Road test: Geely Geometry C is easy on the road, but not on the eye

EV offers a level of refinement comparable to a German motor, but it lacks the visual pizzazz of Chinese rivals

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  The Geometry C is an electrified compact crossover hatchback from the Chinese car brand Geely. All photos: Gautam Sharma for The National

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  There’s a quality feel to the Geely’s cabin, with soft-touch materials used throughout

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  The rear seats can easily accommodate two adults

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  The infotainment system is straightforward, but requires scrolling through a couple of screens to change the temperature settings

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  Pricing in the UAE starts at Dh129,900 for the GS base model, and Dh149,000 for the fully loaded 70kWh GF

Chinese car brands are now ubiquitous on UAE roads. However, Geely was one of the early pioneers, setting up shop here in 2015.

The brand has since carved steady inroads into the local market, thanks to its portfolio of well-built offerings.

Among the new additions is the Geometry C, an electrified compact crossover hatchback that pairs a 201hp/310Nm synchronous electric motor with a 53kWh battery pack in the GS base model, and a 70kWh pack in the GF range-topper. The former offers a claimed touring range of 350km on a full charge, while the latter can cover 480km.

The Geometry C doesn’t gel visually – to my eye, at least – but the driving experience is far better than expected. It offers a level of refinement and composure that could easily prompt the vehicle’s occupants to feel as though they’re ensconced within a German offering.

There’s a quality feel to the Geely’s cabin, with soft-touch materials used throughout

There’s genuine ease of operation as the passive entry and start means I can just open the door, plonk down on the seat and slot the Mercedes-style column shifter into “D”, or “R” if needs be, and I'm off.

It doesn’t take too many kilometres to glean that Geometry C has a real sense of structural integrity about it. Road surface imperfections are comfortably dealt with, and very little ambient noise permeates into the cabin. There’s only the slightest trace of wind noise at highway speeds.

More impressive still is how crisp the car is in all its responses. The steering has a nice weighting and accuracy to it, while the brake and throttle pedals are also well-modulated.

However, one aspect I really don't like is the lane-keeping assistance feature, which is overaggressive to the point of being unnerving. My immediate response is to deactivate it, as the system reacts so violently (unnecessarily at times) that it’s more hindrance than help.

Although not pitched as a sporty offering, the Geometry C isn’t averse to speed and the fact it weighs under 1.7 tonnes (decently sprightly for an EV with a claimed 480km range) means there isn’t an excess of mass for the chassis to overcome.

The 201hp/310Nm electric power train punches above its weight, so the Geometry C prompts an involuntary grin the first time I flatten the throttle. Geely quotes a 0-100kph split of under seven seconds, and it certainly feels every bit that quick from behind the wheel.

There’s a quality feel to the Geely’s cabin, with soft-touch materials used throughout the interior. Faux aluminium highlights and gloss-black trim on the centre console contrast nicely with the two-tone black and cream upholstery. The quilted leather seats look good and are comfortable. Six-way power adjustment ensures I can conjure up an agreeable driving position.

Nestled behind the flat-bottomed steering wheel is seemingly the world’s smallest instrument panel, but it presents all the key info – speed, battery charge level, remaining range and drive mode (Sport, Eco or Eco+).

The high-resolution infotainment system is fairly straightforward, but it’s a tad annoying to have to scroll through a couple of screens just to change the fan or AC temperature settings. A wireless phone charging pad and USB port are handy features, and so is the head-up display in the flagship model.

There’s enough room in the rear seats for a couple of adults, while a boot capacity of 417 litres is adequate without being exemplary.

Prices in the UAE start at Dh129,900 for the GS base model, with the fully loaded 70kWh GF variant priced at Dh149,000. The range-topping Geometry C undercuts the entry-level Tesla Model 3 by about Dh30,000, although the American offering serves up a 513km range in base spec and is a bigger car in all major dimensions.

There’s much to like about the Geely Geometry C – it goes, stops and steers with an impressive level of precision and finesse, and its interior packaging is also up to the mark. The only thing that’s lacking is visual pizzazz, as other Chinese brands such as Zeekr, HiPhi and Jetour have been knocking it out of the park on the styling front with their latest models.

Perhaps Geely needs to poach a top designer from one of the premium Euro brands?