The Geely Starray EM-i has already established itself as one of the more affordable plug-in hybrid SUVs in Australia, but the arrival of a new all-wheel drive (AWD) variant adds an interesting dimension to the range. And it’s not simply a case of adding another electric motor to drive the rear wheels.
Priced from just $44,990 excluding on-road costs, it undercuts many conventional hybrid SUVs, let alone similarly equipped plug-in hybrids. In fact, it’s around $20,000 less than some established PHEV alternatives, including the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.
With a combined output of 220kW and 412Nm, a claimed 0-100km/h time of 6.3 seconds and up to 130km of electric driving range, the specifications certainly look appealing.
2026 Geely Starray AWD EM-i: Specifications
Engine: 1.5-litre petrol four-cylinder PHEV
Electrical: 29.8kWh battery, 130km EV range
Output: 220kW/412Nm
Gearbox: Single-speed E-DHT auto, AWD
Max charging AC/DC: 6.6kW/78kW
Wheels: F & R: 19×7.5, 235/50Tare weight: 1873kg
Power-to-weight ratio: 8.51 (kg:kW)
Official consumption: 1.7L/100km
Fuel tank/Fuel type: 60L/95 RON
0-100km/h (tested): 6.25 seconds
Starting price (RRP): $44,990
*Figures as tested by Driving Enthusiast on the day. Manufacturers’ claims may be different
2026 Geely Starray AWD EM-i: How much does it cost?
The Starray EM-i Inspire AWD is priced from $44,990 (excluding on-road costs), representing a $3500 premium over the front-wheel drive Inspire. Considering that includes the additional rear electric motor, more sophisticated rear suspension, extra driving modes and substantially stronger acceleration, the increase seems entirely reasonable.
It also retains the extensive equipment list of the Inspire, including a large touch-screen, premium sound system, panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated seats, head-up display and comprehensive safety technology.
The broader range starts from $37,490 for the FWD Complete, followed by the FWD Inspire from $41,490. As with those, the new AWD variant is covered by Geely’s 7-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, with 12 month/15,000km service intervals.
2026 Geely Starray AWD EM-i: Interior & packaging
Inside, the AWD retains the same basic cabin layout as the existing Starray EM-i, with a generally spacious and practical setting. At 4740mm long and 1905mm wide, the Starray sits towards the larger end of the medium SUV class. The 2755mm wheelbase also helps provide generous legroom in the second row, while the relatively flat floor and wide cabin make it a useful family vehicle.
The dashboard design is very minimalist, perhaps to the point of being a little boring. There’s not much in the way of distinctive detailing or character, with most of the cabin dominated by large, clean surfaces. However, that could also be considered a positive. Some buyers will appreciate the lack of visual clutter, particularly after a busy day dealing with the complexities of family and/or work life.
Atop the dash is the centrepiece; a massive 15.4-inch touch-screen, accompanied by a 10.2-inch narrow digital instrument cluster and a 13.4-inch head-up display. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included, along with a 16-speaker, 1000W Flyme premium sound system with speakers in the front headrests. It’s a quality system, and certainly well above this vehicle’s price tag.
There’s also plenty of standard comfort equipment, including power front seats, a panoramic sunroof with sunblind, powered tailgate, wireless phone charging and even front-seat massage functions. It’s easy to find a natural driving position with full rake and reach settings for the steering column.
While the interface itself is modern and presents crisp graphics, having so many vehicle functions integrated into one display means simple adjustments can require more attention than they should. Instead of reaching for a physical switch, you’re often required to look away from the road and interact with the screen. You do have voice command for most functions, however.
There’s also the question of what happens if the system freezes or unexpectedly restarts. With so many controls integrated into one interface, a software problem could temporarily remove access to numerous important functions, and potentially disable the vehicle if it goes real pear-shaped.
It’s an increasingly common approach across the industry, but that doesn’t necessarily make it the best solution. Although, screen take-overs often reduce manufacturing costs and could help this vehicle achieve its low starting price.
Boot capacity is unchanged from the FWD model at 428 litres with the rear seats in position, although the underfloor storage area has been reduced slightly. With the rear seats folded, maximum capacity drops from 2065L in the FWD model to 1993L in the AWD. That’s a relatively small sacrifice considering the additional hardware, and suggests Geely has done a good job with packaging of the new system.
2026 Geely Starray AWD EM-i: Powertrain & handling
Just like the Inspire FWD long-range variant, the AWD gets a 29.8kWh lithium iron phosphate battery. Geely claims up to 130km of electric range under the WLTP test cycle, compared with 136km in the FWD model. That’s a small reduction considering the extra motor and the additional 89kg of tare weight (1873kg).
