motif, and an odd D-shaped steering wheel ahead of the 10.2-inch digital instruments. Apart from that it looks like the designers took the day off.

It’s at least well put together from solid feeling materials, and the pale interior option is a welcome alternative to the grey-on-grey approach of a lot of cut-price EVs.

At 4.6m long and 1.9m wide, the EX5 is on the larger end of the C-segment and that translates into plenty of space. There’s decent room up front and enough head, leg and shoulder room to accommodate three in the rear as well, plus a neat under-bench tray in the back. The flip side to that is a 461-litre boot, which is smaller than most rivals, and no frunk.

Like any other Chinese EV, the dashboard and user interface are dominated by a frustrating 15.4-inch central screen. The infotainment system is painfully slow to boot up and the digital real estate is wasted. A handful of customisable widgets are trapped in one tiny corner of the otherwise empty space and functions that should have permanent on-screen controls are buried in menus and sub-menus.

In one win for common sense, you can set up a drive profile that includes your preferred driver assistance settings. What’s more, you can programme this to a button on the steering wheel, so it’s quickly and easily accessible every time you start the car.

This is just as well because if you leave them on you are confronted by a barrage of inaccurate and aggressive interventions that will have you screaming in frustration.

Battery, motor and driving

There’s just one powertrain choice in the Geely EX5, which tracks closely to those offered by similarly priced rivals.

A front-mounted motor produces 215bhp while a 60kWh battery delivers a range of between 254 and 267 miles. That’s near-identical to the Leapmotor B10 and close to the Jaecoo E5. European rivals offer more power and longer ranges, but at a higher price.

Efficiency is quoted at 3.7m/kWh and I saw close to that over a week of varied driving. Peak DC charging of 160kW is decent and will replenish the battery from 30-80% in around 20 minutes.

Geely says the EX5 will hit 62mph from standstill in 6.9 seconds (7.1 for the heavier Max spec), but you’ve got to really try to achieve that. There’s a dull throttle response which feels like the pedal has an inch of play before sending any signal to the motor. Once you get a response, it’s quick enough for the class and mid-range pull is decent, but the initial hesitation is in contrast to the over-grabby brakes.

There are two braking modes – comfort and sport – and, technically, the EX5 has adjustable regeneration but this is only accessible via a touchscreen menu, which is utterly idiotic.

Remember when I said Geely owns Lotus? Well it claims that the gang at Hethel gave their input into the EX5’s chassis development. Presumably that input extended to: “It’s not the worst we’ve ever seen.”

Geely says the EX5 has been tuned specifically for the UK and while it’s nowhere near as bad as a Skywell or Jaecoo, the driving experience is still utterly forgettable. The steering is vague and lifeless, there’s a healthy dose of body roll on tight roads, and the ride veers from reasonably comfortable at high speeds to irritatingly jerky around town.

If driving enjoyment is important to you, you might want to look elsewhere.

Geely EX5 price and specification

However, if your focus is on bang for your buck, then stick around.

The Geely EX5 comes in three trim levels, with prices starting at £31,990 for the SE.

Even this gets 18-inch alloys, tinted rear glass, heated front seats and steering wheel, and keyless entry/start. A heat pump, 360-degree camera and the 15.4-inch touchscreen with wireless phone mirroring are also standard.

The £33,990 Pro gets bigger wheels and not much else, while the range tops out at £36,990 for the Max spec. This brings a powered tailgate, panoramic sunroof and metallic paint, plus cooled massage seats in the front, a 16-speaker, 1,000-watt sound system and a head-up display.

Verdict

In the current flood of electric C-SUVs from China the Geely EX5 is one of the more likeable options.

It offers plenty of space in a well-constructed cabin and there are at least a few concessions to user-friendliness. The equipment list is extensive for the money and, to some extent, that low price excuses the distinctly average range and performance.

As with virtually every Chinese EV, it’s let down by a dull drive, variable ride and sub-standard infotainment system, all of which are some way behind the European or Korean alternatives.

Geely EX5 Max

• Price: £36,990
• Powertrain: Single-motor, front-wheel-drive
• Battery: 60kWh
• Power: 215bhp
• Torque: 236lb ft
• Top speed: 109mph
• 0-62mph: 7.1 seconds
• Range: 255 miles
• Consumption: 3.74m/kWh
• Charging: up to 160kW

Rivals

• Leapmotor B10 – About the closest alternative in terms of price, space and equipment. Suffers similar technical and interface limitations
• Skoda Elroq – Better to drive and easier to use, plus offers a choice of powertrains. Not as spacious or cheap as the Geely, though
• Renault Scenic – Smaller and slightly more expensive than the Geely but with a vastly superior range, more innovative interior and simple user interface