China’s Geely is doubling its assault on the mid-size SUV segment, adding a plug-in ‘Super Hybrid’ alongside its existing all-electric offering.
The Geely Starray EM-i is very closely related to the EX5 electric SUV that went on sale only months ago, and is effectively a long-range plug-in hybrid (or PHEV) alternative that is almost unbelievably affordable.
Yes, from just $37,490 plus on-road costs – or $5000 less than a baseToyota RAV4 Hybrid – you can get this smartly styled Chinese SUV that offers over 80km of EV range and heaps of standard niceties. Surely there’s a catch…
It narrowly misses out on the title of Australia’s cheapest PHEV, given the Chery Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid is priced at $39,990 drive-away, but this silver medal has flicks of gold through it.
So what’s the catch? We’re not really sure there is one. As you can read in our detailed impressions further down, the Starray presents as a very well-rounded offering for the money.
Perhaps its on-paper specifications aren’t as impressive as the bold claims of some rivals, including its sub-1000km combined driving range and 2.4L/100km fuel consumption claim, though Geely says it’s focussing as much on outright efficiency as it is on the big numbers.
Still, while the Starray EM-i may not quite qualify for an ‘out of this world’ rating, it offers plenty of reasons to be cross-shopped against fellow Chinese and indeed established competitors in this sprawling section of the market.
How much does the Geely Starray EM-i cost?
As noted earlier, the Starray EM-i range is priced from just $37,490 for the entry-level Complete variant, and tops out at $39,990 for the Inspire flagship – all prices exclude on-road costs.
| Model | Price before on-road costs |
|---|---|
| Geely Starray EM-i Complete | $37,490 |
| Geely Starray EM-i Inspire | $39,990 |
If you have a Sydney postcode, the Complete will set you back a smidgen over $40,800 drive-away, which is within $900 of the all-inclusive price of the Chery Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid – Australia’s most affordable plug-in hybrid (PHEV).
The Starray EM-i undercuts the popular BYD Sealion 6 (from $42,990), as well as the Jaecoo J7 SHS ($47,990 D/A) and MG HS Super Hybrid (from $50,990 D/A). GWM’s new Haval H6 PHEV kicks off from $44,990 D/A too.
Beyond Chinese borders, the pre-facelift Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV started from $57,290 before on-roads, while the Mazda CX-60 PHEV (from $63,290) is far pricier. While it’s a little smaller in size, Cupra has just announced very sharp run-out pricing for the pre-update Formentor VZe PHEV with all the fruit, at $47,990 drive-away.
Until the end of November, Geely has a special launch offer for the Starray EM-i which includes:
- Mode 2 charging cable
- Complimentary premium paint
- Choice of either:
- 3.88 per cent p.a. comparison rate*
- 3 years complimentary scheduled servicing
*Finance rate based on 36-month term with no deposit requirement
To see how the Geely Starray EM-i lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
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What is the Geely Starray EM-i like on the inside?
If you’ve sat in the EX5, you’ll see it’s pretty much the same in here.
The two-spoke steering wheel is quite distinctive, as is the sweeping dashboard and centre console design, augmented by a slim 10.2-inch digital instrument closter and a big ol’ 15.4-inch central infotainment touchscreen.
While the base car is offered only with an Ebony Black interior, above you’ll see the available Ivory White option that’s exclusive to the Inspire, which really brightens things up and delivers a premium-leaning look.
Given Geely owns the likes of Volvo, Polestar and Zeekr, you won’t be surprised to learn much of the display hardware and parts of the interface have similarities to products from those more premium brands.
The screens are slick in resolution and response, with crisp graphics and smooth animations. For a car that doesn’t cost all that much, it certainly makes a very good impression with these initial touch points.
Most of our time with the vehicle was spent driving and focusing on the road, but as I’ve found previously with the EX5 and Zeekr X, the simple driver’s display could be more configurable and offer more information, while the touchscreen has one or two too many layers to its menus to find basic settings.
The climate controls are virtual but located on a permanent toolbar at the base of the screen. They work fine but don’t have the tactility of the physical controls just below the screen for key functions like the demisters.
Storage is decent, with a pair of phone trays ahead of the front centre armrest, which doubles as a lid for the central cubby, as well as cupholders under a folding lid – though they’re not super grippy – and door pockets that can accommodate loose items and slimmer bottles.
Perceived build quality is also very good, with soft-touch materials used throughout, as well as nice details like the pinstriped wood-like accents and flourishes of silver and chrome. It certainly looks and feels more expensive than it is.
Moving into the second row, there’s plenty of space for adults behind adults, and kids will be more than fine back here.
