Geely Starray is the second most attractive wheels in the Chinese carmaker’s fairly wide array of vehicles, the first place irrefutably belonging to the captivating and capable Monjaro. Besides being 5-seaters, these SUVs share some similarities like an AWD format and a higher engine output.
A star in the array of Geely SUV models
Just making it into the mid-size SUV club with a length of 4.67 m, the Geely Starray has enough stretch space and cargo hold, thanks to its longish wheelbase. Cityray and Coolray are more of city transporters driven by 1.5 turbo engines while the Okavango, the only 7-seater in the range gets a 2.0T engine in a slightly less powerful version (215 hp) than the Monjaro and Starray (238 hp).
Dimensions of Starray: 4670 x 1900 x 1705 mm with a 2777 mm wheelbase
Rival models of Starray: Comparable models in size and price are the Haval H6 (4683mm), Changan CS75 Plus (4690 mm), Exeed TXL (4780mm) as well as Nissan X Trail (4680mm)
The Design
Geely Starray has a wide, full-length smile of DRL lights across the fascia flashing with an array of arrow-styled LED lights. The roofline is all angular and sharp while the 20” alloy wheels add to the purposeful stance.
The Drive
A good reason why I place the Monjaro in the lead is its smooth and steady power delivery and satisfying drive, streamlined by the superior 2.0L Turbo engine and 8-speed automatic transmission delivering 238 hp and 350 Nm torque. These vantage points are shared by the Starray 4WD, too. They also share what Geely calls Compact Modular Architecture (CMA), favourable for superior handling and ride comfort.
Originally launched as a two-wheel drive, it was in 2025 that the Starray was made available in its 4WD version too. The 190 mm ground clearance points to the promise of better traction rather than any far-flung off-roading claims. My test car was the two-wheel drive model offering 218 h and 325 Nm like the Okavango. Enough power indeed, as evidenced by the unmissable power shift from comfort mode to sport. The fuel economy on my test drive was a decent 8.3L/100 km – approx 12 km per litre.
If the handling of Starray did not feel as solid or stable as the Monjaro, it’s only because the latter is built to represent an aspiring benchmark for all of Geely.
Star tech
With respectable brands under its umbrella, like the Volvo and Zeekr, Geely makes a statement about its approach to the future. Even in the Geely Starray and many of its siblings, the way side mirrors or the sunroof are adjusted emulate leading EV models. You choose the control on its 13.2” vertical touch screen and make adjustments using steering wheel cursor buttons and the scroller.
The crystal shifter on the console sparkles as the centre-piece of the cockpit. While wireless charger, Mirror Link and Apple CarPlay point to the smart choices, Android Auto was absent. Notable tech additions that make driving easy are the Head Up Display and 360-degree camera which is rather useful with its multiple view options. The top-angle transparent view that popped up could prove useful off the road or next to parking curbs, but on regular roads seemed like a bit of an overkill.
In any automotive, little innovative bits that make the drive better deserves a standing ovation. The sun visor in the Geely Starray has a transparent but darkened lower half. So, they offer a shaded vision like sunglasses!
Spacious Comfort
Geely Starray creates an environment of comfort with PVC leather with the mix of an elegant, suede-like material for trims. The front seats are heated and cooled while the legroom in the rear could be segment-leading (660 – 910 mm). Among the more generous features are a panoramic sunroof, dual zone climate control for the two in front, and what they call Air Sofa super sensitive seats.
The top end model gets a Harman-Infinity music system with headrest speakers – the expectation it sets is sweeter than the actual fare even though the system is overall decent. As with many new entrants in the market, the radio reception occasionally points to the need to be scaled up!
The cabin has enough daily storage niches and for weekend cargo, the boot space expands from 650L to 1610L with the second row folded.
New standards of safety
In most trims, Geely Starray comes with 6 airbags and the top trim comes with advanced safety from Automatic Emergency Braking (pedestrians included), Lane Departure Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control with automatic distance adjustment, Highway driving assist and Traffic sign recognition like speed limits. The HD Surround Vision camera is available across the range.
The essential Geely Starray
At the time of this review going online, the showroom featured two options – one in 2WD and the other in 4WD as the fully equipped top-end. Prices usually start from AED 93,100 but these two models were priced at AED 106,000 and AED 120,000 respectively. For those looking for a compact-midsize 5-seat SUV with an all wheel drive option and a powerful and fuel-efficient engine, Geely Starray offers a more economical option to Monjaro (124,000 – 139,000) complemented by Geely’s 7 year/250,000 km warranty.
