Geely Okavango GF 2024 Review

We tested the Geely Okavango in the United Arab Emirates, where the entry-level Okavango GK costs AED98,100 (equivalent to AUD $39,452), while the range-topping Okavango GF that we sampled costs AED105,000 (AUD $42,227).

On paper, this enables it to substantially undercut the likes of the Kia Telluride (priced equivalent to $49,370 in the UAE), Hyundai Santa Fe (from $55,500) and GAC GS8 (from $64,320 in the UAE).

Clearly, you get a lot of metal and faux leather for your money with the Geely.

The Geely Okavango isn’t lacking in the bells and whistles department, as even the base-model Okavango GK comes equipped with 19-inch alloys, LED headlamps, roof rails, six-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat, mock-leather seats, 540-degree surround-view camera, remote-start, cruise control, a 12.3-inch infotainment screen and a six-speaker stereo.

The Okavango GF adds a panoramic sunroof, a 10.25-inch digitised instrument cluster, wireless phone charger, ventilated seats and memory function for the driver’s seat position.

The base model Okavango GK is equipped with four airbags, front parking sensors, the aforementioned 540-degree camera, electronic parking brake with auto hold, ABS with EBD, Hill Start Assist Control, Hill Descent Control and collision unlocking system.

The Okavango GF flagship ups the airbag quota to 10, as well as adding front parking sensors.

No crash test data is available for the Okavango, but the 2023 Proton X90 – essentially the same vehicle wearing different badges – earned a five-star rating in ASEAN NCAP crash testing.

The Geely Okavango is underpinned by the company’s CV platform, borrowed from its Jiaji MPV stablemate. This front-wheel-drive architecture was conceived for tarmac use rather than off-road heroics, so the Okavango makes no pretensions of being a genuine all-terrainer.

There’s nothing particularly unconventional or pioneering about the Okavango’s hardware. It’s more a case of employing tried and tested mechanicals.

The Okavango’s propulsion comes from a 2.0-litre turbo engine, mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission – both co-developed with Volvo and also used by the Swedish marque in various applications such as the XC40.

In the Okavango, the 1969cc turbo motor is tuned to eke out 160kW and 325Nm, and while these outputs might seem a bit weedy for a 4.86m long and 1.9m wide SUV, rest assured, they’re sufficient to deliver respectable performance.

Geely quotes a 0-100km/h dash of 7.9sec and – based on our seat of the pants impressions – the Okavango never seems sluggish or breathless. That said, the engine is a tad coarse when you really give it the beans.

The seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox is generally seamless and has the knack of slotting into the correct gear for any situation.

Geely quotes an overall consumption figure of 7.6L/100km for the Okavango and, although you’d have to drive with your tiptoes to match this number, it’s not absurdly misleading. Driven remotely sensibly, the Okavango is anything but a glutton.

There’s nothing particularly outstanding about the way the Okavango drives, but it’s a cohesive package that doesn’t suffer from any glaring shortcomings.

There’s a pleasing solidity to the Okavango both inside and out. A decade ago, there might have been the odd inconsistency to the shut-lines and overall integrity of Chinese cars, but that’s no longer the case. They’re now as well bolted together as any Euro, Japanese or Korean offering in their segment.

Visually, the Okavango has its own identity but doesn’t deviate too dramatically from the norm. A large toothy grille dominates the face, while the profile is a tad generic and slab-sided.

Cover a few kilometres in the Geely and the first impressions to cut through are the Okavango’s supple ride and noise suppression. The Okavango lopes along in serene comfort and a variety of road-surface imperfections and speed humps are capably ironed out by the chassis.

Prospective owners aren’t likely to be flinging it through corners but, should you do so, the Okavango doesn’t degenerate into a soggy blancmange. There’s a credible tidiness to its dynamics as it resists understeer and body roll to a higher degree than imagined.

As alluded to earlier, the four-pot turbo motor and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission team up well to deliver smooth, seamless performance, with noise levels only getting intrusive if you cane the daylights out of the engine. For most situations, you can just lean on the healthy quota of low- and mid-range torque to make decently brisk progress.

The cossetting cabin is in many ways the standout element of the Okavango, as its premium ambience belies the vehicle’s bargain-basement price point. Despite being substantially cheaper than the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Santa Fe in the UAE, the Geely doesn’t look or feel like a no-frills offering.

There’s pleasing use of soft-touch materials wherever your eyes and fingertips come to rest, and there’s an artfulness to the layout that makes the cabin a pleasant place to be.

Genuine leather trim isn’t offered in even the range-topping Okavango GF but, even so, the quilted and perforated vinyl seats (with ventilation in the GF) look and feel good.

The seats are well sculpted to offer good lumbar support, and even rear-seat passengers have little to complain about, as there are three individual buckets rather than a flat bench in the middle row.

Third-row occupants have less to cheer about, as space is a bit tight back there, and a degree of athleticism is required to get in and out without tripping over the second-row seatbelts.

Geely doesn’t quote a luggage capacity figure for the Okavanago with all seats in place, but it appears to be sufficient for only one full-size suitcase. Of course, there’s the possibility of folding down the third-row and even second-row seats if they’re not required, in which case luggage space swells to a cavernous 2050 litres.

As touched on earlier, there’s a genuine quality feel inside the cabin and Geely’s designers have made skilful use of contrasting trim materials and colours (beige and black in our test car) to create a bright and airy ambience. There’s a clean, uncluttered look to the cockpit, as physical buttons have been kept to a minimum.

On the downside, the 12.3-inch infotainment screen isn’t informative or intuitive to use, so Geely needs to up its game in this department. The sound quality of the six-speaker audio system could also be better.

For the time being, you can’t buy the Geely Okavango in Australia, as the brand is yet to dip its toes in the choppy waters of our market.

That said, Geely seems poised for an Australian debut in 2025, and an uncamouflaged E5 electric SUV has recently been spied and photographed on Victorian roads. The electric Radar RD6 ute (aka Riddara RD6) also seems primed to debut next year in Australia.

Although it appears the brand will initially focus on electrified offerings, the lineup will probably expand over time to target a broader cross-section of buyers.

Should the Okavango get the green light for the Australian market, it stands up as a solidly engineered package that represents keen value for money.

The likes of the Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Telluride might have a tad more design flair and a proven track record, but if the Okavango substantially undercuts this duo on price (as it does in the UAE), it could be enough of a hook to lure value-conscious buyers.

2024 Geely Okavango at a glance:
Price: Okavango GK $39,452 (in UAE); Okavango GF $42,227 (in UAE)
Available: TBA
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Output: 160kW/325Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel: 7.6L/100km (WLTP)
CO2: NA
Safety rating: Five-star in ASEAN NCAP for Proton X90 (essentially the same vehicle)

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