Geely Starray EM-i Inspire 2026 review

Even among the many Chinese car brands that have launched in Australia in recent months — nearly all of which are unfamiliar — Geely sounds particularly nondescript.

We think it’s going to be a name to remember, though. Making cars for nearly 40 years, Geely Automotive Holdings (GAH) owns Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, Zeekr, Lynk & Co and a few other badges. It has simply taken time to launch the ‘home brand’ outside the People’s Republic of China.

Among GAH’s coterie of premium and sporting brands, think of Geely like the Toyota of that universe: a specialist in mainstream vehicles. In China, the Geely lineup is Toyota-esque in its extensiveness, even if only two models have launched in Australia thus far.

The first was a cut-price midsize battery electric (BEV) SUV called the EX5. Though you’d struggle to remember it after it drove by, pricing kicking off at $40,990 plus on-road costs has been sufficient to attract attention, undercutting a Tesla Model Y by nearly $20K.

Unlike Tesla, Geely is not BEV-exclusive, and the EX5’s plug-in hybrid (PHEV) cousin — the Starray EM-i — has now hit local shores, with Australia nabbing the hybrid crossover first out of any export market.

Thanks to a considerably smaller usable battery (the Starray PHEV’s 17kWh pack plays the EX5’s 60kWh unit), costs are lower: the $37,490 (+ ORCs) Starray Complete base model is Australia’s second-cheapest PHEV, trailing only the Chery Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid.

Aside from the entry-grade Complete spec being a misnomer, the cheapest Starray is also currently absent from Australia with all launch cars being of the richer Inspire spec ($39,990 + ORCs, or about $44K driveaway in most states).

Geely says it’s unconcerned with being the cheapest in market, but there’s no avoiding that even the generously equipped Inspire is at least $2500 cheaper than a spartan base-grade Toyota RAV4 GX hybrid ($42,260 + ORCs).

So, is there a catch, or is the Geely Starray EM-i a great-value family SUV buy? We tested an example for 600km, across varied terrain, to find out.

What are the Starray EM-i Inspire’s features and options for the price?

As the Australian car market segment generating the most sales, it’s no surprise that most midsize SUV lineups are byzantine in nature with multiple trim grades and option packs providing choice … but also confusing the purchase process.

For now, Geely Australia has kept things far simpler when it comes to the Starray (and the EX5 BEV too, in fairness).

To start with, all Starrays are mechanically identical, utilising GAH’s most basic PHEV system which pairs a small 1.5-litre petrol engine which acts as a generator for modestly powerful front electric motor (160kW/262Nm). No AWD version is available.

An 18.3kWh (approximately 17kWh usable) lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery is fitted. This is topped up by energy from the petrol engine, or it can optionally be externally charged via AC power (6.6kW) or DC fast-charging (30kW).

In essence, Aussies can choose to charge up the Starray for 67km (tested) electric range or simply fill it with petrol and run it in hybrid mode for around 800km total range. Simple!

There are just two trim grades, and for the PHEV, the shallow price gulf between the two variants virtually assures that most buyers will spring for the higher tier Inspire.

The as-yet untested $37,490 (+ ORCs) Starray Complete includes reasonable specification for its circa $40K driveaway tag, including 18-inch alloy wheels, all-round LED lighting, silver exterior trim, roof rails, rear parking sensors, and a 360-degree camera.

Inside, the Complete features vinyl upholstery with front row heating and power adjustment (six-way for driver, four-way for passenger), a Flyme infotainment system with 15.4-inch touchscreen and 10.0-inch digital instrument cluster, six-speaker stereo, climate control air conditioning, and wireless Apple CarPlay.

By comparison, the Inspire ($39,990 + ORCs) adds larger 19-inch multi-spoke alloys, a panoramic opening glass sunroof with shade, power tailgate, front parking sensors, head-up display, wireless device charger, 16-speaker premium stereo, 256-colour ambient lighting, cooled front seats, and memory for the driver’s seat.