The AWD also receives a 60-litre fuel tank (up from 51L in FWD models), contributing to a claimed combined driving range of 1065km. Official combined fuel consumption is 1.7L/100km under WLTP conditions, although, as with any plug-in hybrid, real-world consumption will depend heavily on charging frequency and the proportion of driving using electric power.
Charging capability is rated at 6.6kW with a Type 2 AC plug and up to 78kW DC, while 6kW vehicle-to-load and vehicle-to-vehicle power sharing are also supported. The biggest change is the addition of an 80kW and 150Nm electric motor at the rear axle, supplementing the existing 160kW front motor and 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine (requires minimum 95 RON petrol).
Combined system output rises to 220kW and 412Nm, making the AWD more powerful than the 193kW FWD variants. Geely claims 0-100km/h takes just 6.3 seconds, which is very quick for a family SUV at this price. Interestingly, our Vbox recorded 0-100km/h in just 6.25 seconds, narrowly beating the official claim. More impressively, that was achieved with the battery displaying just 1km of remaining electric range.
Obviously, that doesn’t mean the battery was completely depleted, as plug-in hybrid systems typically retain an operating buffer. However, it does demonstrate that the Starray can still deliver very strong acceleration even when the indicated EV range has effectively run out.
On the road, the additional performance is immediately noticeable. There’s a strong surge of acceleration when you press the throttle, and the electric motors provide the sort of instant response that makes overtaking and joining fast-moving traffic particularly effortless.
The AWD system also brings greater traction, particularly when accelerating out of corners or dealing with less-than-perfect road surfaces. But perhaps the most impressive aspect of the new model is its chassis. Geely has developed a more sophisticated five-link rear suspension arrangement for the AWD, replacing the four-link configuration used by the FWD variants.
As a result, the tune is noticeably taut and sporty, which suits Australian country roads well. There’s a reassuring sense of stability, even when hitting bouncy undulating surfaces, with the body remaining well controlled rather than continuing to bop and sway like in some rivals. It feels planted through faster corners too, with a degree of composure that you might not expect from an SUV priced less than $45,000.
A set of Goodyear 235/50 tyres fitted on the 19-inch alloy wheels also deserve some credit – Geely could have easily fit some cheaper items on here to cut the price. So it is encouraging to see the brand taking grip levels seriously, particularly when tyre quality can make a substantial difference to steering response, grip and overall confidence.
It’s not necessarily the softest SUV in the segment, so if absolute comfort and relaxation is your top priority, some rivals will suit you better. But the firmer suspension here is great for drivers who regularly travel on winding or ordinary country roads.
The Starray AWD also introduces Snow and Off-road driving modes, supplementing the existing Pure, Hybrid and Power settings. Although this remains a road-focused crossover rather than a dedicated off-roader, the additional rear motor should provide useful traction advantages on loose or slippery surfaces.
One area that could use some additional development is the driver assistance technology. During our short drive, the lane-keeping system was abrupt on narrower country roads, especially where lane markings were missing or unclear. Rather than providing subtle assistance or guidance, it could intervene quite suddenly, which isn’t ideal when navigating roads with inconsistent markings and narrow shoulders.
The driver monitoring camera was another frustration, producing numerous warnings that didn’t seem justified by the driving conditions. These systems are clearly intended to improve safety, but excessive false alerts and unnecessarily forceful steering corrections can have the opposite effect by becoming distracting.
Hopefully, further software calibration can address these issues, because the underlying driving experience is otherwise very convincing. Of course, you can switch off these systems but then it raises the question, what’s the point of them if everyone is just going to turn them off?
2026 Geely Starray AWD EM-i: First impressions
The Geely Starray EM-i Inspire AWD makes a strong first impression, largely because its driving dynamics are better than its price might suggest. Recording 0-100km/h in 6.25 seconds with almost no indicated electric range remaining was an encouraging result as well. And then you have the spacious cabin, big standard equipment list and relatively minor compromise to luggage capacity.
There are areas that need improvement, though. The touchscreen-heavy interior won’t appeal to everyone, and the overly enthusiastic lane-keeping and driver monitoring systems require further calibration in our opinion. The cabin design is also characterless, although that simplicity might be exactly what some buyers prefer. Even so, at $44,990 before on-road costs, the Starray AWD represents excellent value for money.
2026 Geely Starray AWD EM-i: Video
