Who/What is OMODA?
Omoda is a new Chinese premium brand launched by Chery. There have been sightings and talks of OMODA since the 2022 Festival of Motoring, and the wait is now over. The Chinese automaker has officially launched its first OMODA vehicle on the African continent right here in South Africa. The newcomer is the OMODA C5 which is a premium crossover and sibling to the Chery Tiggo. While the two models share parts, the OMODA’s design, upmarket interior, and technology are meant to appeal to a more glamorous segment.
The origin of its name: OMODA has a Latin root of which "O" is derived from oxygen, representative of new life and vitality, while "MODA" comes from "Modern" and signifies a focus on a forward-looking and fashionable lifestyle.
The OMODA C5 will be competing among the likes of the Haval H6 GT, Mazda CX-30, Toyota Corolla Cross, Volkswagen T-Roc, Opel Mokka, KIA Seltos, and others.
Design
The OMODA C5 has a very bold and sporty exterior, stemming from OMODA’s Art in Motion design language, through which the Chinese automaker is hoping will lure potential buyers. Its most striking features are the integrated star diamond grille, the piano-style tail lights, the T-Type DRL & LED headlights, and the bi-tone 18-inch alloy wheels.
Single-tone and dual-tone colour options are available. There are seven colours available in the single-tone range and three colour combinations should you opt for the dual tones. There’s a unique Light Green and Vanilla Blue for those looking to stand out even further.
There are also three trims in the range. The C5 Tech is your basic and starter-level model fitted with fabric seats, 17-inch wheels, and a full digital infotainment system. Then, there’s the C5 Elegance specced with several more driver assist systems, 18-inch wheels, leather upholstery, digital entertainment features, and climate control. The Elegance S is the highest specced model in the C5 range carrying a few additional niceties over the Elegance and the red exterior design highlights.
Interior
Inside the OMODA C5 is a very modern and minimalist cabin. A single high-resolution 10.25-inch digital display will immediately catch your eye as it stretches across the dash combining the infotainment system and the driver’s instrument cluster. It is a touch-sensitive screen that allows for multiple ways of displaying the vehicle, safety, and entertainment information. Much like the system found in Chery Tiggo, the C5’s system is user-friendly and relatively simple to use. Every model has the 'Hey Chery' digital assistant, that can perform basic tasks like adjusting the climate control, opening or closing your windows or sunroof, and turning the volume up or down on the radio.
There’s a wireless charging panel with a grippy suede-like finish on the top of the center console. Phones, devices, or any other valuables can be stashed out of sight but still in reach beneath the charging panel where there is a USB port and a Type-C Port conveniently located.
Tech models are fitted with a vinyl fabric seat material while Elegance models feature leather seats. Front-row seats in the Elegance models are further equipped with power adjustment and ventilation. The finishes around the cabin, on the doors and dash, have mixed materials and a soft touch meant to take away from the plastic feel you generally get in other vehicles while looking a little luxurious. This further enhances comfort inside the C5. Rivals may soar in other areas but will fall short when it comes to the upmarket look of the interior.
The front seats take inspiration from a sports car design and are wrapped in synthetic eco-leather upholstery that satisfies both comfort and style. The center console in the front row just feels to be at an odd height or proximity to the driver. Reaching for the dials, the parking brake, and the hazard lights just felt awkward, for me, personally. The headroom seems sufficient but the legroom in the rear might be a bit tight for bigger or taller passengers.
Space
In terms of storage, there are enough pockets all around the cabin. The door pockets are quite big. There are two cupholders in the front and rear. The boot capacity offers 378 liters of cargo space. Against rivals, it’s not a big boot, considering the H6 GT offers 392 liters, the CX-30 offers 430 liters, the Seltos offers 433 liters, and the Corolla Cross offers 436 liters.
Engine
The OMODA C5 is powered by a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine sourced from the Tiggo 4 Pro. However, this engine has been tuned to put out 7 kW more power and 20 Nm more torque than the Tiggo 4. The C5 engine pushes out 115 kW of power, 230 Nm of torque, and is paired to a 9-step CVT gearbox that sends power exclusively to the front wheels.
OMODA claims a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 9.9 seconds and fuel consumption of 6.9L/100km. However, we averaged between 8.3 – 9.3L/100km on our +/-140 km test drive between Bryanston and Hartbeespoort Dam. OMODA’s product manager explained the reason for the discrepancy in the fuel consumption figures and noted that they needed to make a technical adjustment. The C5 can be driven in Eco or Sport Mode.
