2026 Geely EX5 Inspire Extended Range review

Geely has taken feedback from the first generation of EX5 cars and pushed out a newer, better iteration in the time it takes to convince a standard public charging station to finally accept your credit card.

In 2025 the EX5 arrived as an impressively cheap and value-packed family hauling option, but Geely wasn't about to wait for change to happen. Instead, the Chinese car maker effectively binned the original duo and replaced them with a fresh pair brandishing the 'Extended Range' moniker.

These new, improved versions aim to fix the most glaring omissions of the original debut, adding a bigger battery for more driving distance, improved (red: actual) smartphone connectivity, and the inclusion of an AC charging cable and boot blind as standard.

The Inspire trim is packing a premium equipment list that is designed to seduce buyers who previously assumed owning a fully-electric medium SUV required a second mortgage. Getting this much metal, cabin space, and five-star safety tech for less than $50k feels like you are getting away with something sinister.

Sure, it has a few dynamic compromises, the exterior design isn't exactly exciting, and the safety tech scolds you like you've been stealing the cookies, but this updated EX5 certainly re-establishes Geely as a serious contender in the electric SUV market.

Value is arguably the strongest weapon in the Geely EX5's arsenal. The original 2025 model launched at $44,990 before on-road costs for the top-tier Inspire trim. To account for the larger updated 68.39kWh battery and new physical inclusions, Geely increased the base price of the 2026 Extended Range Inspire by a modest $1000, placing it at $45,990 plus on-road costs, which remains exceptionally competitive against both electric and internal-combustion rivals.

When you look at the standard equipment list, the pricing becomes even more impressive. The Inspire trim boasts 19-inch alloy wheels, massive digital touchscreen driver's cluster and head-up display, a 1000W sound system, and even massaging functions to the heated and ventilated front seats (see Interior and Infotainment sections for more detail).

The 2026 update also brought some much needed practical additions that sweeten the deal. Of course, the range is now a beefier 450km claimed in the Inspire. Early models were also criticised for lacking a boot blind and forcing you to buy your own charging cable. This has also been rectified with inclusions as standard. And for those of us who want our phone as our music and navigation, the system is now wired and wireless.

Battery capacity is where the most significant changes occurred between model years. The original Inspire came with a 60.22kWh lithium iron phosphate battery offering a claimed 410km of driving range. The 2026 Extended Range model stepped this up to a larger 68.39kWh pack, stretching the official distance to the aforementioned 450km on a single charge.

When it comes time to plug in, the car supports a maximum DC fast charging rate of only 100kW, which is on the low end of the recharge spectrum, though Geely claims the EX5 will recharge from 30 per cent to 80 per cent in 20 minutes at its optimised charging rate. This is also a bit cheeky, as most vehicles reveal a charging time from 10 per cent to 80 per cent...

Not as cheeky as the last model's failure to provide a standard A/C charging cable. This cable is now included at no cost, as it should be, and a Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) cable is an optional extra (fairly typical in this price segment).

The 2025 EX5 claimed an energy consumption figure of 16.0 kilowatt-hours per 100 kilometres, and the Extended Range bumps up to 16.9kWh/100km and a range of 450km; a touch less than the Complete Extended Range that rolls on smaller wheels. While this falls slightly behind class leaders like the Tesla Model Y in terms of outright efficiency, it remains a respectable number. Real-world testing saw the vehicle achieve quite close to this claim, proving it to be a reliable and predictable performer for daily commuting duties.

On test, we only used 14.1kW/100km, and this is due to the nature of this particular one-week loan being almost completely urban. Only a short fling down the highway to check noise and vibration was undertaken, resulting in a sound whipping of the claimed combined consumption. This isn't a bad thing either; most people use these SUVs for short daily commutes, so it's interesting to see how savings at the plug can be made for inner-city and suburban commuters.

It is also worth noting the claimed 20 minutes to recharge from 30 per cent to 80 per cent is missing out on the main battery build-up, and charging will likely near double in time if your battery drops to 10 per cent or less. If ownership is on the cards with this car, you may want to keep that battery above 30 per cent, or be prepared to hang around far longer at the charging station.

Unlike many EVs currently on the market, the service intervals for the EX5 are set to every 12 months, not 24 months, and while this won't set you back more in cost, it will take up more of your time. Capped-price servicing plans are cheaper, with three years at $517 saving $128 on yearly payouts, and five years at $1190 saving a further $297.

Because Geely is well aware that local buyers might still be sweating nervously about purchasing a high-tech electric vehicle with a budget price tag, the warranty is a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre security blanket; the battery more so with an eight-year guarantee. While not the longest on the market, both will likely outlast your long-term relationship with the vehicle.

The premium for comprehensive insurance for a 35-year-old male living in Chatswood, NSW came to $1904.03. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

Safety is a critical consideration for any family SUV, and the Geely EX5 delivers solid results. The vehicle secured a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, including an 86 per cent rating for adult occupant protection and 87 per cent for child occupant protection, 83 per cent vulnerable road user protection, plus 85 per cent for its safety systems.

The car is packed with modern active safety systems including adaptive cruise control and rear cross-traffic alert with autonomous emergency braking. There are still a few quirks within the safety technology suite, with the traffic sign recognition occasionally misreading speed limits leading to unnecessary warning chimes. The lane-keep assist is also typically aggressive if you wander off centre, tugging at your guiding hand like a bitey chihuahua compensating for its size at the dog park.

The EX5 Inspire doesn't exactly live up to its moniker on the outside – the design is sleek, simple and slippery, but hardly an inspiration. In this writer's opinion, the exterior verges on banal and entirely EV SUV-derivative, but each to their own.

