Geely EX2 review: Small car, big energy

The Geely EX2 has landed in Australia with a big reputation. Launched as the Geely Xingyuan (star wish) in its native China in October 2024, the compact electric hatchback sold over 450,000 in its first full year on sale, making it China’s most popular car, electric or otherwise, in 2025.

Now it arrives in local showrooms looking to cash in on Australia’s EV sales boom, with an affordable rear-wheel drive package ideally suited to urban dwellers.

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The race for affordable electric vehicles is tightening as more and more entrants – almost exclusively from China – find their way to local showrooms amid a surge in EV sales.

Blending sharp pricing with urban street appeal and the latest in technology, these pocket EVs are proving that electric cars need not break the bank. Rivals at this budget-end of the segment include BYD’s Atto 1 city hatchback, the MG4 Urban compact hatch, GWM Ora 5 small SUV and the relatively unknown GAC Aion UT.

A quick Geely explainer. While relatively unknown as a standalone brand in Australia, the Chinese auto conglomerate has a large and diverse portfolio of brands including Volvo, Zeekr, Polestar, Farizon, Lotus and Smart. 

In 2025, Geely entered the Australian market with its EX5 mid-sized electric SUV. And it’s been a hit, buyers snapping up over 10,000 of the Tesla Model Y-rivalling SUVs since launch.

It was joined earlier this year by the Starray EM-i plug-in hybrid SUV which, despite the relative anonymity of the Geely brand in Australia, has already found 5391 new homes.

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The Geely EX2 arrives now as just the third model – and the most affordable – from the Chinese brand, which is taking serious aim at our market, promising six new models over the next 18 months and expanding its existing 80-strong dealer network to over 100.

How much is the Geely EX2?

Pricing is sharp. Just two models make their way here, the $26,490 EX2 Complete and the flagship EX2 Inspire, priced from $30,990, both prices before on-road costs.

Both are generously equipped for the money with just a couple of differences in standard kit between the two.

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The big difference comes under the skin. The more affordable Complete model is powered by a single 60kW/150Nm electric motor driving the rear wheels. A 35.3kWh battery pack feeds the motor for a claimed WLTP-tested driving range of 252km.

Spending five grand more for the range-topping Inspire brings some extra creature comforts but the big-ticket items are a more powerful 85kW/150Nm motor and a larger 47.1kWh battery array. Unsurprisingly, the bigger battery brings increased range, rated at 345km (WLTP).

The EX2’s standard equipment list looks anything but cut-price. Both models feature synthetic leather upholstery, climate control, a 14.6-inch touchscreen with smartphone integration, power front seat adjustment, dusk-sensing LED head- and tail-lights, an 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster and the full gamut of Geely’s advanced driver assist and safety technologies, which the brand is hoping will help the EX2 earn a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

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The range-topping Inspire adds 16-in alloy wheels (against the 16-inch steelies of the Complete), a powered tailgate, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, wireless smartphone charging, heated front seats and steering wheel, and a 360-degree camera (the Complete’s is rear-view only).

Is there anything interesting about the Geely EX2’s design?

There’s a simple cuteness to the Geely EX2. And that’s by design, with the manufacturer stating the EX2 not only follows the brand’s ‘smile’ design philosophy but that its proportions adhere to Euclid’s Golden Ratio.

That magical mathematical number of 1.618 – found throughout nature – creates visual harmony that is pleasing to the eye of the viewer, even if they don’t know why.

In the case of the EX2, 1.618 equates to not only its balanced proportions, but also greater aero efficiency thanks to the liberal use of soft curves and flowing lines. 

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Geely’s colour palette reflects its city-focussed aesthetic too, a range of six hues named – intentionally – after celestial bodies. The only no-cost colour is Moon White, while $600 will net buyers either Star Silver, Comet Grey, Nebula Beige, Aurora Green, or Nova Pink.

It’s $600 worth spending, especially for either of the two standout colours, green or pink, although early adopters can snaffle their colour of choice at no extra cost under Geely’s special launch offer – until 31 August – that also throws in a free 7kW home wall charger.

