I was invited to the UK launch of the Geely Starray EM-i at Longcross Studios in Surrey. Proper “influencer life” stuff. Big set, big reveal, and a room full of dealers, partners, press and brand people.
The reveal was hosted by Louise Houghton, with Mike Yang (Managing Director, Geely Auto UK) and Mark Blundell (Chief Marketing Officer) on stage talking through the brand story, the tech, and where this car sits in the market.
Then we got to do what matters.
Drive it.
The quick take
The Starray EM-i is a plug-in hybrid SUV that feels like it’s been designed around everyday UK driving.
Not a “look what I can do” performance toy.
More a “this will make your life easier” kind of car.
Looks: confident, modern, and quietly premium
In person, the Starray EM-i has a confident SUV stance without looking overstyled. Geely described the design as “imposing yet elegant”, and I can see why.
They also made a point about it being more aero than you’d expect for this shape, quoting a drag coefficient of 0.288 and saying those aero details help with stability and cabin quietness.
Lighting is a big part of the identity too, including full LED headlights and tail lights, plus LED cornering lights.
Wheels on the UK car include 19-inch low drag alloy wheels (on Pro), which suit the “efficient SUV” vibe.
Inside: it feels European, in the best way
If you want one sentence: it feels more “European mainstream” than “new brand trying too hard”.
Fit and finish stood out straight away. The launch team even called out the materials and the reassuring feel around the centre console and touch points.
You also get a choice of interior colours, including Ebony Black, with Cloud White listed as an option on Ultra.
And the vibe at night is great. On higher trims there are 256-colour ambient cabin lights, which makes the interior feel properly upmarket.
Storage: the sort of thing you notice every day
This is one of my favourite parts, because it’s not sexy, but it’s the stuff that makes you like a car after two weeks.
Geely says there are 30+ storage compartments. And you can feel that in practice:
- Cupholders are actually usable, not an afterthought
- There are places for keys, cables, coffee, sunglasses, receipts
- You don’t end up using the passenger seat as a “stuff shelf”
Boot space is also strong at 528 litres, rising to 2,065 litres with the rear seats folded.
Rear legroom is excellent too. If you do airport runs, school runs, or you’re just the designated “mates in the back” driver, this one is going to work.
Panoramic sunroof and comfy seats
On Max and Ultra, you can get the panoramic power sunroof with a power sunshade, and it genuinely lifts the cabin.
Seat comfort is a big win:
- Heated front seats are standard
- Ventilated driver seat and driver seat memory are listed on higher trims
- The front passenger seat can fold fully flat (all trims), which is a brilliant real-world feature
Tech: fast screens, built-in services, and lots to play with
The screen set-up feels modern and clear:
- 15.4-inch HD central screen
- 10.2-inch driver display
- 13.8-inch head-up display on Max and Ultra
It runs FLYME AUTO and includes built-in services like online navigation, online multimedia, and a Geely app store, plus over-the-air updates. It’s the kind of system that can stand on its own without you having to rely on your phone for everything.
(Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are there too, which is still what most people will use day-to-day.)
AI and “efficiency meets intelligence”
Geely talks about a four-in-one AI architecture, blending hardware, systems, ecosystem and AI, plus E-Motive Intelligence to optimise efficiency and drive characteristics.
In normal-person terms: it’s designed to manage the hybrid system smoothly, and keep everything feeling consistent and easy.
How it drives: comfy over bumps, planted in corners
This is where it won me over.
It’s composed over bumps. The suspension feels like it’s been tuned for real roads, not perfect press-launch tarmac.
Through corners, it feels stable and planted, which you don’t always get with a comfort-focused SUV. It doesn’t egg you on like a hot hatch, but it’s not sleepy either.
Punchy is the word. Not a performance car. Just nicely responsive, and easy to place on the road.
Geely also made the point that the car has three drive modes: Pure, Hybrid, and Power.
Economical in the way that matters
The headline here is that it should let lots of people do most of their weekly driving on electric power alone.
- Up to 51 miles WLTP EV range (18.4 kWh battery)
- Up to 84 miles WLTP EV range (29.8 kWh battery, Ultra)
What really stuck with me from the event though was their road trip story. Before the launch, Geely sent a Starray EM-i around the country, visiting showrooms. They said it covered 500+ miles on one full charge and one tank of fuel.
That’s the sort of “hybrid benefit” people actually care about.
Safety: you can feel the Volvo DNA, even if it’s still Geely
Geely made a big deal about safety in the live reveal.
They referenced opening the “world’s largest and most advanced automotive testing centre”, and talked through the structure designed to deflect and absorb impact. They also highlighted fast reaction safety systems, describing power cutting within milliseconds in an incident scenario.
On the driver assistance side, Geely calls out Level 2 intelligent driver assistance plus a 540-degree panoramic vision system. During the broadcast, they also stated the car has a five-star Euro NCAP rating.
It’s also worth remembering Geely sits within the wider Geely group, which includes Volvo and Polestar, and that association with safety is hard to ignore.
I’m not saying it drives like a Volvo.
I am saying it gave me that same “this feels solid” confidence.
Awards: it’s already being noticed internationally
A nice little flex from the launch presentation: they said the Starray EM-i has picked up four major international design awards between 2024 and 2025, including Red Dot and A’ Design Award (Gold), plus Muse Platinum and International Design Award (Silver).
When can you get one in the UK?
This is a first impressions piece, so I’m not going to pretend I’ve lived with it yet. I’d love to spend a few days doing proper real-world miles and see how it fits into normal life.
What I can say is this: it already feels like a car that’ll make a lot of sense on personal and business contract hire.
It should also soon be available to lease through brokers like Rivervale, which is where a lot of people will likely pick it up. Watch this space.
Want a full review?
I’m really hoping to get the new Geely Starray EM-i for a few days is I can do a proper deep dive on:
- Real MPG and EV range in UK weather
- Long motorway runs
- Family and boot practicality
- Tech and app reliability over time
