Unless you know your Chinese cars, chances are you haven’t heard of the Geely Galaxy M9, a three-row premium SUV made by China’s second-largest automaker.
If Chinese automakers weren’t banned from the US market, this large plug-in hybrid SUV would compete with the likes of the Chevy Traverse, Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride, Toyota Grand Highlander, and its upscale sibling, the Lexus TX, to name only a few potential rivals.
While Geely may own Volvo and Polestar, two brands that are present in the US, prohibitive import tariffs and other protectionist measures make it impossible for it to sell cars from its core brand in the country.
Testing Geely’s Premium Three-Row SUV in the US
Still, the Chinese automaker let popular car-shopping website Edmundstest a Galaxy M9 in the US for about three weeks in everyday scenarios, including going to the grocery store, in addition to subjecting it to a thorough 227-point evaluation on its private test track. The Geely SUV is the first Chinese-market car the publication ever tested in the US, and the impression it made should have Detroit auto executives very concerned.
The Galaxy M9 is an extremely versatile SUV with impressive capability. Its plug-in hybrid system delivers a stunning 858 hp and 808 miles of combined range (including 130 miles of EV range, longer than any PHEV currently sold in America), and the performance is mind-blowing for a massive 250-inch long, 5,800-pound SUV.
The 0 to 60 mph sprint was measured by Edmunds at 4.2 seconds (0.1 seconds quicker than the official figure), while the quarter-mile was clocked in 12.9 seconds at 98.6 mph—0.6 seconds quicker than a BMW X5 PHEV. It feels like a fully electric vehicle under acceleration, as well as in terms of how quiet and composed it is. Edmunds measured the Galaxy M9 at 32.5 decibels at idle—better than a Rolls-Royce Spectre!
The ride quality is also among the best in a three-row SUV ever driven by reviewer Clint Simone—much better than a Lexus TX plug-in hybrid, he reckoned.
A Plush, Hi-Tech Cabin That’s Quieter Than a RR Spectre
The interior is also really impressive and at least as well put together as the new Hyundai Palisade. As you can imagine, it has impressive tech on board, including a gigantic 30-inch, 6K resolution central display that’s very quick to respond.
The Geely Galaxy M9 shines when it comes to ride quality as well, soaking up bumps in the road like they’re nothing. But there’s a downside to that; the suspension setting is too soft for the American market, favoring comfort first and foremost. Still, that’s nothing that a quick tune-up couldn’t fix if the Galaxy M9 were ever to be sold in the US.
There’s a lot more interesting and intriguing stuff about Geely’s SUV in Edmunds’ video above, so let’s just mention pricing, which is the most shocking thing about the Galaxy M9. In China, it costs between $25,000 and $35,000, with the example sampled by Edmunds being a top-spec model priced around $35,000.
Needless to say, you can’t buy anything remotely similar to the Geely Galaxy M9 in the US at that price point. Still, if Geely were ever to bring this vehicle stateside, it would cost much more than $35,000 after tariffs, homologation and other costs. Still, Edmunds reckons the Galaxy M9 would be a great contender even if it were priced at $50,000, $60,000 or $70,000.
Could it be that this unbeatable bang for the buck is the real reason why Chinese cars aren’t allowed into the US yet?
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