Geely EX5 (2025) Review

Introduction

Geely may be new to the UK, but the Geely Motor Group is the parent company to such automotive giants as Volvo, Lotus, LEVC and Polestar. With so much experience, it was only a matter of time before it launched under its own name here in Blighty.

So, enter the Geely EX5, a fully electric, five-door, family SUV that’s big on value, space and technology. There are three trims to choose from called SE, Pro and Max with all models powered by a 60.2kWh battery and offering a driving range between charges of up to 267 miles.

The cars come fully loaded as standard with all the mod cons you could wish for, and the practical, spacious cabin has ample room for five adults.

The pricing is bang on the money too with Geely offering its own EV grant as well as some charging incentives. The extent of the discount differs slightly depending on the trim, so the Geely EX5 SE trim starts at £31,990, but is offered with a £2,300 discount; the EX5 Pro is £33,990, but has a £3,200 discount, while range-topping Max specification has a £36,990 list price reduced by a £3,750 grant.

And it was the high-end Geely EX5 Max with all the bells and whistles that we took on a test drive that incorporated some dual carriageways, country lanes and busier villages along the way.

At a glance

The five-door Geely EX5 is a modern looking family-focused SUV with plenty of kerb appeal thanks to its simplistic styling, featuring elegant soft curves and distinctive daytime running lights. There is a rear LED light bar that stretches the width of the car, active grille shutters, privacy glass, flush door handles, heated and power-folding mirrors, and smart 19-inch low drag alloy wheels (18-inch on the SE trim). Our range-topping test car also boasted a powered panoramic sunroof and automatic tailgate.

Geely was keen to point out the 24 leading aerodynamic design features, including the alloys, lights and door handles, resulting in one of the lowest drag coefficient figures in its class which, in turn, leads to improved driving range and efficiency.

Key features

All Geely EX5 models are well equipped as standard with smart leather-look upholstery in a Midnight shade. This can be upgraded to a cream-coloured Cloud trim as an option. There is a responsive 15.4-inch infotainment touchscreen with crisp graphics, a 10.2-inch driver display and six-speaker sound system (16 speakers on the Max trim).

Navigation is built in and while cars are not yet able to connect to Android Auto it will be available soon, possibly by the end of 2025. There is Apple CarPlay, a DAB radio, Bluetooth, two USB-A and two USB-C ports and wireless charging.

The EX5 Max grade does gain a few extra features, including that upgraded sound system which even boasts driver headrest speakers, metallic paint as a no-cost option, larger 19-inch alloy wheels with Goodyear tyres, a panoramic sunroof with powered sunshade, an automatic tailgate, front sun visors with illuminated mirrors, ambient lighting with 256 shades, ventilated front seats with memory settings and a massage function, plus front parking sensors.

Range and batteries

All versions of the Geely EX5 feature a 60.2kWh battery, but the driving range between charges varies slightly between the trims. The EX5 SE can achieve a WLTP-tested 267 miles on a combined run, while the Pro grade is set at 257 miles and the Max is slightly lower at 254 miles.

Performance and drive

The front wheel-drive Geely EX5 features a 60.2kWh battery with single electric motor. With 218PS and 320Nm of torque, our Max trim could complete the 0-62mph sprint in 7.1 seconds (both the SE and Pro are sub-seven seconds), with all models topping out at 109mph.

But possibly the biggest factor for any newcomers to EVs is the driving range between charges which is set at 267 miles (SE), 257 miles (Pro) and 254 miles for our EX5 Max test car.

When it comes to performance and handling, the EX5 is certainly quick enough for day-to-day needs with sharp acceleration through the single-speed transmission. There are more dynamic rivals out there, but this car is no slouch and the positioning of the battery within the floor of the car results in a lower centre of gravity for added stability.

With a quick turn of pace, it can join a motorway with ease and there is ample power to overtake slower vehicles on country roads too. We did notice a little bit of sway on twisting lanes, but the vehicle does an excellent job of soaking up any bumps and dips along the way.

The elevated seating results in good all-round driver visibility, which is always a plus-point on a family-based car. And the EX5 proved agile and easy to manoeuvre in more crowded town centres too.

It’s a bit of a faff altering the drive modes via the touchscreen, but there are options called Eco, Comfort and Sport, with the latter mode livening up the reactions of the car.

There are also settings available to adjust the energy recovery via regenerative braking and the brake pedal feel. To be honest, I believe most drivers will find the setting that suits them best for day-to-day driving and stick with it.

The car errs on the side of comfort rather than out-and-out pace with a nicely refined cabin, and that’s not a bad thing in our book.

Charging

The Geely EX5 has an 11kW on-board charger and the 60.2kWh battery can be boosted from 30 to 80 per cent via a 160kW fast charger in just 20 minutes. But it will be more cost effective to use a home or work-based 7kW wallbox whenever possible where a 10 to 100 per cent charge takes 6 hours, 10 minutes.

All versions come with a heat pump as standard too, which will save a few pennies. It can help pre-condition the battery, heat the cabin in colder weather and cool it down when the temperatures soar.

Running costs and emissions

Pricing is a key factor when a new company wants to make its presence felt and the Geely EX5 is certainly competitive with the entry-level SE model starting from £31,990. The mid-grade EX5 Pro costs £33,990, while our high-end Max trim is priced at £36,990. However, Geely has launched the EX5 with its own grant which sees a discount of £2,300 on SE models, £3,200 on Pro and £3,750 on the Max trim. This discount is officially running until the end of the year, but we were reliably informed it will likely be extended into 2026. Additionally, customers are offered a heavily subsidised home wallbox charger or a £500 Octopus charging card to use away from home.

