Tested: The Geely Galaxy M9 Proves Chinese Cars Could Be Seriously Competitive in America

• The Geely Galaxy M9 is a three-row SUV made in China and sold outside the U.S.
• This extended-range plug-in hybrid offers a Geely-estimated 800-plus-mile range, blending the best of gas and electric power.
• The Galaxy M9 starts around the equivalent of $25,000, but it would theoretically compete with vehicles costing twice as much, like a fully loaded Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride or Toyota Grand Highlander.
• In track and on-road testing, this three-row SUV exceeded almost all of our expectations. Chinese cars are ready for prime time in America.

Are the latest Chinese cars any good? That's the question we sought to answer by subjecting the Geely Galaxy M9 to our full 227-point testing process. On Los Angeles roads and at the Edmunds test track, we assessed the Geely as we would any other car. We measured everything from the rear legroom to the emergency braking to find out how this family three-row compares to the best on sale in the U.S. If the punitive tariffs were lifted, would U.S. car shoppers really be tempted by a Chinese alternative?

Geely Galaxy M9: What is it?

Geely is one of the world's largest automakers, selling millions of cars each year in markets all over the globe. Within the company’s portfolio are a few brands you recognize, like Volvo, Polestar and Lotus, along with a few you probably don’t, like Lynk & Co. and Zeekr.

The Galaxy M9 is Geely's new flagship, a three-row SUV similar in size to a Kia Telluride. It runs on both gas and electricity, and in this highest-performance all-wheel-drive Pilot trim, makes 858 horsepower and 859 lb-ft of torque. It also offers a Geely-estimated 808 miles of driving range — 130 of which are purely electric. In China, Geely's home market, the Galaxy M9 starts around $25,000 when converted to U.S. currency. And while that obviously doesn't translate to a theoretical American price tag, even at $50,000 or $60,000, the M9 would hold its own against a fully loaded Hyundai Palisade or Kia Telluride.

The Galaxy M9 can offer solid range thanks to its large 41-kWh battery pack — that's bigger than what's used in most other plug-in hybrids — and a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine. The gas engine can act as a generator to charge up the battery when it’s dead or power the wheels directly, if some extra oomph is needed. 

Track tested

On our scales, the Galaxy M9 weighs in at 5,771 pounds with a full tank of fuel. That's a bit heavier than a BMW X5 plug-in (5,627 pounds) but a bit less than a fully electric Kia EV9 (5,838 pounds).

On our acceleration straight, the M9 hits 60 mph in 4.2 seconds; Geely estimates a 0-to-62-mph time of 4.5. The M9 completes the quarter mile in 12.9 seconds at 98.6 mph. That puts it in great company with the BMW X5 plug-in (4.6 seconds to 60 mph; 12.8 seconds in the quarter mile at 107.4 mph). A three-row luxury SUV like the Lexus TX 550h plug-in is left in the dust by comparison, needing 5.6 seconds to hit 60 mph and 14 seconds in the quarter mile.

One of the M9's best showings is in our 60-to-0-mph emergency braking test. It takes just 110 feet to come to a stop — that matches a BMW X5 M, a bona fide performance SUV. Another notable number for the M9 comes in our sound test, which measures how quiet (or not) a car is at idle and on the move. The M9 registers 32.5 decibels at idle, a figure that even whomps the Rolls-Royce Spectre. Clearly, Geely isn't messing around when it comes to luxury.

The M9's only non-superlative showing happens on our 200-foot skidpad, where it achieves 0.86 g of lateral grip. While that’s not poor, it's worse than the EV9's 0.91 g and the X5 PHEV's 0.89 g. When pushed hard around a corner, the M9 is a step behind the competition.

How about electric range?

Geely's advertised 130 miles of all-electric range is huge — it bests any other plug-in hybrid on sale right now. That warrants a loop on the Edmunds EV Range Test, where we aim for a 40-mph average speed and 40/60 split between highway and city driving. Unfortunately, at the end of our test, our testing equipment showed 101 miles traveled, which is less than expected but still very notable for a plug-in hybrid. That's plenty of electric range to handle multiple daily commutes.

And commuting is where this SUV excels. The Geely is well-suited to easygoing driving, whether in the city or on the highway. Its suspension is super softly sprung, which is kind of a double-edged sword. On one hand, the M9 does a remarkable job of defeating potholes and subpar pavement. But it also means this SUV moves around too much while driving, like the car is unsettled.

The rest of the driving experience is lovely. When the M9's engine does kick on, it does so quietly and without interruption. There's always more than enough power to get the M9 up and moving in a hurry. And regenerative braking can bring the car down to a stop smoothly without the need to touch the brake pedal.

All the tech and then some

When you first open the door, it is impossible to notice anything other than the 30-inch screen. This display offers 6K resolution and has iPhone-like responses. Tesla and Rivian are among the best in terms of infotainment responsiveness, and this Geely is right up there with them.

Because this M9 is a Chinese-market vehicle, some of its functions — like navigation and web browsing — are not available for testing in the U.S. But there are still a lot of cool features. For example, the car has an exterior-mounted speaker that can play songs or, um, whistle at pedestrians. More interesting is the flip-down entertainment screen in the second row that has the same excellent resolution as the one up front and offers content streaming and games. There are also USB-C ports for every passenger to keep their devices charged.

Beyond the tech, the M9 has soft-touch materials on the dash and real leather covering the seats. Everything feels on par with the new Hyundai Palisade inside, though Geely's interior design isn't as modern.

Comfort features are abundant. There are heated, ventilated, massaging seats for the front and second rows and even heated third-row seats. Each seat — yes, even the third row — can power-recline for added relaxation. And if you need to max out the cargo area, every seat in the car (except the driver’s) folds flat at the touch of a button. There's even a refrigerator in the back that can change its temperature from cold to hot if you want to keep your drinks cool and then your lunch warm. 

So, what's the verdict?

Could the Geely Galaxy M9 work in the U.S.? Yes, absolutely. This could be an incredibly competitive SUV in a class full of strong contenders. The generous electric range is a great feature to have, and the ability to travel hundreds of miles with a gas extender is a feature that would put many EV skeptics at ease.

Global market and political factors continue to muddy the waters for Chinese brands entering the U.S., but the door is neither completely open or closed. If Geely can pull it off, the Galaxy M9 has a big chance of finding success here.

Photos by Keith Buglewicz