- Geely EX2 - an exclusive first drive review
- Tested in China ahead of a UK launch
- Set to arrive in Britain in the autumn of 2026
- Compact electric hatchback
- Roomy, well-equipped, comfortable
- Estimated £18,000 price tag
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It was the best-selling car in China last year - and the smash hit Geely EX2 is coming to the UK in 2026.
We got behind the wheel for an exclusive first drive - and here's our early review of this well equipped electric hatchback.
The Geely EX2 is slated for an official UK launch this autumn and it'll have to do battle with a slew of rivals including the Renault 5, Kia EV2 and the MG4 EV Urban.
It's the baby sibling to the larger Geely EX5 and could cost as little as £18,000, making it a tempting proposition indeed.
Here's everything we know so far.
What is the Geely EX2?
You might not have heard of it, but the EX2 is already a big deal.
It was the best-selling car in China last year (where it's known as the 'Geome Xingyuan') and was also the world's best-selling car in the A/B segments (aka, city cars and superminis). It notched 465,000 sales in China alone and if it sells a tiny fraction of that number here in the UK, Geely bosses will be rubbing their hands with joy.
The Geely EX2 is a compact electric five-door car and while it might appear small on the outside, the interior is deceptively spacious – so much so that two six-foot adults can comfortably sit one behind the other. Storage options impress too with clever use of space throughout the cabin, alongside a decent-sized boot and a frunk beneath the bonnet.
Details on the arrival dates and costs are still pretty scarce with Geely keeping their cards close to their chest, but we do know it will be landing this year and, in order to compete in such a popular sector, will likely carry an entry-level price-tag around the £18k mark.
What are the Pros and Cons of the Geely EX2?
Pros: Neat styling, exceptionally spacious and practical, packed with tech, attractively priced, lots of safety features
Cons: Touchscreen dependent, some rivals will likely offer superior range, may face badge snobbery issues
What are first impressions of the Geely EX2?
We wouldn’t normally place too much importance on the colour of a test car. However, the compact hatchback sector is fiercely competitive right now and rivals such as Renault and BYD do offer models in vibrant shades.
Our test model in China was a bright lilac/pink colour that really suited the car’s fun and funky nature and, although a product executive said it would be unlikely that particular colour would travel 5,000 miles to the UK, we do hope there are some brighter options rather than boring silver, grey, black or white.
That gripe over, the EX2 is a neat-looking five-door hatchback with contrast black roof, pillars and mirror caps. There are sweeping front and rear light clusters, flush door handles, a rear spoiler and model-specific badging.
The tailgate is powered, which is a nice touch, and the wheels are striking enough.
What are the Geely EX2’s key features?
At this early stage we have not been presented with the usual specifications list but what we saw and experienced in China certainly impressed. The exterior’s modern design traits are carried through into the spacious, bright, clutter-free and feature-rich cabin.
The faux-leather upholstery looks and feels upmarket and the large touchscreen offers access to the wealth of on-board technology. It carries over the familiar styling we have seen in earlier UK Geely products, so physical controls are few and far between. Our Chinese car had a lever to select the drive settings, but we were told the UK vehicles will have a steering wheel-mounted stalk instead for this function.
Behind the wheel is a smaller driver display screen that clearly shows all the important numbers such as speed, battery charge levels and existing range.
At this early stage, we are playing a little bit of a guessing game, but other Geely models have been well equipped as standard so expect built-in sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, DAB radio, Bluetooth and some other features including configurable shortcuts to make navigating favourite functions that bit easier. Our test car also boasted a wireless charging pad and three USB ports.
What’s the range and battery options with the Geely EX2?
Although no official announcement about battery and range has been made yet, we were given some access to product specialists on the ground in China, where the battery capacities were stated as 35kWh and 47kWh. It was suggested they may be 30kWh or 40kWh battery units in the UK with a driving range between 150 and 250 miles respectively.
How does the Geely EX2 perform and handle when put to the test?
There are test drives and there are quick spins (literally) around a slalom course aimed at giving us a brief glimpse into the handling of a car. The experience behind the wheel of the EX2 fell into the latter category. It was billed as a gymkhana event and that basically meant blasting around a course created using traffic cones to test the vehicle’s acceleration, agility, steering and braking.
The rear-wheel drive EX2 is quick off the mark with precise, nicely weighted steering and effective braking. Admittedly I did sweep up a couple of cones first time round (dreadful sense of direction plus ‘left’ and right’ confusion) but the course remained perfectly intact on the next attempt.
Although the driving experience didn’t offer a chance to explore further, there are drive modes called Eco, Comfort and Sport, along with regenerative braking settings that also include a single-pedal driving setting. These are all accessed via the touchscreen.
