Geely EX5 vs Kia EV5

The Geely EX5 is the cheaper car on both counts. As of September 2026 it opens at $41,990 drive-away for the Complete, around $8,000 below the entry Kia EV5 Air Standard Range at $49,990. The gap holds up the range: the EX5 Inspire is $45,990, while the EV5 climbs to $59,990 for the Air Long Range, $64,990 for the Earth and $75,990 for the GT-Line. Running costs lean the same way, with Geely's five-year servicing capped at $1,190 against Kia's $2,000. If the lowest price to buy and keep decides it, the EX5 takes it; the EV5 asks you to pay for its extra range and space.

At the entry point the Geely EX5 goes further, but the Kia EV5 holds the ceiling. Compared like for like, the EX5 Complete claims 475km against the base EV5 Air Standard Range's 400km, so the cheaper Geely wins for less. Step up, though, and the $59,990 EV5 Air Long Range uses a larger 88.1kWh battery for a claimed 555km, the longest reach in this pair, before the dual-motor Earth and GT-Line trade some range back for all-wheel drive at 500km and 470km. Read the EX5 as the stronger entry-level bet. Read the EV5 Air Long Range as the one to buy if maximum range is the priority.

The answer flips depending on the seats. With them up, the Kia EV5 is the clear winner at 513 litres to the Geely EX5's 302, roughly two-thirds more room for prams and shopping, and it adds a 67-litre front boot for charge cables. Fold the rear seats, though, and the Geely turns the tables: its 1,877 litres beats the Kia's 1,714 for flat-pack and bulky loads. Both cars seat five on the same 2,750mm wheelbase, so passenger space is close. Read the EV5 as the better everyday hauler. Read the EX5 as the one for occasional big loads with the seats down.

The Geely EX5 wins on running costs. Its scheduled servicing is capped at $1,190 over five years against the Kia EV5's $2,000, and it visits the workshop every 20,000km where the Kia wants a service every 15,000km. It is also the more efficient car, drawing a claimed 160Wh/km against the EV5's 182 at the entry grades, so it costs a little less to charge. Both come with a seven-year warranty, though Geely covers the battery for eight years to Kia's seven. If ownership cost is the deciding factor, the EX5 takes it; the EV5's advantages sit elsewhere.

Both are among the safest choices in the class, each with a 5-star ANCAP rating. Autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control are standard across both ranges. The Geely EX5 was rated in 2025 and scores a little higher for vulnerable road users at 83 per cent to the Kia's 74, and for safety assist at 85 to 82. It also makes its 360-degree camera standard on both grades, where the EV5, rated in 2024, holds that camera back for the top GT-Line. The Kia edges adult occupant protection at 88 per cent to 86. On standard safety kit, the EX5 has the slight edge.

The Geely EX5 gives you more as standard. Its 15.4-inch touchscreen is the larger of the two, and wireless Apple CarPlay, a 360-degree camera and wireless phone charging come standard on both grades, along with heated synthetic-leather seats. The Kia EV5 answers with a slicker triple-screen layout and a bigger 12.3-inch driver's display that reviewers rate among the best in class, but it reserves wireless charging, ventilated front seats and its head-up display for the top GT-Line. For standard technology the EX5 is the better value; the EV5 only pulls level once you load up the GT-Line, at nearly double the entry price.

For most first-time electric-SUV buyers, the Geely EX5 is the easier car to recommend. It costs the least to buy at $41,990 drive-away, the least to service over five years, and it travels further at the entry point with a claimed 475km of WLTP range. It also feels a class above its price inside, with a plush cabin and a big touchscreen. The main things you give up are outright cabin space and a soft ride the reviews are honest about. The EX5 is the value-first pick; step up to the Kia EV5 only if you need the extra room or the long-range battery.

For a growing family, the Kia EV5 is the more practical shape. Its 513-litre boot holds roughly two-thirds more than the Geely EX5's 302 litres with the seats up, and a 67-litre front boot keeps the charge cables out of the way. Both seat five and carry a 5-star ANCAP rating, so safety and passenger space are close. The EX5 answers only when you drop the rear seats, where its 1,877 litres beats the Kia's 1,714. The EV5 is the better daily family car; the EX5 earns its place only if you fold the seats often and want to spend less.

This is where the Kia EV5 makes its case. As an established brand, it brings a wider dealer network, a known service experience and a stronger resale record than Geely, which only launched its own badge in Australia in 2025. The trade-off is money: the EV5 costs more to buy and, at $2,000 over five years, more to service. The Geely counters with a matching seven-year warranty, an eight-year battery warranty and much lower running costs. For brand backing and resale the EV5 is the safer choice; for the lower ownership bill the EX5 is the better-value bet.