Is the Geely EX2 roomy inside?

Slide inside the EX2 and the first thing you’ll notice is how spacious it is for what is classified as a ‘light’ or city car – even, or especially, in the second row, where its dimensions dwarf those of those its immediate rivals. Six-footers in row two? No problem.

The front seats are nicely padded and supportive and the perforated synthetic leather seats look sharp, especially at this price point.

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The over-reliance on the 14.6-inch touchscreen for many of the EX2’s vital functions, including some buried deep inside Geely’s operating system, continues to rankle but its clear graphics and sharp responses go a little way to mitigating early frustrations.

We used both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto at launch, and while Google’s version proved flawless, CarPlay did throw up some challenges when it came to the initial connection.

Geely makes much of its 30 storage options inside the EX2. Challenge accepted, so count them I did, coming up with 24, highlights including a glove box that slides out like a drawer, and the underseat storage in the second row.

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Boot space measures in at 375L, growing to 1320L with the second row stowed away. Being a rear-wheel drive EV, there’s a further 70 litres available under the bonnet, a perfectly sized space for a couple of overnight bags, or bulky charging cables.

What’s the Geely EX2 like to drive?

So far, so – mostly – good, but what is the EX2 like to drive? Easy is one word that leaps to mind. Another is light.

There’s a lightness to the EX2 that feels right at home on the types of roads it’s likely to spend the bulk of its time on – inner city urban streets and suburban highways.

It’s not especially quick off the mark, but neither is it a slouch, moving away with just enough verve to blend seamlessly into traffic, and certainly more rapidly than similarly-sized and priced petrol cars in the segment.

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Geely’s launch route didn’t take in any motorway running so any higher-speed assessment will have to wait until we get the EX2 through the Wheels garage, but at speeds up to 80km/h, the EX2 remained unstressed and unflustered by the acceleration demands placed on it.

It sits nicely on the road too, with a well sorted suspension tune, engineered in Europe, to better suit Australian and European preferences. 

Sitting on 16-inch wheels (covered steelies in Complete, and fancier alloys on Inspire models) adds to road comfort, the thick Yokohama rubber a beefy barrier between tarmac nasties and the cabin. Lumps, bumps and patchy surfaces are dispatched with alacrity.

Body control is good too, the EX2 settling easily and quickly – without little in the way of wobbling or porpoising – after tackling speed humps and the like. 

The steering feels very light, almost too light, a twirly wheel offers little in the way of feeling connected to the road. But its responses to inputs are quick and accurate and its easy manner makes easy work of navigating roundabouts, bends and corners. Body roll is also kept in check nicely.

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Brake pedal feel is adequate, the transition between regeneration and friction seamless. There are three distinct levels of regen – low, medium and high – although single-pedal driving is off the table with the highest setting still needing driver input to come to a complete stop.

The EX2’s safety systems are nicely calibrated with gentle reminders and steering inputs rather than the overly loud and aggressive warnings of some systems elsewhere in the segment. We did have one issue with the seatbelt reminder, which would chime intermittently even with every seatbelt attached in its rightful slot. A helpful Geely technician rebooted the EX2’s software, resolving the issue, which was restricted to this particular car. None of the other dozen or EX2s at launch experienced the same issue.

What’s the driving range and energy use of the Geely EX2?

With only a short time behind the wheel, it’s difficult to get a proper gauge on the EX2’s energy use and driving range. The Inspire model on test claims 345km of WLTP-tested range.

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After 83.8km of urban and suburban driving, we saw an indicated energy consumption of 13.2kWh, significantly better than Geely’s 15.5kWh claim and translating – potentially – to around 356km of range.

What’s the verdict on the Geely EX2?

Is that sweetener enough to get the Geely EX2 over the line in what is becoming an interesting light car category?

Certainly the early signs are good, the EX2 aiming high with a nicely-equipped package, big on space and with refined road manners. It could be a little faster, but for buyers looking for a capable, fun and cute urban-focussed EV, the Geely EX2 hits a lot of the right notes.

Geely EX2 Specs