Geely EX5 vs Mercedes-AMG GLE53

What's the difference?

The Geely EX5 has good bones. It’s well packaged, sturdily built, efficient and jam-packed with technology. But questions remain. The EX5 really needs work on its safety systems and another round of chassis revisions to be competitive. 

Pricing, too, will be crucial for the EX5 to succeed in today’s savage new electric car market. 

If the list of nagging complaints can be fixed and Geely is able to back up its product with solid aftersales support, it could be a winner. The jury is still out on the EX5.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

The GLE Coupe isn't going to click with a traditional enthusiast but will appeal to a new age of mainstream performance buyers. It's a total tech showcase and you can feel all of those 48-volt benefits from behind the wheel.

Love it or hate its shape, then, you have to appreciate how Mercedes has gone to the nth degree on the details on an SUV it probably could have sold on looks alone.

The Geely EX5’s exterior design is conservative verging on anonymous. Perhaps that’s because the brand is unknown here, but forgettable details like the six-rectangle badge rear and haphazard ‘Geely EX5’ badge placement aren’t the height of fashion.

Inside, though, the EX5 improves. The two screens are presented well, as is the cabin with upholstery that isn’t just boring black. The design language is more conventional — in a good way — than, say, a BYD Atto 3 or Tesla Model Y and doesn’t seem to unashamedly copy elements from established carmakers.

Key touch points, such as the rotary volume control, the (wrong way around) window switches and door handles appear to be made of real metal, with knurling in some cases. The dash and door tops are all encased in squishy rubber, too.

As for sizing, the EX5 is the exact same length as a Toyota RAV4, at 4615mm long, though being wider (1901mm) and riding on a longer 2750mm wheelbase should mean more cabin space.

Hate the very concept of a large SUV coupe or not, you have to at least agree this second-generation GLE Coupe looks infinitely better than the model preceding it.

This time the Coupe version was front of mind from the outset of the GLEs development and is significantly different from the wagon version in more ways than just a sloping roofline.

The wheelbase has been cropped in 60mm compared to the wagon, and the GLE Coupe is a full 7.0mm wider and 39mm longer than its predecessor.

All this adds up to an imposing and more resolved SUV Coupe. I especially like the way its bootlid flicks up into a spoiler, and how the tail-lights round out the profile nicely.

Still, there's always going to be something a little off about the proportions when it comes to a coupe SUV this big, and it's certainly a re-imagining of what a sporty vehicle should look like.

This car's cabin is almost as confronting as its exterior. Up front you're met with an assault of chrome, a ventilation overload and a totally dominant expanse of screens.

This all hints at the advanced tech which lies beneath, but the real wood and leather trims also elevate the cabin to something you might expect at the tall asking price.

It may appeal to a particular taste and makes the BMW X6's cabin look almost conventional.

Finding a comfortable driving position is easy in the EX5 Inspire with the octagonal steering wheel tilting and telescoping through a broad range of motion. The seats are supportive and well-bolstered, too — not a given in this class.

While we wish the front passenger seat was height adjustable, the Inspire’s leg rest and ability to lie the seats fully flat while charging is appreciated. The massage function has six modes, three intensity levels and is remarkably powerful. 

Between the EX5’s front seats is a floating centre console as gear selection is done via the right-hand stalk. It has two small cup holders on top, while under that is a generous, rubberised storage space perfect for handbags, cameras, or the like. It’s where the USB-A, USB-C and 12-volt socket are located for device charging.

There is a wireless charging pad that sits ahead of a large central storage box cooled by the air-conditioning. The Geely EX5’s door cards will easily accept a 600mL camping bottle.

Where the Geely EX5 falls down is the control layout. It is nice to have four physical switches beneath the touchscreen as shortcuts to switch the air-conditioning on or off, engage air recirculation and the front demister, but where’s the hazard light switch? It's on the ceiling.

Then there’s the large rotary dial which generally functions as a volume knob. Press it down and you can choose to have it adjust the temperature, fan speed, or — for some reason — one of several desktop backgrounds, including a computer-generated kitten playing with some wool. In this mode it also works as cursor for the multimedia screen, but never at any other time. Peculiar.

The convoluted menu structure has a strange control hierarchy. There's a shortcut target for the rear fog light, for example, yet to disable the lane-keep assist or adjust the regenerative braking power you need to jump through at least three sub-menus. And some of the text in the Geely EX5’s digital driver’s display is so small it’s almost illegible.

