2025 Geely Starray EM-i Review

The ever-increasing list of affordable plug-in hybrid mid-sized SUVs on offer in the Australian market has grown yet again with the arrival of the 2025 Geely Starray EM-i. 

Australia is the first market to receive the Starray EM-i outside of China, where it's known as the Galaxy Starship 7, and already, this affordable PHEV offering is shooting for the stars on local shores, having taken a podium place among the cheapest plug-in hybrid SUVs on offer. 

But can the Starray EM-i challenge its key rivals with more than a small asking price?

How much does the 2025 Geely Starray EM-i Cost?

Prices for the 2025 Geely Starray EM-i start from $37,490 before on-road costs for the entry-level Complete model grade, rising to $39,990 for the range-topping Inspire variant. 

This pricing places the Starray EM-i among not only the cheapest plug-in hybrid SUVs on the Australian market, but also among the cheapest PHEVs overall. 

The Starray EM-i now ranks in the top two cheapest plug-in hybrids in Australia alongside the Chery Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid (starting at $39,990 drive-away), undercutting the BYD Sealion 6 (starting at $42,990 before on-roads), which previously held the second spot. 

When it comes to value alone, it’s hard to argue with a podium position, and the Starray ranks near the very top of its class with both model grades. 

2025 Geely Starray EM-i Pricing Before On-Road Costs

Complete: $37,490

Inspire: $39,990

Options 

Premium Paint: $600

• Glacier Blue
• Polar Black
• Volcanic Grey
• Cloudveil Silver
• Jungle Green

A Shining Starray 

Visually, the 2025 Geely Starray EM-i has a clear focus on being sleek, modern and even futuristic, most evident in its front-end design, using its light bar and the absence of a conventional grille to establish its distinct visual signature. 

However, while the front fascia sports some distinct aesthetic elements, the design leans more towards minimalism, which contributes to a look that is both modern and, in my personal opinion, quite elegant.  

Things are more conventional from the side and rear, although the Starray’s styling cues can be likened to many premium SUV offerings, including its rounded silhouette and rear lightbar. This is a good thing, as the Starray certainly looks the part. 

Aesthetically, the Starray EM-i is evidently thoroughly thought out, presenting a package that is modern, elegant, and actually looks quite upmarket. 

More Premium than its Price Tag Suggests 

The most immediately obvious attribute of the Geely Starray EM-i’s front row is its impressive material quality. Between the plush synthetic leather, metallic surfaces, and the high-quality interior trim, this interior feels like it belongs to a much more expensive vehicle. The only genuinely cheap-feeling surface I found was the top of the dashboard behind the infotainment screen, but this isn’t a regular touchpoint anyway. 

From the driver’s seat, forward visibility is also notably strong in the Starray EM-i, particularly on account of its thin A-pillars. 

Storage options are solid in the front row of the Starray EM-i, with a spacious centre console armrest and an excellent, cleared-out space below the dashboard. However, the cupholders are quite small. 

There are some interesting usability quirks, for instance, the hazard warning light button is mounted on the overhead control panel, and the wiper fluid is activated by a button on the side of the stalk. It can take a little getting used to, but the Starray becomes perfectly usable once you figure out its controls. 

The same goes for the 15.4-inch infotainment touchscreen, which is reasonably intuitive, especially when used in conjunction with the customisable rotary dial on the dashboard, which can be used to adjust the air conditioning fan speed, temperature, the touchscreen wallpaper and the ambient lighting. 

The system is also compatible with wireless Apple CarPlay, although Android Auto users will have to wait for an over-the-air update in Q1 of 2026.  

The Starray is equipped with the usual charging amenities, including a USB-A and a USB-C charger, as well as a 12V socket, found below the dashboard. Wireless charging is also offered on the Inspire model grade. 

Overall, while the Starray EM-i’s interior has its quirks, its cockpit feels remarkably premium, punching well above its weight for an SUV of this price point.

Not Groundbreaking, but Comfortable 

The second row of the Geely Starray EM-i benefits from impressive knee room, shoulder room and headroom, and its flat floor on account of the lack of a transmission tunnel adds to the back seat’s sense of space. 

While they aren’t heated or cooled, the synthetic leather seats feel just as plush as they do in the front and offer pleasant levels of comfort. 

Amenities aren’t particularly extensive, but they are adequate. Rear-seat passengers have access to both USB-A and USB-C ports, useful rear seat pockets and, on the Inspire model grade at least, a centre console armrest with cupholders. 

While there are rear air vents, they do not come with any temperature controls. There’s also a small storage area beneath the air vents, although I can’t quite figure out what the space is meant to be used for, as it wasn’t big enough for a phone.  

All up, while not the most well-equipped of second rows, the Starray EM-i’s rear seats will accommodate three passengers in comfort. 

Excels with the Rear Seats Folded 

The Geely Starray EM-i has 428 litres of boot space (528 litres with the underfloor storage included). 

