2026 Geely EX2 review

How much does the Geely EX2 cost and how does it compare?

Prior to its arrival, the 2026 Geely EX2 was billed as a strong candidate to become the cheapest new EV in Australia but that hasn’t transpired, arriving in two model grades that open with the EX2 Complete at $26,490 plus on-road costs.

The top-spec EX2 Inspire driven here, which has more power, a longer range and extra equipment, adds $4500 and is the one to get if the budget allows, starting from $30,990 plus ORCs.

Drive-away pricing is $29,807 for the Complete and $34,501 for the Inspire (based on Victorian private buyers). In both cases, the price is still low for what’s on offer with these two compact EVs. See RACV’s full preview on the EX2 for details on specs, features and more. 

The four-seater BYD Atto 1 remains Australia’s cheapest EV at $27,163 drive-away, but the slightly bigger (five-seater) EX2 manages to undercut other electric hatch rivals at the entry level – namely, the GAC Aion UT (from $31,990 drive-away), MG4 EV Urban (also from $31,990 drive-away) and the soon-to-launch Leapmotor B05 (from $35,990 drive-away), which, like the EX2, is rear-wheel drive. Another sub-$40,000, and impressive, RWD EV hatch worth considering is the MG4 EV Essence 64 (from $39,990 drive-away).

There’s also a raft of electric small SUVs available for similar money, including the GWM Ora 5 (from $33,990 drive-away), BYD Atto 2 (from $35,499 drive-away), Hyundai Inster (from $35,990 drive-away) and Jaecoo J5 EV (from $36,990 drive-away). See more at RACV’s guide to Australia’s cheapest electric cars for 2026.

Why choose a hatch over an SUV? Geely reckons the combination of style, surprising interior space, dynamic performance and high-grade safety, tech and creature comforts in such a small car – with that lower price, of course – makes a compelling case.

The EX2 has the same 12-month/20,000km service intervals as the bigger EX5, with equivalent pricing for routine maintenance under the brand’s capped price servicing scheme – $2052 in total over the first seven years/140,000km (averaging $293 per service). Even more affordable pre-paid service plans are also available over three terms: three years ($517), five years ($1190) or seven years ($1642).

There are currently 80 Geely service centres in Australia, with the company expecting to reach 100 by the end of 2026. The vehicle and high-voltage battery warranties extend to seven and eight years respectively, both with unlimited kilometres – an advantage over some rival brands.

Research and compare Geely EX2 models on sale today in Australia

What is the Geely EX2 like inside and out?

The 2026 Geely EX2 is a cute compact hatch that’s a great size for moving through urban landscapes while also majoring on cabin and cargo space for such a small vehicle, thanks to its EV platform, rear-wheel drive layout and its wheel-at-each-corner stance.

For some, the colour palette will be a big consideration, so let’s emphasise right up front that the EX2 comes with some unconventional colours including the pastel Aurora Green shown here and Nova Pink. (Moon White is standard; the others add $600 but are offered as a no-cost option for a limited time.) Note the cosmos-inspired references here, which is seen in different areas across the car like the stars and lines etched into the rear pillar trim.

The interior is plush for the price and the EX2’s design does translate to generous interior space for a city car, complemented by an impressive dedication to storage facilities. Indeed, Geely says there’s more than 30 different spots throughout the cabin, although we could only find about 20 in the limited time we had with the car on our first drive! The stowage highlights are the slide-out drawer in lieu of a traditional glovebox, generous space under the rear bench seat, and the 70-litre front trunk under the bonnet (25kg max).

While on the subject, the cargo area holds a useful 350 litres with the rear seats upright, achieved with a sunken floor that drops down well below the tailgate lip and doesn’t have storage space underneath for charging cables or a tyre repair kit – and certainly no room for a spare wheel. Cables and other tools will either soak up boot space or go in the frunk.

Folding down the 60/40 split-fold rear seats increases luggage volume to 1320L but in the process creates a big, restrictive step between the floor and seatbacks. We also note the absence of a light or tie-down hooks in the boot, however there is a couple of shopping bag hooks and a tonneau cover.

Rear seat space and general comfort across the bench is exceptional for such a small car, with excellent legroom (even with a gangly driver setting their seat well back), acceptable headroom (except for the very tall) and a flat floor maximising comfort for the centre occupant – who also benefits from this position missing out on a fold-down centre armrest, which leaves a more comfortable backrest. Directional air vents and a single USB-A charging point are also provided in the back.

Up front, the passenger’s seat is mounted quite high and doesn’t have the means to set it lower, as provided for the driving position which presented us with no problems with its range of seat and steering wheel adjustment and front and rearward vision. Seat comfort and support for the driver is fine, too, but interaction with the major controls and screens won’t suit everyone.

It’s a set-up we’re seeing a lot with Chinese cars: an 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster that crams in a lot of information (and can therefore be hard to read at a glance); a gear selector positioned as a conventional steering column lever (and so is easily mistaken for the indicators); and a heavy reliance on the main 14.6-inch touchscreen to change various major functions.

There are some buttons on the centre console for basic climate controls but be prepared to work with the voice control assistant and/or spend lots of time swiping (and cursing). Making the effort to create personalised shortcuts before hitting the road is sure to make life easier for the driver, who will still need to engage their preferences with each trip.

