Mat Watson reviews the Geely EX5: how is it this cheap?
Car changing is a big deal
The Geely EX5 is an electric SUV from the Chinese company which also owns Lotus, Volvo and Polestar, and Mat Watson has been driving it, and he’s really impressed with what you get for the money.
This is the new Geely EX5, and it reminds me a bit of Bali. That’s because it’s like holidaying in a luxury hotel, but in a country with an insanely cheap exchange rate.
The EX5 I’m testing here can be yours through Carwow for less than £38,000, and that’s a bargain when you see exactly how much kit it has on it.
I’ve spent a week with the Geely EX5 testing its technology, interior, practicality, efficiency and comfort, and now I’m going to tell you if this is a car worth shortlisting.
Remember, you can buy a brand new or used car right here on Carwow. And you can sell your car, too. We’re here to help you through every step of your car-changing journey.
Geely EX5 review: prices, deals and standard kit
Before I even took delivery of the Geely EX5, I was amazed at how much equipment you get for the money.
Prices start from just under £32,000. That’s a few grand less than a Volkswagen ID4, and yet as standard you get:
- 360-degree camera
- Heated front seats
- Heated steering wheel
- Adaptive cruise control
- 15.4-inch touchscreen with wireless phone mirroring
The car I’m testing is the top-spec Ultra version, which usually costs £38,990. If you buy one through Carwow, it’ll cost you £38,000 at the time of writing, or £34,500 if you get it on PCP finance thanks to a £3,500 deposit contribution from Geely.
That’s about the same as a basic Kia EV5 through Carwow, but the top-spec Geely gets:
- Panoramic sunroof
- Power tailgate
- 16-speaker premium sound system
- Heated, ventilated and massaging front seats
- Head-up display
To get that sort of kit on a Kia EV5, you’d have to spend around £43,000 on the range-topping GT Line S. The Geely EX5 is looking like a bit of a bargain by comparison, but what’s it like inside?
Geely EX5 review: interior and technology
I really like the interior design of the Geely EX5 – it’s simple and classy. You can also pay an extra £300 to uplift it with the white trim I have here, and I reckon it’s well worth it.
The big central divider between you and the passenger gives it a bit of a sporty vibe, and the material quality makes the cabin feel pretty special as well. You get lovely soft-touch leatherette on the dashboard, door tops and centre console, and all the switchgear feels solid.
I did have one gripe though. The passenger side of the centre console is padded, but the driver’s side isn’t. I ended up getting a sore knee when it was resting on the hard plastic.
That’s a small nitpick in what is otherwise a very premium-feeling interior, and the infotainment system is great as well. It’s big, bright and responsive, and the menus are pretty easy to navigate. I also like the fact you get a knob to control the temperature and fan speed, as well as shortcut buttons for things like the demister. Much better than having it all buried in the touchscreen.
There’s also a shortcut button on the steering wheel to turn off the annoying driver aids, and the head-up display on this range-topper is also handy for keeping essential information in your direct eyeline.
I reckon this is a really impressive interior, and not just for the money either. It feels nicer inside than some much more expensive cars, such as the Audi Q6 e-tron.
Geely EX5 review: space and practicality
There are plenty of clever cubbies in the Geely EX5 to keep your bits and bobs out of the way. There’s a massive storage area under the centre console, decent-sized cupholders which grip most cups and bottles nicely and the door bins are big as well.
There’s also a massive drawer under the back seats which is big enough for a pair of shoes. Speaking of the back seats, they’re really roomy.
You get loads of legroom, and you side your feet under the seat in front to really stretch out. The floor is also completely flat, and there’s plenty of space for everyone’s feet. It’s way more spacious than a Skoda Elroq or an MG S5 EV.
It’s also really easy to fit a child seat thanks to the easy-access ISOFIX anchor points. That’s in the back at least; the ISOFIX anchor on the front passenger seat is buried deep in the squab, making it a pain to locate.
The 461-litre boot is about average for this class of car. It’s slightly bigger than the MG S5 EV, but the Kia EV5 has over 100 litres more space. Despite this, I managed to fit eight carry-on-sized suitcases in the back of the EX5. That’s one more than I got in the Kia, so the numbers don’t always tell the full story.
Geely EX5 review: batteries, range and driving
The range is one area where the EX5 falls short of its main competitors, because it’s pretty lacklustre.
You get around 260 miles of range in the version I have with the smallest battery, or you can pay an extra £3,000 for a larger battery with 20 miles extra range. By comparison, a Peugeot E-3008 can do up to 435 miles on a charge.
At least the Geely did get pretty close to the claimed figure. I averaged 3.7 miles per kWh during my week with the car, which works out to a real world range of 223 miles.
Geely is the company which owns Lotus, Volvo and Polestar, and I reckon it’s roped in engineers from some of those brands to tune the suspension and handling. Let me be clear: this isn’t a fun or sporty car to drive, but it’s really comfortable and feels secure.
Some Chinese EVs, such as the Jaecoo E5, feel really jittery over bumps and disconnected through the bends. The Geely, however, has plenty of grip, the steering is accurate and it glides over bumps in a way that makes it feel more premium than it actually is.
It’s not as quiet on the motorway as an Audi Q4 e-tron, but the Geely EX5 is as good to drive as you need it to be at this price point.
Geely EX5 review: Mat’s final verdict
So then, what’s my final verdict on the new Geely EX5? Well I reckon you should add it to your shortlist.
The range may be a bit below-par, but it makes up for this by being incredible value for money. You’re getting a spacious, well-equipped, premium-feeling electric car for a lot less than the more mainstream competition.
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