2023 Chery Omoda 5 review: First Australian drive

The 2023 Chery Omoda 5 revives the Chinese brand’s Australian presence, following an earlier venture that ended in 2014.

Known for selling Australia’s cheapest car – the Daewoo Matiz look-a-like J1 – and a near-clone of a second-gen RAV4, the J11, the Chinese car-maker’s return promises to be longer-lived this time around.

But that all hinges on the Omoda 5 being successful. As a rarity, this small SUV is not just new for Australia, it’s Chery’s flagship global vehicle. It gets a brand-spanking platform, fresh engines, a sophisticated (on paper at least) technology package, actual dealer stock, and an entry price of $29,900 before on-road costs. Colour us intrigued.

Chery is renowned for daring to ‘copy’ mainstream manufacturer’s design details (the aforementioned J1 was embroiled in a lawsuit with General Motors China) and the new Omoda 5 upholds this tradition.

With a Tesla-inspired wireless charging pad, Kia-like infotainment system, Thor’s hammer LED lights reminiscent of Volvo, and a grille that reminds us of the Hyundai Tucson, the Omoda 5 is certainly derivative.

Still, it’s no Land Wind X7; the shape and combination of design flourishes are unique to the Omoda 5.

This small SUV also promises to be just the start for Chery here, the brand planning to add all-wheel drive Omoda 5 variants before new Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8 medium and large SUVs arrive later this year, as well as an all-electric follow-up to the Omoda 5 in 2024.

What we’re here to talk about, though, is how the Omoda 5 performs as a package, everything from cheap entry price and high stock levels through to the incessant and occasionally dangerous safety aids.

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JUMP AHEAD

• How much is it, and what do you get?
• How do rivals compare on value?
• Interior comfort, space and storage
• What is it like to drive?
• How much fuel does it use?
• How safe is it?
• Warranty and running costs
• VERDICT
• Specifications

How much is it, and what do you get?

The Chery Omoda 5 range starts at $29,990 before on-road costs.

Chery initially promised a national drive-away price for Australia, though backed down before launch due to unforeseen complexities and nuances between states.

Aside from colour choice (premium paint is $500), there are no options. Chery is encouraging early adopters to lodge a $500 pre-order with the inclusion of premium duco plus a choice of either a free first service or floor mats in return.

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We drove the Omoda 5 EX – the sportier, upmarket trim that’s hard to miss with its red exterior accents that will probably fade quite quickly in Australia’s harsh sun. There are some extra goodies in the EX that justify its $3K premium.

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How do rivals compare on value?

The Omoda 5’s entire schtick is to offer more for less.

To get similar levels of functionality from mainstream rivals such as the Mazda CX-30 G20 Touring SP ($40,110), Toyota Corolla Cross Atmos petrol ($43,550), and Kia Seltos GT-Line FWD ($41,500) – all before on-road costs – you’re over the $40K mark. That's 20 per cent more than the equivalent Omoda 5.

When you look at other Chinese rivals – such as the MG ZS T Essence ($33,990 drive-away) and Haval Jolion Ultra petrol (also $33,990 drive-away) – the Omoda 5 is closer to the ballpark.

Some clever inclusions, such as the AI-powered ‘Hello Chery’ voice control (that makes you feel like Seinfeld’s hateable postman), help the Omoda 5 stand out on the showroom floor, but it ultimately offers a similar level of substance to direct rivals from China.

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Interior comfort, space and storage

The Omoda 5’s cost-saving only becomes evident as you start hunting through the cabin.

There’s a pleasing veneer of soft-touch plastics and piano-black infotainment system bezels that go a lot further than the horrific J11, but these give way to scratchy and inconsistent plastics below the beltline, a creaky touchscreen, and a centre bin that doesn’t open properly because the front seats’ bolsters are too fat.

For the less concerned prospector, these quirks are unlikely to spoil the joy of keeping an extra $8K in your pocket. Having poked a few Omoda 5s, though, we do worry about build discrepancies between each vehicle. For example, our test car had a small ridge running through the sheet metal next to the sunroof on one side, but not the other.

Chery does deserve praise for getting Omoda 5’s driving position mostly right. Although the seat base isn’t adjustable for tilt, there is respectable under-thigh support. The steering wheel telescopes and you can adopt a natural driving position – that’s more than can be said for Haval’s Jolion.

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The Omoda 5’s infotainment software is easier to use than Haval’s (in fact, it’s probably better than VW’s), and presented more attractively than MG’s. There’s no in-built navigation though, and Apple CarPlay was vexingly laggy during our test.

Cabin storage is thoughtful and, once you do get that central bin open, you’ll find it’s deep and has an openable vent connected to the HVAC, great for keeping drinks chilly. You can also pop out the bottom of one cup holder (though we have no idea why). There’s also extra storage beneath the centre console for bags, with USB-A, USB-C, and 12-volt sockets.

