As at 1 April, data by brand had yet to be released but for the first two months of 2022, Geely had stayed well ahead of BYD with 180,632 retail sales of passenger vehicles, versus 155,487. Build Your Dreams had a sensational February though, eclipsing its rival, their totals being 69,905 (BYD+192.9% YoY) and 53,671 (-30.5%).
Two fresh models, the Qin Plus and Song Plus, helped list BYD while Geely’s strongest seller continues to be its Emgrand model, newly aided by the Xingyue L, an SUV which too was launched in 2021.
This report looks at the latest models for the Geely brand as well as some which will be coming later in the 2020s.
A new generation Emgrand was announced at a special event in China during May 2021, making its motor show premiere in Chengdu three months later. Emgrand has been used for all manner of Geely vehicles as well as having been a brand. However, in this case it is a 4,638 mm long sedan.
Alternately known as the Xing Yue L, the 4,770 mm long Xingyue L made its public debut at the Shanghai motor show in April 2021. Chinese market sales commenced three months later. The brand’s best selling SUV is yet another model based on CMA, a Volvo-Geely platform.
The standard engine is a 2.0-litre turbo offered with Geely’s own seven-speed wet dual clutch gearbox or an Aisin eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission. There are two versions: 160 kW and 325 Nm or 175 kW and 380 Nm. The four-wheel drive system was developed by BorgWarner.
There’s also an even newer variant of the Xing Yue L, this one having a petrol-electric powertrain. Called Thor Hi·X but also known as the Hi-X Hybrid Edition, this is being positioned as a model in its own right, even though it’s really just a version of the Xingyue L (or Xing Yue L) SUV, albeit with certain exterior revisions. The hybrid powertrain consists of a 1.5-litre engine and a single motor.
Both these models as well as the Emgrand are due for facelifts in 2024 and then to be replaced in 2028. It’s too early to say for certain but each could be succeeded by the one model, an EV.
Another good performer is the Yuanjing X3/Vision X3. This 4m long, low-priced small crossover premiered at the Chengdu motor show in August 2017 and went on sale immediately. There is also an electric variant, the Kandi GLEagle EX3.
The X3 wasn’t a new car even though it was marketed as one. Instead, Geely refreshed and renamed the SC5-RV, a model available in China between November 2010 and 2014. The original was discontinued when the Gleagle, Englon and Emgrand brands were phased out.
Geely revealed yet another model based on the original when it announced the Geometry EX3 Kungfu Cow in September 2021. We should see a successor for the Vision X3 towards the end of 2024.
The FS11 series Xing Rui is the brand’s fourth most popular model at home. It’s based on the Preface, a concept which premiered at Auto Shanghai in April 2019. The production version, a fastback sedan, went on sale in China in October 2020.
The 4,785 mm long car is powered by Volvo’s 190 hp JLH-4G20TD 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo engine, drive doing to the front wheels via a seven-speed DCT. The CMA-based model should be facelifted in 2024 and replaced in 2027.
Another good performer is a model which started life as the SX11 project. The Binyui, also spelt Bin Yue and known as the Geely Cool Ray in some countries, is a 4.3 m long SUV. It went on sale in China in November 2018 and was the first SUV for BMA (B segment Modular Architecture).
The first engine was a 177 hp turbocharged 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol unit. There is also a 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo which produces 139 PS.
The Bin Yue was facelifted in July 2021. There will probably be a second update in late 2023 and then a next generation in late 2025. That also applies to the PHEV version.
Revealed at the Shanghai motor show in April 2019, the plug-in hybrid became available during the following month. This 4,330 mm long crossover is powered by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine and one motor with combined outputs of 258 hp and 415 Nm. The range from the 11.3 kWh battery power is quoted as being up to 62 km.
Next year there should be a new generation of the Bo Yue, also known as Boyue or in certain markets, Atlas/Atlas NL3. New in 2016, this 4,520 mm long SUV was most recently facelifted in July 2019 that in fact being the vehicle’s second exterior restyle. The first one had its motor show premiere in Beijing in April 2018. Six months later, Geely began exporting the Bo Yue to Malaysia badged as the Proton X70, ahead of it being locally assembled.
Reports for many other manufacturers’ future models are grouped in the OEM product strategy summaries section of Just Auto.
Future platform intelligence
More detail on past, current and forthcoming models can be found in PLDB, the future vehicles database which is part of GlobalData’s Automotive Intelligence Center. That includes Geely not featured in this report, such as the Rexton Sports/Musso Sports.
This is the first of multiple ones looking at the current and future models of brands controlled by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Others to follow will examine Maple, Geometry, Zeekr and Jidu Auto; then Lotus, Lynk & Co, smart and Proton; as well as Volvo; plus Polestar.