That’s a huge upgrade in spec for just $2500 more, so for private buyers (rather than fleets) the Inspire appears to make much more sense and is great value for money.

Orders placed in the first week of sales (until 30 September 2025) receive a further $1000 discount while orders to 30 November 2025 provide a few freebies, including a Type 2 charging cable, premium paint (normally $600), and a choice of discounted financing or three years/45,000km complimentary servicing.

Six paints are available, with Alpine White standard and Polar Black, Jungle Green, Glacier Blue, Volcanic Grey, and Cloudveil Silver ordinarily priced at $600. The Inspire also offers a no-cost choice of an Ivory White interior instead of the standard Ebony Black.

How does the Starray EM-i Inspire drive?

The Geely Starray is not the best or most enjoyable midsize SUV to drive, but given its sharp pricing, that may not matter much.

With a softly sprung ride quality offering a cushy drive around town, commuting in the Starray is easy-breezy. On country roads, however, the suspension quickly runs out of bandwidth, exposing a lack of body control.

Geely’s parent company builds some very sophisticated PHEV systems, but the Starray sits at the basic end with its EM-i setup. In China, EM-i is unremarkable, yet under Australia’s new emissions regime, simple PHEVs like this are likely to replace the naturally aspirated petrol/CVT combinations common in Japanese/Korean rivals.

The EM-i powertrain is better than these alternatives. Its 160kW/262Nm electric motor feels lively, especially when the battery is charged.

But when the modest 73kW/125Nm 1.5-litre petrol engine cuts in, refinement droops. The engine is noisy, coarse, and step-off acceleration can lag until revs rise.

While Geely claims it adapted the suspension locally, little retuning of substance appears to have been completed.

Rivals such as the Toyota RAV4 and Hyundai Tucson strike a superior balance of comfort and control; by contrast, the Starray’s oversoft springs can pogo across bumpy country roads, unsettling passengers and denting driver confidence.

To be clear, the Starray is not unsafe — slowing down reduces the pogo effect — but well-sorted rivals from Japan, Korea and Europe show that floaty suspension simply is not necessary.

Around town, the plush setup works in the Starray’s favour, soaking up potholes and expansion joints with ease even on 19-inch wheels. Steering feel is less convincing, being vague around centre and only weighting-up with significant lock.

Given Geely’s access to expertise from brands like Lotus and Polestar, there is no reason future versions of the Starray could not deliver more polished ride/handling balance without sacrificing comfort.

What is the Starray EM-i Inspire’s interior and tech like?

Think of the Starray as ‘China’s RAV4 hybrid’ and you’re in the ballpark.

The cabin of this Geely SUV is not meant to be luxe or special, but it is quite comfortable, stacked with standard equipment, and the holistic execution is better than that of most midsize SUV rivals — despite the Geely’s low price.

Many Chinese cars have relatively homogenous interior design and the Starray is no exception. The cabin is totally inoffensive — even a touch bland — with ubiquitous vinyl covering surfaces above the beltline and a 15.4-inch landscape touchscreen drawing the eye to the centre of the dashboard.

We don’t expect unique design at a $40,000 price point and none of this detracts points from the Starray.

If anything, we think this is exactly what an affordable family SUV’s interior should be like, mostly avoiding rough plastics that can be evident in low-end versions of the RAV4, Tucson, Sportage, and so on.

The ergonomics of the Starray’s interior are acceptable, with key controls (including a proper indicator stalk, column gear selector and volume knob) all falling easily to hand while the Geely Flyme operating system is based around large touch targets.

Seat comfort is reasonable, with good back support despite lacking lumbar adjustment across the range. The Inspire’s inclusion of front seat ventilation is, in warmer months, worth the $2500 upcharge while that grade’s Flyme-branded premium audio is decent.

