[ĐÁNH GIÁ XE] Geely EX2: I understand why this electric SUV quickly had 1,200 orders

There are cars that are born to run long distances. There are cars born to conquer the feeling of driving.

But there are also cars created simply to make everyday life more pleasant. And after the journey from Hanoi to Soc Son with the Geely EX2, I have the feeling that this is exactly that type of car.

Hanoi’s morning starts with crowded streets, narrow turns and motorbikes lining both sides of the road. This is the “test” that makes many large SUVs tiresome. But with EX2, everything happens quite smoothly. Geely’s A-size urban electric SUV has a compact size, about 4 meters in length, but the feeling of control is very flexible thanks to its small turning radius and extremely light steering wheel.

In fact, it’s so light that right from the first meters I immediately thought of a very clear customer group: women, new drivers or those who simply want an “easy to use” car. Running in a crowded street, turning around in a parking garage or weaving through small alleys of Hanoi all do not create a feeling of pressure.

But what makes the EX2 interesting is not that it’s easy to drive, but the way Geely makes this car have its own personality.

The appearance of the EX2 follows a softer and more youthful style than many current Chinese EV models. The car does not try to create a feeling of being aggressive or too sporty, but more about being friendly and modern.

The rounded lines at the front of the car, the slim LED lights, the seamless body and pastel paint colors make the EX2 feel quite “catchy” when walking on the street. This is a design that is very suitable for women or young customers who like lightness, fashion and a bit of technology.

It can be said that EX2 is one of the few electric car models under 500 million today that I feel fits the image of true “urban lifestyle”, that is, a car not only for commuting, but also suitable for appearing in beautiful cafes, modern neighborhoods or weekend picnics on the outskirts of Hanoi.

Even though it is an A-class SUV, the space inside the EX2 is much larger than imagined. Thanks to the electric vehicle platform and a wheelbase of up to about 2,650 mm, the car’s cabin is quite airy. The rear seats are wide enough for adults to sit comfortably and the flat floor makes legroom more comfortable than many gasoline cars in the same segment.

The cabin of the EX2 also carries the same spirit of modern minimalism as new EV models. In the middle is a 14.6-inch central screen with sharp display, modern interface and easy to get used to. The car supports Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, 540-degree camera and advanced driving assistance ADAS features.

What I like is the way Geely arranges the interface quite intuitively. This is not the type of car that is “stuffed with technology” so much that users take time to learn how to use it. Everything is modern enough but still accessible to common users.

Leaving the inner city of Hanoi, the EX2 started moving up the route towards Nhat Tan – Noi Bai and then along the gentle hill roads of Soc Son. This is also the time when the car shows more interesting things.

The Geely EX2 has a rear-axle electric motor with a capacity of about 115 horsepower, and comes with an integrated “11-in-1” electric drive system. The car uses a 39.4 kWh battery with an announced operating range of about 395 km per charge according to CLTC/NEDC standards. If using DC fast charging with a maximum capacity of 70 kW, the car can charge from 30-80% in just over 20 minutes.

What’s interesting is that even though it’s just a small urban EV model, the EX2 uses a rear-wheel drive system with a multi-link rear suspension system, which is rare in this segment. And the actual driving feeling also partly reflects that.

The car accelerates quite quickly at low speed ranges. When you need to pass quickly in the street or escape a red light, the electric motor responds very immediately. This is the type of feeling that ordinary gasoline cars can hardly bring. The car’s suspension system also handles the road surface quite smoothly when going through concrete roads or small potholes on the road towards Ham Lon Lake.

In particular, the feeling of quiet is what makes the journey much more pleasant. There was no engine noise, no loud vibrations entering the cabin. Only the soft music emanating from the entertainment system and the scenery of green trees and lake reflecting the afternoon sunlight of Soc Son.

However, the EX2 is not a perfect car. The feeling of the car’s steering wheel still leans too much towards lightness. This is extremely suitable when traveling on the street, but sometimes makes the driver feel a lack of connection at higher speeds. This is not a car for those who like a solid European-style driving feel.

In addition, the soundproofing ability at high speed ranges is still moderate, which is quite understandable for an A-class electric SUV under 500 million VND.

However, if you look at the EX2 in its true role, this is really a very reasonable car model at the present time. In the price range from 459 – 499 million VND, Geely EX2 will compete directly with VinFast VF 5 or BYD Dolphin. But the difference of the EX2 lies in the fact that this car has more of a “new generation electric car” feeling thanks to its modern design, large space, lots of technology and pleasant driving experience.

In particular, Geely is not a small brand. This is an automobile corporation that owns many global brands such as Volvo, Zeekr, Lynk & Co or Lotus. That partly creates more confidence in the company’s technology platform as well as its long-term development orientation in Vietnam.

Perhaps that’s why, after only a short time of launch, the Geely EX2 quickly received about 1,200 orders in Vietnam – a number that shows that the market is starting to pay more attention to urban EV models that are compact, easy to use and suitable for everyday life.

And after the whole journey from Hanoi to Soc Son, I think the EX2 is not a car for people who love speed or the feeling of sporty driving. But if you need an EV that is compact, easy to drive, beautifully designed, suitable for young people, spacious enough for a small family and “fashionable” enough to make people look back after getting out of the car, then the EX2 is truly a choice worth experiencing.

Accompanying the Geely Vietnam brand

Reporter (Otoxemay)