Geely Galaxy Debuts Cruiser 700, Aiming Straight at BYD's Fang Cheng Bao and GWM Tank

Geely’s Galaxy sub-brand has thrown its hat into one of China’s most competitive new segments, launching the Cruiser 700 — a plug-in hybrid off-road SUV meant to challenge the established players in the rugged, box-shaped utility vehicle market.

The vehicle, also marketed as the Zhanjian 700, carries a list price starting at 189,800 yuan (roughly $28,190), about 5% under the pre-sales figure announced in September. Buyers can also stack incentives: a 6,000 yuan purchase-tax cash allowance and a 4,000 yuan insurance subsidy pull introductory prices down to a range of 179,800 to 369,800 yuan, and those trading in an older vehicle can qualify for another 10,000 yuan off, bringing the entry point to around 169,800 yuan ($25,220) for a limited time. The lineup spans six versions, including five standard trims and a range-topping Land Ark special edition that lists at 379,800 yuan.

Demand signals came in fast. Geely Galaxy said firm orders cleared 10,000 units within 12 minutes of the launch event ending — a notable distinction from the 43,900 reservations logged during the pre-sale window in September, which were not binding commitments. The model first broke cover on July 24 and opened pre-orders on September 15.

Under the skin, the Cruiser 700 rides on the GTA platform, an architecture Geely developed specifically for new-energy off-roaders. It seats five and measures 5,085 mm long and 1,999 mm wide, with a 2,900 mm wheelbase. The styling keeps to traditional off-road cues: a squared-off body, a side-hinged tailgate and a spare tire mounted on the outside. Inside, Geely has kept a physical gear selector and hard controls for drive-mode selection rather than pushing everything into the touchscreen. The cabin runs the Flyme Auto 2 system and includes massage seats and a built-in refrigerator — features aimed at both daily family duty and weekend trail trips.

Powertrain choices range from practical to extreme. Two variants pair a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine with a single electric motor and two-wheel drive, producing 350 kW (469 hp) combined and a 0-100 km/h time of 6.4 seconds, with 305 km of CLTC electric range and 1,770 km combined. Two triple-motor, all-wheel-drive versions using the same 1.5-liter engine push output to 690 kW (925 hp) and cut the sprint to 4.2 seconds, with 280 km electric and 1,520 km combined range. At the top, the Dingfeng trim adds a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and triple-motor AWD for 830 kW (1,113 hp) and a 3.95-second 0-100 km/h time, paired with 270 km of CLTC electric range. All four 1.5-liter variants draw from a 47.14-kWh lithium iron phosphate pack with cells from CATL, capable of a 6C peak charging rate.

The launch plants Geely Galaxy directly into territory held by BYD’s Fang Cheng Bao line and GWM’s Tank family. It also lands while the brand is regaining momentum: Galaxy sold 130,479 vehicles in September, up 7.95% year-on-year and its strongest month so far this year. Parent Geely Auto, meanwhile, has moved 2,235,481 vehicles in the first nine months, up 3.01% year-on-year — about 65% of its 3,450,000-unit annual target, leaving the fourth quarter to make up the difference.