The Omoda C5 is the latest Chinese crossover to reach our shores, and with it, the Chery sub-brand has set its sights on the premium SUV market. Does the newcomer deliver enough to take on the more established premium brands?
The motoring landscape has shifted significantly over the last couple of years, with Chinese automakers taking South African consumers almost by storm. Haval started the influx, and then others like BAIC and Chery followed, all bringing forth attractive and value-for-money offerings that outsell even the more established names on occasion.
Another name that can be added to that list is Omoda – which is basically a standalone luxury brand of the Chery Group. The brand introduced its maiden model, the C5 SUV, earlier this year and was met with positive feedback for a variety of reasons.
There's a story behind the Omoda name, which was the result of a competition that saw over 10,000 entries from 30 countries. The 'O' stands for oxygen, new life and vitality and the term 'MODA' refers to the modern and fashion-forward characteristics of the new brand. It serves as a fresh model to capture the hearts of locals.
For now, Omoda does not have its own dealership in the country so sales will be facilitated through Chery dealers. The Chinese firm also has ambitions to launch more models locally in future.
We spent a week behind the wheel of the Omoda C5 SUV; here’s what we thought.
Design language
The C5 is available in three trim models - Tech, Elegance, and Elegance S. The model we had on test featured a reverse camera, wireless charging and cruise control. In comparison, the top-spec Elegance S models come with adaptive cruise control, traffic alerts, automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, high beam assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross collision warning, lane departure warning and emergency lane keeping.
The front grille is perhaps the biggest aesthetic attraction that captures attention with its diamond-shaped design that intertwines with the thin, arrow-shaped headlights. Tony Liu, Executive Deputy General Manager of Chery South Africa, says the C5 looks like nothing else on the market, and it's hard to argue.
Many people looked at the car with obvious curiosity, clearly trying to find a logo they’d seen before. There’s no hint of Chery anywhere on the exterior, with the Omoda name boldly featuring on the bonnet and boot lid. The overall shape is rounded, and you can see its sloped roof from the outside, which is matched with some good-looking alloy wheels, too.
Engine and performance
Powering the SUV is a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine that produces 115kW and 230Nm – the same one used in the Tiggo 4 Pro. A nine-step CVT transmission puts the power down to the front wheels, and Omoda claims a fuel consumption figure of 6.9 litres/100km. Over seven days of driving, we managed to return an average figure of 7.6 litres, which is not miles off the claimed figure, it must be said.
Interior spaces
One thing that caught our eye was the race-like seats, which not only looked top-notch but also had a great seating posture. The unit we had on test didn’t come with power adjustment. Once you open the door, a quirky welcome tune plays and highlights the ambient lighting on the door panels. The Chery name had to be somewhere on the car and is found on the multi-function steering wheel, one we must say we're quite fond of.
Behind the steering wheel is a single high-resolution 10.25-inch digital display, serving as the instrument cluster and infotainment hub. The latter screen is Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatible. The air conditioning panel is fully touch-operated and also features an air filtration system.
The one area we think Omodo could improve is the interior layout. The USB port is on the passenger side and requires stretching in order to connect cables. Then there’s also the extra storage, which is almost hidden underneath the centre console. We can see what Omodo was trying to do with elevating the section for practicality though. One really must be something of a Randall Abrahams, the brutally critical former Idols judge, to truly scrutinise the C5.
Due to the rear seat’s sloped position, rear occupants have more legroom, and carrying three passengers at the back is no problem. The 380-litre boot might sound like too little for an SUV on paper, but it can accommodate a good chunk of bags before the rear seats have to be folded down for more space.
There are two cupholders and a nice big storage compartment (that also serves as an armrest) that cools whatever is in there when the aircon is switched on. In addition, there is a knob that can block the flow of cold or hot air.
How does it drive?
The engine is quite peppy when it wants to be, and there’s no issue with having to overtake, especially in Sport mode. The CVT sounds more like a normal automatic gearbox than anything else, which is a feather in Omoda’s cap, considering how unpopular some CVT systems are. There is a drone from the CVT, but it’s not the type that is going to sour your driving experience. The accelerator is very sensitive when pulling away and can propel forward akin to an all-wheel-drive configuration.
We can also confidently report that the 1.5-litre engine does not suffer under load with passengers or luggage or both. The engine does get slightly noisy when under hard acceleration, but that is how naturally aspirated engines operate. We used the ‘Hello, Chery’ voice function on a few occasions and found its execution of certain tasks very prompt, such as opening the windows or lowering the volume. On higher-specced models, it can also open the panoramic sunroof or electronic tailgate.
Pricing and aftersales
C5 Tech - R447 900
C5 Elegance - R507 900
C5 Elegance S - R509 900
The C5 range comes standard with a with a 5-year/70 000km service plan, a 5-year/150 000km warranty and the comprehensive 10-year/1 000 000km engine warranty.
According to Wesbank’s car finance calculator, customers can expect to pay approximately R9 000 over a period of 72 months with no deposit and an interest rate set at 13%.
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