I’m 6’1″ and didn’t have any issues fitting comfortably behind my preferred driving position, even with the Inspire’s panoramic sunroof extending well into the rear cabin.
The seats are a little flat, which makes seating three across easier, but it also means there’s limited lateral support in corners. Still, you have plenty of amenities back here.
Map pockets, a fold-down centre armrest with cupholders, rear air vents, USB charge ports, top-tethers and ISOFIX points for child seats… it’s all there save for a dedicated third zone of climate controls.
Despite its big-ish dimensions, the Starray EM-i’s boot is no larger than a Mazda CX-5’s with the rear seats in place, at 428 litres. It does expand to a hefty 2065L with the rear seats folded, but that’s nothing special for the class.
And sadly, Geely doesn’t include a spare tyre of any kind. Instead, a tyre repair kit is fitted across the range.
| Dimensions | Geely Starray EM-i |
|---|---|
| Length | 4740mm |
| Width | 1905mm |
| Height | 1685mm |
| Wheelbase | 2755mm |
| Cargo capacity | 428-2065L |
To see how the Geely Starray EM-i lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What’s under the bonnet?
All versions of the Starray EM-i are powered by what Geely calls a ‘Super Hybrid’ system, combining a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack.
| Specifications | Geely Starray EM-i |
|---|---|
| Engine | 1.5L 4cyl petrol |
| Engine outputs | 73kW + 125Nm |
| Electric motor outputs | 160kW + 262Nm |
| System outputs | 193kW |
| Battery | 18.4kWh LFP |
| Max AC charge rate | 6.6kW |
| Max DC charge rate | 30kW |
| Transmission | 1-speed Dedicated Hybrid Transmission |
| Drive type | Front-wheel drive |
| 0-100km/h time | 8.0 seconds |
| Fuel economy (claimed) | 2.4L/100km |
| Energy consumption | 14.7kWh/100km |
| Electric driving range (WLTP) | 83km |
| Combined range (WLTP) | 943km |
| Fuel tank capacity | 51L |
| Fuel requirement | 95-octane premium unleaded |
| CO2 emissions | 54g/km |
| Emissions standard | Euro 6e |
| Tare mass | 1699-1739kg |
To see how the Geely Starray EM-i lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
How does the Geely Starray EM-i drive?
The Australian media launch drive took us from Sydney Airport out to the Hunter Valley, then back again.
Our outbound trip was a mix of freeway, highway and country B-roads, while the return leg the following morning was mostly cruising at 110km/h on the Pacific Highway.
Leaving Sydney’s city limits, I rode shotgun while my co-driver did an EV range test. Leaving the Starray in Electric mode, we managed 66.7km of zero-emissions driving on mostly freeway and highway driving, averaging 18.6kWh/100km.
That’s a little less range and a little higher energy consumption than the manufacturer’s claims (83km, 14.7kWh/100km), but given the driving conditions it’s not a bad result for a dry run.
Sitting on the front axle is a 160kW/262Nm electric motor, fed by an 18.4kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack. When in EV mode, there’s effortless punch and more than enough to get this SUV moving at decent clip.
It never feels all that quick, but for the target market it has plenty of grunt for daily duties and certainly feels perkier than rival SUVs with naturally aspirated petrol engines, let alone small-capacity turbocharged ones.
When running in ‘Hybrid’ mode, the Starray EM-i appears to lean more on the electric motor and uses the small petrol engine as a generator to maintain a certain level of charge. In this series hybrid mode, it’ll drive similar to something like a Nissan Qashqai e-Power.
You’ll hear the petrol engine fire up and turn off routinely, and it’s largely unobtrusive save for the odd occasion at higher speeds when it’ll randomly spin at quite high revs, making a bit of noise and vibration in the process.
Once the battery is flat, we were seeing fuel consumption sitting around the mid- to high-5.0L/100km, which is pretty good given the higher speeds and more spirited driving. Noting the 51L fuel capacity, you could probably do better than Geely’s combined range claim of 943km on a full tank of fuel and a fully charged battery.
As seems to be the case with a lot of Chinese vehicles, the driver controls and chassis are tuned more for comfort and ease of use rather than performance or engagement.
The ride is on the softer side even with the Inspire’s larger 19-inch alloys and 235/50 tyres, and we found on some stretches of B-road with 100km/h limits that the Starray could occasionally take one or two extra movements to settle over big undulations in the road – particularly at the rear – and there’s a bit of body lean in bends. Still, it rarely felt wallowy or cumbersome.
