The number of Chinese cars that have taken to local roads in recent months is unprecedented. Chery has set the bar slightly higher than the rest, thanks to its impressive Tiggo lineup.And now the brand is expanding with a slightly more stylish offering. You may have already seen the Omoda nameplate at your local shopping centre or at the 2022 Festival of Motoring at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in Johannesburg. I recently got behind the wheel of the Omoda C5 compact crossover.
The one thing I heard most often from friends and family is that it looks cool and I'm inclined to agree. It is a good-looking vehicle, with an aggressive, futuristic front end. The side profile is sleek and has a sporty touch, which I was fond of. Even the back end is head-turning. The use of LED lights and red accents gives onlookers a reason to do a double-take. My only real criticism of the exterior is that the wheels could be slightly bigger — they seem to drown in those large arches — but I was looking for something to fault.
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Sitting in the Omoda is a cool place to be. The highly customisable 10.25-inch infotainment display sets the scene for this tech-savvy car. The rather basic centre console follows the Chery trend by housing the control units for items such as the air conditioning and driver assist in the infotainment menu itself. Despite its compact appearance, there is plenty of space inside and it can comfortably fit five people.
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The floor mats are made of a rugged rubber material which, although they seem a little out of place, are perfect for easy cleaning and keeping the car’s floors in good condition. The seats are the first thing you see when you get into a car and the Omoda C5’s are a striking design with unique stitching that many might consider premium. The seats are one of my favourite features. They are sporty and aesthetically pleasing with good support and comfortable positioning.
The sunroof is a nice touch on an interesting interior. In keeping with Chinese tradition, the Omoda has the familiar 1.5-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol engine found in the Chery range. It has decent power but isn’t particularly frugal and it makes a fairly coarse sound when you rev it. Although it has a claimed fuel consumption of 6.9 litres/100km, I struggled to get the reading into the 7s. The motor gives 115kW and 230Nm, which doesn’t leave you wanting much more.
The C5 comes with two driving modes, Eco and Sport. This makes for a customisable driving experience as you can change the steering feel, ride quality and throttle response. The ride quality is good and driving this car is a pleasurable experience. There were, however, a few aspects where the model could be better. I found there is plenty of road and wind noise intrusion — significantly higher than what I have experienced in other Chery models.
The Omoda C5 comes in three price tiers, the cheapest being the Tech at R447 900, which gives you fabric seats and 17-inch wheels as standard. The second option is the Elegance at R507 900, which adds leather seats, climate control and all the benefits of the Advanced Driver Assist System. The final option is the Elegance S, at R509 900, which features red exterior accents, which will ensure you stand out from the crowd. It comes as standard with a five-year/70 000km service plan and a mechanical warranty of five-years/150 000km, which is confidence-inspiring. For added peace of mind, the Omoda C5 comes with a Euro NCAP five-star safety rating with six airbags and enough driver assistance to make sure your teenager arrives safely.
One of the biggest deciding factors is in the price sticker. It is a relatively affordable car with edgy styling, tech and decent build quality. I did find that there were a few areas that needed improvement, particularly around the driving experience, such as the wind noise and the vague steering feel. On the whole, Chery has produced a desirable vehicle which turns heads at an affordable price. I would not be surprised if we see this stylish, compact SUV taking to the roads in droves.
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