Wireless Apple CarPlay takes up the entire screen but always leaves a climate control bar on display while wireless Android Auto will be added to the Starray via over-the-air update in Q1 2026. Speaking of, two gigabytes of online connectivity per month is included for 24 months.

More impressive still is the back seat, which is spacious and properly comfortable (oddly with greater under-thigh support than the front seats!).

Six-footers easily fit in row two, while the middle seat is fine for occasional use. Air vents and soft-touch materials flow through into the back seats.

Behind the Inspire’s power tailgate (it is manual on Complete) sits a solid 528 litres of cargo capacity with a sturdy cargo blind and boot floor. No spare wheel and tyre is fitted.

Is the Starray EM-i Inspire a safe car?

The Starray has not yet received a rating from Australia’s new car crash and safety assessment body, ANCAP. Geely is hoping to receive a five-star score.

Standard safety features fitted to the Starray on both grades include autonomous emergency braking (AEB), seven airbags, adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic alert with braking, lane keeping assistance, traffic sign recognition, blind spot monitoring, driver attention monitoring, and the ability to detect an occupant left in the vehicle.

We’ll have to wait and see what the official safety rating is.

What we could glean from our test was that some Starray adaptive safety features are well-tuned (including cruise control and the 360-degree camera), but others are totally overzealous and frustrating to interact with.

We were driven to adopt a ‘pre-flight checks’ procedure that involved disabling audible speed limit warnings, driver monitoring, and lane keep assist on every drive.

These three features, which re-enable themselves every time you start the car, are hyper-sensitive and often inaccurate.

What are the Starray EM-i Inspire’s ownership costs?

Like any PHEV, the Starray’s fuel costs differ based on whether you charge up the battery.

Charge it and the Geely can be extremely cheap to run; ignore the battery and run it like a regular petrol-hybrid SUV and it’s still… frankly still quite economical!

First, a quirk. Geely claims that on a full charge, the circa-17kWh LFP battery pack can provide 83km electric range (WLTP).

We found that was not possible — not because it was too thirsty but because the Starray does not allow drivers to use the last 20 percent of the battery.

Our electric range test saw us drive 67km on electric power alone before the engine forced itself on at 20 percent state of charge. Had we been able to use the remaining 20 percent, our result infers out to 83km… or precisely the claim.

But if drivers cannot access the battery charge required to achieve the claim, should the claim be that high? We think not.

Still, 67km on electric power alone would allow most Australian owners to commute without waking up the petrol engine.

If you need to drive further than 67km (or if you simply don’t charge the battery), our testing confirms the following fuel economy when the petrol engine is required:

• Urban driving: 7.0L/100km
• Highway driving: 5.9L/100km

That fuel efficiency is slightly worse than what you would achieve in a Toyota RAV4 hybrid (which is not a PHEV) — but it is pretty good. Given the Starray has a 51-litre petrol tank, it will travel 864km highway on the highway before it runs dry.

Servicing is required every 12 months/15,000km, with the first five years costing $1932 — about average for the class.

Geely offers a long vehicle warranty of seven years/unlimited kilometres while the high-voltage components (including the traction battery) are warranted for eight years/unlimited kilometres.

The honest verdict on the Starray EM-i Inspire

The Geely Starray shows us the future of affordable motoring in Australia.

We think cheap-and-cheerful SUVs will increasingly be like the Starray, combining a modest petrol engine to generate electricity for a modest plug-in hybrid system.

If PHEV systems like this prove to be reliable in the long-term, this setup would represent a positive change for family cars. With the electric motor doing most of the heavy lifting, the Starray is quieter, more refined, much more economical and thus cheaper to run than the average SUV.

Combine those virtues with the very fair purchase price, generous standard equipment, acceptable interior quality and passable driving dynamics and it the Geely Starray represents great value for money.

That said, it isn’t perfect. We’d love to see Geely improve the ride and handling of this SUV in future to make it easier to recommend against familiar hybrid rivals.