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Four hundred and sixty-five thousand, seven hundred and seventy-five. That's a big number to spell out.

It's also how many Geely EX2 electric hatchbacks were delivered in China last year, officially becoming the country's best-selling new car of 2025.

Why has it been such a huge hit?

Possibly because it's incredibly roomy and packed with equipment for such a small car. But mostly because it's dirt cheap. Starting from around ¥62,000 – which works out at something like £7,000 – its price tag's done much of the heavy lifting.

But I'm not foolish enough to think it would be that cheap here.

State support from Beijing plus a localised parts supply chain always equals far lower pricing in China than what we get here.

Even so, I didn't think the cost would triple. Starting from £20,990, the EX2 isn't the bargain I'd expected.

And it puts the Geely in a precarious position.

At this price, it has to prove itself on merit against some of the best small EVs on the market.

Geely sold a staggering 465,775 electric EX2s in China last year - more than any other car across all fuel types. Now it's coming to the UK. So, could it become a chart topper in Britain?

What does £21,000 get you?

Hand Geely £20,990 and you'll get the EX2 in Pro trim.

It is powered by a relatively puny 35kWh battery and 81bhp electric motor that sends power to the rear wheels.

Sounds like it's not going to be very fast, right? You betcha! Sprinting – or dawdling – to 62mph takes 14.2 seconds. Still, it's a full three seconds quicker than the new Fiat 500 Hybrid, so not the slowest new car in showrooms by some stretch.

And acceleration isn't its biggest Achilles' heel.

The small battery is – officially – capable of covering only 155 miles between charges. Even less in real-world driving conditions. That's a range EV sceptics would have scoffed at a decade ago, let alone in 2026.

The truth is nobody's buying the £20,990 car. Even Geely knows that, somewhat optimistically predicting a 5 per cent market share of UK sales.

The reality is that the EX2 starts from £23,490: the price of the mid-spec Max.

It gets a more potent combination of a 47kWh battery and 114bhp e-motor, shortening the 0-62mph time to 11.5 seconds and increasing the range to 214 miles.

That's still fewer miles than you get from rivals, though is a distance buyers shopping for a small hatchback might find adequate enough.

The most expensive variant is the Ultra, which has the same battery and electric motor arrangement as the Max but adds a few extra trinkets to push the price to £25,490.

It's a compact electric hatchback that prioritises space - it's more comparable in size to the Renault 4 crossover than the smaller 5 supermini

The entry version costs around £7,000 in China. Here, it's three times as expensive at £20,990. However, its limited range means hardly anyone will buy the most basic model

Is it stylish?

At best, the EX2's design is inoffensive.

Like so many Chinese newcomers flooding Britain's car market, I am inclined to file its styling under 'anonymous'.

Whichever angle you approach it from, it's bulbous and soft-edged. Feather-inspired headlamps and tail-lights attempt to inject some character, but the overall look is about as memorable as a magnolia-painted waiting room.

It also appears very top-heavy. That's largely down to its near-1.6-metre roofline, which means it stands taller than a Mini Aceman crossover SUV.

Measuring in at 4.1 metres long, 1.8 metres wide and with a 2.65-metre wheelbase, the EX2 isn't actually that small at all. In fact, its footprint is closer to that of the retro-styled Renault 4 crossover than the smaller 5 supermini.

As a result, I'm pitching it against the roomier end of the small EV segment, taking on the likes of the Citroen e-C3, Ford Puma Gen-E, MG4 Urban and BYD Dolphin.

Is it well equipped?

Chinese brands tend to have one killer trump card: generous standard equipment.

East Asian newcomers have already found this to be a remarkably effective tactic to attract custom from motorists who, for years, have been fleeced by options lists.

As standard, the EX2 Pro comes with keyless entry and keyless start, LED daytime running lights, high-beam assist to stop you dazzling oncoming drivers, a reversing camera, heated and power-folding door mirrors, and 16-inch alloy wheels.

Inside, all versions have faux leather upholstery, electric front seats and climate control. There's a large 14.6-inch central infotainment display compatible with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a smaller 8.8-inch digital driver's instrument cluster.

The Max - which costs £2,500 more - gets exactly the same features, just the bigger battery and electric motor.

