Geely Starray EM-i UK First Drive Review

What this review is based on

I drove the Geely Starray EM-i at the official UK launch event and had around 30 minutes in the car. That is enough time to get a useful first impression of the way it drives, how the hybrid system behaves and how the cabin feels, but it is not a full road test.

In that short time, I was impressed. It felt composed, practical, spacious and well put together, and the switch between electric and petrol power was smooth enough that it faded into the background. I cannot give a firm verdict yet on real-world range or efficiency because I did not have the car for long enough. For now, this is a promising first drive rather than a final judgement.

I was invited to the UK launch of the Geely Starray EM-i at Longcross Studios in Surrey, which all felt very “influencer life” for a Tuesday. Big reveal. Big screens. A room full of dealers, partners, press, brand people and plenty of coffee, which is always appreciated. The reveal was hosted by Louise Houghton, with Mike Yang from Geely Auto UK and Mark Blundell on stage talking through the brand, the technology, the UK plans and where this car sits in the market.

Then came the bit that actually matters. Driving it. And now the Starray EM-i is available in the UK, I think it’s one of those cars people should probably be paying more attention to.

What is the Geely Starray EM-i?

The Starray EM-i is a mid-size plug-in hybrid SUV with a 1.5-litre petrol engine, an electric motor and a choice of two battery sizes.

The Pro and Max models get an 18.4kWh battery with up to 51 miles of electric-only WLTP range. The Ultra gets a larger 29.8kWh battery with up to 84 miles of electric-only WLTP range.

That 84-mile figure is the big headline because, for a lot of people, that is more than enough for several days of local driving without troubling the petrol engine at all. Even the smaller battery should cover most daily commutes, especially if you can charge at home or at work.

Officially, it produces 262PS, does 0-62mph in 8.0 seconds and has a top speed of 105mph. It is front-wheel drive and uses a dedicated hybrid transmission.

In normal English, it is quick enough, smooth enough and clearly built more around efficiency than excitement.

Looks: confident, modern and not too shouty

In person, the Starray EM-i has a strong SUV stance without looking overdone.

Some new cars, especially from newer brands in the UK, can look like they’ve been designed by five different committees who all wanted their own “signature moment”. This doesn’t. It looks clean, modern and quietly premium.

Geely described the design at the launch as imposing yet elegant, and I can see what they were getting at. It has presence, but it doesn’t look desperate for attention.

The front end is smooth and quite futuristic, with slim LED lighting, a sculpted nose and a broad stance. From the side, it has that upright family SUV shape people clearly want, but it still looks reasonably sleek.

Geely says aerodynamic efficiency was a big focus, with more than 150 hours of wind tunnel testing and a drag coefficient of 0.288Cd. That might sound like brochure talk, but it does matter. Better aero helps efficiency, stability and refinement, and on the move the Starray EM-i does feel calm and settled.

Inside: this is where it makes its strongest first impression

The cabin was the bit that surprised me most.

It does not feel like a cheap car. It does not feel like a new brand desperately trying to impress you with gimmicks. It feels well put together, comfortable and genuinely quite upmarket for the price.

The materials around the dashboard, centre console and main touch points feel good. The buttons and switches that are there feel nicely damped. The seats are supportive. The driving position is easy to get comfortable in. Visibility is good, which matters far more in day-to-day life than some dramatic styling line on the outside.

What Car? has said the interior has plenty of showroom appeal, and I agree. It feels like the kind of cabin that would impress someone coming out of a more familiar mainstream SUV.

You can also see the connection to the Geely EX5 in the general layout, but the Starray EM-i has its own feel. The black interior is smart, and on the Ultra there is the option of a lighter Cloud White finish if you want something more premium-looking.

On Max and Ultra models, you also get features like the panoramic sunroof, head-up display, upgraded audio, ventilated driver’s seat and power tailgate. These are the sorts of things that make it feel more expensive than it is.

Space and practicality: this is the proper family car bit

This is where the Starray EM-i really works.

Rear space is excellent. I’m always slightly suspicious when a car brand talks about “lounge-like comfort”, but the back of this genuinely is roomy. There is loads of legroom, good headroom and a flat floor, which makes the middle rear seat more usable than it is in some rivals.

If you regularly have adults in the back, children in seats, teenagers who seem to grow three inches every week, or friends who expect lifts everywhere, this is going to be a very easy car to live with.

