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Geely has finally pulled the covers offits Australian-spec Monjaro, a mid-size plug-in hybrid SUV that will go head-to-head with the Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage when it lands in the first half of 2027. Confirmed for the first time in right-hand drive, this is the new-look Monjaro built on Geely's GEA-Evo architecture — a more premium, more tech-heavy counterpart to the brand's existing Starray EM-i.
The news matters well beyond Australia. While Geely does not currently sell passenger vehicles in the United States, the Monjaro's specification reveals how aggressively Chinese automakers are attacking the mainstream hybrid SUV segment — and what Toyota, Honda and Hyundai are likely to face in other markets over the next few years.
The headline number is the battery. Every Australian-market Monjaro will come with a 40kWh pack — more than double the capacity of the smaller Starray EM-i. That translates to a claimed 170km of WLTP electric driving range, which is far beyond what most plug-in hybrid SUVs offer in North America. For context, a typical PHEV from Toyota or Hyundai delivers between 45 and 70km of EV range; the Monjaro effectively travels three times as far on battery power alone before the engine needs to switch on.
That engine is a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol unit, paired with an electrified drivetrain. Local power and torque figures haven't been locked in yet, but in overseas markets the Monjaro EM-i produces up to 250kW and 667Nm. If those numbers carry over to Australia, the Monjaro would sit comfortably above almost every mainstream petrol and hybrid rival in the segment.
Geely is clearly using the Monjaro to reposition its brand upward. Standard equipment includes a 15.4-inch multimedia touchscreen, a 25.6-inch head-up display, a full digital driver cluster and a power tailgate. Higher trim levels are expected to bring 20-inch alloy wheels, adaptive damping suspension, ventilated and massaging front seats, plus heated rear seats.
There's also vehicle-to-load (V2L) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) capability, providing up to 6.6kW of external power. That feature alone makes the Monjaro more than a commuter SUV — it doubles as a mobile power source for camping gear, tools, or even another electric vehicle.
Safety equipment includes seven airbags, a reinforced "star armour" chassis cage, and a full suite of active driver assistance systems. Geely says the boot is larger than the Starray's, and buyers will be offered five exterior and three interior colour combinations.
In Australia, the Starray EM-i currently retails from $37,490 to $44,990 AUD. Geely hasn't revealed Monjaro pricing yet, but the company has already confirmed the Monjaro will be priced above the Starray — pointing to RAV4, Tucson and Sportage territory.
That positioning is deliberate. The Toyota RAV4 has long dominated the mid-size SUV conversation in Australia, especially in hybrid form. The Monjaro counters with class-leading electric range, a far larger battery, and a more imposing list of equipment. Even if its starting price comes in slightly above the RAV4, the value proposition on paper is aggressive.
What's also interesting is the broader strategy. Geely Australia CEO Alex Gu told CarsGuide that he is pushing for Australia to be among the first markets to receive Geely's new "i-HEV" plugless hybrid system. Developed with Horse Powertrain, this ultra-lean-burn 1.5-litre system claims fuel consumption as low as 2.22L/100km when fitted to the Emgrand sedan — a figure that would genuinely challenge Toyota's hybrid dominance.
The Monjaro won't be Geely's only new model in 2027. The first half of the year will also see the Emgrand sedan — a Camry fighter — arrive in Australia as an EM-i plug-in hybrid. It will be offered in two variants, using an 18.4kWh battery for an 80+km WLTP electric range. The powertrain combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine with a gearbox-mounted electric motor to produce more than 180kW and 250Nm.
Together with the Monjaro and the larger Battleship 700 SUV, Geely's Australian line-up will expand from three models to six in 2027. The full range will then include the EX2 hatchback, EX5 electric mid-sizer, Starray EM-i, Emgrand, Monjaro and Battleship 700.
There is no official indication that Geely will sell the Monjaro in the United States. The brand's passenger-vehicle lineup has been absent from America for years, and trade and tariff barriers add another layer of complexity.
Still, the Monjaro is an important signal. It shows that the next wave of Chinese plug-in hybrids will not be small, cheap city cars — they will be well-equipped, family-sized SUVs with enough electric range to function as EVs for most daily driving. That's a direct answer to the RAV4 Prime and Sportage PHEV formula, but with more range and more equipment at what is likely to be a sharper price.
For automakers in the US, the question is no longer whether Chinese brands can build competitive hybrids. The Monjaro demonstrates that they can — and that they are readying them for right-hand-drive and left-hand-drive markets alike. If the trade environment ever opens up, the gap between what Chinese automakers offer and what mainstream American buyers expect will already be closed.
The 2027 Geely Monjaro is one of the most significant mainstream PHEVs to be announced in recent months. With a 40kWh battery, 170km of WLTP range, up to 250kW/667Nm in overseas specification, and a long list of standard comfort and technology features, it raises the bar for what a hybrid SUV can offer.
Australian pricing will be revealed closer to launch, but the Monjaro's positioning suggests it will be a true RAV4 rival — not just on price, but on the metrics that increasingly matter: electric range, charging flexibility, and tech.
And while US buyers won't see it in a showroom anytime soon, they should pay attention. The Monjaro shows exactly where the global hybrid segment is heading — and Toyota and its competitors in America have just been put on notice.
