2026 Geely EX2 review: Quick drive

China's most popular car is coming to Australia – meet the 2026 Geely EX2.

This compact, all-electric hatchback took the Chinese market by storm last year, with over 465,000 examples sold in its homeland in 2025.

At 4135mm long and 1805mm wide, it's between a Volkswagen Polo and Golf in terms of size, with clever packaging helping to make it feel like a larger, more substantial car.

Furthermore, it's rear-wheel drive, quite a unique selling point in this part of the market given all of its direct competitors – largely Chinese in Australia – are front-wheel drive.

Cute looks, a palette of pastel colour finishes, and a suite of in-car and driver assistance technologies all aim to bring the Geely experience to a new set of customers.

Ahead of its Australian market launch during the third quarter of 2026, we got a very (very) brief test drive around a handling track in China, providing our first taste test of what will be Geely's smallest, cheapest and best-selling model here.

Is it worth getting excited about? Read on to find out.

How much does the Geely EX2 cost?

We still don't know yet – but CarExpert understands the EX2 will kick off somewhere around the $30,000 mark to compete with budget Chinese EVs like the BYD Dolphin, GAC Aion UT and MG 4 EV Urban.

Geely says to expect multiple variants, including different trim levels and a couple of battery sizes, but full pricing and specifications for the local market are yet to be officially communicated.

What is the Geely EX2 like on the inside?

I genuinely had less than 10 minutes inside the EX2, and the left-hook Chinese-market vehicle we drove may not be fully indicative of what's coming to Australia.

But the overall design and execution is like a scaled down version of the larger EX5, with an attractive layout, bright and clear displays – including a 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen and an 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster – and a good level of perceived build quality.

Again, the car we tested was a Chinese-market 'Geome' model with a light interior, and it's unclear whether export versions for markets like Australia will get any modifications, apart from putting the steering wheel on the right side.

Keeping the projected price point in mind, the EX2 feels a little more upmarket than most $30,000 small cars, and the flourishes of silver and gloss-black highlights help to accent the cabin – particularly the black interior depicted in the supplied imagery (from South Africa).

The ergonomics seemed fine, though it did take me a moment to find the stubby little gear shifter – which is a little Volkswagen-like in appearance – located on the centre console.

A quick stint in the rear revealed the city-focused EX2 is more than capable of carrying two six-footers back there, though you have to be mindful of toe room behind taller passengers.

The wide and flat rear bench means you don't feel hemmed in or pushed in from the sides of the vehicle, though there's no fold-down centre armrest to make better use of the more likely two-seat rear configuration.

At least you get rear air vents, which is a nice touch at this end of the market, and outward visibility is good too thanks to the tall rear windows.

No doubt Geely will ensure the requisite ISOFIX and top-tether points will be fitted to the appropriate areas of the rear seat as well, which will be handy if you need a smaller and/or second runabout that can also fit a child seat.

Geely Australia hasn't finalised boot dimensions for Australia, but the South African model quotes 375 to 1320 litres for the rear cargo area (with the rear seatbacks up and down respectively), plus an extra 70L under the bonnet.

We'd also anticipate a tyre repair kit under the boot floor rather than a space-saver or full-size spare wheel, but as mentioned we're still waiting for Geely Australia to finalise details.

What’s under the bonnet?

As noted earlier – a 70L 'frunk' or 'froot', or whatever you want to call it. And once again we don't have Australian powertrain specs, but we can take an educated guess from the South African version of the EX2, called the E2.

It's worth noting that, globally, the EX2/E2/Xingyuan offers a number of different battery and motor configurations depending on the market.

China’s entry-level EX2 is fitted with a 58kW/310Nm single-motor electric powertrain paired with a 30.12kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery offering a claimed 310km (CLTC) driving range, while higher grades get a larger 40.16kWh battery with a 410km CLTC range and an 85kW/150Nm electric motor.

Presumably, South Africa gets the latter – given the quoted battery size in SA would be a logical usable capacity if the larger Chinese figure is total capacity – though Geely's local team has also hinted at multiple battery sizes for this market, which could mean the smaller 30kWh unit could be on the cards too.

A WLTP range of 320km seems about right for the segment, given the base MG 4 EV Urban 43kWh offers 316km of WLTP-certified range, though the GAC Aion UT quotes 430km with its much larger 60kWh LFP battery pack for a similar price point.

The cheapest BYD Dolphin Essential, meanwhile, quotes a 340km WLTP range.

How does the Geely EX2 drive?

Our drive experience of the EX2 was limited to a motorkhana-style course in what was basically a car park just outside Hangzhou, providing a quick low-speed handling test more than anything else.

While it was far from indicative of real-world driving – unless you scoot around car parks 99 per cent of the time – it did provide a good opportunity to get a feel of the EX2's initial acceleration and handling performance.