EV owners are not treated to quite so many financial incentives these days due to government cutbacks, and they now have to pay road tax. But it is only £10 for the first year, increasing to £195, which is the standard fee, after 12 months.

As no EX5 models top the £40k threshold, there is no Expensive Car Supplement to worry about and anyone considering adopting the car as a business vehicle will see an attractive three per cent Benefit in Kind tax rating.

While it is far too early to determine how reliable the Geely EX5 will be, it comes with an impressive six-year, 125,000-mile warranty package extending to eight years for the battery. This also includes four years free roadside assistance and two years free maintenance.

Interior and tech

The inside of the Geely EX5 feels far more sophisticated and upmarket than many of its Chinese rivals with plenty of soft-touch surfaces, stylish detailing and high-quality faux-leather upholstery. The seats are powered and can be heated and, on our Max grade car, could also be ventilated with the addition of a massage function. There are 256 shades of ambient lighting to choose from, a microfibre leather heated steering wheel and plenty of tech to explore.

The main focal point is a large 15.4-inch infotainment touchscreen offering access to the wealth of technology, such as a 16-speaker FLYME sound system (six speakers on SE and Pro trims), DAB radio, sat nav, Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay. Android Auto will be available soon, potentially by the end of the year.

A 10.2-inch instrument cluster displays the important driving data, including speed, driving range and battery charge levels and our EX5 Max also boasted a head-up display for added convenience.

While most of the on-board features need to be accessed via the touchscreen, there are all manner of short-cuts with buttons at the bottom of the screen that can be customised. Additionally, there is a large rotary dial that is handy and can be used to alter the volume, temperature, fan speed and ambient lighting.

Practicality and boot space

With the battery cells positioned in the floor to maximise cabin space, the Geely EX5 is a practical family SUV with a deceptively roomy interior. The car stretches 4,615mm in length, is 1,901mm across, 1,670mm tall (including roof rails) and has a 2,750mm wheelbase.

Up front, there is ample room for a couple of extra-tall adults to sit comfortably, and even with the front seats pushed well back, a couple more adults will fit in the back without any complaints. Add a third and it becomes a little cosy although it’s fine for shorter journeys. But, ideally, the space is best suited to three youngsters and the completely flat floor means the person relegated to the middle seat doesn’t have to straddle a transmission hump. The rear seats also have two recline settings for added comfort.

Our range-topping EX5 Max model is the only car to feature a powered tailgate, and storage levels are good with a 461-litre capacity, increasing to 1,877 litres with the 60:40 split folding rear seats lowered. There is an adjustable boot floor, along with a large compartment beneath the floor which is perfect for storing charging cables.

Elsewhere, you will find 33 storage areas scattered throughout the car, including a glovebox, a central cubby, door bins, front and rear cup holders, seat back pockets, a large storage space beneath the centre console, a wireless charging pad, plus a large 14-litre drawer that pulls out from beneath the rear seats.

And for added convenience, the Geely EX5 offers Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capability enabling owners to charge external items such as e-bikes, camping stoves, air pumps, lights, fridges and much more. And with Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) capacity, it can even be used to give another EV a power boost if necessary.

Safety

The Geely EX5 secured a maximum five stars when it was tested for its Euro NCAP safety rating this year. It was awarded a score of 86 per cent for adult occupant safety, 87 per cent for child occupant, 83 per cent for vulnerable road users and 83 per cent for safety assist.

Unlike some rivals that gain extra safety kit as you move up through the trim levels, all versions of the EX5 feature almost the same level of kit. So, expect to see plenty of driver assistance aids, including front and rear collision mitigation support, adaptive and intelligent cruise control, automatic emergency brake, rear cross traffic alert, rear cross traffic brake, lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition, a driver monitoring system, door open warning, lane change assist, emergency lane keep assist, evasive manoeuvre assist, front cross traffic alert, and auto lane change assist.

Additionally, there are more standard safety features, such as brake assist, anti-lock brake system, electronic stability control, Geely traction control, hill-start assist, hill descent control, a boot escape switch, rear occupant detection, rear parking sensors and seven airbags. The only safety upgrade is the addition of front parking sensors on the EX5 Max model.

Options

Geely has packed its EX5 with a generous level of kit as standard so optional extras are few and far between. Owners can look to upgrade the interior upholstery swapping the Midnight shade for a lighter Cloud package. This is free on the Max grade but costs £250 extra on SE and Pro. Additionally, metallic paint, which is also standard on Max, is a £600 extra for the two other grades.

Rival cars

The Geely EX5 is vying for sales in a fiercely competitive SUV sector against established names such as the Nissan Ariya, Kia EV3, Skoda Elroq and Hyundai Ioniq 5. But it does have a strong history and customers entering showrooms will see displays featuring other brand names, including Volvo and Polestar.

Verdict and next steps

Geely is launching with big plans for the future with three more models arriving within the next 12 months, including a C-segment SUV with plug-in hybrid powertrain, a fully electric B-segment hatchback and a D-segment SUV with PHEV technology. And there will be no shortage of dealerships either. Currently there are 25, but this number will increase to 50 by the end of 2025 and to 100 by the end of next year.

As for the Geely EX5, it’s a great introduction to the brand offering five-seat comfort, bundles of kit as standard, a very attractive starting price and distinctive styling. Factor in the decent handling and practicality, and the EX5 is quite the all-rounder.

But, with so many new Chinese models flooding the marketplace right now, Geely will definitely have its work cut out getting noticed. We think the low entry price could be the major factor, but only time will tell.

Where to next?

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the Geely EX5.

**Correct as of 13/11/2025. Based on 12 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 12 monthly payments, or £2,127.69 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.