Buying a medium electric SUV these days is something of a fraught process, full of second-guessing and “what ifs?” around every corner.
Why? It’s simply because there are so many to choose from and the constant flow of new ones into the country shows little sign of slowing anytime soon, making settling on one an exercise in frustration as a better one could be just around the corner…
Luckily, however, it is genuinely difficult - if not downright impossible - to make a particularly poor choice, with almost everything in the segment offering solid reasons for buying them. Whether it be simply on price, or a more specific need, there is almost literally a medium electric SUV to suit everyone.
Take as an example of this, the Geely EX5 that is the latest medium electric SUV to hit our shores. Geely has freely admitted it developed it as a direct competitor to the BYD Atto 3, and why wouldn’t you?
The Atto 3 has been hugely successful both here and globally, so Geely took the very rational and sensible approach to simply mirror the Atto 3 in terms of features and equipment, but make it a bit bigger (the EX5 is more RAV4-sized than Atto 3-sized) and a bit more upmarket. Oh, and avoid all the weird gym references on the interior.
As a result the Geely EX5 is priced pretty much the same as the Atto 3, offers very similar levels of standard equipment, fractionally more power and torque, the same size battery (60kWh) with the same range (410km for this Inspire or 430km for the Complete model with smaller wheels), as well as a similar “blade” battery design that offers lighter weight and higher safety that traditional battery designs.
This means that the EX5 drops in at just over 1700kg (1715 to 1765, depending on the model), making it a featherweight in EV terms and roughly the same weight as a hybrid Toyota RAV4 that weighs in between 1705kg and 1760kg.
And this shows on the road, with the EX5 feeling lithe and agile and very much like an ICE-powered car through corners, with a delightfully compliant ride to boot. Yes, it is a soft family SUV and there is body roll, but it is well controlled and telegraphs its weight transfer superbly well, making it extremely predictable.
This lithe and agile feel is complimented by the responsive, but extremely light, steering that has very little feel to it in Comfort mode, but comes to life a bit more in Sport mode and is superbly accurate.
While it is definitely a FWD in terms of its handling characteristics, the EX5’s superbly calibrated traction and stability control keeps the vast majority of ill behaviour generated by dropping 320Nm of torque through the front wheels well in check. Even on very wet roads it simply refuses to push wide, with the power getting to the road being perfectly modulated by the system, ensuring there is also never any drastic loss of power either.
On a very wet, slippery road a small degree of wheelspin can briefly be generated if you nail it out of a corner, but the nose stays firmly on track throughout in an impressive display of computing power and the instantaneous nature of electric motors.
Not all of the electronics are quite right just yet though, with the intelligent cruise control being almost unusable on anything that isn't a main highway. On said highways it is actually quite impressive, adjusting its speed through corners quite happily, but put it on something a bit narrower and windier and it loses all sense of proportion, slowing dramatically for even the gentlest bend.
It’s really just a calibration issue (which can no doubt be addressed with an over-the-air update), and you can always use the less intelligent adaptive cruise control that doesn’t adjust its speed for corners or have any kind of steering assist on these sorts of roads leaving the intelligent system for highway use.
But the EX5’s biggest party trick for the open road is its absolutely superb ride quality. Controlled and compliant, it is delightfully capable of damping the worst New Zealand roads have to throw at it in a way that would make you think it simply couldn’t go around a corner to save itself. I mean, this is a superbly comfortable FWD SUV - it should be quite, well, floppy, right?
The fact that it isn’t, and is still superbly comfortable is a deeply impressive feat from Geely and all of this makes the EX5 a surprise out on the open road, but also a fantastically capable and usable urban runner around town.
That super-light steering is an absolute delight around town and this combined with the remarkable amount of steering lock makes parking the EX5 wonderfully easy.
Packed with tech and thoughtful touches (It has a “rest mode” that leaves the air con on, plays relaxing sounds and reclines the driver’s seat for a nap. And, yes, it will wake you after a specified time too), the EX5 is a truly surprising car, particularly for the money asked.
Add in Geely's impressive 7 year unlimited kilometre warranty (8 years on the battery) and Geely's pedigree with building quality EVs (this is the company behind Volvo, Polestar, Lotus and a partnership with Mercedes-Benz in Smart, remember) and you have a truly compelling medium SUV package.
That choice just got easier. Or is that even harder?
How much is the Geely EX5 Inspire?
While the EX5 range kicks off at $51,990 for the Complete model, the Inspire model we drive here lands at $55,990 and adds bigger 19-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, front ventilated massage seats, an electric tailgate, interior ambient lighting, a heads-up display and a very grunty premium audio system.
What are the key statistics for the Geely EX5 Inspire?
The EX5 sits on Geely's new GEA platfom that the company describes as a derivative of its SEA platform (that a number of Zeekr, Lynk & Co, Volvo, Polestar, Lotus and Smart EVs sit on) for "mainstream models" and uses a 60kWh lithium iron phosphate blade battery and a single 160kW/320Nm electric motor on the front axle.
Is the Geely EX5 Inspire efficient?
Geely claims a range of 410km from the Inspire's 60kWh battery and a WLTP combined average energy consumption of 16.6kWh/100km, and this seems to translate pretty accurately to the real world.
Is the Geely EX5 Inspire good to drive?
While the EX5 is definitely more comfort-oriented in terms of ride and handling, it puts up an extremely good showing for itself on a winding road, while - as you would expect - the ride is superb, making it an extremely satisfying medium SUV to drive both around town and on the open road.
Is the Geely EX5 Inspire practical?
With generous leg, should and head room, the EX5 feels like a much larger can inside than it actually is. This translates into an extremely practical SUV with plenty of storage around the cabin and a 302 litre boot that also boasts a huge 108 litre underfloor storage compartment. Add in V2V and V2L charging and a camping mode and you have a truly practical SUV for any occasion. Except for camping too far off road, that is - it is FWD, remember...
What do we like about the Geely EX5 Inspire?
Superbly comfortable and spacious, the EX5 also has a fantastic ride and is incredibly well-equipped and well-built for the money. Despite the compliant ride it also handles surprisingly well, oh and the stereo in the Inspire is an absolute banger as well.
What don’t we like about the Geely EX5 Inspire?
It is a bit bland and generic looking, although it did grow on us after a few days. The "Intelligent" cruise control definitely isn't suited to country roads.
What kind of person would the Geely EX5 Inspire suit?
Someone who wants a spacious, comfortable and supremely easy-to-live with medium SUV that is actually more like a car to drive and packs a huge amount of standard kit for comparatively little money.
