One of the most significant new generation of compact super-minis has hit UK roads, the Geely EX2.
The fully electric five-door is the third new model from the Chinese brand and is arguably going to become the biggest challenger to legacy car makers from Europe, Japan and Korea.
As is common these days it is brimming with advanced technology to aid and make driving safer, journeys more relaxing and enjoyable, with suggested prices for the three trim levels of Pro, Max and Ultra rising from under £21,000 to around £25,000.
It comfortably seats four but will take a fifth person in the back with a little squeeze, however the striking feature of the car is the immense room over its footprint with a 70 litres front trunk while the bootspace rises from 375 litres to 1,375 litres when the split rear seatbacks are dropped flat.
What is more, there is a very big passenger 10 litre ‘glovebox’, plenty of oddments room throughout the console, door panels and an unusual underseat storage area in the rear and for which you can order an optional 28 litre drawer. It is really very practical.
A flat floor covers the battery pack and the motor is under the fascia. The Geely EX2 offers up to 85 kW of electric power and can charge from 30–80% in 25 minutes.
Geely owns Lotus and the famous engineering company has clearly had a hand and a few other things in developing the newcomer,
With a very low centre of gravity, sporting suspension and a highly responsive throttle and balanced brakes, it felt very surefooted and handled safely and in a sporting manner of 80s hot-hatches.
The rear wheel drive layout really helps with the roadholding and handling and it also was not thrown off line by mid-corner bumps.
It hits 62mph from standstill in 11.5 seconds in top versions and a top speed is over 80mph.
Its global design and engineering team has not skimped on its style or sophistication and smart technology includes the Flyme Auto system, an 8.8 inch instrument display, a 14.6 inch central screen and wireless fast charging.
The Geely EX2 has a certified range over 200 miles, but that will depend on how it’s driven of course.
In a brief first drive in recent days we were very impressed by this super-mini.
It looks very good, with sleek lines, recessed feather-shaped headlights, wrap around rear end and slim roof pillars while the interior appeared a class above other similar sized rivals.
There was plenty of room infront for a six-footer with nicely shaped and supporting seats which had a useful adjustment range while anyone behind will find no shortage of legroom or headroom even if there has to be a compromise on shoulder room.
Boot space was fair for what will be a shopping or commuting runabout and the good sized frunk will be welcomed by a lot of users.
It is not the quickest EV on the road but could hold its own in town traffic and had a useful punch on open roads, but dual carriageways and motorways demand a more restrained approach.
On twisting roads its character and Lotus influence showed with a positive stance, near level cornering, very good responses and fairly compliant suspension.
As in most EVs, the lack of mechanical noises meant road rumbles over poorer surfaces became more intrusive but occasionally if also struggled to subdue some bumps.
At the price, and some dealers my do a deal for less, the Geely EX2 is a very attractive proposition.
Zhejiang Geely Holdings in October celebrated four decades since the business first started operations in November 1986 selling refrigerator components before branching into the automotive industry in 1997.
It launched its first car 12 months later, bought Volvo in 2010 and in October 2025 set up Geely Auto UK and in a year celebrated 15,000 registrations. It has just appointed its 100th dealer and is on course for 150 outlets by the end of 2028.
It imports models and parts through Portbury, Bristol and keeps over £2 Million components in a centre at Ryton, which is on the former PSA site and was home to Standard motor cars in the last century. It is regularly replenished with shipped or airfreighted stock.
Nearly 300 technicians work in its UK network and undergo intensive training courses with an emphasis on rapid working and the UK network can flag up issues with manufacturing in China for quick replacement or detailed changes to software.
Geely has also acquired some manufacturing capacity in the Ford, Valencia car plant which use to make Fiestas, and is expected to assemble models there from the end of next year to circumvent EU tariffs coming in on Chinese models. It’s going to be an interesting decade for the automotive industry.