Comfort levels are good with decent all-round driver visibility, which is another plus point on any family car. And the powered seats, along with ample steering wheel adjustment makes it quick and easy to find the perfect driving position too.
Although it wasn’t the ideal setting to comment realistically on refinement levels, we were informed that the EX2 will be specifically tuned for European roads so the suspension set-up should prove softer.
What are the Geely EX2’s day-to-day running costs?
Sadly, one feature definitely won’t carry over from China where the EX2 costs just £7,000 to buy – little wonder the sales figures are through the roof.
That said; it’s essential the price is right to attract buyers in the ever-growing budget EV market, so figures such as £18k on-the-road could turn into reality. But once again, it’s a case of ‘watch this space’.
It’s also worth remembering that Geely offered its own electric car grant when launching the EX5 last year as it does not qualify for the UK government ECG. At the time customers were offered the alternative choice of a heavily subsidised home wallbox charger or a £500 Octopus charging card to use away from home, so Geely will likely consider something similar with the EX2.
But one fact we are completely certain about is the Expensive Car Supplement – no EX2 models will cost anywhere close to the government’s new £50k threshold, so there’s no extra costs to worry about on that front.
Like all EV owners, there will be a first-year road tax fee of £10 and this will increase to the standard £200 charge after 12 months, and the EX2 will have a Benefit in Kind tax rating of four per cent for business drivers.
For added peace of mind, we expect the car to be backed by Geely’s excellent warranty package that spans six years or 125,000 miles, increasing to eight years for the battery. It also includes four years free roadside assistance and two years free maintenance.
What’s the cabin an tech like with the Geely EX2?
Move inside the Geely EX2 and its surprisingly upmarket with high-end upholstery crafted from leather-like material that looks and feels like the real article. It’s a clutter-free cabin with a limited number of physical controls and a main touchscreen taking pride of place in the centre of the dashboard.
The seats are powered so it’s easy to get comfy and the all-round driver visibility also impresses. The interior on our test car was cream in colour, which isn’t ideal for families, but it looked smart and clean enough.
There were a few buttons for the AC and some other climate functions, as well as the gear selector, but it’s unlikely these will all make their way onto UK-specced cars – we know the gear lever will move to a stalk on the steering wheel for example.
Newbies to the EV scene will notice the lack of physical switches which means learning quickly how to navigate the touchscreen to access features. But at least you can adjust the seats and steering wheel via ‘proper’ controls, unlike some rivals.
We did like the neat patterns on the dashboard that resemble city skylines and there is ambient lighting to suit every possible mood under the sun. And you do have to go searching for cheap, hard-plastic surfaces, which is another bonus point for the EX2.
How practical is the Geely EX2?
The Geely EX2 is a generously-sized compact hatchback that stretches 4,135mm in length, is 1,805mm wide, 1,580mm tall and has a 2,650mm wheelbase. That large wheelbase makes for a roomy cabin that excels in the compact hatch sector. Up front two adults of the taller variety can sit comfortably and, rather unusually for a small-ish car, two more adults will easily fit in the back thanks to generous levels of leg, elbow and head space. The totally flat floor is another bonus
The boot is accessed via powered tailgate and can accommodate 375 litres of luggage, increasing to 1,320 litres with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats dropped flat. There is a large 70-litre frunk beneath the bonnet which is ideal for storing wet-weather clothing and boots, or charging cables. And, additionally, there are 36 storage options scattered throughout the cabin too. These include a centre console with 20-litres of space, a pull-out drawer in place of a traditional glovebox, front cup holders, door bins, seat back pockets, a storage area beneath the rear seats, a wireless charging pad and some trays.
It is thought the EX2 will offer Vehicle-to-Load capabilities too so can be used to power up external appliances such as e-bikes, camping equipment and laptops.
What are the rival cars to the Geely EX2?
The Geely EX2 will be vying for sales in a competitive field with rivals such as the Renault 5, BYD Dolphin Surf and Vauxhall Corsa Electric, Kia EV2 and MG4 EV Urban to name just a few.
What’s the final verdict on the Geely EX2?
It’s possible you may not yet be familiar with the Geely name, but it boasts a wealth of experience and parent company, Geely Holding, owns Volvo, Polestar, smart, Lotus, LEVC and plenty of other brands.
Having an early drive in the EX2, albeit quite a swift one, gave us an insight into the compact hatchback and we had plenty of time to poke around inside a static model to gain a knowledge of practicality features, comfort and design – all of which impressed us.
The EX2 is a smart looking five-door that excels when it comes to versatility and will likely be well equipped with all the mod cons we demand these days. But it must have a competitive price with tempting lease deals to draw attention away from those mainstream brands and other Chinese rivals too.
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