New Geely Starray hits the Kia Sportage where it hurts at under £30k

This is the Geely Starray: a new family SUV from China that offers plug-in hybrid power for less than £30,000. It’s due to go on sale next month, posing a serious threat to the likes of the Kia Sportage, Toyota RAV4 and MG HS. 

You probably will have heard the name Geely before, either because it’s the parent company of Volvo, Polestar and Lotus. Or you saw the brand launched in the UK last year with the EX5 electric SUV – which you can save nearly £4,000 with the Auto Express Buy A Car service – and plans for 100 dealers across the country by the end of 2026. 

The Starray EM-i Super Hybrid, to use its full name, will be Geely’s second offering here. It’s a 4.7-metre-long mid-size SUV that features a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine paired with an electric motor that work together to provide 255bhp and return up to 201mpg. 

The e-motor is powered by either a 18.4kWh or 29.8kWh battery which, Geely claims, offers a massive pure-electric range of up to 84 miles plus a combined range of 618 miles. For context, the Kia Sportage PHEV has a 43-mile EV range, while the plug-in Chery Tiggo 7 promises 56 miles of zero-emissions running. 

Geely says it also called on the boffins at Lotus Engineering to tune the chassis and dynamics of the Starray to ensure it can cut the mustard on UK roads and handle as well as family-SUV buyers expect these days. 

The Starray will be available in three trim levels: Pro, Max and Ultra, with prices starting from £29,990. Standard kit across the range will include a 10-inch driver’s display, a 15.4-inch central touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated seats, keyless entry and a suite of driver-assistance systems.

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Upgrading to Max trim brings the price up to £32,690 and adds some extra tech, including a head-up display and wireless phone charging. Finally, the top-of-the-range Ultra model costs £34,990 and features the larger battery pack plus faster charging capabilities.

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