Chery Omoda 5 Sets ASEAN NCAP B-Seg SUV Benchmark

In case you missed it, the Chery Omoda 5 has been recently given a five-star rating for the New Car Assessment Program for Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN NCAP). The Omoda 5 was also the brand’s first model to be assessed using the new 2021-2025 ASEAN NCAP crash test protocols, where the subcompact SUV has achieved an impressive total score of 88.64 points.

To truly gauge its true score, we’ve decided to put the Omoda 5 against some of its local segment rivals that have been tested with the ASEAN NCAP crash. Amongst which are the Toyota Corolla Cross, the Proton X50, the Honda HR-V, as well as the upcoming Mitsubishi XForce.

Starting with the first category, the Omoda 5 scored 36.77 points out of the possible 40 points for the Adult Occupant Protection (AOP), with full points scored for both the Head Protection Technology (HPT) and side impact sub-categories. In comparison, both the Honda HR-V and the Mitsubishi XForce have scored 35 and 34.89 points, respectively, for this category.

Interestingly, both the Toyota Corolla Cross and the Proton X50 scored 45.85 and 43.64 points, respectively, which ranked them higher than the Omoda 5. Although their scores may seem higher than the Omoda 5 and other models in this category, both cars were tested using the previous 2017-2020 protocol, which dictates a maximum weighting of 50% instead of the current 40% for the AOP category.

Moving on to the Child Occupant Protection (COP) category, the Omoda 5 scored 17.36 points out of the possible 20, with full points for both the frontal and side protection sub-categories. This ranks the Omoda 5 above both the XForce (17.03 points), but slightly behind the HR-V (17.81 points), partly due to the absence of the Child Presence Detection (CPD) feature on the car. Regardless of this absence, the Omoda 5’s 17.36 top score is more than enough to bag this SUV a five-star rating for the COP category.

In the Safety Assist (SAT) category, this is where most newer Chinese cars excel over their local or Japanese counterparts, thanks to the comprehensive list of active and passive safety features primed. The same can be said for the Omoda 5, as this ADAS-laden SUV scores 19.51 points out of the possible 20, which is the highest out of all its local segment rivals.

What’s more impressive is that the Omoda 5 managed to obtain full scores in almost all of the sub-categories, which includes both the AEB (autonomous emergency braking) for Inter-Urban and Advanced SATs, as well as the Seat Belt Reminder (SBR).

Last but not least, the Omoda 5 also excels in the newly-added Motorcyclist Safety (MS) category, outscoring both the HR-V (10 points) and XForce (12.39 points) with 15 points out of the possible 20. A further look in the sub-categories saw the Omoda 5 obtaining full scores on the Blind Spot Detection/View (BSD/BSV), Auto High Beam (AHB), as well as Pedestrian Protection—all of which highlighted the readiness of the car’s ADAS functions in mitigating accidents related to motorcyclists and pedestrians.

Unfortunately, both the X50 and Corolla Cross were tested on the previous ASEAN NCAP protocol that didn’t include the MS category, so it is simply impossible for us to pit them against the Omoda 5 in this category. But then again, given how the Omoda 5 fares against both the HR-V and XForce, we’d reckon the Sino-badge SUV would also take the cake in this case.

All in all, while the overall score didn’t give us the full picture, the Omoda 5’s stellar performance in each and every category of the ASEAN NCAP crash test is more than enough to make it the highest-scoring B-segment SUV in our local market. And even with some minor shortcomings, the Omoda 5 still managed to excel in all categories—a testament to the comprehensive safety features primed in this sporty SUV crossover.

The Chery Omoda 5 currently retails at RM99,800 for the baseline C model and RM118,800 for the top-spec H variant. You can learn more about the Omoda 5 by visiting Chery Malaysia’s official website, or alternatively check out our previous review on this sporty SUV crossover here at Carz.com.my…