10/26/2026
As one of the first Chinese car brands confirmed for our market, Geely is ready to dazzle.
Geely is one of the first Chinese automakers to confirm its intention to enter the Canadian market under new tariff rules and trade agreements. But despite its status as a global Fortune 500 company and one of the world’s most successful automakers, Geely, along with other Chinese car brands, has an uphill battle of public perception here.
Consider these numbers: Geely Auto has been around since 1997, and it sold 3.02 million vehicles in 2025, 420,000 of which were sold outside China; from January to September 2026, more than 797,000 Geely vehicles were sold outside China. To put that into perspective, Ford sold approximately 4.4 million vehicles globally in 2025, while Honda’s tally stands at 3.46 million. Geely has five design centres and five research and development centres that employ more than 30,000 professionals around the world. There should be no question that Geely is a legitimate global force.
But long-held xenophobic stereotypes about Chinese products as low-quality knockoffs (thanks, Temu and Shein), ongoing suspicion about data privacy, and a general lack of awareness and appreciation for Chinese culture mean that, despite its global success so far, Geely is entering Canada at a disadvantage.
Strong European Design and Engineering
2026 Geely EX5 - Geely - 3 The Geely EX5
While Geely’s roots are in China, the tree trunk, if you will, is in Europe. Geely acquired Volvo in 2010, a major turning point for both brands. For Volvo, the acquisition saved it from failing under Ford ownership. For Geely, it gave the Chinese automaker access to the Swedish brand’s massive global network, along with its engineering, design, and managerial expertise.
Geely seems to view itself as more European than Chinese, boasting that the combination of Nordic engineering and design combined with the speed of Chinese innovation is its superpower. Along with design and R&D facilities in China and Malaysia, Geely also has hubs in Milan, Italy; Gothenburg, Sweden; Frankfurt, Germany; and Coventry, U.K.
Two of its car brands, Lynk & Co. and Zeekr, haven’t been confirmed for Canada yet but are sold in other markets outside of China. Geely reserves its eponymous brand for mainstream vehicle offerings, while Lynk & Co. (launched in 2016) is its premium “new energy” brand focused on style and sporty driving, and Zeekr (launched in 2021) is its luxury, technology-focused brand.
For Zeekr, the design philosophy is encapsulated in the phrase “Imagine Beyond,” an abstract guideline that Stefan Sielaff, Vice President of Global Design at Geely, uses to push his team to go above and beyond.
Sielaff, who before joining Geely worked mainly at European automakers like Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Bentley, had the opportunity to define Zeekr’s brand identity. Starting with a completely blank slate and free from the constraints imposed at legacy brands with the weight of a century of history on their shoulders, says that good design — good proportions and clean lines — is not that difficult, but the real challenge is build quality.
“To do a good design is one thing, but to deliver it with top build quality is another,” he said. “Fit and finish has to be top of the line.”
From the stitching to the tolerances of the door to the dashboard, build quality is a priority for Geely and its brands, and it’s clear that Geely is benefiting from Sielaff’s time at German automakers, who are famously meticulous about fit and finish.
This strong first impression matters for word of mouth, Sielaff says, because he knows of the outdated sentiment that Chinese products are sub-par. Once Canadians see that Geely vehicles aren't flimsy, bargain-bin lemons, they will be convinced and spread the word, he says. It’s not the first time Asian brands have had to fight this battle.