Boot space is also strong at 528 litres, rising to 2,065 litres with the rear seats folded. The boot opening is wide, the shape is usable, and it feels like it has been designed for real life rather than just to look good on a specification sheet.

There are also more than 30 storage compartments around the cabin. This is the sort of thing that sounds boring until you actually live with a car.

Cupholders. Phone trays. Somewhere for keys. Somewhere for sunglasses. Somewhere for cables. Somewhere for the random receipt you’ll find six weeks later and have no memory of keeping.

That stuff matters.

Carwow has pointed out that some of the smaller storage areas could be better, and I can see that point. Not every cubby is perfect. But overall, as a practical SUV, this is strong.

Tech: big screens, lots of kit, but some menus could be simpler

The Starray EM-i gets a 15.4-inch central touchscreen, a 10.2-inch digital driver display and, on Max and Ultra models, a 13.8-inch head-up display.

On first impression, the main screen looks sharp, bright and modern. It runs Geely’s Flyme Auto system and includes online navigation, voice control, over-the-air updates and access to connected services. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard, which is what most people will probably use day-to-day.

There is also AI voice control, which Geely says can handle more than 200 commands. You can use it for climate, navigation, infotainment and even the panoramic sunroof on models fitted with one.

Now, here is where I’m going to be honest. The screen looks good, but I do think there is a bit too much hidden away in the touchscreen.

Carwow and What Car? both picked up on this, and I agree with the general point. For some settings, you find yourself prodding through menus when you’d rather just press a normal button. Heated seats, drive settings, regen options and some climate functions would be easier if they were more physical.

There is a rotary controller on the centre console, which helps a bit, but it does not solve everything.

This is not a Geely-only problem. Lots of brands are doing this now, including some very established ones. But for me, the best car interiors still give you a proper mix of touchscreen, voice, steering wheel controls and actual physical buttons.

The Starray EM-i gets a lot right, but the software layout is probably one of the areas I’d want to spend more time with on a longer test.

How it drives: relaxed, comfortable and nicely responsive

The route at Longcross was not a full UK road test, so I’m not going to pretend I’ve lived with the car for a week. But as a first drive, it gave a good sense of what the Starray EM-i is about.

The main impression is comfort.

It feels calm. It takes bumps well. The suspension has clearly been set up with real roads in mind, not just perfect launch-event tarmac. It doesn’t crash about or feel brittle, and that matters in the UK because most of our roads now seem to have been styled by someone with a deep hatred of alloy wheels.

Geely also worked with Lotus on chassis and dynamics assessment, including UK roads, the Lotus test track and rig testing. Does that mean it drives like a Lotus? No. Absolutely not. But it does feel more composed than you might expect from a comfort-focused plug-in hybrid SUV.

The steering has decent weight, it turns in cleanly enough and it feels stable through corners. I wouldn’t call it exciting, but I would call it reassuring.

Carwow described it as better on a twisty road than some of its Chinese-brand rivals, while still not something for enthusiastic drivers. That feels fair. This is not a car you buy because you want Sunday morning B-road thrills. It is a car you buy because you want a comfortable, efficient, well-equipped SUV that doesn’t feel like a penalty box.

The hybrid system is at its best when you drive it normally. Around town and at steady speeds, it feels smooth and easy. The electric motor does a lot of the work, so it feels responsive without needing to be thrashed.

Push it harder and the petrol engine can get vocal. Again, that is something other reviewers have mentioned, and it is something I noticed too. If you ask for full acceleration, you hear the engine working. It is not dreadful, but it is not the most refined part of the car.

Driven properly, though, it suits the car. Gentle inputs, make the most of the electric range, let the hybrid system do its thing, and it feels like a very easy car to live with.

Electric range and efficiency: the bit that could win people over

For me, this is the real selling point.

A plug-in hybrid only makes sense if you actually plug it in. If you don’t, you are basically carrying around a battery you’re not using. But if you can charge regularly, the Starray EM-i could work brilliantly.

The Pro and Max models offer up to 51 miles of electric-only WLTP range. The Ultra offers up to 84 miles.

That means a lot of people could do most of their weekly driving on electric power, then still have the petrol engine there for longer journeys. No range anxiety. No need to plan every trip around charging stops. No drama if the public charger is blocked, broken or being used by someone who has disappeared into a service station for a full three-course meal.

