In 2025, the Australian market is copping a meteorite shower of new Chinese electric cars and brands. Deepal, Leapmotor, XPeng, Zeekr and Jaecoo. Now you can add Geely to that list as well.
You may or may not be familiar with the Geely brand for two reasons. Firstly, the Chinese giant owns Volvo, Proton, Lotus, Zeekr, Lynk&Co, London Taxi Company and more. Secondly, this would be the brand’s second entry into the Australian market, following an earlier attempt in 2009 with the MK sedan – sold only in Western Australia.
Chinese cars have come a very long way since then, and mothership Geely has absorbed the expertise of its acquired automotive companies. The culmination of that is the EX5 mid-sized SUV. Utilising a new GEA platform, the fully electric front-drive SUV has been engineered for families, according to Geely Australia CEO Li Lei. An extensive dealer network, says Geely, will be key to the car’s success here.
2025 Geely EX5 Complete: Specifications
Battery: 60.2kWh
Output: 160kW / 320Nm
Gearbox: 1-speed auto
Drive type: Front-wheel drive
Wheels: F & R: 18×7.0, 225/55
ANCAP: Not testedTare weight: 1715kg
Power-to-weight: 10.71:1 (kg:kW)
Official range (WLTP): 430km
Max charging: 11kW, DC 100kW
0-100km/h (claimed): 6.9 seconds*
Starting price: $43,490 (Inspire $47,490)*Figures as tested by Driving Enthusiast on the day. Manufacturers’ claims may be different
2025 Geely EX5: How much does it cost?
Two models will be available from launch. The 2025 Geely EX5 Complete, priced from $43,490 (MSRP) and the $47,490 2025 Geely EX5 Inspire. A three-year complimentary servicing program and one-year subscription to ChargeFox are offered as sweeteners to give the EX5 a chance of standing out in this saturated marketplace.
No mention yet on the Riddara RD5 electric ute, but we expect to hear more about that soon.
2025 Geely EX5: Interior & packaging
Dimensions-wise, the EX5 is 4615mm long, 1901mm wide, 1670mm tall and sits on a wheelbase of 2750mm. A flat floor in the rear liberates a lot of legroom. It would seem they have gained this expertise from the London Taxi company, and safety from Volvo, with seven standard airbags and a very comprehensive suite of ADAS features.
Features of note include an anti-bacterial steering wheel, ‘auto dry’ air-conditioning with a CN95 cabin filter, a very nifty sliding tray under the rear bench for storage, and also under the boot floor. Geely quotes total storage capacity at 302L plus 108L plus 51L. Up to 1877L is available with the rear bench folded.
The interior is a calm and well-made space, with plenty of soft-touch materials. A 15.4-inch infotainment screen combined with a 10.25 instrument panel conveys modernity, with 256 colours available. Seats are super comfortable with a very good massage feature available, as well as an extendable under-thigh support on the passenger side.
A hilarious peculiarity of this car is the ‘Mr Whippy’ ice cream truck sound emanating from the front to warn pedestrians at low speeds. It almost gives you the impression the car has some personality. Almost.
2025 Geely EX5: Powertrain & handling
Underneath the agreeable but somewhat derivative exterior design, the EX5 is powered by a 160kW/320Nm electric motor, which can rev to 16,500rpm. Geely touts this ’11-in-1′ FWD drivetrain as the lightest and most compact in its class.
Using a 400V electrical architecture, the 60kWh ‘Aegis’ LFP battery has an onboard 11kW AC charger and can facilitate up to 100kW of DC fast charging – well short of some rivals, but adequate for many use-case scenarios. It can also facilitate 3.3kW vehicle-to-load (V2L) charging and 6kW vehicle-to-vehicle if one of your EV buddies runs flat.
An extensive Australian calibration program was undertaken, with unspecified EV benchmarks set for ride and comfort as well as steering feel and feedback.
Our test route featured many sinewy roads with tight hairpins and mountainous elevations. You could certainly feel that work has been done to give the steering a good feel and in sync with the decent chassis.
Ride quality is outstanding, with only a slight wind noise from the A-pillar spoiling the quietness. With 160kW, it does feel fairly rapid and responsive, but this is not an outrageous speed machine the same way an MG4 XPower is (a Driving Enthusiast favourite).
Geely quotes a respectable 0-100km/h time of 6.9 seconds, as well as a WLTP range of 430km. An impressive 15.8kWh consumption figure is a definite drawcard of this electric SUV, with a slippery 0.26Cd drag-coefficient.
2025 Geely EX5: First impressions
So who is this car for and what is the verdict? For somebody who wants an EV that majors on comfort, power efficiency and has a premium feel without having to worry about their kids outgrowing the rear seats, the EX5 is an honest and capable choice.
For those who want outright driving enjoyment and visceral thrills, perhaps it is not the right car, but it is a decent all-rounder without much counting against it. The depth of research and engineering in this car becomes apparent once you look beneath its risk-averse design.
2025 Geely EX5: Video