Then there are the typos and grammatical errors that should have been an easy pre-launch fix. A few include: ‘Distractive. Drive carefully’, ‘Keep safety distance’, ‘Driver is facial detection is missing’ and, a personal favourite: ‘The current battery is low, whether to enable super battery life?’ None of this inspires much confidence. At least the EX5’s processor is responsive for smooth tapping between the many menus.

The Geely EX5’s 1000-watt 16-speaker sound system is punchy and has presets – borrowed from Volvo and Polestar — which promise to emulate the sound quality of a recording studio, concert hall and other locations. Gimmicky in practice, plus, with the volume over 30 per cent, the EX5’s sound quality is disappointingly muddy.

Connectivity promises to be strong in the EX5 but the cars we drove were not fitted with 4G sims for live navigation, app downloads and remote smartphone control. Apple CarPlay will be added via a software update in July and Android Auto before the end of the year, says Geely. 

The Geely EX5’s back seat is very generous, at 188cm tall I had plenty of leg room, respectable toe room and excellent head room even underneath the standard panoramic sunroof. The floor is totally flat and, rarely, the middle seat is usable for adults.

Two more USB chargers can be found along with air vents, door pockets and a fold-down central armrest. There’s even a hidden sliding draw for storing valuables out of sight.

The Geely EX5 has ISOFIX child seat connectors on both outboard seats and three top tether anchors on its 40/60 split-fold backrest. 

The EX5 Inspire has a standard power tailgate which opens up to a total of 410 litres of boot space. If it looks a little shallow in pictures, that’s because the total space accounts for the large under-floor area (108L on its own) where Geely skipped a spare tyre.

There is one LED boot light, two shopping bag hooks and a wet storage area off to the side but, curiously, no parcel shelf.

In some ways, the GLE Coupe makes the most of its extra dimensions, but in other more obvious ways, it's quite compromised.

Benz tells us there's now 40 litres of combined cabin storage, and with the large door bins, centre console box, convertible cupholders, and glove box, I'm inclined to believe them.

The brand also told us much of the extra 39mm of body length has gone into the rear passenger space, and this seems true when it comes to legroom.

You definitely notice the decline of the C-Pillar, though, making an otherwise large space feel slightly claustrophobic, particularly with the 53's dark headlining and heavily tinted rear windows.

The almost absurd ride height does make peering over the bonnet a chore at times, although I enjoyed the adjustability and comfort afforded by the front two seats.

In terms of connectivity, front passengers get a plethora of USB-C jacks, a wireless charging bay, and a 12V power outlet. There's no USB-A connectivity, so you'll want to stock up on converters.

Rear passengers benefit from dual USB-C ports in a fold out tray, and also score dual adjustable air vents. Two extra climate control zones can be optioned for rear passengers ($1450), and there's also an exorbitant option package to include two screens and wireless headsets for the full business-class experience in the back seats ('Entertainment Package' - $6000!).

You might be surprised given this SUV's shape, but a lot of thought was also poured into the design of the boot area. Thanks to a large footprint, the GLE 53 Coupe's boot is large at 655 litres, five litres up on its predecessor. It's still a whopping 170-litres down on the wagon version, though.

The boot lip has been lowered significantly to increase ease of use, too.

Our test car did not have a spare wheel, with only an inflator kit or run-flat tyres to be working with. This is despite a large area under the boot floor which, to my eyes at least, could easily have fit a space-saver spare.

Does price matter when it comes to a machine like this? The GLE 53 variant with which this generation of Coupe will launch is the mid-grade car in a three-variant line-up.

It wears a very premium MSRP of $171,800. Soon it will be joined by the only non-AMG badged variant, the GLE 450 Coupe ($137,000) and the top-spec V8 bruiser, the GLE 63 S ($222,700).

To put those numbers (and this car's very existence) in context, it's best to look at its direct competitors.

You'll likely know of its arch rival, the BMW X6. Another Coupe SUV at the pointy end of the price scale, the closest rival variant to our GLE 53 is the M50i starting from $159,900.

Other rivals in this rapidly growing space include the Porsche Cayenne Coupe S at $166,200, and the yet-to-arrive Audi SQ8 which has not yet had its pricing locked in for the Australian market. See what I mean? Coupe SUVs are beyond just an oddity.

