This plug-in SUV from China is £10,000 cheaper than a Kia Sportage – and in some ways, better

The world of plug-in hybrid SUVs is hotting up, and it’s a charge led by China – in just a few short months, cars like the BYD Sealion 5, Chery Tiggo 7, and Jaecoo 7 have joined the MG HS in offering big batteries, premium-feeling interiors and lots of on-paper appeal for really not very much money at all.

Well, the latest addition to this crew is the Geely Starray – and at £29,990, it’s the cheapest of the lot, undercutting the Sealion 5 and Tiggo 7 plug-in hybrids by just a fiver. I’ve been finding out if cheap means nasty, though, driving the new Starray on the roads around Surrey and getting to grips with its interior, practicality and efficiency.

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.

This isn’t my first go with the Starray – I’ve driven it briefly around a test track in China, after which I heard the scale of Geely’s ambition for the UK. The brand wants to be selling 100,000 cars a year by 2030 – that’s going from zero to being among the top car manufacturers in the country, selling more cars than Vauxhall or Toyota.

The Starray is going to be key to achieving these numbers, so I was really curious to see how it handles itself on UK roads.

First impressions are mixed. It’s a very anonymous-looking car, even in one of the nicer paint shades such as the optional dark green. There are a few nice details – the headlight units are really well concealed in the lower bumper, for example – but generally speaking the flat, featureless face and blobby body are just a bit boring. It looks better than the really outdated BYD Sealion 5, but the Jaecoo 7 is the undisputed king of style in this segment.

Things improve when you get inside. The interior is the same as the Geely EX5 electric SUV, so it genuinely feels a lot more expensive than you’d expect. Put it next to a Kia Sportage PHEV, at more than £40,000, and I think you’d say the Starray’s interior is posher.

That doesn’t mean it’s more usable, though. The touchscreen is huge – 15.4 inches across – and bright and responsive, but the menu system is a real maze. You have to go through two separate menus just to turn on the heated seats, for example, and even the multifunction dial in the centre console can only do one function at a time, requiring more fiddling with the screen in between.

At least it has Android Auto, which the Geely EX5 didn’t have at launch. It’s also really roomy – I was comfortable behind my own driving position at 6’2 tall, and the boot’s a reasonable size as well.

Under the bonnet of the Starray there’s a 1.5-litre petrol engine and an electric motor, paired up to either an 18.4kWh or a 28.9kWh battery pack. The former gives you around 50 miles of range – which is in line with alternatives – but the big battery claims more than 80 miles, which is better than anything else for this price.

In fact, the only PHEVs with a longer electric range are the pricier Chery Tiggo 9 and Omoda 9. The Starray can also fast-charge from a public charger at a quicker rate than the BYD Sealion 5 or Chery Tiggo 7.

It feels like an electric car to drive, most of the time. The electric motor has more than double the horsepower of the petrol engine, so it takes on the lion’s share of the work. When the battery’s flat, the engine does chime in – if you put your foot down it’s quite noisy, but most of the time it’s fairly unobtrusive.

It’s best not to put your foot down too often anyway, as the Starray is at its best when you’re taking it easy. The suspension copes well with potholes and speed bumps, but it leans a lot in the corners and feels a bit uncontrolled if you change direction quickly. The steering is much the same – light and easy around town, but it’s really remote and disconnected-feeling at speed.

The truth is, most of its alternatives are the same. The Starray is more comfortable than a Jaecoo 7 or a BYD Sealion 5, and it has the same soft, easygoing character as a Chery Tiggo 7. Keen drivers should stay away, but for everyone else it’s likely to be perfectly fine.

For that ‘everyone else’, Geely’s making sure they don’t go without standard equipment. The base-spec ‘Pro’, at £29,990, gets heated electric front seats, keyless entry, wireless smartphone connectivity and artificial leather upholstery.

Max models (£32,990) add a head-up display, panoramic sunroof and electric tailgate while the Ultra (£34,990) has the larger battery pack and the option of a lighter interior trim. The only optional extra for all three is paint.

Add to that an eight-year warranty and 0% finance offers at launch, and it’s easy to imagine Geely selling plenty of these cars.

So should you buy one? Well, I’d be tempted to tell you to wait for another few months. Though Geely already has a UK parts warehouse and around 50 dealers, there are always teething problems with new brands setting up for the first time.

In about six months’ time, though, there’s no reason why the Geely Starray shouldn’t make your shortlist if you want a long-range, well-equipped plug-in SUV without spending the £40,000+ Kia will ask for a Sportage PHEV.

Car change? Carwow!

Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.

Click here to follow us on WhatsApp, where you can keep up-to-date with all the latest news, reviews, advice guides and videos.