The Geely Starray EM-i costs $40,707 driveaway in the ACT. Photo: James Coleman.
When you slide into a brand-new SUV that costs $2500 less than a base Toyota RAV4 and there’s a full surround-sound system, a full leather-like interior with heated and cooled seats, and a screen telling you it’ll go close to 1000 km before needing fuel, you know something’s up in the car world.
In this case, it’s Geely. One of a flood of Chinese car brands now popping up in Canberra alongside Deepal, Leapmotor and Zeekr.
But while the name might sound made-up, and the logo looks a bit like a Windows rip-off, it has actually been in the business of making cars for a while.
Geely not only owns Zeekr, but also big names like Volvo, Polestar and even Lotus. It’s obviously decided now is the time to stop hiding behind these brands’ skirts and make it out on its own in Australia.
Right now, Lennock Motors in the ACT has two Geelys on the lot: the all-electric EX5 and the Starray EM-i – or, in Geely marketing-speak, the ‘Super Hybrid’.
The Starray kicks off at $37,490, while the fancy Inspire model I’ve borrowed, in ‘Glacier Blue’ with a white interior, costs $39,990. That makes it the cheapest plug-in hybrid on sale in Australia. And yes, a couple of grand cheaper than a base RAV4.
The styling is … let’s say, inoffensive. And if you look carefully, you’ll see design ‘clues’ from multiple marques.
And, like many modern cars, it’s quick to nag. Speed by 1 km/h, drift too close to a line, or yawn for too long, and you’ll be assailed by a series of beeps and bongs. You can turn them all off, but be prepared to do it every time you restart the car.
But that’s the thing – it’s hard to grumble about a whole package that adds up to $40K, including a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
The so-called ‘Super Hybrid’ system is made up of a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine and an electric motor, both over the front wheels. This gives you a claimed range of 83 km from the battery, and a total range close to 1000 km.
But unlike many other systems, the engine is only here to charge up the battery, and so, for all intents and purposes, the Starray drives like a normal full EV. Except for a noisy flare-up from the engine when you really put your foot down.
Geely claims an average fuel consumption figure of 2.4 litres per 100 km—better than Toyota’s hybrids—and, at the same time, it’s punchy too, with a 0-100 km/h time of 8 seconds.
It’s not a very inspiring drive, but the steering wheel is strangely satisfying to use, and the turning circle is super tight. The suspension is comfy enough. And while it can be a bit hard to execute a gentle take-off, all is smooth and quiet, too.
All is white and airy. Photo: James Coleman.
But the best is reserved for inside, where space and airiness and, in my case, white faux leather abounds. It’s like being inside a yacht. A party yacht. In addition to the ambient lighting that flashes in time to your music, the Inspire model also features a hair-raisingly good sound system that gives the ethereal, celestial, transcendental one in Volvo’s $135,000 EX90 a run for its money.
Sixteen speakers, 1000 watts, and options to blast it all around the cabin in full surround or through to only the rear seats, or yourself, via speakers mounted into the headrests (like a pair of earphones).
The dash is dominated by a massive 15.4-inch touchscreen for running everything: 360-degree camera view for parking, heated and cooled seats, climate control, safety tech, drive modes, and I’ve surely missed something.
Unlike many rivals, however, the menus are actually clear and there aren’t any baffling mistranslations.
There was a time – about five minutes ago – when you’d spend weeks trudging through car dealerships, painstakingly comparing all the usual Japanese, Korean and European suspects.
But then Chinese brands like Geely sweep in with this, and – apart from maybe resale down the track – it’s hard to see why you should bother anymore.
Okay, it does actually look quite good. Photo: James Coleman.
2025 Geely Starray EM-i Inspire
- $40,707 driveaway (ACT)
- 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, 73 kW /125 Nm
- Electric motor, 160 kW / 262 Nm
- Automatic, front-wheel drive (FWD)
- 0-100 km/h in 8 seconds
- 2.4 litres per 100 km claimed fuel consumption
- 83 km EV range, 943 km combined range
- 1739 kg.
Visit Geely Phillip (Lennock Motors) for more information.
Original Article published by James Coleman on Region Canberra.
