{"id":4805,"date":"2025-04-20T15:50:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-20T15:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/?p=4805"},"modified":"2025-04-29T11:58:31","modified_gmt":"2025-04-29T11:58:31","slug":"riddara-rd6-review-how-does-geelys-first-electric-pickup-measure-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/2025\/04\/20\/riddara-rd6-review-how-does-geelys-first-electric-pickup-measure-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Riddara RD6 Review: How Does Geely\u2019s First Electric Pickup Measure Up?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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PROS \u203a\u203a <\/span> Comfortable ride, good interior and bed space <\/span>CONS \u203a\u203a <\/span>Unknown brand, sub-par performance, limited range<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

If you\u2019re reading this in the West, you\u2019re probably scratching your head over the Riddara name. And that\u2019s okay, because you\u2019re not alone. This is Geely\u2019s \u201clifestyle utility brand\u201d, marketed as Radar in China. In case you\u2019re wondering, no, the name wasn\u2019t picked by a blindfolded intern throwing darts at a whiteboard. They were forced to change the name due to a copyright conflict in some markets.<\/p>\n

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By now, almost everyone is aware that Geely is an automotive behemoth. In addition to its home-grown Geely Auto, Lynk & Co, and Zeekr offerings, it also has Volvo<\/a>, Polestar, Lotus<\/a>, Proton, and Smart under its wing. Riddara\/Radar then is just another feather in its, rather large, cap.<\/p>\n

Read: China\u2019s Radar RD6 Is The Latest Electric Pickup To Beat Tesla Cybertruck To Market<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Now that I\u2019ve got you up to speed, you\u2019ll no doubt wonder where exactly this fits in. Well, it comes as no surprise that this is an EV, with China clearly forging ahead in that space. However, while the Cybertruck<\/a>, F-150 Lightning, and Rivian R1T may dominate the full-size EV pickup market in the US, there\u2019s not much to speak of in the form of a smaller, Toyota Hilux-sized offering.<\/p>\n

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Measuring 5,260 mm x 1900 x 1880, the RD6 is a compact pickup by American standards. But here in the East, it\u2019s considered a substantially sized truck, with markets in Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia lapping up utes like this. The RD6 was designed from the outset to be an EV, meaning there are fewer compromises than one might expect.<\/p>\n

QUICK FACTS<\/h5>\n
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\u203a Model:<\/td>\nRiddara RD6 Air 2WD<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u203a Dimensions:<\/td>\n5,260 mm (207 inches) Length<\/p>\n

1,900 mm (74.8 inches) Width<\/p>\n

1,880 mm (74.0 inches) Height<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\u203a Ground Clearance:<\/td>\n225 mm (8.85 inches)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u203a Motor:<\/td>\nSingle Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u203a Output:<\/td>\n100 kW (134 hp) with 385 Nm (284 lb-ft) of torque<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u203a Battery:<\/td>\n63 kWh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u203a Range:<\/td>\n373 km \/ 231 miles (NEDC)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n
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SWIPE<\/span><\/p>\n

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Exterior: A Pickup for People Who Don\u2019t Want to Yell About It<\/strong><\/p>\n

Those who love their pickup trucks big, brash, and unapologetic will be disappointed with the exterior of the RD6. It has 225 mm of ground clearance and looks just a tad too low to the ground for comfort, but it avoids looking jacked up on steroids, and this slightly car-like stance lends itself to its market positioning. More on that later.<\/p>\n

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Photos Sam Smith\/Carscoops<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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But its softer lines up front shout EV in a way that most pickups, electric or otherwise, don\u2019t. The top half of the nose opts for the traditional battery-powered, grille-less look, opting for a textured plastic panel. There are fake vents towards the lower half, while a clamshell-like hood masks a rather useful frunk with a capacity of 70 liters.<\/p>\n

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The door mirrors, rather than connecting at the quarter glass, appear to be mounted on stalks. tHEe side profile isn\u2019t totally flat, with a bit of flame surfacing deployed along with swollen arches. This makes our test car look a bit underwhelming, but the large profile sidewall definitely lends itself to ride comfort.<\/p>\n

Overall, the Riddara RD6 doesn\u2019t really stand out in traffic. It doesn\u2019t follow the trend of ginormous grilles and towering stances we see on many new pickups keen to capture those macho vibes. Even the newly launched BYD Shark<\/a> manages to mimic the class\u2019 imposing nature with a much more off-road-centered approach.<\/p>\n

Finally, the rear bed measures 1,525 mm long, 1,450 mm wide, and 540 mm high. It\u2019s perfectly adequate but lacks some of the frills you may want, such as power outlets, although better-specced models come with V2L capabilities.<\/p>\n

The tailgate release is electric, but aside from the electronic catch, the hinge, the door itself, and the mechanism all feel heavy and sturdy enough to win over the old-school pickup collective. I mention this because with some of the tech-showcasing EVs that have been coming out of China, you\u2019d perhaps expect some over complicated electrically-lowering, damped, and soft-closing tailgate. The RD6 offers just a good old clunky hinged mechanism.<\/p>\n

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Interior: A Cozy Place, But Don\u2019t Get Too Comfortable<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Photos Sam Smith\/Carscoops<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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If the exterior is soft, the interior is more so. The entry-level model we got our hands on was fairly basic, with high grades getting nicer materials on the dash and door tops, as well as a larger central screen. The interior isn\u2019t quite hose-down bargain-basement though, with a nice, supposedly, leather-wrapped steering wheel, an electric driver\u2019s seat, and a PM 2.5 air filtration system.<\/p>\n