The standard Complete trim features LED headlights, flush pop-out door handles, roof rails, and 18-inch rims that look a bit small for the arches, so the Inspire adds a bit of flair with bigger 19-inch wheels and a panoramic roof that opens at the front. Our test car also had the new Jungle Green palette, but that is also more subtle than outspoken in its hue, and thus matches the EX5 aesthetic.

It's... A car. It's fine. But be prepared to lose this thing in the Westfield car park, it's so assimilated.

For a bit of perspective, the EX5 has a similar footprint to the mainstream medium SUV king, the Toyota RAV4. Step inside, and the cabin layout feels instantly familiar if you have spent any time in electric vehicles. It sports an ultra-clean, minimalist dashboard that is completely dominated by a massive central infotainment screen.

Physical buttons are pared down to a few essentials on the centre console – demister, air recirculation, hazards and air off – and a large spinning dial that can thankfully be programmed to shortcut things like fan speed and stereo audio. It also features a wireless phone charger and phone slot for the passenger, two cupholders, and a large storage area under the floating console to stow small bags or a charging iPad. There are USB-A, USB-C, and 12-volt power outlets positioned in the space too.

Despite the minimalist approach, the general ambience and build quality are that of a far more expensive car. The cabin materials feel elevated and well put together, with hardly a hard surface, and nice multi-colour ambient lighting to bring it up further.

The seats feature a super-soft synthetic leather that delivers a 'loungey' but reasonably supportive pew, and the eight-point massagers to complement the seat heating and cooling are a lovely surprise and delight addition in this sub-$50K car. The passenger can go one further on the lounge-chair aspect with an almost flat folding front seat, allowing for a deep recline while enjoying the various wave/pulse/stretch massage functions.

The second row is not as sweetly sprinkled with luxury, and the seats are a little bit too soft without the support of the air and massagers, but the space is capacious with its large flat floor and generous leg room.

The sacrifice for said leg room is in the boot, which offers a relatively small 302 litres. Geely has hidden 90L under the boot floor, expanding the total space to a far more practical 410L. Just keep in mind that this lower cavity has a structural weight limit of 35kg, so it is better reserved for organising your always-carries or small bags rather than heavy cargo.

Finally, anyone looking for bonus storage will find that the EX5 does not feature a front boot under the bonnet, nor does it carry a spare wheel.

The Inspire spec's dashboard's headliner is the 15.4-inch central touchscreen, which is clear and crisp, and reasonably fast.

Smartphone integration was a significant pain point on the original launch models, as the 2025 EX5 lacked native Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, forcing owners to rely on a clunky third-party mirroring app. Geely wisely rectified this for the 2026 Extended Range models, building wireless smartphone mirroring directly into the system.

While the visual technology is strong, the audio is a touch disappointing for a 1000W, 16-speaker audio system. It is possible our poor press car had been subjected to a load of doof-doof and its speakers were still recoiling in horror, but the Flyme system wasn't as punchy as expected. Additionally, while the large physical volume dial on the centre console is a nice touch, it requires an amusing number of spins to make any noticeable change to the sound level.

The system also features over-the-air (OTA) updates and connectivity via the Geely Smartphone app that is free for the first two years of new car ownership before moving to a data subscription model, though there are monthly data limits to the free service.

The single electric motor sending 160kW and 320Nm to the front wheels isn't going to blow any minds with immediate grunt or outright speed, but it is doled out with curbed enthusiasm, particularly once higher speed is achieved. And this is perfectly good for the kinds of duties this car is set to carry out.

The gradual handing out of power is deliberate, perhaps to afford better economy and reduce second-row neck-snapping car sickness, but it would be preferable to have the car less hamstrung in Sport mode. In saying that, flooring the accelerator with any steering lock, or almost at any time in the wet, produced tyre chirps and a bit of wheelspin, so this is likely more the reason than the former.

It's obvious that Geely has gone for a comfort-driven, soft suspension tune, which is fine around reasonable suburban streets but gets a bit loose and floaty during quick changes of direction or larger road undulations. Then the traction control tries to help, and it overcompensates a touch – though that's better than it underperforming if it thinks the car is in trouble.

It's still a bonger, too, with lane-keep assist and driver monitoring making themselves known at first – until you customise the shortcut profile via the centre console, which lets you instantly silence the chimes the second you get in the car. This was previously a multi-step process.

The steering is artificial but quick enough, and the turning circle is excellent, making the carparks a bit of a breeze and particularly with the surround camera to help your angles and track your edges. It's an all-round capable and liveable – if not fun and dynamic – drive.

Find new and used Geely EX5 models for sale at Drive Marketplace to see what current deals are available on this electric SUV.

You can also find your nearest Geely dealer here to check out the EX5 in the metal and see how its cabin feels in person.

If you are looking for a deeper dive into the numbers, head over to view the latest pricing, specifications, and offers on the Geely EX5 range.

A thousand bucks is a thousand bucks, but the added spec, range and tech are more than worth that premium over the 2025 car this replaces. And as with the original example, this is an incredibly compelling car for the money.

If you are seeking maximum space, safety and luxury features on a strict budget, and are looking in that mid-sized SUV space, this should certainly be considered. By offering so much equipment for under $50,000, the EX5 is one of those new cars that are making electric motoring accessible to a much wider Australian audience.

You do have to accept a few compromises. The soft suspension tuning and front-wheel-drive architecture mean the EX5 lacks the dynamic polish and sharp handling found in some rear-wheel-drive competitors, and the exterior is subjectively verging on banal.

But for the vast majority of buyers wanting a practical, efficient and comfortable daily driver, the sheer value proposition is nearly impossible to ignore.