REVIEW: Chery Omoda 5 H – A Promising Left-Field Fighter

2023 Chery Omoda 5 H SUV

The local B-segment SUV market space shows no signs of slowing down, as demands have risen significantly in recent years. Should the current crop of local and Japanese offerings not be enough to satisfy this growing demand, yet another contender hailing from China has officially made its debut this month.

Of course, we’re talking about Chery, which has risen from the ashes and relaunched into our market this year. Battling against the might of Honda HR-V and Proton X50 as the sole Chinese representative (so far) in this segment is Chery’s newest B-SUV fighter, the Chery Omoda 5.

On the surface, it seems somewhat unfair to pit a ‘new’ car brand against entities that not only have established their ecosystem to support the models, but also have built-up strong reputations through the years. Then again, we reckon the Omoda 5 might have something up its sleeves that can surprise the said established rivals.

Having piloted the new Chery Omoda 5 in its top-specced H (stands for ‘Honor’) variant lately, we can say that this China-badged B-SUV has lots of potential to be a stellar ‘far-left’ alternative against the usual, more established suspects. Allow us to digress…

OVERVIEW

At a glance, the Omoda 5 is a truly striking vehicle, albeit not with the ‘universal appeal’ that some of its rivals have garnered. This is especially true when you opt for the range-topping H spec here, which adds a slew of red accents around the exterior that perfectly blends with the Phantom Grey exterior hue.

The Omoda 5's front fascia is very fierce-looking, especially with the red accents

Its quirky front facade features a massive front grille with diamond-shaped inserts, flanked by LED projector headlights that sit below thin LED DRLs which also doubles as the front signal signals. The only red trim visible here is present in the lower front bumper opening.

Most of the red accents are visible from the side, notably in the mirror caps, the side skirts, as well as the 18-inch gloss-black wheels and brake callipers. From here, you’ll notice the Omoda 5’s coupe-like roofline, with its steeply raked rear windscreen mated to a roof-mounted spoiler that bears red accents too. Elsewhere, the rear gets full-width LED taillights, complemented by the lower bumper accents with faux tailpipes.

All in all, regardless of your styling tastes, it is agreeable that the Chery Omoda 5 is a truly striking SUV. More importantly, it also comes with an interior to match…

ON THE INSIDE

Chinese marques, particularly Chery, have come a long way since its dog days, featuring cabin space not only on-par with the Japanese offerings, even surpassing them too in certain aspects.

The digital instrument cluster (left) comes with few selectable themes, while the infotainment display (right) support wireless Android Auto connectivity

Up front lies several hi-tech amenities such as a dual display comprised of two 10.25-inch screens – one tasked as the driver’s display, another as the infotainment. Unlike many Chinese contemporaries, the latter features full Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support – both with wireless connectivity too

Below the screen sits the climate control panel, which connects to the floating central console housing a wireless charging pad, ‘conventional’ gear shift lever that’s surrounded by multiple buttons and controls, as well as a leather-wrapped armest with chilled storage compartment below it – ideal for keeping your drinks and snacks cooled.

Compared to its segemnt rivals, the Chery Omoda 5's cabin is quite posh, indeed

Aside from that, the cabin also exudes poshness, with highlights including an ambient lighting system, panoramic sunroof, 8-speaker Sony premium hi-fi system, as well as the leather-wrapped sporty front seats – both primed with ventilation and powered adjustment. As for rear passengers, they also get leather seat covers, along with dedicated rear climate vents plus a USB charging port.

In spite of all the hi-tech stuffs, the cabin doesn't come standard with floormats!

Overall, the Chery Omoda 5’s on-board kit list is respectable, and it’s also decently spacious and practical here too, despite what sporty exterior suggests. If we were to nit-pick, perhaps the absence of floor mats – which isn’t standard kit – can be quite baffling for some.

DRIVING

This part is where most of its predecessors truly fell-off against Japanese rivals, but the same can’t exactly be said for the Omoda 5. Sharing the same T1X platform as the larger Tiggo 8 Pro, the Omoda 5 promises driving dynamics that rivals aforementioned contemporaries.

