/ (min cost $ 0 ) or signup to continue reading The range continues to expand in Australia, as does its sales reach. It has quickly risen to an average of 4.0 per cent market share in the burgeoning mainstream small SUV segment, which is no mean feat.
Still haven't heard of Chery? It's one of China's biggest car manufacturers, enjoying a rebirth in Australia after a failed first life under independent distributor Ateco between 2011 and 2015. The Omoda 5 was the first of the 'New Chery' product to be launched in Australia in 2023, and is an angular small SUV that takes on the likes of the MG ZS as well as the and . Omoda is actually distributed as a separate brand in some overseas markets, and compared to the boxier and more practical Tiggo-badged products is more design-led and premium in look and feel – at least, so the company claims.
On test we have the newly introduced flagship, the , which is the sole all-wheel drive option in the local range. With a beefier turbocharged petrol engine and a quick-shifting dual-clutch automatic compared to the continuously variable transmission (CVT) fitted to lower grades, can this all-paw hero add some spice to the equation? The Omoda 5 GT starts from $38,990 drive-away for the FWD version, with the AWD on test commanding an extra $2000 – these prices are slightly down on earlier in the year. You might be surprised with how well presented the cabin of the Omoda 5 is, even in cheaper grades.
While the GT AWD on test is just over $40,000 on the road, the bones are pretty similar to the BX and EX grades that start as low as $33,990 drive-away. It's good here, even better lower down in the range. There's a slickness to the straight lines and glossy finishes similar to how Mercedes-Benz has showroom appeal.
The dual 10.25-inch displays are nicely integrated into a unified fascia, and the steering wheel design is lovely. Piano black adorns much of the bridge, tunnel, and dashboard.
Nice in the dealership, not so nice once you start poking and prodding it with dirty fingers – best to keep a rag in the glovebox. In this spec the driver's seat is electrically adjustable six ways, with the passenger seat offering four ways of power adjustment. Unlike the , longer-legged drivers don't have to contort to find a good driving position.
The sporty front seats with integrated headrests are comfortable, with supple cushioning and decent support from the bolsters. They aren't quite as good as the beautiful front pews in the Mazda CX-30, but they're comfy over long journeys and also offer heating – quite handy during Melbourne's winter. I like the clicky switchgear and the felt-lined phone holder which doubles as a wireless charger on the left-hand side.
There's also an air vent there to keep your device from overheating. Now while those displays I mentioned earlier look schmick when the car isn't moving, they're not quite as slick in operation. The design and interface is very budget Benz, but the screen is laggy to the point where things almost 'tick' as they animate.
Thankfully wireless Apple CarPlay worked pretty well during our week with the Omoda 5, though there was the odd occasion where known black spots would cause a disconnection and then a buggy reconnection – or no connection at all. Unlike the larger and , the Omoda 5 doesn't have embedded satellite navigation. So, these CarPlay quibbles can be a bit of a hassle if you're using your phone to navigate somewhere.
Other highlights include a crisp surround camera system with 3D projection, giving you a good view of the Omoda 5's surroundings while animating wheels in motion and indicator lights when activated. This is the kind of tech Chinese brands are really excelling with compared to most Japanese brands. You also get ambient lighting strips through the dashboard and doors, complemented by accent lighting in the cupholders and other areas.
It's quite swanky at night. Build quality in the Omoda 5 feels robust, and the design is more contemporary and cohesive compared than an MG ZST or GWM Haval Jolion. The Omoda 5 isn't class-leading in terms of second-row space, but has ample room to house a pair of adults without much fuss.
Just be mindful that sloping window line might mean you knock your head on the way in – speaking from experience here...
Knee room is a little snug behind those chunky front seats, but otherwise 6'1 me could sit behind my preferred driving position. Headroom is fine, though my voluminous hair was brushing the headliner in the back. The kids will be fine in the back provided the front seats don't obstruct their view too much, and there are amenities like rear air vents, a single USB-A charge port, map pockets, and bottle holders in the doors.
There's also a flip-down centre armrest with cupholders. Speaking of the younger ones, the requisite ISOFIX and top tether points are present as you'd expect. The Omoda 5 can't match the class leaders when it comes to boot space, likely a product of its swoopier design.
Chery quotes 360 litres of cargo capacity with the rear seats in place, expanding to 1075 litres with them folded. So, the Omoda 5 really has the load-lugging capability of a small hatchback. Omoda 5 GT models get a 1.
6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine compared to the 1.5-litre turbo petrol powering other grades. An all-electric Omoda E5 is also due later this year.
Having not spent much time in the Omoda 5, I wasn't sure what to expect. There has been plenty of criticism of the vehicle's driver assist systems since it launched last year, and Chery has quite openly admitted to ongoing developments to make them better. Beyond that, the 1.
