Geely EX5 first drive: A promising tech-driven electric family SUV

Geely, one of the newest car markers to enter the Australian market with its EX5 electric SUV, has finally landed on Australian roads. 

Last week, we got to spend a bit of time driving one of the electric SUVs on roads in Sydney before heading down the highway towards Southern Highlands to experience what this promising EV has to offer in a crowded SUV market. 

Although the pricing is still under wraps until the Chinese brand’s official launch next month, from this drive we can see how the EX5 offers a compelling blend of comfort, technology, and efficiency, making it a strong contender in the competitive family SUV segment. 

And, with a likely starting price of less than $50,000, making it a good competitor to the Leapmotor C10 and possibly the BYD Atto 3, that makes it an interest option for many considering their first move into the electric car world.

Geely may be new to Australia under its own brand, but its presence is already felt. The company, founded nearly four decades ago as a refrigerator parts company, now manufactures EVs under its own and Zeekr brands, and owns more familiar brands such as Volvo, Polestar, Proton and Lotus.

The EX5 is offered in two variants along with two distinct interior themes: a light, airy white option and a more traditional dark scheme. Regardless of the choice, the cabin is a roomy and pleasant place. 

The front features a well-sized screen behind the steering wheel. On top of that, a heads-up display projecting essential information like speed and turn-by-turn navigation is also found on both variants, helping keep the driver’s eyes on the road. 

A large 15.4-inch centre touchscreen is a standout, boasting an intuitive interface and remarkably smooth responsiveness. 

One highlight of the EX5’s infotainment system is the voice control, which seamlessly handles commands for windows, the sunshade, and calls. 

Practicality is well-addressed with wireless charging, a 60W USB port, and physical climate control buttons on the centre console – a welcome addition for ease of use.

Comfort is paramount, with supportive seats offering massage and reclining functions. Rear passengers are treated to generous legroom and a focus on overall comfort. 

A thoughtful addition is the rear storage bin, providing extra practicality. The panoramic moonroof, equipped with a shade, addresses concerns about heat in warmer climates.

Powering the EX5 is its compact and lightweight 11-in-1 drivetrain, weighing under 80kg. This contributes significantly to the vehicle’s overall efficiency, particularly in urban environments and on highways. We saw efficiency figures of under 15 kWh/100 km on various drive stretches and look forward to spending more time with it to test real-world efficiency.

Feeding the powertrain is a 60.22 lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery, which has a high energy density of 192 Wh/kg and surpasses typical LFP batteries found in various other electric SUVs. 

With this pack, the Complete variant can get up to 430 km of WLTP range, while the Inspire variant has a rated WLTP range of 410 km.

Charging speeds are also on the upper end, with up to 100 kW on DC chargers and 11 kW on AC, placing it at the higher end of its expected price bracket.

Vehicle-to-load (V2L) technology is also available, with the EX5 being used to power a coffee cart to demonstrate its capabilities on the day of the test drive event.

On city streets, the suspension balances comfort and composure, avoiding a floaty feel seen in models not having gone a thorough local suspension and handling tune. 

The low-speed warning, however, was noticed at speeds of up 27 km/h, being audible within the cabin and disappearing to a much quieter cabin at higher speeds.

Speaking of higher speeds, highway driving in the EX5 is effortless, with plenty of power and acceleration when needed. With a rated acceleration of as low as 6.9 seconds to 100 km/h, getting up to highway speeds and changing lanes is all done with ease. 

Along with that, on the highways, turning the cruise control on is with a press of a single button on the steering wheel, which is a lot better than some other systems we have seen.

The autonomous driving functions are notably effective, featuring smooth auto lane changes and proving quite capable on highways to and from Southern Highlands. 

On top of that, the lane-keep assist system was also well-calibrated, avoiding unnecessary intrusion on narrower roads.

While heading down, we did drive through some windy roads, which helped test out the car’s balance on narrower mountain roads. I have to say, the EX5 did well with its composure around bends and showed minimal body roll. 

The locally tuned suspension, which the brand previously noted has been a big factor in the car’s balance on highways and city streets, really did come to life on these mountain roads. 

Driving the EX5 again on Australian roads with this tune highlighted the significant improvement over the earlier spec model we experienced in China late last year. 

The Geely EX5 is a well-engineered and tech-focused family SUV, prioritising comfort, practicality and efficiency. Local tuning for the Australian market is evident and will be appreciated by many owners. 

The success of the EX5 hinges on its pricing along with its growing dealer network, which at the time of writing exceeded 15 sites across many parts of the country.