Geely EX2 (2025 - )

With its TARDIS like proportions, the all-new Geely EX2 is a compact five-door hatchback that offers bundles of space inside the cabin. It’s fully electrified and was the best-selling car in China last year notching up more than 465,000 sales. 

Now it’s on its way to the UK and we were given the chance to get behind the wheel, albeit briefly, during a recent visit to China.

While exact details on the arrival date are still sketchy, we know it will be landing later this year and, although pricing has yet to be finalised too, we believe the entry-level car will carry a sub-£18k starting price, making it a very attractive option.

Again, the full details about powertrains are still to be announced, but we were informed there will be a choice of either a 30kWh or 40kWh battery, along with three trims. If the EX2 follows the same format as its larger sibling, the EX5, they will be called SE, Pro and Max. But if it takes the naming format from the Starray EM-i the grades will be Pro, Max and Ultra.

Our short time behind the wheel of a Chinese model, badged as the ‘Geome Xinguan’ involved taking on a slalom course created from coloured cones, although we were given plenty of time to poke around inside a static model and explore all the fixtures, fittings and technical features.

While a car’s colour wouldn’t normally be high on the agenda when we talk about styling, we have to mention the lilac/pink shade on our test EX2 that really made the car stand out. Sadly, that colour is unlikely to travel the 5,000 miles to UK shores, but we do hope Geely offers the EX2 with some bright paintwork options rather than boring old silver, grey and white. After all, key rivals will be the Renault 5 and BYD Dolphin Surf and they come in glorious technicolour.

Back to the design of the EX2 then, it’s an attractive five-door hatchback with sleek lines and smooth curves. There are neat headlight clusters, flush door handles, a rear spoiler, black contrast roof, pillars and mirrors, plus GEOME badging that will be replaced by the EX2 nameplate in the UK.

Moving inside, the interior is clutter-free with a limited number of physical controls. There is a touchscreen positioned in the centre of the dashboard, plus a smaller driver information display behind the steering wheel where vital numbers such as speed, existing range and battery charge levels are shown.

The seats are crafted from leather-like upholstery that looks and feels smart enough, although the light cream shade would show signs of wear pretty quickly in a family vehicle. But the seats are powered, which is always handy especially if the car is shared between drivers and, although the final list of tech is still waiting to be finalised, expect to see a built-in sat nav set-up, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, Bluetooth and a DAB radio, amongst other features.

We would like to see more physical controls rather being overly-dependent on the touchscreen, and even the gear selector lever will be moved to a steering wheel stalk when the UK car is launched later this year.

As mentioned, our time driving the Geely EX2 was quite limited to say the least. It involved driving full tilt around a slalom course and we basically learnt the rear-wheel drive car is fast off the mark, has responsive steering and good agility. The downside was the Chinese LingLong tyres that certainly delivered plenty of sound effects but very little in the way of decent grip. They will not be fitted to the UK cars though, that’s guaranteed.

We did get plenty of time inside a static car though and were able to discuss features with a product specialist who translated the Chinese writing on the touchscreen. As a result, we know there are drive modes called Eco, Comfort and Sport, as well as various regenerative braking settings that also include a single-pedal driving function – great for busy stop and go driving. All these adjustments are made via the touchscreen which isn’t ideal on the move, but owners may find one setting that suits them and stick to it for an easier life.

The driver visibility is good, which is always welcomed on a family car that will likely feature regularly on the school run and we were informed the vehicle would be tuned specifically for European roads, which means the suspension set-up will be softer, amongst other tweaks.

For a compact five-door hatchback, the Geely EX2 is exceptionally spacious with ample room for four adults to sit comfortably without any complaints. The car stretches 4,135mm in length, is 1,805mm wide, 1,580mm tall and has a 2,650mm wheelbase.

The boot boasts a powered tailgate and can hold 375 litres of kit, a capacity that is easily increased to 1,320 litres by dropping the 60:40 split-folding rear seats. Beneath the bonnet is a 70-litre frunk and throughout the cabin itself, there are 36 storage options for added convenience.

These include a huge area beneath the centre console, a pull-out drawer in place of the traditional glovebox, door bins, front cup holders, seat back pockets, a central cubby, a storage area beneath the rear seats, a wireless charging pad, some trays and three USB-C ports to stay connected on the move.

While the charging speed is yet to be confirmed, it was suggested that the EX2 may have a fast charging rate of 160kW and it will likely offer Vehicle-to-Load capabilities too so can power up external devices, such as electric scooters, BBQs and lots more besides.

We mentioned the EX2 was the best-selling vehicle in China in 2025, but what we failed to add was the starting price out there of just £7,000. Well, it certainly won’t be priced anywhere near that when it arrives in the UK, but there have been suggestions the cost will be less than £18k. 

Unfortunately, owners won’t benefit from the government’s Electric Car Grant, but Geely launched the EX5 with its own attractive electric grant, along with the option of choosing a subsidised wallbox charger or a £500 Octopus charging card to use away from home. So, it’s likely a similar offer will accompany the EX2.

Like all EVs, there will be a first-year road tax charge of £10, but this will increase to £200 after the first year, and any fleet drivers considering the EX2 as a company car will see a Benefit in Kind tax rating of four per cent.

Another bit of good news is the exemption from any Expensive Car Supplement as all EX2 versions will be priced well below the government’s 2026 threshold of £50k.

For peace of mind, the Geely EX2 will be sold with an excellent six-year, 125,000-mile warranty package that increases to eight years for the battery. This cover also includes four years of free roadside assistance and two years of free maintenance on earlier Geely models.

Geely may sound like a newbie to many readers, but Geely Holdings is the parent company of established carmakers such as Volvo, Polestar, smart, Lotus and the LEVC – so definitely plenty of experience there then.
The EX2 is the Chinese company’s third model to be launched in Britain and while we still have plenty of blanks to be filled in regarding trims, powertrains, range and cost, we do know it will be taking on some stiff opposition from Renault, BYD and Vauxhall.
That said; if the price is right and the car is offered with outrageously tempting PCP deals, it could be the ideal model for new EV drivers or people looking to downsize. It would make an excellent second car too.
We can’t really comment with too much certainty about the performance as our time behind the wheel was so limited and we know the car will definitely be modified for the European market. But we will know a lot more when we get a proper test drive in a few months’ time, so watch this space for a first drive report.