The controls are decently damped with some metal-effect knurling on things like the light switches and multifunction controls on the steering wheel. The plastic of the central console is a little lower rent than the rest of the interior, but there\u2019s a Land Rover<\/a>-like rotary knob to control Geely\u2019s version of Terrain Response. We couldn\u2019t test it off-road on our brief test drive, but we hope to get our hands on one of the more premium 4WD models for an extended test in the coming months.<\/p>\n

See Also: BYD Shark PHEV Pickup Debuts In Mexico, Combines 430+ HP With A Karaoke Machine<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The 12.3-inch central screen runs off some form of Android<\/a> and is quick to respond to inputs. The top-spec Horizon 4\u00d74 gets a usefully bigger 14.6-inch screen. Meanwhile, the drive is presented with a 10.2-inch LCD screen which is clear under various light conditions.<\/p>\n

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The voice assistant is slow to react, with a good 10\u201315 seconds of lag between saying a command and the system gathering its thoughts together. But it at least understands basic commands from a wide range of accents and doesn\u2019t have you repeating them line after line.<\/p>\n

The rear seats are pleasant, in line with the RD6\u2019s positioning. The low beltline means that even children should be able to see the world fairly unhindered, and there are rear vents for the air conditioning. There\u2019s a useful storage compartment under the rear bench, too, although the angle of the seat backs is a little too upright, which may cause some complaints on longer excursions.<\/p>\n

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Photos Sam Smith\/Carscoops<\/h4>\n

How Does It Drive? In a Word, Comfortably<\/strong><\/p>\n

The overall feeling when you\u2019re inside is that the Riddara RD6 knocks on the door of SUVs<\/a> and CUVs, rather than that of full-on pickups like the Ranger<\/a>. Pickups have come a long way from their utilitarian roots, and it\u2019s fair to say that they\u2019re closer to your traditional car than ever. But even the best examples can have their agricultural moments.<\/p>\n

The Riddara RD6 negates all of that, and not just because it\u2019s silent due to it being an EV. And that does catch you off guard. You expect any vehicle with this body shape to be a little rough and tumble behind the wheel, but the RD6 displays a level of refinement beyond the virtue of its drivetrain having few moving parts.<\/p>\n

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The steering is light, not so much that it feels disconnected from the wheels, but more so than you\u2019d expect from an off-roader. Our tested model with the 100 kW (134 hp0 motor is far from rapid, though, with a 0\u201362 mph (0-100 km\/h) time of 10.4 seconds. This was a market decision \u2013\u00a0our test unit was specced specifically for Sri Lanka, a country notorious for its punishing taxes on high-powered motors. In contrast, other nations get the option of a model with a combined power of 310 kW (416 HP) with a blistering 0-60 mph (0-96 km\/h) sprint in 4.5 seconds.<\/p>\n

Top speed is limited to 185 km\/h (115 mph), but even at a decent rate of knots the cabin remains hushed, with tire noise being the most prevalent.<\/p>\n

The single most significant factor is its comfort \u2013\u00a0you can mount a curb and it feels second nature. Over expansion joints and rough roads, the ride remains composed and well insulated. While good, this also signals that the RD6 isn\u2019t a \u201cproper\u201d off-roader, as it\u2019s built on a monocoque frame rather than a ladder chassis. Now, if you\u2019re a tradesman looking to do some serious carrying, this will likely not sit well, nor will the coil-sprung rear end. However, as a family runabout with some added practicality, the RD6 makes perfect sense.<\/p>\n

And to be honest, it\u2019s hard to see hardcore users giving up their ICE-powered trucks just yet. Better for Riddara to capture passenger-focused buyers who are looking for refinement first than a \u201cpower\u201d user who\u2019s less likely to switch just yet.<\/p>\n

The EV Part: A Little Range, But It\u2019ll Do<\/strong><\/p>\n

Our tester was the entry-level two-wheel drive \u201cAir\u201d model with a 63kwh battery and 100 kW motor with 385 Nm of torque. As we only had the truck for a day, we couldn\u2019t do a real-world test on the claimed range, but on the NEDC standard, the RD6 we drove is rated at 373 km (231 miles). That\u2019s not great. Opt for the 73 kWh battery of the \u201cPro\u201d and you\u2019ll get a substantially improved 461km (286 miles). <\/p>\n

The 4WD \u201cHorizon\u201d sports the same 73 kWh battery, but an added motor brings the torque up to 595 Nm. However, the range drops to 424 km (263 miles), as does the 0\u201362 mph time, which is rated at 10.9 seconds.<\/p>\n

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The Riddara RD6 can reportedly be DC fast-charged from 30 to 80 percent in 48 minutes, whereas the standard wall-mounted home charger included in the purchase will take 7.8 hours at 6.6 kW for the 63 KWh battery and 9.3 hours for the 73 kWh battery.<\/p>\n

Final Thoughts<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Riddara RD6, then, is a surprisingly refined offering from Geely<\/a>. It does the basics well but doesn\u2019t quite challenge the established range of small pickups in the way you may expect. Instead, it offers itself as a good alternative to first-time pickup buyers or those wanting to experience an electrified alternative to an SUV,<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also a brand that aims to make strides in the future. With Geely\u2019s backing and the evident tech sharing across the brands, Riddara could well be an off-road establishment challenger.<\/p>\n

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Photos Sam Smith\/Carscoops<\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

PROS \u203a\u203a Comfortable ride, good interior and bed space CONS \u203a\u203a Unknown brand, sub-par performance, limited range If you\u2019re reading […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4807,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4805"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4805"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4805\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4808,"href":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4805\/revisions\/4808"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4807"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4805"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4805"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4805"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}