Geely X5: 'I test drove this new Chinese car - it's the most hands-free vehicle I've driven'
Frederic Manby takes a drive in a moonlight silver Geely EX5, a largish five-door car from Geely, a major player in China – who seem to realise that often, less can mean more.
Fancy a Chinese car? Take your pick. In China there are well over 100 brands. In the UK there were about a score the last time I checked from Always to Zeekr offering 150 models.
One was a monthly best-seller this year. Add all the European brands making electric cars in China, such as MINI and most notably Volvo which is Chinese owned and, well, where’s it going to end? When will we reach peak China?
The low tariffs make “us” an open goal for their carmakers who face restrictions in US Trump and elsewhere. Low prices and high tech give apparent value for money and the typical three-year PCP contract eases Chinese wheels into your life.
It is good for the dealers selling them, tougher for those which don’t.
What the cheaper Chinese have done is help to force down the price of electric and petrol hybrid cars made in Europe, such as the latest Vauxhall Astra which has price parity on body styles and power sources.
The moonlight silver car you see here is the EX5. It is a largish five-door car from Geely, a major player in China and its first entry to the UK. It made more than four million vehicles last year.
Volvo, Polestar, Lotus and LEVC black cabs are some of the companies it owns. Its second UK launch is the Starray, a PHEV variant of EX5. More are coming.
Geely (gee-lee and meaning auspicious) is suddenly another major carmaker we have never heard of. The roomy 4.6 metre car is a compelling challenger to Toyota, Ford, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Kia et al.
Prices start at £31,990 for the SE version. A PCP can be had from £359 a month with a £359 deposit. The 60 kWh battery has a claimed range up to 267 miles.
A 160 kW DC fast charger (if you find one) may boost the battery from 30 to 80 per cent in 20 minutes. A 7 kWh domestic box will charge from 10 to 100 per cent in just over six hours.
A heat pump, active grille vanes, low drag body, and selectable regenerative braking optimise economy in cold weather.
You get online navigation, a 360 degree camera, 18 inch alloys, a large information screen, keyless operation, heating for the fully reclining front seats and steering wheel, wireless phone charging and connection, privacy glass and fake leather furnishing.
Plus: LED lights with active main beams, a rear wiper, flip-out door handles and unlocking on approach.
The Pro version (£33,990) adds 19-inch wheels and larger tyres and the MAX (£36,990) brings a full glass, part-opening roof and power tailgate and better audio, head-up display, metallic paint, massaging and ventilated front seats.
The passenger seat has a pop-out leg rest but on the MAX only the driver’s seat fully reclines which spoils that night for two under the stars seen through that glass roof.
The obvious choice is the SE but we were sent the MAX which with a friendly PCP deal may be what most buyers opt for, if they like the EX5. It has no track record here but has long warranties and I liked it.
The handling experts at Lotus helped with the suspension and between Hethel and deepest China they succeeded.
The sensible 19-inch alloys and fat, deep Goodyear SUV tyres run quietly without much interference on the bad roads which upset many rivals.
The suspension is set soft, and the sacrifices are a bit of body roll and so-so handling dynamics at higher cornering speeds. I prefer the former to the latter on what is a family focussed car.
The body shape is a clean and unfussy design with nothing to snag the proverbial silk stocking.
The Chinese seem to realise that less can be more and eschew expensive sculpted body work and chiselled jaws, bland rather than bullish, conformity not character.
They have copied each other and any trend they spot. Porsche looks like an influencer.
Step in. You’ll have zipped the slippery little wireless “key” fob safely into a pocket or fashioned a pouch and lanyard. The EX5 motor is now live.
A wand to the right of the wheel selects direction of travel. Pushing it re-sets the brake. The central screen contains most of the car’s operating systems.
A few tabs on the central aisle operate the ventilation. A larger rotor can adjust the temperature, radio volume and select the touchscreen’s background displays.
The super smart voice control can do just about everything anyway, from navigation and radio and will open both the windows and the sunroof.
The EX5 MAX is the most hands-free car I’ve driven. Its AI vocabulary changes tone and response, such as “what can I do for you next?”. “Lower all the windows” was met with “of course”.
It has lots of storage, including a deep cavity under the boot floor where you could put muddy boots or hide and protect fragile things.
There is the familiar eerie smooth stepless flow of electric power to the front wheels. It is utterly refined. My temperament is anti-Chinese state but I can’t fault much about the EX5.
Geely EX5 MAX. Price: £36,990; Battery: 60.2 kWh capacity; Power: 215 bhp; Torque: 236 lb/ft; Transmission: one speed; Top speed: 109mph; 0-62mph: 7.1 seconds; Economy: 3.7m/kWh. On test 4m/kWh; Claimed range: 255 miles (matched on test); Weight: 1.7 tons, 1765kg. Towing: no; CO2: zero; Length: 181 inches/4.6m; More: geely.co.uk