While not uncompetitive, its space behind the second row isn’t class-leading. While it has greater litreage than the BYD Sealion 6 (425 litres), it can’t quite match the 626 litres on offer in the likes of the Chery Tiggo 7 (non-hybrid version, as Super Hybrid space has not been officially quoted), the 507 litres in the MG HS Super Hybrid (not taking into account the Starray’s underfloor storage at least), or the 560 litres on offer in the GWM Haval H6 PHEV.

However, the Starray’s 2,065 litres space with the second row folded comprehensively beats the space on offer in the Tiggo 7 (1,672 litres), Sealion 6 (1,440 litres), the HS Super Hybrid (1,484 litres) and the Haval H6 PHEV (1,445).  

Compared to its rivals, the Starray boasts some impressive practicality, particularly when it comes to outright space. 

Fuel Consumption Varies 

The 2025 Geely Starray EM-i’s plug-in hybrid powertrain features a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine, which produces 73kW and 125Nm, and an electric drive unit, producing 160kW and 262Nm, for a total system output of 193kW, powering the front wheels. 

It’s not an immensely quick car, with a 0-100km/h time of 8.0 seconds, but the performance is adequate for daily driving. 

The Starray EM-i has a claimed combined fuel consumption of 2.4 litres per 100km on the WLTP cycle. With the battery charged and with electric intervention, the Starray actually achieved as little as 0.6 litres per 100km during my time testing with it. 

However, unlike some rivals, the Starray EM-i’s internal combustion engine becomes noticeably vocal when the state of charge drops low enough, and fuel consumption rose to as much as 6.8 litres per 100km during my testing. 

While the Starray EM-i can achieve some impressive fuel numbers, its economy can vary considerably depending on the battery’s state of charge, and the powertrain isn’t quite as seamless as those featured in rival models such as the Chery Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid and MG HS Super Hybrid. 

Loads of Modes

Electricity for the 2025 Geely Starray EM-i’s hybrid powertrain comes from an 18.4kWh lithium iron phosphate battery. It has a claimed electric-only range of 83km and a total driving range of 943km on the WLTP cycle. 

Drawing comparisons between the Starray EM-i and its immediate rivals is often difficult, as many of their electric-only and total driving ranges were measured on the NEDC cycle as opposed to the WLTP cycle. In any case, the Starray EM-i boasts some impressive range figures. 

It supports 6.6kW AC charging and 30kW DC charging, as well as 6kW V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) and V2V (Vehicle-to-Vehicle) functionality.

The hybrid powertrain is highly customisable through the infotainment screen, although three main modes are selectable: Pure, Hybrid and Power. 

Pure is the electric-only mode driving mode, recharging the battery through regenerative braking. 

In Hybrid mode, the electric drive unit and the internal combustion engine work together to power the Starray EM-i, with the battery recharged by the internal combustion engine and through regenerative braking. 

Power mode sees the internal combustion engine and the electric drive work in tandem to drive the front wheels. 

Four regenerative braking modes are also selectable: Automatic, Low, Medium and High. 

Automatic selects the level of regen based on driving conditions such as the battery’s state of charge, whether the Starray is travelling up or downhill, and brake pedal application, and seems to operate fairly seamlessly based on my testing experience. 

The differences between the low, medium and high are far more noticeable, ranging from virtually no detectable regen force in the low mode to a much stronger sensation in high. 

Too Soft for Its Own Good 

My time with the 2025 Geely Starray EM-i saw a mix of motorway, urban and country road driving. Throughout my testing experience, one attribute stood out as most pertinent in the Starray EM-i. 

The suspension tuning. 

The ride is soft. Really soft. While the Starray EM-i irons out harsher impacts – useful for negotiating the particularly rough urban roads of New South Wales, where I was driving it – it takes a while to settle again after driving over bumps, leaving your head bobbling as the ride continues to bounce, most noticeable on higher speed country roads and on the motorway. 

A soft ride has been a characteristic of the affordable plug-in hybrid SUVs I’ve driven thus far, but the Starray is soft to the point of feeling underdamped. 

The soft tune has also affected the driving dynamics, and while the similarly-priced PHEV SUVs that I’ve driven weren’t exactly noteworthy when it came to handling, the Starray, in my opinion, is noticeably lacking, feeling floaty, understeery and suffering from considerable body roll. 

Like similar rivals, the steering feels light, vague and disconnected, but the Starray’s is also somewhat non-linear, a combination of factors that makes it difficult to confidently place. 

Around town, the cabin is quiet within reason in the Starray EM-i, but at motorway speeds, wind noise in particular definitely picks up.

The soft suspension and light steering tune will likely be suitable for most daily use cases, particularly for around-town driving, which is where I suspect most examples of the Starray EM-i will likely spend their lives. In fact, these attributes may make the Starray more comfortable and easier to operate more of the time for most owners. But beyond the urban environment, the Geely Starray’s driving experience leaves a lot to be desired.