The Ultra’s larger battery is the one that really stands out. Up to 84 miles from a plug-in hybrid SUV is a strong figure, and What Car? noted that it beats several familiar plug-in hybrid rivals for official electric-only range.

Charging is also better than you might expect. The smaller battery can DC charge at up to 30kW, taking around 20 minutes from 30-80%. The Ultra can DC charge at up to 60kW, taking around 16 minutes from 30-80%.

You can also charge at home using a 7kW wallbox, which is what most plug-in hybrid owners will do most of the time.

At the launch, one of the stories that stuck with me was Geely’s UK showroom road trip. Before the reveal, a Starray EM-i had been sent around the country visiting dealerships, and Geely said it covered more than 500 miles on one full charge and one tank of fuel.

That is the hybrid benefit people actually understand. Electric driving for daily life. Petrol backup for long trips.

Safety: solid, sensible and reassuring

Geely made a big point about safety during the launch, and that is no surprise when you remember the wider Geely group includes brands such as Volvo and Polestar.

I’m not saying the Starray EM-i feels like a Volvo. It doesn’t. But it does have that reassuringly solid feel that matters in a family SUV.

The Starray EM-i has been awarded a five-star Euro NCAP rating and comes with seven airbags, a 360-degree camera system and a long list of driver assistance features across the range. That includes adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assistance, blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert, door open warning and traffic sign information.

Geely also talked at the launch about the structure, battery protection and fast high-voltage shut-off systems in the event of a collision. It was very technical in places, but the simple takeaway is that this car has clearly been engineered with safety as a major part of the package.

Which version makes the most sense?

There are three trims: Pro, Max and Ultra.

The Pro starts from £29,990 and already gives you a strong amount of kit, including heated electric front seats, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, keyless entry and the smaller 18.4kWh battery with up to 51 miles of electric range.

The Max, from £32,690, feels like the sweet spot for a lot of people. You add the head-up display, panoramic sunroof, 16-speaker Flyme audio system and power tailgate. It keeps the same 51-mile electric range but adds a lot of the nicer everyday features.

The Ultra, from £34,990, is the one to choose if range is your priority. It gets the larger 29.8kWh battery, up to 84 miles of electric range and faster DC charging.

Personally, I’d be torn between Max and Ultra. The Max probably gives you the best balance of price and equipment, but the Ultra’s bigger battery is very tempting. If you can charge at home and your weekly mileage fits that electric range, the Ultra could cut a lot of petrol use.

What are the drawbacks?

No car is perfect, and the Starray EM-i has a few things I’d want to spend more time with before giving a full verdict.

The infotainment system looks great, but some features are buried too deeply in menus. I’d like more physical controls for everyday functions.

The petrol engine can sound noisy when you ask for hard acceleration, so it is at its best when driven smoothly.

It also isn’t a driver’s car. It is composed and comfortable, but it won’t make a Ford Kuga feel nervous on a twisty road. If you care about handling above everything else, this probably isn’t the SUV for you.

And then there is the brand question. Geely is still new to a lot of UK buyers, even though the wider group behind it is huge. Some people will need time to get comfortable with the badge. That said, an eight-year or 125,000-mile warranty will help.

Final verdict: a really credible new plug-in hybrid SUV

The Geely Starray EM-i left a good first impression.

It is spacious, comfortable, well equipped, good value and properly practical. The interior feels more expensive than the price suggests, the rear space is excellent, the boot is strong and the electric range, especially on the Ultra, is genuinely impressive.

It is not perfect. The touchscreen needs simplifying in places, the engine can get noisy under load and it is not going to thrill anyone who still judges every SUV like it should be a hot hatch.

But that is not really the point.

The Starray EM-i feels like a car designed for people who want an easy, efficient, family-friendly SUV that can do most daily driving on electric power but still handle a long trip without planning life around chargers.

As a first drive, I came away thinking this could be a very sensible choice for both personal and business users, especially on lease or contract hire.

I’d like to spend a few days with one properly, doing normal miles, normal charging, normal Brighton traffic and normal life. But based on the launch and first drive, the Geely Starray EM-i feels like a strong new option in the UK plug-in hybrid SUV market.

And honestly, if Geely keeps this up, a lot more people are going to start paying attention.