China's new family SUV updated already!

A family SUV has picked up a big boost soon after its Aussie release. 

The Geely Starray EM-i has received a serious upgrade in China less than three months after the older version launched in Australia, according to CarNews China. 

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The current Starray can travel up to 83km thanks to its 18.4kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery.

It keeps the 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine from the current version and pairs it with an upgraded electric motor that makes a combined 175kW, up from 160kW.

This increased power could result in a slight improvement on the 8.0 seconds for the current car’s 0-100km/h sprint. 

Fuel efficiency for the current model sits at a combined total of 2.4L/100km (WLTP), and this is unlikely to change with the new variant. 

The Starray gets a bigger 15.4-inch multimedia screen and a 10.2-inch digital driver display, with a six-speaker audio system. 

The announcement comes after the car’s release in Australia in September of this year.

Aussie versions of the car starts from $37,490, before on-road costs, which is a little cheaper than the all-electric EX5, starting at $40,990. 

It is priced competitively with its rivals, such as the Chery Tiggo 7 Urban and BYD Sealion 6 Essential.

More than 500 examples of the Starray have been sold in Australia in just a few months, which represents a solid start when compared to other brands.

Another of its rivals, Leapmotor’s C10, comes in hybrid and all-electric guise and has only mustered 509 sales since its March 2025 launch. 

Starray and EX5 combined sales are approaching 4000 in roughly the same period. 

Geely when contacted for comment were not willing to confirm whether the updated Starray variant will makes its way to Australia.