Geely EX5 Max - Can this newcomer challenge the Skoda Enyaq and Tesla Model Y?

Don’t be fooled into thinking Geely’s new EX5 has arrived in Britain at just the right time to do a ‘Jaecoo 7’ on us. While demand for Tesla’s EX5 rival, the Model Y, has taken a big hit in Britain (24k sales last year vs 32k in 2024), competition in this class is now seriously hot, with cars like the Skoda Enyaq, Kia EV3 and Renault Scenic there to soak up demand. But there’s a potentially bigger problem facing the EX5 in its mission to emulate the out-of-the-gates sales success of the Jaecoo 7 in Britain, and guess what, it’s another Jaecoo. The E5, to be exact.

At a glance, the £28k E5 looks to have this battle sewn up because it easily undercuts the £31,990 EX5, while also wearing some of the bigger 7’s desirable design features. But look a little closer, and you’ll notice the Geely’s not only more than 20cm longer at 4.62 metres, but it also promises to come with a stronger standard kit list. It’s much the same in the EX5’s battle against another competitive compatriot, the MGS5 EV, meaning the Geely may have more than a few reasons to lure buyers away from both cheaper and more established alternatives.

EX5 Max Trim Exterior

That said, design’s probably not going to be one of them. Inoffensive as it is, the top-rank EX5 Max trim we’re testing (priced from £36,990) does little to stand out in the car park, with its fairly generic compact SUV silhouette only really enhanced when the adaptive LED headlights and accompanying LED taillights blink on. The Geely badge’s oblong design also couldn’t be less recognisable to British eyes. But there are some nice external details which may prove useful, including low-drag 19-inch alloys on our Max (entry cars get 18s), a panoramic sunroof and heated door mirrors.

Interior & Kit

Climb aboard, and you’ll find as standard across the board a 15.4-inch infotainment screen with clear but sometimes fiddly menus, along with a smaller instrument cluster displaying key driving information. As far as buttons go, there is a multi-function rotary knob that can be used to adjust the volume and fan speed, but you’re forced to dive into the digital menus for most other functions, including adjusting the climate change temperature. The voice control tech is usefully smart, but versus those European and Korean rivals in particular, the Geely’s cabin feels a bit too tech-centred.

At least you’re well catered for, with everything from a 15W wireless phone charger to soft vegan leathers and plenty of storage space both front and rear, including space beneath the centre console, wide door bins and a secret under seat compartment beneath the back bench. Even the rear seat backs are adjustable for more comfort. Our top-grade Max gains an electric tailgate, that pano sunroof and cooled/heated memory seats up front with massage functions. While a head-up display, front parking sensors (other trims only get rears) and a punchy 1,000W sound system are also welcome additions.

Passenger space & storage

Something to note is that Max models lose a fully reclining driver’s seat due to the massage hardware, so those who like to nap while charging their EV may prefer a cheaper variant like the mid-rank, £34k Pro. Either way, if you need a top up, 160kW charging means a 10-80% sprint should be about 30 minutes, which is about average in this class.

Space in the back is very good due in part to the car’s length, with lots of head-, knee- and even leg-room, which is not always guaranteed in battery cars. Thanks to its flat floor, the middle seat space isn’t too cramped either. The boot, however, while appearing decent on paper with 410 litres of available space, is actually quite small compared to rivals when the floor is in place. It’s not until you lift it up that you’ll find a well deep enough to swallow the charge cables and other small items. It just about makes up for the fact that you don’t get a front boot in the EX5.

Driving Experience

On the move, the first thing that grabs attention is how soft riding this Geely is. In contrast to sportier European models, the EX5 is unashamedly cushioned, and yet it’s also more tied down and less inclined to lean than Jaecoo’s E5. It steers confidently on the open road, and the turning circle is tight enough (if not as good as the Enyaq’s) for inner-city driving, plus, the front-mounted electric motor provides smooth, nippy performance with its 218hp and 236lb ft of torque. Floor it and you’ll hit 62mph in a claimed (and seemingly accurate) 6.9 seconds, meaning merging onto a motorway is going to be no problem whatsoever.

It’s a shame the regenerative braking isn’t more easily adjustable on the move, because while the standard setting is a good mid-point that reduces your need to brake in steadier traffic, you do need to dive into the menus to ramp up its effects. Even then, it never reaches a full one-pedal driving mode, meaning the EX5 can’t claim to be the most effortless urban EV of this group.

Range - Far from best in class

At least it’s efficient without trying too hard, because while this Max model’s 255-mile range is far from the best in class (all of the aforementioned European alternatives easily beat it), it does at least crucially rank the Geely above the cheaper Jaecoo and MG models. The range seems relatively accurate too, as a week of admittedly mostly sub-urban driving delivers 3.7miles/kWh, equating to a 225-mile real-world range. Just about respectable for a car with 60.4kWh of usable battery capacity in the middle of winter, and helped no doubt by the car’s standard fit heat pump.

ADAS Issues

There is one key weakness in the EX5 armoury, and it relates to a technology all modern cars get: Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. It’s not the inclusion of ADAS that’s the issue - this tech is as important as structural strength when it comes to achieving a five-star EuroNCAP safety rating, which the EX5 has. It’s the fact that in many driving scenarios, the system is a distraction as much as anything else. The background noise of safety bings, sometimes caused by the car mis-identifying the speed limit, is annoying to say the least. And with no Renault Scenic-style physical button to switch them off, each journey begins with a 20-sec-long dive into the driving assistance menus.

In Conclusion

Still, don’t let that fully deter you, because there’s plenty of good in the EX5. The way it can smother UK potholes and speedhumps, while also remaining composed at higher pace through the bends, means it’s among the most relaxing cars to drive in this class. The passenger space in the back ensures there’s a lot going for it as a family car or taxi versus smaller rivals, so those happy to spend a bit more will see genuine benefit in choosing an EX5 over the Jaecoo equivalent. The bigger threat, it turns out, comes not from China but from European alternatives like Skoda’s Elroq and Renault’s Scenic, which despite not having such a generous entry-level kit list, for a couple grand more each come with better ergonomics, more striking designs and easier-to-use tech than the Geely.

words: Sam Sheehan
pictures: Geely