Geely EX5 Extended Range Inspire Review: Affordable Luxury Done Right?

The Inspire is the higher of Geely's two EX5 grades, priced at $45,990 before on-road costs, $4,000 above the entry Complete. Drive-away pricing varies by state and dealer; listings we have seen range from around $48,500 to $51,000. Here is what sets the Inspire apart:

• 68.4kWh LFP battery with 450km of WLTP range, up from 410km in the outgoing Inspire
• 15.4-inch infotainment touchscreen running Geely's Flyme Auto software
• 10.2-inch digital driver display and a 13.4-inch head-up display
• Heated and ventilated front seats with six-mode massage and a power-extendable passenger leg rest

• 16-speaker, 1,000W Flyme Sound audio system
• 100kW DC fast charging, claimed 30 to 80 percent in around 20 minutes
• 7-year unlimited-kilometre vehicle warranty and 8-year unlimited-kilometre battery warranty
• 5-star ANCAP safety rating

Geely calls the EX5's styling clean and modern. We would call it inoffensive. There is nothing wrong with the way this car looks, and nothing that makes it stand out either. Park it in a shopping centre car park and it will disappear among the other mid-size SUVs around it.

The rear is the strongest angle. The full-width light bar and simple tailgate treatment give the back of the car more presence than the front, which is dominated by a slim, grille-less nose that looks similar to several other Chinese EVs on sale here.

At 4,615mm long and riding on a 2,750mm wheelbase, the EX5 is the same length as the Kia EV5 and sits comfortably in mid-size SUV territory. A new Jungle Green joins the colour palette for 2026.

This is where the EX5 shines compared tp the competition. The cabin uses soft-touch materials, quilted stitching and a two-tone finish that looks and feels more expensive than the price tag suggests. For a car in this bracket, it is one of the better interiors on sale in Australia right now.

The Inspire's 15.4-inch touchscreen dominates the dash, running Geely's Flyme Auto software. It is quick to respond and paired with a 10.2-inch driver display and a 13.4-inch head-up display, both clear and easy to read at a glance. Wireless Apple CarPlay is standard, and Geely added both wired and wireless Android Auto through an over-the-air update in February 2026.

Front seat comfort is a highlight. Both seats are heated and ventilated, and the Inspire adds six-mode massage functionality plus a power-extendable leg rest for the front passenger, a feature you would not expect below $50,000. These are features that until recently were limited to cars priced closer to $100,000.

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Rear seat space is generous for the segment and the boot holds 410 litres with the seats up, 1,877 litres folded. There is no frunk, so charging cable storage relies on the boot floor.

Safety tech includes adaptive cruise control, lane centring, a 360-degree camera, evasive manoeuvre assist and low-speed automatic braking front and rear, backed by a 5-star ANCAP rating.

The EX5 rides on soft suspension tuned for comfort. On smooth suburban roads and well-maintained highways, it delivers a genuinely comfortable, quiet ride. That composure comes apart on rougher surfaces though. The same softness that makes the car pleasant around town lets it get wallowy over larger bumps and through corners, where body control loosens up more than we would like.

On the highway, the cabin stays reasonably quiet and the EX5's highway assist features, adaptive cruise and lane centring, work well enough to make longer drives easy. Acceleration is more than sufficient for darting around town and overtaking on the freeway, Geely a 7.4-second sprint to 100km/h which feels about right.

The Extended Range update brings a bigger 68.4kWh LFP battery, up from 60.22kWh, and the Inspire's WLTP range grows from 410km to 450km as a result. That is a meaningful jump, though the Inspire still trails some rivals such as the Leapmotor C10, which claims up to 510km. The Inspire's figure also sits behind the entry Complete grade's 475km, due to the Inspire's heavier glass roof and larger wheels.

AC charging tops out at 11kW, good for a full charge overnight on a three-phase home connection. Vehicle-to-load charging is standard, so you can run appliances or tools from the car's battery.

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Geely backs the EX5 with one of the stronger ownership packages in the segment with a strong warranty offering and affordable servicing costs.

Geely runs its EX5 servicing on capped-price Assured Service Pricing, meaning the cost of each scheduled visit is locked in ahead of time rather than left to individual dealers. Pricing is fixed until 31 December 2026. Across the full 7 years, the average works out to $293 per year, which is cheap by any standard, electric or otherwise. As with any EV, there is less to go wrong mechanically than in a petrol car, so day-to-day running costs beyond servicing should stay low too.

The Extended Range Inspire suits buyers who care more about cabin quality and everyday comfort than outright driving engagement or top-of-class driving range. The interior genuinely feels a class above its price point, the charging speed is solid for the segment, and the warranty package is one of the strongest going. Where it loses ground is on the road, where the soft suspension gets unsettled on rough surfaces, and on range, where the Leapmotor C10 and the MGS5 offers more for similar money.

If your driving is mostly city and highway on decent surfaces, and interior quality matters more to you than outright range or dynamics, the Inspire should be near the top of your list.

The EX5 Extended Range Inspire is priced under the FBT exemption threshold before on-road costs, which can make it a tax-effective option through a novated lease for eligible buyers.

Get a Novated Lease Quote for the Geely EX5