As stylish as the Tesla-style twin wireless charging pad is, only one side actually inductively charges your smartphone. The other is not entirely useless at least, as it still holds a phone quite nicely.

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The Omoda 5’s sloping roofline also hurts its rear seat space. Those under 180cm will be fine, but taller riders will be compromised for headroom and legroom. Toe room is also compromised owing to the high-set floor; it’s almost like an EV. That’s not uncommon in this segment, suiting empty-nesters and young couples that typically choose small SUVs.

Chery could do with studying some European boots, as the Omoda 5’s 360L luggage compartment does without shopping bag hooks or anything to separate it from rivals. There’s a space-saver spare tyre beneath the boot floor, and the seats fold flat in a 60:40 split.

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What is it like to drive?

To be fair, there are few truly terrible cars on sale anymore. It used to be different, with some real clangers (that’s you, SsangYong Stavic), but there’s currently a level of driving homogeneity across the industry from which the Omoda 5 benefits.

A relatively hushed and tractable in-house 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder develops 108kW at 5500rpm, and 230Nm from 1750-4000rpm. Oddly, the Omoda 5 is rated at 115kW/230Nm in its home market (hence the 230 badging on the rear), Chery says this is because "the Australian standard is different to the Chinese standard when it comes to measuring equipment."

The engine is hooked up to a CVT with nine stepped ratios, it does a better-than-average job of getting grunt to the front wheels. The Chery’s throttle calibration is a bit peculiar – a touch of gas sees it jump away from the lights like a scalded cat, yet it responds lazily at high speeds.

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The steering is light and vague with a big dead spot on-centre, but it’s generally unobtrusive. Suspension is a simple set-up of struts at the front and a torsion beam out back. Chery has tuned the handling with safety a long way ahead of dynamics, so a chronic understeerer the Chery may be, but that’s safer and more predictable than a wayward back end.

A weak point is the 215/55R18 GitiComfort F50 tyres, with little grip in the dry and an even more approximate relationship with wet bitumen.

Small, repeated bumps are enough to disturb passengers at low speeds, but the Omoda 5 does quietly surprise when it comes to ride quality, especially when it comes to big hits which the Chery absorbs well without sacrificing body control.

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How much fuel does it use?

Fuel consumption is respectable. The official ADR combined consumption rating for the Omoda 5 is 6.9L/100km. We managed a respectable 8.4L/100km, according to the trip computer.

The Omoda 5 has a 50-litre fuel tank and will accept 91 RON unleaded. A more powerful AWD variant is due to land this year, and an electric version is promised for 2024.

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How safe is it?

Although it received five ANCAP stars and is equipped with a litany of safety features, the Omoda 5’s driver assistance package is its kryptonite. More than frustrating, the Omoda 5 is borderline dangerous.

In Sydney’s quiet and perfectly marked M8 tunnel, the Omoda 5’s adaptive cruise control and lane-trace assist systems were jerky but fine.

Introduce traffic, bright sunshine or mediocre line markings, though, and the Omoda 5’s semi-autonomous features are swiftly reduced to hindrances. Then there’s the driver attention monitoring system, which sounds a warning every time you look in the mirrors to merge.

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The emergency lane-keep assist, though, is what’s frightening. Sensing a departure from the lane (despite 30cm between rubber and white paint), the Omoda 5 will yank the wheel from your grasp firmly enough to introduce a moment of yaw, then wrestle itself inside the lane, before packing in and letting you drift out of the road markings, all the while beeping inanely.

The systems turn on every time you start the car, too, and disabling them requires several layers of menu hopping.

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Warranty and running costs

Chery is launching in Australia with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty to give buyers peace of mind.

This is complemented by an equal period of capped-price servicing. The first five scheduled services (due every 12 months or 10,000km) are pretty affordable and at $280 per visit it’ll cost you $1400 over the first five years or 50,000km.

You'll pay more for the sixth and seventh services, but at $2086.58 the Omoda 5 promises to be a more affordable car to maintain over seven years than a Kia Seltos ($3040).

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VERDICT

For all its appetite-whetting warranty support, affordable servicing and cheap price of entry – not to mention healthy stock levels – the Chery has a fatal flaw.

That’s a shame because, in a sales scenario, the otherwise competent Omoda 5 represents great value. The technology suite is user-friendly, with standard voice commands making it even easier to interact with, and the spacious interior is well-appointed for the price.

Add to that reasonably well-tuned suspension and a safer chassis than Haval’s Jolion, and the Omoda 5 really does make a case for itself.

Yet, the poorly calibrated – and borderline dangerous – active safety systems spoil the Omoda 5’s competitive edge.

It’s worth test-driving one out of curiosity, but until the brand invests in proper driver aid calibration, lower-grade established rivals such as the Kia Seltos Sport, Corolla Cross GX, and Mazda CX-30 Pure remain vastly better buys.

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