Geely rules out Australian tuning program, leaning on Volvo and Lotus expertise instead

No local tuning program, for now

Geely Auto Australia will not follow the path taken by Hyundai, Kia or GWM in tuning its vehicles to make them more suited to Australian driving tastes, according to CarExpert. Andrew Tuitahi, the brand's director of product planning and marketing, told the publication there are no plans to repeat the local ride-and-handling programs he himself previously led at Hyundai Australia. Asked directly whether Geely would rework its models locally, his response was blunt: 'Not at this stage.' ¹

Mr Tuitahi told CarExpert that Geely occupies a unique position among Chinese brands because of the breadth of Geely Holding Group. 'Under our umbrella, we carry a lot of European brands that are well renowned for various disciplines, whether that be safety with Volvo, or things like ride and handling dynamics with Lotus,' he said. In his view, that means the company can 'lean more heavily on talent and know-how across our group rather than trying to focus it here in Australia.' ¹

Importantly, Mr Tuitahi left the door ajar. He told CarExpert that this does not mean programs would never take place in Australia, but rather that engineering excellence developed across the group could be deployed here and in other markets to deliver a product that performs well locally 'and wouldn't need to be done by us alone on-ground in full.' CarExpert's report frames this as Geely relying on in-house expertise rather than local input for new models. ¹

Software is where Geely has moved quickly

While wholesale chassis and powertrain tuning is off the table for now, CarExpert reports Geely has been quick to act on customer and media feedback on software. Earlier in 2026, the brand introduced over-the-air (OTA) updates to improve the liveability of its driver-assist features, allowing customers to select preset favourites that are enabled each time the car restarts, rather than navigating through multiple menu screens. ¹

Mr Tuitahi told CarExpert that although the brand may not undertake suspension, steering and powertrain tuning in Australia, it is committed to ensuring its research and development teams get spec, technology and suitability right for local conditions. Separately, Geely's global operations show a pattern of OTA activity, with Geely Auto announcing in February 2026 that its E5 model received its first OTA update of the year, according to the brand's South African press office. ¹⁶

A young brand on a sales hot streak

Geely has been on sale in Australia for just 18 months, with three models: the EX5 electric mid-size SUV, the Starray EM-i plug-in hybrid mid-size SUV, and the newly launched EX2 budget electric hatch. Despite a small line-up and fewer dealerships than larger competitors, CarExpert reports the brand made the top 10 for new vehicle registrations in both August and September 2026. ¹

The September numbers underscore the momentum. CarExpert reports Geely registered 4473 vehicles in September, up 870.3 per cent compared with September 2025. The EX5 led with 2008 units, the Starray managed 1254, and the EX2 delivered 1211 units to take the lead in the passenger car segment for the month. The brand also just opened its 100th Australian dealership and service location, and has confirmed plans to reach 130 within six months, with a focus on regional and rural areas. ¹

The EX2 has also earned independent safety recognition. Geely Auto announced in September 2026 that the E2 (sold as the EX2 in Australia) became the brand's first model to earn five-star safety ratings under both the new 2026 Euro NCAP and 2026 ANCAP protocols, describing it as the world's top-selling car across the A and B segments in 2025. ²⁷

Rapid model expansion planned

Mr Tuitahi confirmed to CarExpert that the model range expansion will be rapid before the end of 2028. 'We've got six [new models] in the next 12 months, a few more if we stretch that out to 18 [months],' he said. The first arrivals are the Monjaro PHEV SUV, a larger five-seater than the Starray, set to arrive late in 2026, followed in 2027 by the Battleship 700 PHEV 4x4, which may be renamed locally, and the Emgrand L EM-i plug-in hybrid sedan. ¹

On segment priorities, Mr Tuitahi told CarExpert that larger SUVs above the Starray and EX5 are 'definitely a volume opportunity', comparing the potential with the Monjaro. He flagged a small SUV opportunity 'similar size to a Corolla Cross or a Kona', and larger SUVs similar to a Toyota Kluger, Hyundai Santa Fe or Mitsubishi Outlander, which CarExpert interprets as pointing to a future three-row family SUV above the Monjaro, possibly a localised version of the Geely M9 six-seater. ¹

The pickup truck segment is another gap Geely is eyeing, though Mr Tuitahi told CarExpert he 'can't speak to that right now', with the publication noting he appeared to want to say more than he was permitted. Separately, the existing range has already grown, with the Starray EM-i now offered in an all-wheel drive variant that CarExpert says undercuts big-name plug-in hybrid SUV rivals in its class by tens of thousands of dollars. ¹

Group scale behind the strategy

The strategy described by Geely's Australian arm sits against a backdrop of rapid global growth for the parent company. Geely Auto reported record H1 2026 revenue of RMB 173.6 billion, with core profit attributable to owners of the parent rising 46 per cent, and record sales of more than 1.42 million vehicles in the half, according to the company's newsroom. ²³

Geely has also been expanding internationally at pace, launching in Austria, Switzerland and Cyprus across recent months and announcing entry into the Canadian market in October 2026, ahead of introducing its first vehicles there in 2027, per its official newsroom. The group made its first group-level Paris Motor Show appearance in October 2026, showcasing the Geely Monjaro EM-i alongside Lynk & Co and Zeekr models, according to a Geely Automobile Holdings release distributed via GlobeNewswire. ⁴⁵

That global footprint underpins the group-resources argument Mr Tuitahi put to CarExpert: rather than building an Australian tuning operation, Geely believes engineering developed across Volvo, Lotus and its other brands can deliver vehicles that work locally without standalone local programs. Whether any future models receive dedicated Australian calibration remains, on the company's own wording, an open question rather than a closed one. ¹⁴