Can these cute, well-equipped Chinese hatchbacks tempt you away from a Renault, Hyundai or VW?

Say hello to the Aion UT and the Geely EX2, two recent entrants to the small EV playing field from relatively new Chinese brands in the UK. They look like nothing else on the road (except for one another…eh?) and come as standard with loads of equipment and interior space. Are they worth considering against the highly-capable establishment?

Take the Renault 5 E-Tech. Not only does it look brilliant, but it’s well-priced and fantastic to drive. Ditto the Hyundai Ioniq 3 which has solid range and the properly sporty Cupra Raval. Small, cheap EVs are the best they’ve ever been.

In styling terms, at least, the Aion and Geely ought to catch your eye. Okay so you won’t read about them in a classic car mag in 50 years time, but they’re both refreshingly different compared to the aggressive designs on the road at the moment.

The Geely EX2 is a breath of fresh air, with its abundance of soft curves and even softer pastel colour choices. Sure, it could do with some bigger wheels and the optional racing stripes are a bit pathetic, but it’s nice to see a small car that doesn’t look like it’s cross about something.

The Aion isn’t quite as smooth as the Geely, but the tidy headlights, neat wheel arch creases and upright tail lights work well, even if the overall proportions are a bit frumpy from some angles.

Things differ inside, because the EX2 definitely has a nicer cabin than the UT. The Geely not only looks more interesting and cohesive in its design than the Aion, but it’s a far more premium product with loads of leatherette-upholstered surfaces and soft-touch plastics.

The Aion looks posh, but as soon as you poke around you realise that most trim pieces are hard, scratchy plastic. Neither cabin is as stylish as in a Renault 5 or Cupra Raval, but at least the Geely feels suitably premium.

Both also have a heavy reliance on their central touchscreens, not just for the infotainment but also for the vast majority of their settings and climate controls. Both are annoying as a result; distracting to use on the move, even with their shortcut menus.

Where the Chinese duo shine is passenger space, because they’re actually a bit longer than the aforementioned European cars, so there’s a lot more room to stretch out in the front and back. The Aion has more boot space than the Geely (440 litres against 375), which is on par with the Volkswagen ID Polo and Hyundai Ioniq 3.

Both the Aion and Geely are easy little things to drive, perfectly suited to urban driving with light steering, comfortable suspension and standard-fit parking cameras helping in tight spaces. A Renault 5 is far more refined on the motorway and fun on a twisty lane, but does that really matter in a town-focused hatchback?

I don’t think so, but what does matter is the nitty-gritty and the price, which is where one of these cars really loses ground.

The Geely EX2 can only travel up between 156 to 214 miles on a full battery, while all Aion UT trim levels claim 268 miles of range. That’s fair enough considering the EX2 has smaller batteries – and considering you can get a long-range EX2 Max for just £23,276 on Carwow, where the UT will set you back £27,531!

That’s a staggering price for the UT, especially when you can have a Hyundai Ioniq 3 with 308 miles of range for less than £22,000 including the Electric Car Grant – which the Aion and Geely are excluded from. The Volkswagen ID Polo starts at around £22,500 with the grant and offers around 200 miles of range, too.

So, should you consider the Aion UT and the Geely EX2 instead of the numerous options available from the high-street brands? I think you should definitely check out the Geely. It’s cute enough to stand out and with a £21,000 starting price, it’s worth it for the posh cabin and standard kit alone.

The Aion is a much harder sell, because £29,000 is a lot of money when the Cupra Born, Skoda Epiq and Renault 5 are all cheaper and far better in a lot of ways. The UT just isn’t good enough for the price.

Personally, I’d have a Hyundai Ioniq 3, but if someone offered me an EX2 I wouldn’t be offended.