Ride and Handling
Power seems satisfactory for its 1.5-litre capacity, which calm drivers may appreciate as the C5 is not built for performance. The C5 has 169mm of ground clearance and feels smooth on the road thanks to its supple suspension while not a lot of road noise enters the cabin. It’s a comfortable place to be. The C5 will cruise easily at highway speeds of 100 – 120 km/h but may need a moment of patience when quick overtaking is required. For more enthusiastic drivers, you’ll find it more engaging to drive in the manual mode.
One thing I didn’t like was the overall visibility from the driver’s seat and this I attribute to the mirrors, the worst of which was the rear-view mirror. OMODA calls it the Anti-Dazzling Rear-View Mirror, which is probably meant to protect your eyes from other Chinese and German LEDs driving behind you at night, however, I would prefer to be able to see behind me clearly during the day. I really wonder what it looks like at night. (If one of our readers buys one, please do let us know what you see at night!) This rear-view mirror has some kind of bubble effect and paired with a small back rear window, it makes it very tricky to accurately judge the distance of anything behind your car. On the plus side, you get a 360-degree camera view (Elegance and Elegance S models only) around the car that pops up on the infotainment screen which will better assist your judgment. The Tech model doesn’t have the 360-degree camera, but it does still have a Rear-View Camera with dynamic guides.
Among the 10 additional driver assistance systems fitted in the Elegance and Elegance S models, I need to single out the aggressiveness of the Lane Keep/Lane Departure system. It really throws the car around to keep it in the middle of the lane while the steering also requires constant input. A system like this is supposed to make one feel more protected and confident but this one made me feel like I’m more at risk. The system can be deactivated while driving but will automatically reactivate when the vehicle is started again. There’s a slight delay in steering response too, which I feel only very experienced drivers may pick up. On the flip side, the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is something that always amazes me. The C5’s ACC does a superb job of following the vehicle in front and autonomously braking, all the while displaying on the driver’s instrument cluster what exactly is happening around the car. I was following a bakkie when testing the ACC system when a truck decided to cut in front of us and on the cluster the icon immediately changed to display a truck, and that was cool! This is done from the many sensors and cameras around the car.
Features
While the C5 has a long list of specifications, some interesting features I wanted to highlight are:
- 8-speaker Sony Sound System (Elegance models)
- Wireless Charging (15 Kw)
- Keyless Start
- USB & Type-C USB ports
- Wireless Car Play and Android Auto
- 64-colour Ambient Lighting System with a Dance function
- Sports Seats (front row)
- Dual Zone Automatic Air-Conditioner
- Self-cleaning climate-control system with built-in high-grade filtering for the cleanest air
- Electric Sunroof (Elegance models)
- Powered tailgate (Elegance models)
Safety
The OMODA C5 is the first Chery vehicle to be tested by Euro NCAP and has scored a full five-star safety rating for its notable build quality and its safety cell. The OMODA safety cell is made up of 78% ultra-high tensile strength steel and can withstand pressures of over 1,800 Mpa.
All models in the C5 range are fitted with six airbags (front, front side, and full-length curtain airbags), ISOFIX child seat anchors, smart seatbelt pre-tensioning, ABS brakes linked to all four disc brakes, tire-pressure monitoring and electronic stability program (ESP) as standard.
Additional safety features include front and rear parking sensors, emergency brake signaling through the rear LED lights, speed control with the option of speed limiting, and emergency brake assistance.
Elegance models feature a full range of Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) such as automatic high-beam/low-beam switching, adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic alerts, traffic-sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assistance, lane-departure warning, forward-collision warning, and automatic emergency braking as standard. With these systems, the OMODA C5 has a Level 2.5 rating for autonomous driving.
Pricing
OMODA C5 1.5T Tech - R447 900
OMODA C5 1.5T Elegance - R507 900
OMODA C5 1.5T Elegance S - R509 900
The price includes a Service Plan that covers 5 years/70 000 km and a 5-year/ 150 000 km Mechanical Warranty. The first owner of the vehicle also benefits from a 10-year/1-million-kilometre Engine Warranty.
Additionally, OMODERs (OMODA customers) will get access to the unique and exclusive O-Universe (essentially, an OMODA Club), which opens the door to special experiences, first-to-know information on new models, and a range of gear and clothing that are exclusive to OMODA.
While it may or may not be sales-dependent, three more OMODA models will make their way to SA over the next year and a half which could include a hybrid.