Like so many of its Chinese rivals, Geely has loaded the EX2 will a huge suite of equipment and technology. Every model gets this 14.6in infotainment touchscreen and an 8.8in driver display

The range-topping Ultra trim boasts a raft of luxury car features: heated seats, heated steering wheel, rain-sensing window wipers and this 360-degree camera on demand

Splash out another £2k on the Ultra trim level and you gain a contrast black roof, metal side skirts, a power boot, and rain-sensing wipers. It also adds ambient interior lighting, a 360-degree camera, six-speaker audio system (up from four), wireless phone charging, and heated front seats and steering wheel.

The only things you can pay extra for are the optional off-white interior palette for £200 and a choice of bonnet stripes for £185 including fitting. Given its pedestrian acceleration, Geely really can't call them 'racing' stripes.

All variants of the EX2 feature DC rapid charging, rated at 60kW for the Pro and 80kW for bigger-battery versions, plus an 11kW onboard charger.

Using a public fast charger, it can go from 30 to 80 per cent in around 25 minutes. Charge overnight at home using a 7kW wallbox and it takes just over 7 hours.

I can only describe the cabin as Tardis-like. Even adults comfortably over 6ft can get comfortable in the EX2 and have headroom to spare

Even the rear bench is roomy. There's lots of overhead space and knee room for taller occupants. The middle seat is also large enough for adult passengers

What's it like inside?

Tardis-like. The EX2's party piece is interior space.

There's an astonishing amount of room for adults front and rear. Even six-footers won't grumble about being packed in too tight.

Geely has packaged EX2 ingeniously given its relatively compact footprint. Somehow, there's loads of elbow room up front and enough space for three adults to survive a short trip in the second row without complaint.

Storage is another standout feature.

There are 36 cubbies dotted around the cabin and a 37th is on the way; a 25-litre storage box concealed underneath the rear seats that will be perfect for hiding kids toys and other clutter.

With no electric motor between the front wheels, the EX2 boasts a deep 70-litre 'frunk' (front trunk) under the bonnet. This easily eats the charging cables and a small rucksack.

At the other end, there's a 375-litre boot, which is almost on par with that in a VW Golf. Simply put, nothing in this segment matches the EX2 for luggage space.

With no electric motor between the front wheels, the EX2 boasts a deep 70-litre 'frunk' under the bonnet.

The boot capacity is almost on par with a VW Golf. However, the floor is well below the sill, so difficult to load heavier items. The parcel shelf isn't attached to the boot door, which caused problems for the power closing system in the Ultra model I tested

It's not perfect, though.

The low boot floor makes lowering heavy items awkward, the Ultra's electric tailgate malfunctions if the parcel shelf isn't positioned perfectly, and the glovebox is a slide-out tray only accessible if a passenger's knees aren't in the way.

The cabin quality is decent rather than dazzling, with a mix of hard plastics and softer finishes. The switchgear feels solid, though the metal-look controls for the mirror adjustment are noticeably plastic.

Overall, it's palatable but nowhere near as stylish as a Renault 4.

The infotainment system is impressively responsive. And it needs to be because almost everything is controlled through the touchscreen – and there's a labyrinth of sub menus you can quickly get lost in.

Thankfully, the main climate settings are positioned on a shortcut bar across the bottom of the display alongside three customisable icons you can select based on the features you use most.

My biggest gripe with the cabin? The digital driver's display.

The font is borderline microscopic. I almost have to press my forehead against the windscreen to make out some of the information, which can be distracting on the move.

As you can see here, the font on the digital driver's instrument cluster is borderline microscopic. Trying to read it on the move is extremely difficult

Lotus engineers have reportedly fine-tuned the EX2's chassis for European roads. Just don't expect blistering performance

I tested the car on a variety of roads in Wiltshire. Without question, the Geely is most at home in town and in low-speed urban environments

How does it drive?

Geely sits within the same ownership group as British sportscar icon Lotus. And engineers in Hethel have reportedly fettled the EX2's chassis for European roads.

But don't be under any grand illusions of hair-raising handling; this is a car positioned at the opposite end of the performance spectrum to an Elise or Exige.

In fact, there's a real lack of initial grunt when you first plant the throttle from a standstill, even in the more powerful Ultra that I drove.

This may have been intentionally tuned into the power delivery to ensure the rear-wheel-drive EX2 doesn't get out of shape. But it certainly lacks urgency off the line for an EV.