I got two goes at it, with the second one more to film driving impressions than get a better grip on the car's dynamics, but my short time behind the wheel confirmed a few key points.

The EX2 isn't remotely fast, but it does offer decent low-down response to get you off the line, and it's a very smooth operator provided you aren't in a hurry to get anywhere.

That said, we didn't really get any higher than 40km/h, so we don't know how the EX2 will handle Australian freeway on-ramps and country highways, though the South African 11.5-second 0-100km/h claim is on the slower side for this class of vehicle.

Steering feel is quite light and overly assisted but it at least felt like the front wheels responded to inputs in a connected manner – the Emgrand EM-i which we also drove felt oddly disconnected.

There's a natural fluidity with how the EX2 handles and, while it's far from sporty, it is nimble and chuckable in a way that makes little city cars quite fun, even if they aren't all that sharp or fast.

Helping that is the rear-drive balance of the EX2's drivetrain, which lets the front wheels worry only about turning rather than also having to put down power. It doesn't hurt that Geely has managed to keep this car relatively light too, at 1300kg.

Even when pushed, it didn't feel like the EX2 was keen to understeer or struggle to get its power down as I exited corners around the course, though it didn't take long to find the limits of the Chinese model's grip on the standard tyres – but keep in mind the 16-inch alloys are shod with modest 205/60-section rubber.

For its intended purpose, however, it's entirely predictable and well mannered. But more time behind the wheel in real-world conditions is required for a proper verdict.

Just remember though, before you pile on about the piddly outputs, it's always more fun to drive a slow car fast (or at least spiritedly) than a fast car slow...

What do you get?

Australian pricing and specifications haven't been confirmed yet, but we're expecting at least two trim levels for the EX2.

2026 Geely EX2 equipment highlights (in South Africa):

• 15-inch steel wheels – base
• 16-inch alloys – high-spec
• LED headlights – auto on/off
• LED daytime running lights
• LED tail-lights, turning lights
• Power side mirrors
• Manual air-conditioning
• Rear air vents
• 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster
• 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen
• Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
• Bluetooth connectivity
• FM radio
• 4-speaker audio – base
• 6-speaker audio – high-spec
• 2 x front USB ports – 1 x -A, 1 x -C
• Wireless phone charger – high-spec
• Keyless entry, start
• Leather multifunction steering wheel
• 256-colour ambient light – high-spec
• 'Vegan' leather seats
• 60:40-split/folding rear seats

Colours

Six exterior paint finishes will be available for the Australian EX2 range.

Available options include:

• Jupiter Pink
• Aurora Green
• Nebula Beige
• Comet Gray
• Star Silver
• Moon White

Is the Geely EX2 safe?

The Geely EX2 hasn't been crash tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP at this point in time.

Geely is promising a full suite of safety systems for the EX2, however, so expect it to be decked out with everything you'd expect in a new car – in particular a Chinese one.

Available safety features in South Africa include:

• 6 airbags
• Adaptive cruise control
• Autonomous Emergency Braking – AEB
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Door open warning
• Forward collision warning
• Intelligent high-beam
• Lane change assist
• Lane departure warning
• Rear collision warning
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Surround camera system

Worth noting is that the cheapest model in South Africa does without adaptive cruise control, AEB and lane departure warning, and subs out the 360-degree camera for a reversing camera only.

Given Australian customers tend to demand a higher level of specification, we expect the full safety suite to be available from the base grade, with the only variable between low and high grades likely being the surround camera system and maybe intelligent high-beam.

How much does the Geely EX2 cost to run?

Geely Australia covers its model range with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre vehicle warranty, and an eight-year, unlimited-kilometre high-voltage battery warranty.

The Chinese brand throws in 12 months of roadside assistance from purchase, with each scheduled service at an authorised Geely workshop renewing the cover for a further 12 months for up to the seventh year.

Servicing details for the EX2 haven't been disclosed yet, but Geely does quote EV Assured Service Pricing which is advertised as follows:

CarExpert’s Take on the Geely EX2

It's too early to say with much conviction whether the EX2 will become the new leader of the budget EV pack – but the larger EX5 and Starray EM-i have proven the Chinese brand isn't a punk player.

If it's priced where we think it will be priced, and Australia's entry-level version is given specification levels like the high-grade South African variant, it could be a compelling offering alongside its existing rivals.

Geely's local boss says he's chasing solid sales volume with this car, so you'd hope it's good enough to stand out from the pack. And the fun, agile feel behind the wheel is a good start.

The bubbly and (literally) colourful design will also be a refreshing departure from the seas of white, grey and black we often see on Australian roads, and the practical cabin punches above its size class.

We look forward to getting a longer drive in this new EV closer to its Australian launch in the third quarter of the year.

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MORE: Explore the Geely showroom