Omoda 5 set to be first UK model from Chinese car maker Chery

Jun 23, 2023

Another new name will be coming to UK showrooms in the early part of 2024 when the Omoda 5 will spearhead a range of new models coming from Chinese car maker Chery.

Although the Omoda name won’t be familiar to UK buyers, the name Chery may well ring bells – it has had a joint venture in China with Jaguar Land Rover since 2012. And in spite of only being founded in 1997, Chery is already the biggest exporter of cars in China, with over 450,000 cars going to Russia, Asia and South America, amongst other countries.

The Omoda 5 is a mid-size SUV known in some markets as the C5 and it's set to rival the likes of the Nissan Qashqai when it arrives next year. It makes use of Chery’s own T1X platform and will initially be powered by a 1.6-litre TGDI petrol engine offering 194bhp and 290Nm with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Hybrid and fully electric versions are expected soon after.

The styling of the 5 follows Omoda’s ‘Art In Motion’ design language, with a smart if generic SUV style featuring a large, intricate front grille. This is flanked by slim T-shaped LED driving lights with dynamic indicators and headlights lower down. Sharp creases along the flanks lead into a very Qashqai-esque rear, but with full-width 3D-effect lighting. There’s also a ‘floating roof’ like the Qashqai, while the car sits on smart 18-inch alloys.

Omoda is promising class-leading technology with a full suite of ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems), while the interior features twin 10.25-inch high-res screens, the latest Smartphone connectivity with wireless charging, keyless entry and start, and smart LED lighting.

The one-piece sports seats are clad in eco-leather and feature heating and cooling. Omoda is promising a high-quality finish, too, with Chery topping customer satisfaction surveys in its native China.

Omoda, which takes the O from Oxygen and Moda from Modern, will eventually launch a full range of cars in the UK, with a line-up of models both larger and smaller than the 5. These are expected to take obvious nameplates such as C3, C7 and C9, focussing predominantly on electric powertrains.

Although the cars are expected to be manufactured in China, Chery already has a European research and development base in Frankfurt, Germany alongside similar centres in China, Brazil and the US.

The company also plans to create an O-universe for owners, creating an O-Club fan community dedicated to their own lifestyle. There will be O-Fashion programmes with a focus on aesthetic style, an O-Lab looking at technology and O-Life with an environmental and sustainability focus.

Now read our list of the best mid-size SUVs...

Steve Fowler has been editor-in-chief of Auto Express since 2011 and is responsible for all editorial content across the website and magazine. He has previously edited What Car?, Autocar and What Hi-Fi? and has been writing about cars for the best part of 30 years.