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What is it?
This car – the Geely EX2 – was one of China’s best-selling vehicles last year. We have it on good authority that at one point, the brand was making around 50,000 examples in a single month. That’s only 5,000 cars short of how many Ford Pumas – the UK’s most popular car in 2025 – were registered during an entire year.
Now, the EX2 has arrived on our shores to see if it can crack this market too. However, there remain some key competitors in its way – namely the ever-popular Renault 5 – so the EX2 hasn’t got it plain sailing to begin with. We’ve been trying it out in the UK to see how it gets on.
What’s new?
The EX2 is a compact electric vehicle which arrives as Geely’s third model in the UK, following on from the Starray and larger EX5. In typical Geely fashion, it comes loaded with equipment and a competitively low starting price of £20,990. There are also very few options to choose from, though three distinct trim levels are available – more on those later.
Elsewhere, there’s a real focus on space and practicality. It’s why there’s a 375-litre boot and a handy 70-litre ‘frunk’ under the bonnet to provide more space than you’d expect from a car of this size.
What’s under the bonnet?
The EX2 is only available with electric powertrains, but there is a choice of two for now. On entry-level Pro cars, you get a 35.35kWh battery linked to an 81bhp electric motor driving the rear wheels. Here, you’re getting a range of up to 157 miles and a 10 to 80 per cent charge time in around 30 minutes.
On Max and Ultra-grade cars, that battery is increased in size to 47.14, unlocking a longer range of up to 214 miles. With 114bhp, it’s slightly more powerful, too, and benefits from a 0-60mph time of 11.2 seconds over the 14 seconds it’ll take to do the same sprint in the less-powerful car. With a 160kW charge speed, the EX2 can accept quite a high rate of charge, too.
What’s it like to drive?
The EX2 delivers the kind of zero-fuss driving experience that has come to define this new breed of Chinese-made cars. The ride quality is good enough to handle the worst of what the UK’s roads have to offer and with a frankly astoundingly small turning circle, it feels ideally positioned as a car for navigating city streets with ease.
The steering assistance systems are a little over the top for daily driving – they quite often try to pull you in the wrong direction – and it’s a real pain to switch them off as the settings are buried within the touchscreen’s menus. A dedicated ‘off’ button would be much appreciated in this area. It can’t match the Renault 5 in terms of driving experience, but you get the sense that Geely wasn’t designing the EX2 for outright excitement. It just gets the job done and with good visibility and a decent amount of zip from the electric motors, it does just that.
How does it look?
The EX2’s unassuming styling means it’s unlikely to offend wherever it goes. Geely has offered it in a series of equally undercover colours though, in eye-popping pink, the EX2 gets a more retro look which we feel adds a good amount of interest to the car’s design as a whole.
The headlights take their inspiration from feathers, according to Geely, and there are semi-concealed door handles for a sleeker look overall. The key to unlock the car is equally streamlined but, with its gloss black covering and pebble-like shape, we feel as though it’d be quite easy to lose.
What’s it like inside?
There’s a whole lot of space to play with inside the EX2. There’s a good amount of headroom and in the back, there’s a completely flat floor which frees up plenty of legroom as well. Material quality isn’t too bad and though there are some harsher plastics here and there, the budget nature of the car has to be remembered. It’s a mainly screen-centric layout inside, too, and though there are a few physical controls, we’d like there to be more.
The boot is easy to access, though there’s a bit of a drop to contend with, particularly if you’re placing heavier items back there. Oddly, our test car came with a powered tailgate but no cords for the parcel shelf – so the shelf remained where it was when the boot raised. It’s a small oversight, but an annoying one.
What’s the spec like?
Standard equipment on the EX2 is impressive. All cars, regardless of specification, get a 14.6-inch touchscreen and an 8.8-inch driver display, both of which work well. You get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, too, both of which connect wirelessly. All cars get wireless smartphone charging, too.
The key reason for stepping up from entry-level Pro cars to a Max model will be the larger battery and extended range, while top-tier Ultra cars – priced from £25,490 – get added luxuries such as heated front seats, a 360-degree parking camera and two-tone styling with contrast roof. However, we expect the mid-range £23,490 Max to be the most popular option.
Verdict
The EX2 isn’t the kind of car that arrives with shock-and-awe tactics. It doesn’t do anything controversial, but what it offers is the kind of space and easy-going nature that a lot of people will appreciate. It’s also pitched at a competitive price, even in mid-spec models.
Sure, if you’re after a car that’ll leave you grinning through the bends, we’d still lean in the direction of the Renault 5, but don’t discount the EX2 – it’s one of Geely’s best offerings to arrive in the UK so far.
- Model as tested: Geely EX2
- Price (as tested): £25,490
- Engine: Single electric motor
- Power: 114bhp
- Torque: 150Nm
- Max speed: 81mph
- 0-60mph: 11.2 seconds
- MPG: NA
- Emissions: NA
- Range: 214
- Maximum charge speed: 160kW