As a result, you need to carefully plan pulling out of junctions, especially when using the Eco or Comfort driving modes, which strangle acceleration even more so.

There's a snow setting too, which wasn't necessary on a balmy August day. Annoyingly, there's no physical switch to flutter between the four driving modes, so you have to dabble with the infotainment system each time you want to change them.

Once the EX2 is on the move, it gathers momentum more briskly. This is especially the case if you're using Sport mode, though at the risk of depleting battery range in significant chunks.

I found it more than capable of keeping pace with motorway traffic and does so without becoming overly noisy like some EVs under strain. Although, there is some wind buffeting from its large door mirrors.

One of the biggest issues with the EX2 is its lack of initial acceleration from a standstill. Pulling out of junctions has to be well planned to compensation for the lack of instant grunt

My biggest issue with how the EX2 drives is the intrusive ADAS systems. On country roads, I was permanently involved in a game of tug-of-war on the steering wheel with the lane-keep assist

Around town, the steering is noticeably light and vague. However, the trade-off in favour of ease of use is the right one.

The absence of an electric motor between the front wheels also means the turning circle is almost black-cab-like, making it the perfect companion for tight multi-storeys and cramped car parks.

Sadly, when speeds rise and the steering weights up, it still doesn't provide much feedback through the wheel and the eco-bias Yokohama tyres bring limited grip levels (they're tuned for lower rolling resistance to improve battery efficiency).

Engaging to drive, the EX2 isn't. But an affordable small EV really doesn't need to be.

What's most surprising is the level of ride comfort.

With a kerb weight of 1,365kg in the larger-battery versions (1,290kg for Pro), the EX2 is light on its rubber by electric car standards.

This means it doesn't rebound off uneven surfaces or shudder through potholes as badly as some of its competition. It did an excellent job of ironing out the worst B-road imperfections I could throw at it.

Around town, the steering is noticeably light. While that makes it feel somewhat vague, the trade-off in favour of ease of use is the right one

What I will have a little whinge about, though, is the intrusive Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) – a common criticism levelled at Chinese cars.

My biggest grumble is the lane-keep assistance, which on some country lanes triggered a continuous game of tug-of-war on the steering wheel as it repeatedly tried to overrule my road positioning.

Almost as infuriating is the driver-attention monitoring system, which barked at me almost every time I glanced at the infotainment screen or checked the nearside door mirror for more than a split second.

Both systems are too invasive and need to be dialled back with software updates.

Fortunately, they can be switched off.

And demonstrating just how quickly Chinese carmakers respond to criticism, Geely has already made it easier to deactivate ADAS via the touchscreen having received feedback from journalists who drove EX2 before I did.

Is it good value for money?

Because many of its non-Chinese rivals qualify for the Government's Electric Car Grant until April 2030, the EX2 doesn't deliver the value-for-money gap you might anticipate.

A Renault 4 E-Tech in equivalent mid and high-spec trims, for instance, works out at just £2,500 more once the Government gives you £3,750 towards it.

And that's two-and-a-half-grand I'd be more than inclined to spend given the French crossover's longer range, more appealing styling, characterful interior and superior driving dynamics.

Geely knows most buyers will finance or lease their EX2s, and for the time being it's offering 0 per cent APR. This does give it an edge over European, Korean and Japanese alternatives.

You can get behind the wheel of a range-topping EX2 Ultra for as little as £299 a month. That's compared to £336 for a Nissan Micra.

However, it's worth noting that the Chinese MG4 Urban, which boasts a longer 258-mile range, still works out cheaper on a monthly basis if you're quest is solely to have the most affordable option.

Without a market-smashing asking price, the Geely EX2 has its work cut out competing with rivals with longer ranges and more character. But it does win points for roominess

The Cars & Motoring verdict

The Geely EX2 is without question one of the most spacious and practical small EVs on the market. It's also one of the most comfortable in terms of ride quality.

However, its shorter battery capacity than the competition is going to be a sticking point for buyers – especially those still grappling with range anxiety.

There's also very little charm to how it looks, feels inside, or drives.

And in a segment bursting with characterful options like the Renaults, Nissan Micra and equally retro Fiat Grande Panda, the EX2 without the lure of a significant saving in price is too forgettable to truly stand out.