Steering feel is definitely on the lighter side of things and there’s a layer of insulation to the feedback, but the small wheel and relatively quick response makes the Geely feel quite manoeuvrable and almost keen.
Occasionally the brakes felt a little doughy, particularly on initial bite when it shifts between regen braking and mechanical braking. Geely isn’t alone in this, mind you, and you can get attuned to it fairly quickly.
General refinement is pretty good. As noted earlier, the engine is mostly muted across different driving scenarios, and there’s an acceptable level of road and wind noise at higher speeds, even over rougher patches of road.
The driver assistance tech is a point of difference compared to rival Chinese brands like Chery and GWM, in that it actually works most of the time in most real-world scenarios.
Where said rival brands can have issues with bad lane-keeping calibrations and shadow-braking cruise control systems, the Starray’s systems are very capable and do a pretty good job of assisting, not obstructing.
Our only real complaint is the emergency lane keeping feature was very pushy when driving through skinny, twisty B-roads, and the adaptive cruise would on occasion slow down far too much for curves in the highway.
To see how the Geely Starray EM-i lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What do you get?
Two variants will be available at launch, and even the ‘base’ model is pretty well specified.
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2025 Geely Starrary EM-i Complete equipment highlights:
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- LED headlights
- LED tail-lights
- LED daytime running lights
- 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster
- 15.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Satellite navigation
- Wireless Apple CarPlay
- Wireless Android Auto – OTA update Q1 2026
- 6-speaker sound system
- Automatic climate control
- Power front seat adjustment
- Heated front seats
- Geely Connected Services – 2 years
- Enhanced Voice Assistant
- 4G network connection
- Live traffic information
- Over-the-air updates
- Geely Application Store
- Online media streaming
- Remote vehicle functions
Geely Starray EM-i Inspire adds:
- 19-inch alloy wheels
- Power panoramic sunroof
- 13.4-inch head-up display
- Wireless smartphone charging
- 16-speaker 1000W Flyme premium sound system
- Power tailgate
- Front parking sensors
- 256-colour ambient interior lighting
- Ventilated front seats
- Driver seat memory function
To see how the Geely Starray EM-i lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
Is the Geely Starray EM-i safe?
The Starray EM-i is yet to receive an ANCAP safety rating, though the Chinese brand says it’s “confident” its new SUV will receive a five-star rating.
Standard safety features include:
- 7 airbags incl. front-centre
- Adaptive cruise control
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Collision mitigation support – front, rear
- Door open warning
- Driver fatigue alert
- Emergency lane-keep assist
- High-beam assist
- Hill descent control
- Multi-collision braking system
- Lane Changing Assist
- Lane-keep assist
- Occupant detection alert
- Rear cross-traffic assist
- Rear parking sensors
- Seatbelt reminders
- Surround View Monitor incl. 3D View
- Traffic sign information
Starray EM-i Inspire adds:
To see how the Geely Starray EM-i lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
How much does the Geely Starray EM-i cost to run?
Geely Australia covers the Starray EM-i range with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, while the high-voltage traction battery is covered for eight years or unlimited kilometres (during which time it’s guaranteed to retain 70 per cent original capacity).
| Servicing and Warranty | Geely Starray EM-i |
|---|---|
| Warranty | 7 years, unlimited kilometres |
| Roadside assistance | 12 months – then service activated up to 7 years |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 15,000 kilometres |
| Capped-price servicing | 5 years or 75,000km |
| Total capped-price service cost | $1932 |
For reference, the related Geely EX5 has longer distance intervals (20,000km) and capped-price service coverage which is cheaper over seven years ($1642) than the Starray is over five.
To see how the Geely Starray EM-i lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
CarExpert’s Take on the Geely Starray EM-i
The Geely Starray EM-i is more than just a ‘cheap’ new option in the bustling mid-size SUV segment with glossy presentation; it’s a genuinely well-rounded vehicle that is very strong value for money in such a competitive market sector.
It may not be an absolute standout in any metric, but solid performance across most attributes makes it a commendable budget-conscious option that feels more complete and better resolved than most other Chinese competitors.
Lengthy equipment lists, mostly well-calibrated on-board tech and a generally refined and efficient drive make this an attractive alternative to more expensive mainstream hybrid and plug-in hybrid medium SUVs. It’s also smartly presented inside and out.
Niggles like the overzealous lane-keeping and floaty high-speed ride can be excused given the incredibly sharp price point here, and Geely Australia has made no secret of its ongoing investment into expanding its retail and aftersales support networks.
If you’re willing to take a chance on a challenger brand in this segment, the Geely Starray EM-i has plenty to offer.
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