DS 3 E-Tense vs Geely EX5

The DS 3 E-Tense costs £3,005 more than the Geely EX5. On the headline specs that premium buys little measurable advantage - the two are closely matched on range, charging and space. The Geely EX5 is not just cheaper - it also offers 60 litres more boot space, 45 kW more power and a 2.1s quicker 0-62mph time. On EVcarsguide's combined category scores, the Geely EX5 comes out ahead overall.

The Geely EX5 is £3,005 cheaper to buy. Running costs are almost identical - about £152 a year either way, at 8,000 miles on an off-peak home tariff. Add 5 years of charging and the Geely EX5 comes out roughly £2,885 cheaper overall. These figures cover list price and home charging only - insurance, servicing, tyres and depreciation will move the real total.

EVcarsguide estimates a real-world motorway range of about 207 miles for the DS 3 E-Tense and 198 miles for the Geely EX5 - effectively matched, and both well below their WLTP figures because sustained high speed is the hardest case for an EV. A rapid charge to 80% takes around 30 minutes in the DS 3 E-Tense and 20 in the Geely EX5, so the Geely EX5 loses less time at each stop.

The DS 3 E-Tense is the easier car for tight UK car parks: it is 99 mm narrower than the Geely EX5. In a standard 2,400 mm bay that leaves about 598 mm of total clearance for the DS 3 E-Tense and about 499 mm of total clearance for the Geely EX5.