This new SUV isn’t perfect, but it’s the best-driving Chinese car yet

I’m not anti-Chinese cars at all – in fact, I’ve just helped to name one as our 2026 Carwow Car of the Year. But as a keen driver, even the fantastic Chery Tiggo 8 doesn’t really tug on my heartstrings – because when you get to a twisty road, it’s only just-about-okay to drive.

Does the new Geely EX5 change that? Well, it has the potential to. Geely might be a new brand to the UK, but it already owns several companies that we’re very familiar with – Volvo, Polestar, even the London taxi manufacturer LEVC. However, it isn’t a tight turning circle and natty light-up sign I was hoping for in the EX5. I was actually hoping that some of the gurus from Lotus, another Geely holding, might have imbued this SUV with a little bit of the handling magic we’re familiar with in icons like the Elise and Exige.

But before I get to that – how does the EX5 hold up when you’re judging its stationary assets?

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Well, it’s not off to a great start in the styling department. It’s not ugly, but it’s not pretty either – in fact, it’s not really anything. It’s just a bit like a blob in the shape of an SUV – there are no distinctive features, and even at the front where most manufacturers add character with a stylish grille, Geely’s just gone for a smooth fascia.

Things improve immeasurably when you’re sat inside, though. The EX5’s interior looks and feels like it’s come from a much posher car. The design feels very Polestar in its minimalism, and material quality is up there with the latest models from Audi or Mercedes. I can think of a couple of manufacturers who could take a tip from Geely on how to make artificial leather feel nice.

There’s absolutely tons of space, too. Even the tallest passengers can get comfy in the back seats, and there’s plenty of room for knick-knacks too. Or Nik-Naks – the drawer underneath the rear bench is perfect for keeping road trip snacks.

You pay for that capacious rear seat in the boot, which is smaller than most alternatives – but if you lower the floor, you’ll be able to squeeze in a family holiday’s worth of suitcases with some careful Tetris-ing.

The other issue with the interior is the fiddly touchscreen. Just about everything is controlled through it, so even though it’s bright, sharp and responsive, you inevitably have to scroll through some confusing menus to access all the functions.

So what’s that first drive like? Well, it’s pretty good. If you’d asked me before this which Chinese cars I thought were the best to drive, I would probably have said the MG 4 and MG S5 EV – they’re both rear-wheel drive, nicely balanced and feel a lot less wobbly than the likes of the Jaecoo E5, Leapmotor C10 or BYD Seal U.

The EX5, though, has just edged out the MGs – in some scenarios. That’s due to its firm suspension, which keeps it feeling controlled in the corners. The steering is well-weighted, too, even if it doesn’t really give you any feedback about what the front wheels are doing.

It’s decent to drive on the motorway, too, where that firm suspension again contributes to a tied-down feeling that’s a lot less sickness-inducing than its overly floaty alternatives. You do feel the lumps and bumps of town driving more than in those cars, though.

So should you buy a Geely EX5? Well, there are some other factors you might consider. Weighing heavily in the positive column is the level of standard equipment for the price – massaging seats, 360-degree camera, and a 1,000-watt stereo system on a car that (after discounts) amounts to about £32,000 is unheard of. There’s also a full five-star Euro NCAP safety rating and an eight-year, 125,000-mile warranty, both of which are reassuring.

On the flip side, maximum range is a disappointingly mediocre 267 miles, so it’s no good if you’re a long-distance driver. Plus, Android users will be annoyed to find that while Apple CarPlay is standard fit, Android Auto isn’t – so until a system update is rolled out, you’re stuck with old-fashioned Bluetooth.

But if you’re looking for a great-value car and care more about how it drives than how far it drives, the Geely EX5 could be well worth shortlisting.

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