The 1.5-litre TCI mill and the 9-speed CVT combo is quite peppy and smooth.

These promises stem from the 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbocharged engine primed underneath the Omoda 5’s hood. Mated to a 9-speed CVT box, it delivers 156 HP and 230 NM to the front wheels. While not the sharpest tool in the shed, this setup is sufficiently peppy, and it propels this 1.4-tonne B-SUV in a smooth, seamless manner.

Comfort, however, isn’t the Omoda 5’s strongest trait, as you’ll notice that rides can be quite bumpy, even at cruising speeds. On the bright side, this rather stiff damping dialled in makes the Omoda 5 very stable vehicle to manoeuvre through corners with, but also when avoiding obstacles at higher speeds.

Several ADAS functions like the ELK are quite aggressive and finicky, to say the least

Then again, the car’s finicky and borderline ‘annoying’ active driver assistances (ADAS) could be a main factor in ruining anyone’s driving experience of the Omoda 5. Notably, its lane-keeping assist (LKA) and emergency lane-keeping (ELK) functions are quite ‘aggressive’, as it will abruptly drag you back to the centre even when you veer off slightly.

For those who aren’t familiar with these ADAS functions, it can be quite a daunting experience. Then again, you could – thankfully – just turn these off if you want…

SAFETY

While we’ve already highlighted some shortcomings of the Omoda 5’s safety features, it’s still fair to say that this B-SUV is one of the most complete in its segment on this front – as expected in most Chinese brands.

In this top-specced variant, you’ll find standard ADAS features like Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low Speed Follow, Blind Spot Detection (BSD), Front Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Departure Warning & Prevention (LDW), Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA), Traffic Jam Assist (TJA), and many more.

Together with its active safety features, the Omoda 5’s host of passive safety features of six airbags, ABS with EBD and BA, traction (TCS) and stability (ESP) controls, and tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), grant this B-SUV with a perfect 5-star Euro-NCAP rating.

RUNNING COSTS AND RELIABILITY

This is where most Chinese marques get their infamously bad reputations and negative stigmas from, which Chery Malaysia now seeks to reverse fully.

Chery Malaysia offers extensive warranty packages for the Omoda 5

Evidently, the Omoda 5’s 7-year or 150,000 KM vehicle warranty plus 5-year free alternating services and labour charges provided by Chery Malaysia should keep any long-term ownership worries at bay. Need more? There’s a separate warranty for its powertrain at a whopping 10-year or 1 million KM even, which is offered as part of Chery Malaysia’s Extended Warranty Package option, costing RM2,000 extra.

Regarding fuel economy, turbocharged mills generally aren’t known for excellent fuel efficiency. However, the Omoda 5’s claimed 6.9 litres/100 KM fuel economy rate is quite attainable, and somewhat acceptable for a B-SUV sans any electrification. 

To summarise, the Chery Omoda 5 promises to be quite a reliable vehicle, judging by the extensive warranties offered by Chery Malaysia. As for running costs, it should be somewhat on par with similar turbocharged segment rivals.

SHOULD YOU BUY ONE?

From the aesthetic standpoint alone, the Omoda 5 is truly one of most promising models in this segment, offering bold and striking design with cabin amenities to match. While it is somewhat fair to say its reliability and performance are both ‘unproven’ compared to other established segment rivals, perhaps the aforementioned warranty packages offered should help further the Omoda 5’s cause in the long run. Further fuelling this matter is Chery Malaysia’s plan of opening 30 new dealerships and service centres nationwide, which hopefully will provide ample support to this model.

Would you risk your hard-earned money to own this China-made SUV?

Plus, at RM118,800 sans insurance, it is hard to resist the urge and temptation that the Omoda 5 holds over the usual Japanese and local suspects, with the former often priced tens of thousands higher. But you could also argue that for such higher prices, you’re actually paying for unrivalled reliability and peace of mind.

By day’s end, Chery’s re-entry into our local market won’t be a smooth sailing one, but we’d reckon the Omoda 5 carries certain appeals and advantages that’ll help the brand to re-establish itself over time.

SPECIFICATION

CHERY OMODA 5 H