Beeps, Bongs and Cruise Control Wrongs 

The 2025 Geely Starray EM-i is yet to receive an official rating by ANCAP, although it is expected to replicate the five-star rating achieved by the battery electric EX-5 with which it shares a platform. 

The Starray EM-i arrives with a comprehensive ADAS safety suite; however, the warning systems and interventions can feel very intrusive, particularly the Driver Attention Warning (built into the Drive Fatigue Alert system) and the Lane Keep Assist. 

I also found the Adaptive Cruise Control too sensitive on corners, even on motorways, slowing down suddenly and significantly, which caught me off guard quite a few times. 

Standard safety features on the Geely Starray EM-i include: 

• 7 airbags (front, side, curtain & centre)
• Pretensioners & load limiters on front and outer rear seatbelts
• Seatbelt reminders (all seats)
• Multi-collision braking system
• Rear parking sensors
• Surround view monitor w/ 3D vehicle view
• High Beam Assist 
• Electronic anti-theft immobiliser & alarm
• Automatic lock on drive
• Child safety locks (mechanical)
• Low-speed pedestrian alert
• Hill Descent Control 
• Automatic Emergency Braking 
• Adaptive Cruise Control 
• Intelligent Cruise Control 
• Collision Mitigation Support (front & rear)
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert & Brake
• Lane Keeping Assist 
• Traffic Sign Information 
• Door Open Warning 
• Lane Change Assist 
• Blind Spot Detection
• Emergency Lane Keeping Assist 
• Occupant Detection Alert 
• Driver Fatigue Alert

The Inspire model grade adds or replaces

• Front parking sensors
• Manual Tailgate Override

An Affordable Prospect 

The 2025 Geely Starray EM-i is offered with a seven-year unlimited kilometre warranty, an eight-year battery warranty, and seven years of roadside assist. 

A five-year/75,000km capped price servicing program is also offered for the Geely Starray EM-i, with services every 12 months or 20,000km, coming to a total cost of $1,932.

The Starray’s warranty and roadside assist packages are among the most competitive compared to similarly priced rivals, and its capped priced servicing presents an affordable prospect. 

What do you get with the 2025 Geely Starray EM-i? 

Standard equipment on the Geely Starray EM-i Complete includes: 

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• 15.4-inch infotainment screen
• 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster
• Satellite navigation
• Wireless Apple CarPlay
• Wireless Android Auto (Q1 2026)
• Wi-Fi & Bluetooth connectivity
• FM & DAB radio
• USB ports (2x Type A, 2x Type C)
• 12V power outlet
• 6-speaker sound system
• Geely Connected Services: voice assistant, 4G, OTA updates, app store, online streaming, remote vehicle functions
• Keyless access & start
• Soft-touch instrument panel
• Multi-function steering wheel 
• Automatic climate control
• Rear air conditioning vents
• Unlocking/delayed ventilation
• One-touch up/down windows (all, remote controllable)
• LED interior & luggage lighting
• Synthetic leather seats
• Power adjustable seats (Six-way driver, Four-way passenger)
• Heated front seats
• 60:40 split folding 2nd row seats
• ISOFIX & top tether mounts (2nd row outer)
• Luggage compartment cover
• Camping space feature
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Tyre repair kit
• LED headlights, taillights, DRLs and high-mounted stop light
• Follow Me Home lighting
• Rear fog lights
• Roof rails (50kg load)
• Privacy glass (rear)
• Heated & power-folding side mirrors
• Rain-sensing wipers

The Inspire model grade adds or replaces: 

• 19-inch alloy wheels 
• Panoramic power sunroof w/ sunshade
• Power tailgate 
• Front parking sensors
• Auto-dimming interior mirror
• 256-colour ambient lighting
• Ventilated front seats
• Driver seat memory
• 2nd row central armrest
• “Rest Space” function
• Heads-Up Display
• Wireless charging (15W)
• 16-speaker sound system

Final Thoughts

The 2025 Geely Starray EM-i has some glaring faults, particularly its lacklustre driving experience, its considerable decrease in powertrain refinement and fuel economy when the battery drops to a low state of charge, and its frustrating safety system calibration.  

Having said that, as one of the cheapest plug-in hybrids on the Australian market, it’s difficult to argue with what the 2025 Geely Starray EM-i offers in terms of value for money, especially when that’s joined by a sleek exterior, high-quality interior trim, impressive fuel numbers when the hybrid system is operating at full capacity, solid practicality and affordable running costs. 

Admittedly, if you’re in the market for an affordable PHEV SUV, the Starray’s rivals are at least worth considering. But as an affordable, stylish, practical, and at times even premium-feeling proposition, I wouldn’t rule the 2025 Geely Starray EM-i out of the conversation.