Geely ramps up SUV assault

Australia’s car market is already busier than a Saturday morning Bunnings carpark – and it’s about to get a whole lot busier, as Geely confirms it’s eyeing up the large SUV space.

The plot twist? These won’t just be the usual electrified suspects. Geely’s planning to roll out sharply priced petrol-powered behemoths too, because apparently someone still remembers that not everyone has a charging station in their driveway.

Geely Australia CEO Li Lei said he understands that Aussies love their big rigs and his plan is to build up the product lineup and the showroom network to match, because there’s no point selling cars if there’s nowhere to buy them.

“We are bringing a lot of new product in the coming years,” he said, adding that large SUVs are at top of his shopping list.

“Australians like big cars so definitely, to bring the product they prefer is always our strategy. We have such vehicles in our product portfolio inside the group.”

When pressed about whether the seven-seat Geely Okavango was Australia-bound – even with old-school petrol power – Li was coy but didn’t slam the door shut.

“Geely is not an EV brand exclusively,” he said. “Geely is always investing in the latest technology – including ICE, hybrids, new energy products – so that is possible.

“Chinese OEMs are always very fast to adapt to market demands, so any requirement or demand from the market, that’s possible from Geely’s side.”

Like most Chinese newcomers trying to crack the Aussie market, Geely’s currently a one-trick pony with just the Geely EX5 mid-size SUV starting at just over $40K – which is genuinely sharp pricing for an electric SUV of that size.

Expect more of the same aggressive pricing and premium interior fit-outs in its upcoming SUV offerings as Geely continues its charm offensive.

Geely is expected to launch its second SUV, the Galaxy Starship 7 PHEV, later in 2025 – when it will duke it out with the BYD Sealion 6 and other hybrid heavyweights. If the model does head our way, it’s likely it will be sold here under another name.

Geely owns Volvo and Lotus, but that doesn’t mean much when most Aussies couldn’t pick the brand out of a lineup. Cracking the large SUV segments – where the Hyundai Santa Fe and Toyota Kluger rule supreme – would be the perfect way to muscle into the mainstream conversation.

The company’s even considering a rugged seven-seat 4x4 to build some street cred, something that could go toe to toe with the Ford Everest, Toyota Prado, and Isuzu MU-X - something like the Geely Galaxy Cruiser (pictured below).

“Technically, there’s no issue for Geely to develop or provide such product,” Li said. “It’s just related to demand.

“It’s good to start with SUVs. We have a lot of products, different types, so all of these are possible to bring to Australia. It depends on policies, regulations and mostly customer demand.”

Geely wants to become a household name Down Under, and it’s well aware that Chinese brands are currently about as familiar to most Aussies as decent public transport.

“We come here and we stay here – we’re going to build this brand and make it big in the Australian market,” Li declared, with the confidence of someone who’s clearly never tried to explain Chinese car brands at a suburban BBQ.

But taking on the Toyota Prado and Hyundai Santa Fe certainly won’t hurt Geely’s cause.