OMODA is indeed a head-turner!
Having debuted on the South African market after the return of Chery (mother company) in 2021, sales have been skyrocketing- albeit no official figures were available at the time of publishing.
Omoda is the svelte C5 crossover and its taking on the likes of VW T-Roc, Opel Mokka and Haval H6 GT head on.
It showcases Chery’s new ‘Art in Motion’ design language; at the front, the C5 incorporates an integrated diamond matrix grille, which is flanked by split LED headlights and LED daytime running lights.
From the side, the crossover is distinguished by a sloping, coupe-like roofline, while sharp, angular tail-light clusters, faux exhaust ends and a diffuser-like rear bumper garnish add a dash of sporting appeal.
During my test drive, I realised it is 4 400 mm long, 1 830 mm wide, and 1 585 mm high (with a wheelbase of 2 630 mm).
It has enough legroom and, when you fold the 60:40 split rear seats flat, the Omoda provides a flat loading space with a capacity of about 1 075 litres. With the rear seats in the upright position, the luggage capacity is 378 litres.
With Chinese now investing in technology- its not surprising C5 impresses with 2 integrated and curved 10.25-inch high-definition screens in a single panel (an Apple CarPlay and Android Auto-compatible touchscreen flanked by a digital instrument cluster), all of which takes care of your infotainment, comfort and driving needs.
Ventilated sports seats are fitted at the front. Other features include wireless smartphone charging, a 360-degree camera, as well as a host of driver-assistance systems, such as adaptive cruise control, intelligent cruise assist, traffic assistant, blind spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, lane departure suppression emergency lane-keeping assist, lane change assist and lane departure warning.
All safety measures are taken care of.
The sporty looking Omoda is backed up with a punchy 1.5-litre turbopetrol engine under the bonnet (with peak outputs of 115 kW and 230 Nm), paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission, and fuel consumption claimed at 6.9 L/100km.
It would have been ideal to take it to Durban for the annual Durban July racehorse- but instead it was parked for what would be a full test having took a turn to Soweto ( they fell in love it from onset); as for Tembisa residents they had their gadgets on hand, and took photos when opportunity presented itself.
Thanks to its head-turning and futuristic styling, Amen!
There are 3 derivatives to choose from: Tech, Elegance and Elegance S.
- Omoda C5 1.5T TECH – R447 900
- Omoda C5 1.5T Elegance – R507 900
- Omoda C5 1.5T Elegance S – R509 900
The Omoda C5 is sold with a 5-year/150 000 km warranty, a 5-year/70 000 km service plan and a (first-owner-only) 10-year/1 million km engine warranty.
Verdict
Performance 1-10 (7)
Fuel 1-10 (4)
Top image SLM ( The Omoda C5 is indeed a head-turner).
