The latest Chinese vehicles have made huge quality leaps over their predecessors, and Geely has probably undergone one of the most striking reinventions.
When the brand was represented in South Africa intermittently between 2007 and 2014, its cars were the epitome of insipid budget transport, sales were glacial, and it didn’t come as a surprise when the local importer threw in the towel.
After just more than a decade’s absence, Geely has re-entered South Africa with a new range of electric and hybrid vehicles that have as much in common with their forebears as a Persian carpet has with a doormat.
Geely Holding is one of China’s biggest automotive companies and also owns Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, Smart and Proton. It has returned to the country with two E5 model ranges and aims to have about 40 dealers operating in South Africa by the end of the year.
The Geely E5 is available as a plug-in hybrid and a fully electric version — the latter available in the R699,999 Aspire and the higher-specced R759,999 Apex guises. The cars are sold with a six-year/150,000km warranty, six-year/120,000km service plan, eight-year/120,000km battery warranty and five-year/unlimited distance roadside assistance. The price also includes an 11kW wallbox charger.
On test is the range-topping electric E5 Apex, which comes with premium features such as front massaging seats, front seat memory settings, intelligent high-beam control, a panoramic sunroof, 256-colour ambient lighting, a head-up display, an electric tailgate and Geely’s self-developed Flyme Sound Boundaryless audio system with a 1,000W amplifier and 16 speakers.
The E5 Apex also has a suite of advanced driver-assist systems (Adas), including adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist and blind spot detection.
The E5’s external styling is modern and aerodynamic in a generic way, with no styling features that make the SUV pop. However, the cabin lays on a lot of visual charm with its premium, Range Rover-like trimmings, though the white imitation leather upholstery might be a challenge to keep clean.
The cabin is enormous and provides stretching room aplenty for four to five adults. At 4,614mm in length, the electric E5 offers the spaciousness of a larger vehicle in a compact SUV form. The boot is a generous 461l, expandable to 1,877l, but there’s no spare wheel, just a mobility kit. Stash space in the cabin includes a rear-seat pull-out storage module.
The giant 15.4” infotainment screen has large icons and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality.
The interior is heavily digitised with few physical buttons on the dash, but thankfully there are quick-access icons for the climate control system — unlike in some cars where you have to meander through a complex digital labyrinth of seemingly lost causes just to adjust the temperature.
Powered by an electric motor at the front axle, the Geely E5 rolls quickly out of the blocks. When you floor the throttle, it generates pace with an EV’s typical seamless urgency, without the overly violent acceleration of sports EVs. The 160kW and 320Nm outputs deliver swift overtaking prowess, with Geely quoting a 7.1-second 0-100k/h acceleration figure and a 175km/h top speed.
It’s a mostly serene driving experience with the silent electric powertrain and well-insulated cabin, though there was noticeable wind noise when cruising.
The test car had a real-world range of 340km, while Geely quotes a maximum 410km range based on driving conditions and which level of energy regeneration is used — the latter has three modes. The electric E5 takes 6.1 hours to fully charge at an 11kW AC socket and about 20 minutes to juice up from 30% to 80% on 100kW DC power.
One of the E5’s best features is its comfortable ride quality. It wafts smoothly without feeling juddery over road imperfections, and the torsional rigidity is excellent. The cushy ride isn’t at the expense of handling prowess, and the compact SUV scampers neatly through corners without feeling top-heavy.
Mechanically everything is peachy, from the smooth and lusty performance to the cushy ride and spacious, premium cabin.
It’s some of the software that irritates, most notably in that the car doesn’t save the driver’s chosen settings when switched off. Every time I got into the car, it took me a while to disable annoying Adas features such as the lane-keeping assist. The over-intrusive feature is not suited to South Africa’s potholed roads, where regular swerving is required.
It’s irksome to have to fiddle with these settings every time you get into the car and might be a deal breaker for some — there’s such a thing as too much nannying. The cheaper Geely E5 Aspire model is well-specced with comfort features but potentially less infuriating to drive due to the absence of the Adas features.
A glitch in the test car was that sometimes the radio defaulted to the 87.5 FM frequency instead of my saved stations, but hopefully it’s something that can be fixed with a software update.
Despite its digital blemishes, the Geely E5 is an impressive car that hits the mark with clean and effortless power, roominess and a premium cabin. It’s also a relative bargain compared with electric rivals from MINI and Volvo.
Geely E5 vs rivals
Geely E5 Apex, 160kW/320Nm - R759,999
BYD Atto 3, 150kW/310Nm - R768,000
MINI Aceman SE, 160kW/330Nm - R892,000
Volvo EX30 Single Motor Core, 200kW/343Nm - R835,500
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