6T drivetrain is familiar from the Tiggo 7 Pro, though I'd argue it feels better suited to the smaller Omoda 5. Dual-clutch transmissions (DCTs) from Chinese brands, and cheaper cars in general, don't quite have that smooth and snappy feel that you get in higher-end Volkswagen Group products, for example. It's kind of the case here.
Getting off the line flares revs a little as the Omoda 5 gets going, with that almost elastic feel in first that's a common complaint in DCTs. It can also be a little sluggish after idle stop/start fires the petrol engine up – once you're moving though, it's fine. The transmissions slurs more than smacks through cogs, but once you're moving progress is decent.
Having 275Nm on tap in a pretty small car makes it feel punchy. I drove this in peak-hour conditions which combines city streets and a freeway stint to my home. That sort of explains the high-ish real-world fuel use of 9.
0L/100km, but I did spend plenty of time in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Having all-wheel drive meant the Omoda 5 never really spun up the front wheels even in inclement weather. I will say though, other than alleviating that condition, I find AWD to be redundant in this kind of car.
The added weight increases fuel consumption and is largely not in use unless you're absolutely gunning it. For the kind of driving the Omoda 5 will spend 99.9 per cent of its life doing, you probably can save yourself the $2000.
Feel through the chunky steering wheel is a touch vague with a light, heavily assisted weighting, making the Omoda 5 feel manoeuvrable and wieldy in mundane daily duties. Playing around with the drive modes can add some artificial weight when you select Sport, but this doesn't suddenly transform the Omoda 5 into a keen driver. The ride is on the softer side, but in normal driving around town and in the city it's well sorted enough save for the odd thwack over sharper hits.
In the Omoda 5 GT you get independent rear suspension as opposed to the torsion beam setup in lower grades. Does this make a huge difference? I'd need to drive the two variants back to back to be sure, but I don't have any complaints around floatiness as my colleagues had about the 1.5T versions.
Road and wind noise is also nicely kept at bay, even once you hit rougher blacktop. It's not luxury-car quiet, but it's one of the better small SUVs for refinement at speed. Now, those driver assists.
To be honest there's only one main complaint. The adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist work fine, but try to use the semi-autonomous Integrated Cruise Assist and you'll be quick to long press the steering button to keep it off. As I've observed in the Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8, the Omoda 5's highway assistant hugs the left side of the lane and aggressively tugs if you centre yourself just off to the right or approach a curve.
Not particularly confidence inspiring. I didn't have any issues with the driver attention monitor, even if it activated once or twice if I was trying to enter something on the screen. The Tesla-like live assistant system display gives old video game vibes, but often misjudges where vehicles are placed on the road ahead.
I do enjoy the NOS flames coming out of the Omoda 5's tailpipes when you overtake, though. The GT sits atop of the Omoda 5's four-grade lineup in Australia. Saturn Silver, Lunar White and Mercurial Grey come with Red Strike exterior accents on EX, GT and GT AWD models, with Lunar White and Saturn Silver additionally available with a Black roof.
The Chery Omoda 5 has a from ANCAP based on testing conducted in 2022. Chery Motor Australia covers its range with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. Chery's ongoing improvements to the Omoda 5's software definitely have made it a lot more bearable than what has been reported by automotive media previously.
The distinctive design, swish cabin and plentiful standard specifications makes for a solid alternative to legacy nameplates in the compact SUV space – though this flagship GT AWD wouldn't be my pick of the range. As with most of the value-focused Chinese brands, the most goodness comes lower down in the range. A quick look at the grade walk above shows you the EX (from $36,990 D/A) is almost identically specified save for the drivetrain, and is $4000 cheaper than the car you see here.
It even looks the same. More so, the BX shaves another $3000 off again and wants for little if you can do without heated seats and a sunroof. Really, it's that version of the Omoda 5 that makes the most sense given how well positioned it is against entry-level versions of big players like the Hyundai Kona and Mazda CX-30.
While the Omoda 5 goes hard on paper, it's somewhat let down by its laggy infotainment tech, vague steering feel and occasionally sharp ride in town. Conversely, it has solid value for money and offers a pretty agreeable driving experience save for an indecisive semi-autonomous highway assistant. I'd be tempted by the Omoda 5 over its Chinese rivals if I were to suggest one of these as a cheaper alternative to mainstay small SUV nameplates.
As for the GT AWD on test here, I'd only say "sure" if you're sold on the Omoda 5 and absolutely must have all-wheel drive. Otherwise, there's plenty of good SUV metal going for $40,000. I'd also be keeping an eye out for the all-electric Omoda E5 due imminently.
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