So, it's more expensive than its direct rivals, but does it have good reason to be? The GLE 53 is equipment laden from the get-go.

Included are the standard fitments from all new Benz models, including the headline dual 12.3-inch screens adorning its massive dashboard, complete with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, built-in navigation and voice activation, real leather interior trim with fully electrically adjustable heated and cooled front seats, 21-inch alloys, 'multibeam' LED headlights, AMG styling items, a wireless charging bay, head-up display, and, of course, a panoramic opening sunroof.

An impressive list, but the technology under the skin of the new GLE goes a step beyond. Read about its engine and transmission tech and impressive safety suite later in this review.

Geely claims the EX5’s front axle-mounted 11-in-one motor, transmission and power unit is the lightest and most compact in class. Though power and torque outputs of 160kW and 320Nm are nothing groundbreaking it was perfectly adequate for the EX5’s 1765kg tare mass.

In Eco, Standard and Sport modes the tip-in response is intentionally dulled to minimise wheel spin. Three are three regenerative braking levels; medium felt most natural, though High was acceptable. There’s no one-pedal drive mode in the Geely EX5.

The front-drive Geely EX5 Inspire's claimed 0-100km/h time is 7.1 seconds and its top speed is limited to 175km/h.

Here's where this car gets particularly interesting. It's a hybrid. But not your gran's Prius. It's hybrid in a way which will make you re-think the technology.

Residing under the bonnet is a 3.0-litre, twin-turbo, straight-six engine mated to a very complex looking nine-speed (torque converter) automatic transmission.

One of those two turbochargers is driven by an electric motor rather than the exhaust (in order to provide its peak benefits at the lowest possible rpm), and there's also an electric motor inside the transmission which takes the load off the engine at low speeds and between gears.

This isn't where the 48-volt tech ends, with the GLE 53 also sporting active anti-roll bars and dampers, which significantly adjust the ride and body-roll on-the-fly.

All four wheels are driven via Benz's 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive system.

Real-world efficiency is one of the EX5’s most impressive attributes, with the Inspire’s WLTP-range being 410km dependent on returning energy consumption of 14.7kWh/100km.

Over a 100km distance taking in suburban, motorway and country roads, the EX5’s dash showed a lower-than-rated energy consumption of 13.5kWh/100km, representing nearly 460km of real-world range from Geely’s 60.22kWh ‘Aegis’ lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack.

Along with the motor, some of the efficiency can be put down to the Geely EX5 Inspire’s quality 235/50R19 Goodyear EfficientGrip tyres.

Charging is middling for this pack, with the EX5 using a 400-volt architecture that allows DC power up to 100kW. Rejuicing from 20-80 per cent takes 28 minutes, says Geely, which is faster than the Deepal S07 and Leapmotor C10 but a long way short of the XPeng G6 and Model Y.

Three-phase AC charging caps out at 11kW, meaning you can take the EX5 from flat to full in around five and a half hours at home.

It's a performance car, so fuel consumption is probably not going to be front of mind for potential buyers. That said, the hybrid tech delivers a surprisingly good number.

The official combined cycle consumption number is ambitiously under 10L/100km at 9.3L/100km.

After three days of (roughly) combined testing and about 300km of distance travelled, our car was showing a dash-reported 14.1L/100km. Not near the claim, but is it really bad for a performance SUV weighing 2447kg? I would argue, not.

The GLE 53 requires the top-shelf 98 RON hydrocarbons to fill its 85-litre tank, giving it a maximum theoretical range of 726km between fills.

Underpinning the Geely EX5 is the new Global Intelligent Electric Architecture, or GEA for short. It is a newer and lower-cost version of the group’s SEA platform as used in Volvo, Polestar, Zeekr and Smart products and the bones are good.

The Geely EX5’s body doesn’t rattle, creak or shimmy over nasty road surfaces. Some solid knowhow has made its way into the brake pedal calibration which is light but delightfully smooth. It’s impossible to detect where regenerative slowing ends and hydraulic begins.

It has allegedly undergone Australian suspension localisation but don’t expect outright handling excellence, the EX5’s ride is still pillowy — verging on melted marshmallow — soft. Some will find this acceptable, however there’s plenty of potential for improvement.

Over large bumps both in town and at speed it takes the Geely EX5’s rear end between two and four rebound cycles to settle. There’s also a large amount of lateral ‘head toss’, with both attributes key ingredients in making back seat passengers car sick.