The standard synthetic leather interior trim is grey but can be ordered in white, which might further add to cabin airiness but attract unwanted marks and stains, too.

Research and compare EV hatchbacks on sale: prices, specs, features, running costs and safety

How does the 2026 Geely EX2 drive?

Our first drive in the 2026 Geely EX2 was restricted to the top-spec Inspire model, which is expected to be the most popular variant with its extra e-motor output, longer range and additional features.

With a maximum 80kW of power, the EX2 Inspire isn’t a pocket rocket, needing 11.5 seconds to accelerate from 0-100km/h – which is quite slow by modern EV standards. (The 60kW EX2 Complete takes a long, drawn-out 14.2sec.) You can feel that when accelerating from a standing start, missing some of the gusto we’ve come to expect with most electric cars, so the ‘Inspire’ moniker is a bit of a misnomer.

However, the EX2 doesn’t struggle with the main task at hand – getting up among traffic in built-up areas and managing the cut and thrust of city driving. It’s all done in smooth and quiet fashion, and while the ride is on the firm side, it’s absorbent across harsher road surfaces.

What’s most impressive with the EX2 drive is its nimbleness. Despite the small footprint, the electric hatchback feels well planted on the road and well controlled. It can be fun to punt around but the EX2 isn’t what we’d call a cracking drive, even if there are some connections with the Lotus sports car marque. (Lotus is a subsidiary of Geely and the EX2’s front strut/rear multilink suspension was tuned at the group’s European R&D centre in Frankfurt.)

The steering is light and direct at low speeds, assisting the 9.9-metre turning circle which all but banishes cumbersome three-point turns and tends to leave the driver executing simple and efficient U-turns.

The EX2 is also a breeze to park, having no trouble slotting into tight spaces with good support from the standard-fit rear parking sensors, rearview camera, high-resolution main screen and, on the Inspire, an excellent surround-view monitor with 3D view.

As ever, driving range is an important consideration when looking at EVs. The claimed 252km (WLTP) in the base EX2 Complete, and 345km in the EX2 Inspire on test here, aren’t as long as some rivals – the BYD Dolphin Premium offers 427km (WLTP), for example – but are sure to be sufficient around town, where distances aren’t great, driving conditions don’t sap battery power too quickly and topping up at home using a dedicated EV charger can be super-convenient.

Out on the open road, however, it’s a different scenario and the maximum range – which we’d expect to be a good deal less than the quoted WLTP combined figure – could prove limiting with longer-distance touring. We suspect you’ll need to factor in plenty of pitstops for charging in these conditions, which will be the case with most compact EVs at this end of the market.

Speaking of charging, Geely says the EX2 Inspire needs around six hours to recharge its 47kW battery using AC power at the relatively low 6kW capacity, or 47 minutes with a DC fast-charger at a maximum 80kW. The entry EX2 Complete has the same 6kW AC peak for its 35kW battery but a lower 60kW DC charge capacity.

Research and compare electric vehicles on sale: models, specs, features, running costs, safety

How safe is the 2026 Geely EX2?

The 2026 Geely EX2 has not yet been tested by ANCAP, but the carmaker is confident it will achieve a maximum five-star safety rating under new 2026 assessment protocols now in place.

This five-star status will be under the proviso that Geely gets an automatic collision notification system up and running for EX2 within 12 months of its rating. As we saw on the car we drove at launch, the hardware is in place – including an SOS emergency call button, which will allow occupants to speak to an operator in the event of a serious crash – but for now there’s a sticker reading ‘eCall function inactive’.

Geely says negotiations are progressing with service providers and that once finalised it will issue an over-the-air (OTA) software update to have this important safety system become active.

As with most modern cars, there’s a wide range of active safety features for the driver, from adaptive cruise control and automatic lane changing to distraction and fatigue alerts and the ominous-sounding evasive manoeuvre assist.

Some of these systems can in themselves be quite distracting for the driver with excessive and sometimes even inappropriate warnings and other responses during normal driving situations. For example, on our first drive we found the frontal anti-collision software to be poorly calibrated, braking far too early and aggressively when approaching cyclists from behind on two different occasions.

More: The safest affordable electric cars in Australia for 2026
 

Should I buy the new Geely EX2?

The headline price for the 2026 Geely EX2 at less than $27,000 has won our attention, but it does come with strings attached.

There’s a lot to like with this little EV runabout, which feels right at home in a big city where it’s easy to drive and park, doesn’t have to travel too far from home and impresses with its clever packaging, roominess and high equipment levels.

Push it too far out of its comfort zone, though, and we suspect the cuteness will soon wear thin. We’d suggest considering its limitations against your expectations and driving patterns – and checking out some of its rivals, too – before signing up.

^{The information provided is general advice only. Before making any decisions please consider your own circumstances and the Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determinations. For copies, visit racv.com.au. As distributor, RACV Insurance Services Pty Ltd AFS Licence No. 230039 receives commission for each policy sold or renewed. Product(s) issued by Insurance Manufacturers of Australia Pty Ltd ABN 93 004 208 084 AFS Licence No. 227678.}