First Drive: Can the Geely Starray stand out in a crowded market?

What is it?

Yes, we know what you’re thinking – another Chinese-made SUV? Well, Geely certainly thinks that the UK has space for its latest offering – the Starray – which arrives here to expand the brand’s initial EX5 model, which was launched last year.

With its plug-in hybrid setup, competitive price and generous kit levels, the Starray could be fit for a variety of motorists, but is it going to actually stand out in a market already as crowded as a station platform at rush hour? We’ve been finding out.

What’s new?

It’s fair to say that the Starray’s rivals are numerous. You’ve got firm favourites in the Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage, as well as other Chinese-made models like the Chery Tiggo 7 and MG HS. Then, of course, there’s the Jaecoo 7 which has been a runaway success in the UK since it first went on sale.

Geely thinks that the Starray can do something different through an upmarket interior and a real focus on efficiency which should, in theory, make this car cheaper to run than many others.

What’s under the bonnet?

Geely is launching the Starray exclusively with a plug-in hybrid setup. That means a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine forms the core, to which you get a single electric motor and battery connected to it for efficiency and electric-only run time. Two battery sizes – 18.4 and 29.8kWh – will be available, offering respective electric-only ranges of 51 and 84 miles. Emissions are low, too, with Geely stating figures of 54 and 32g/km CO2 for the smaller and larger battery models, respectively.

However, regardless of which battery size you opt for, you’re getting 259bhp and 262Nm of torque, equating to a 0-60mph time of 7.7 seconds. Geely claims that the Starray will return just over 98mpg, too, though you’ll need to run on electric-only power for nearly all of the time in order to achieve this.

What’s it like to drive?

The Geely Starray has been designed to favour electric-only running and so, for much of the time, it does feel like an EV to drive with smooth acceleration and linear responses. We’re in the smaller-battery version, but with its 54-mile range, there’s still plenty of charge to pootle about on electric power for much of the time. Like others, if you really need to accelerate hard, then the 1.5-litre engine sparks into life and it’s incredibly vocal when it does. It revs hard and doesn’t translate this sound into much forward momentum, which disrupts things.

When you are up to speed, the Starray suffers from quite a bit of wind and road noise, too. Ride-wise, this SUV leans more heavily on the comfort side of things and though that does mean it deals quite well with big potholes, it can feel a bit lean-heavy at times. It also suffers from a slight pitter-patter at lower speeds, with the wheels picking up more minor imperfections in the road.

How does it look?

It’s fair to say that the Starray does little to be controversial in terms of styling – to our eyes at least. As we’ve mentioned, there are plenty of rivals in this class, but whereas other options like the Kia Sportage try to bring a bit of character, the Starray’s rounded, smoothed-off look isn’t all that inspiring.

You do get a good choice of colours, mind you, with a premium-looking green shade being one of our favourites.

What’s it like inside?

Again, a little like the outside, the Starray doesn’t do much to inspire on the inside. That said, everything that you need is right there: a large central screen and a smaller display ahead of the steering wheel for your key information, as well as a few handy physical buttons to control the fan speed. There’s quite a cool t-shape design to the dashboard, too, which envelopes driver and passenger in two separate sections. A large rotary dial for the volume is a much-needed extra to the largely screen-centric design, too.

In the back, the Starray benefits from a completely flat floor, so even the person sitting in the middle will have room to stretch out. While there is a pair of USB charging points, the material quality takes a big drop when you move to the back, with harsh, unpleasant materials on key touch points. However, you do get a handy 528-litre boot – made up of 428 litres as standard and an extra 100 litres under the adjustable floor – and you can expand this to just over 2,000 litres by folding down the rear seats. It does have practicality ticked off, as a result.

What’s the spec like?

As we’ve come to expect from the latest flurry of Chinese brands, Geely is pricing its Starray competitively. Prices start from £29,990 in entry-level Pro, rising to £32,690 for mid-tier Max and finishing at £34,990 for range-topping Ultra. However, even standard Pro cars get a broad range of standard features, including heated front seats, keyless entry and both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Mid-range Max cars like our test model get a ventilated driver’s seat, a head-up display and wireless charging, alongside a panoramic sunroof which did help to make the whole car feel a lot lighter inside. Only range-topping Ultra cars will get the larger battery option, mind you, so it’s worth bearing this in mind. Geely is also launching the Starray with an eight-year warranty – currently the longest you’ll find on any new car in the UK. It’s also being offered with some fiercely competitive finance options.

Verdict

There are lots of reasons why the Geely Starray might prove appealing. With its plug-in hybrid setup, it could prove to be cheap to run, while inside it’s spacious and practical. It even has a well-sized boot and a decent level of kit regardless of which spec you go for.

But does it do anything different from others in the segment? Not particularly. Its driving experience certainly doesn’t inspire much, though in this area of the market where prices and monthly instalments reign supreme, the Starray could still do well.