I also experienced a low-frequency boom in the EX5's cabin over concrete and rough coarse chip surfaces common on Sydney roads. Otherwise, the EX5’s is a mostly quiet car.

The sharp steering is light around town but weighted up unnaturally through corners. With high quality tyres and stability control that intervenes very early, you’re unlikely to get out of shape in the EX5 on a twisty road at least.

That said, with good bones like McPherson struts up front and multi-link rear suspension we would love to see Geely revise the EX5’s chassis to bestow the sort of fluency that makes the Kia EV5 and combustion equivalents like the Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5 so much more pleasant to drive. Doing so would provide the EX5 a clear point of difference from the XPeng G6, BYD Sealion 7, Deepal S07 and Leapmotor C10.

This Benz feels about as imposing from behind the wheel as it is to look at. Straight away, you'll notice you tower over the road. I felt as though I was sitting high enough to be on the roof of passing hatchbacks, so there's nothing traditionally 'sporty' about it from the get-go.

I know you're probably thinking visibility is average with that roofline, and you'd be right. You just can't see much, full-stop, out the back.

Thankfully, an array of sensors and very wide-angle mirrors help with overall visibility, so you won't have to be too paranoid about unseen vehicles in your blind spots.

I'm pleased to report all the technology which goes under this SUV's skin is evident when it comes to the drive experience.

The hybrid tech is ultra-slick and impressive in every department, from trawling in traffic to the curvy stuff and the open road.

The responsiveness of this powertrain is something to be experienced (with the pre-spooled turbo) and the way the hybrid motor in the transmission smooths out shifts removes all the worst characteristics of a traditional torque converter automatic.

One thing to note about the GLE 53 – while it's quick, it's not quite a fire breather. There's no getting around this car's almost two and a half tonne weight, and while I love the smooth feel and note of the 3.0-litre straight six, it's simply not as thunderous or full of theatre as I imagine the 63 S will be.

Despite its height and weight, the altered steering ratios and 48-volt driven suspension and anti-roll systems cause a suspense in belief when it comes to the corners.

And grip levels are certifiably absurd with those gigantic rear tyres also pitching in to do their part to help something this large deny gravity and physics.

It's not all amazing though. You really feel every millimetre of this SUVs width, and at the end of the day there's no getting around it. It just doesn't feel anything like a sports machine in the traditional sense.

When it comes to ride quality, the GLE impresses, but has its limits. Sure there's air suspension at work, but it offers up nowhere near the ride quality of the more comfort-tuned GLC 300e I recently tested.

Seems as though there's an inevitable cost to keeping the GLE feeling well and truly planted at all times.

On the freeway the GLE Coupe is ridiculous in the way it can basically drive itself, so this offers up a real plus for those looking for a balance of performance and sensibility for longer trips.

It would be no good having a 2.5-tonne rolling tech showcase without top-tier safety to match, and the GLE 53 Coupe doesn't disappoint.

Standard is autobahn-spec auto emergency braking, which combined with lane change assist is beyond just the radar cruise in most cars, it's truly autonomous.

Don't try this at home, but the GLE is capable of completely driving itself on the freeway should you... theoretically... let go of the wheel.

Also included is blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition, and driver attention alert.

There's a top-down camera suite, too (will help maneuvering given it's tough to see over the dash and out the back), and a compliment of nine airbags.

You won't be surprised to hear the GLE range is covered by a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating to the stringent 2019 standards.

Geely is doing its best to ensure smooth parts supply from launch, having run around for 12 months stocking inventory and partnering with DB Schenker for logistics.

To promote the EX5, Geely’s launching with three years complimentary servicing and one year (or 1000kWh) of free charging on the Evie network for those who order an EX5 before February 28.

Geely has yet to announce warranty details. The brand will want to aim for more than five years, as seven years is fast becoming the minimum standard for new vehicles.

Service pricing is also yet to be confirmed, though maintenance will be due every 12 months or 20,000km.

Mercedes has recently made a jump to the front of the luxury segment, offering an industry-wide standard of a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. Here it is only rivalled by Korean newcomer, Genesis.

Service intervals occur once every 12 months or 25,000km and prices can be pre-packaged at a discount.

A three-year service plan can be had for $2800 ($3500 if you choose to 'fix' the price), four years can be had at $3800, while a full five-year plan will set you back $5200. Not cheap, but then, neither is the car itself...