Geely Starray

alternatives

BYD Sealion 5
With lots of standard kit and a decent electric-only range, it's a tempting choice.
★★★☆☆

MG HS
A five-star SUV on merit if you opt for the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model. 
★★★★★

Driving

A 1.5-litre petrol engine (98bhp) paired with an electric motor (215bhp) powers the Geely Starray from 0-62mph in 8.0sec. Most of the propulsion is done by the electric motor, which can struggle for traction out of junctions on occasion but builds up to motorway speeds effortlessly. You'll rarely need the petrol engine's input in 'hybrid' mode, save for urgent acceleration. 'Power' mode keeps the engine on at all times for maximum performance, while 'pure' mode will only consume battery power to minimise fuel consumption. The Starray's 18.4kWh battery officially manages 51 miles on electricity alone. 

A smooth accelerator pedal is a boon in stop-start traffic and the brake pedal response isn't too sharp. There are three modes of regenerative braking and, while they won't bring the car to a full stop, the braking effect builds up naturally as you ease off the accelerator. Noise levels are a little disappointing from both engine revs under full power and road/wind noise while motorway cruising. From a handling perspective, firm suspension to deal with the weight of the electric batteries results in a fidgety ride. The upside is minimal body control when cornering, and the Starray doesn't sway into bends either.

Interior

Plush materials, soft-touch surfaces and nicely damped buttons and switches give an upmarket feel. You get a typical SUV lofty driving position, with plenty of reach and height adjustment from the steering wheel and electric seating adjustment as standard. There's also great all-around visibility with rear parking sensors and a high-res 360-degree camera. Max trim comes with front parking sensors.

The driver gets a crisp 10.2in digital display behind the steering wheel, although some of the font is quite small. That said, you do get a big head-up display on Max trim. A potential pain point is managing almost every feature through a 15.4in infotainment touchscreen that sits in centre of the dashboard. In spite of its sharp graphics, some of the icons are tricky to aim for while driving and loading speeds can be sluggish. Several functions are kept in sub-menus, making things hard to find, while voice control only accounts for a few functions, as does the rotary dial on the centre console.

Space and practicality

A strong suit of the Starray is the generous head, leg and shoulder room on offer. In the back, you'll find limo-like leg room. Even with a panoramic roof fitted, there's plenty of head room. For the middle passenger, there's enough shoulder room to get comfortable, while a flat floor means they have lots of foot room.

A height-adjustable boot floor is standard and, in its lowest position, there's 528 litres of boot space (up to the load cover). Raise the floor to its highest and it sits almost flush with the boot entrance. Both of these factors work well for loading a mobility scooter, such as our TGA Whill R model (pictured).

Equipment

The entry-level Starray gets plenty of standard equipment, including 19in alloy wheels, rear privacy glass, heated front seats, adaptive cruise control, climate control, keyless entry, a built-in sat-nav and smartphone mirroring for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Max trim adds a 16-speaker Flyme sound system, a panoramic roof, heated steering wheel, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, ventilated driver's seat and a rear centre armrest.

*All measurements are approximate. Please note, cars can be taken off the Scheme at any time.

Photos: Geely; BYD; MG Motor