Geely EX5 Review 2025

Barely a month seems to pass without confirmation of another new Chinese car company announcing its plans to join the UK car market in the near future. Most do so with a brand name that’s hitherto unfamiliar to our ears although that evidently isn’t a hindrance when it comes to rapidly blossoming sales if the BYD Seal U and Jaecoo 7 are anything to go by. Those behind the Geely EX5 will be hoping for similar success.

Although the EX5 marks the first time that Geely will have sold cars in Britain under its own name, the manufacturing group behind it owns brands you will know, including Lotus, Polestar and Volvo. It also half-owns Smart with its former sole custodians Mercedes as well as being the powerhouse behind LEVC — makers of the purpose-designed TX taxi ‘London’ cab and its LEVC VN5 van spin-off.

Given the EX5’s imminent arrival, complete with its own retailer network, it’s more than possible that the forthcoming LEVC L380 luxury MPV may well also be sold under the Geely brand name, just as it is in China. Oh! Before we forget, in order to save yourself any future embarrassment, Geely is pronounced with a soft ‘G’ rather than a hard one — think of it as ‘Jeely’.

Although you’ll be able to buy a Geely EX5 before the end of 2025 much of the detail regarding its technical specifications and equipment levels are still under wraps for the time being. What we do know is that this five-seater electric SUV is 4615mm from bumper to bumper, making it a little longer than the highly rated Renault Scenic E-Tech as well as the popular Skoda Elroq.

Exactly how roomy the EX5’s interior proves to be remains to be seen but Geely’s keen to promote its roominess and enhanced comfort levels including the six-layer deep seats, the front pair of which can be positioned flat for a makeshift bed mode if you fancy a nap while waiting for a battery recharge. The erstwhile comfort champions’ Citroen e-C5 Aircross will arrive in showrooms at a similar time, making for another an interesting comparison.

Boot space sizes are yet to be confirmed but for other markets the EX5 is quoted at up to 410 litres with the rear seats in use. Photographs suggest that the 1877-litre load area is near-flat when the 60/40 split rear seats are folded over, with a sliding drawer beneath the bench itself complementing an extra storage well beneath the boot floor.

Geely also appears to have given the EX5 door bins that can contain multiple drinks bottles in addition to the cupholders moulded into the high-set centre console, which also features a smartphone wireless charging pad, a lidded cubby beneath the armrest and an open storage area below.

As is commonplace with most new cars, the Geely EX5’s dashboard is minimalist, dominated by a 15.4-inch centrally mounted touchscreen for the 16-speaker multimedia system and a 10.2-inch driver’s display visible through the squircular steering wheel. Some physical controls are present on the wheel’s spokes, but it seems adjusting functions such as the climate control is done entirely through the touchscreen or rousing the voice assistant with a ‘hi Geely’ prompt.

Despite that lack of physical buttons, something which crash-testing experts Euro NCAP will penalise manufacturers for in a forthcoming overall of its testing methodology, Geely’s already secured a five-star score from the safety body under its current programme. Very savvy. Expect the suite of standard kit to include adaptive cruise control (ACC), automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-change assist (LCA) and a 13.4-inch head-up display (HUD).

Exactly which electric drive systems UK-specification Geely EX5s will be offered in is yet to be confirmed but other right-hand drive markets where the car’s already sold receive a 218PS motor that produces 320Nm of torque for a 0-62mph time of 6.9 seconds. 

It seems likely that a single battery will be sold with a capacity of 60.2kWh for a WLTP Combined cycle driving range of 254-267 miles depending on the level of specification. Recharging using an AC connection can be performed at speeds of up to 11kW, while DC public charging is limited to 100kW for a 10-80% recharge in 28 minutes — we expect the soon-to-arrive Kia EV5 to outperform the Geely EX5 in all those regards.

Geely may also have a couple of aces up its sleeve to bolster its debut SUV’s appeal. Ride and handling gurus at Lotus Engineering are honing the EX5’s suspension, steering and brake settings in order to dial-up how engaging it is to drive. It’s a programme with a strong track record of creating surprisingly enthusiast-sating heroes from relatively humdrum origins.

If Geely can make the EX5 fun to drive and great value for money, it could have a winner on its hands. That aspect’s less clear right now, but it’s possible that it may have a starting price well below £30,000 giving it a clear advantage over many of its competitors. 

Keep this page bookmarked for further news on this important new range and to read our forthcoming full and comprehensive Geely EX5 review in the months ahead.