► Omoda 9 launches in the UK for £45k
► SHS hybrid only
► 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds
You’re looking at the Omoda 9, the second car from the brand to be released in the UK and its new flagship. Designed to sit well above the already released Omoda 5 and E5 – with an Omoda 7 due later to fill the gap – the Omoda 9 is the culmination of the Chinese brand’s ethos.
‘[The 9] has to heighten that feeling of fashion and style, but also still stay core to that Omoda value of “value in everything”,’ said Oliver Lowe, product manager at Jaecoo and Omoda UK. ‘The Omoda 7 that’s coming in towards the end of the year sits perfectly between the Omoda 9 and the Omoda 5, in terms of not only its price positioning and the way it is styled – but also the value for money package that we’ll offer.’
The Omoda 9 looks just as safe and conservative as other products from the Chery Automobile group. Look at the pictures above and below and you’ll see a smart-looking SUV that’s inoffensive if not anonymous. Omoda says its designers have based the 9 on the golden ratio – but keener-eyed folk will detect a bit of Lexus and JLR in there, too…
How much is it?
Like the Jaecoo 7 before it, the Omoda 9 does its talking on the spec sheet, with a £44,990 asking price that’ll attract price-sensitive consumers from all over the place. ‘Historically, this isn’t a huge segment in terms of volumes,’ explains Lowe. ‘But we’re at a price point from the segment below.’
‘We really think we’re going to be able to pull people from upper segments, people that are looking to reduce the price of their car – but also pull people who have been shopping for a C-segment SUV into this D- and E-segment SUV sizing.’
Omoda is after anyone’s business and has everything from second-hand Porsche Macan owners to Lexus RX buyers in its sights. ‘The F-Pace and Velar, we see as big competitors,’ Lowe continues. ‘We know that the fit and finish of the [Omoda 9] is really high, the material quality is really good and the features we’re offering are premium.’
‘When they come to experience us, they won’t necessarily be expecting that from a car at that price point – or even a car coming from China, let’s be frank.’
In addition to safe looks and aggressive pricing, Omoda is banking on its ‘everything-as-standard,’ approach to seal the deal. Like the Jaecoo 7 before it, the Omoda 9 promises a decent quality packed with all the technology you’d expect from a premium car in 2025.
Front and centre is a huge 24.6-inch panel with two screens, there’s a cooled wireless charging pad and ambient lighting. The Omoda 9 also comes equipped with a 14-speaker Sony surround system, as well as heated and ventilated seats in the front and rear. You also get a huge sunroof; 1.3 metres long in this case.
SHS hybrid only
The Omoda 9 will use a Super Hybrid System (SHS) more powerful than that in the Jaecoo 7. It comprises of a 1.5-litre engine, dual electric motors and a 34.46kWh battery. Altogether, it’s capable of pushing out 443bhp and 516lb ft of torque for a speedy 0-62mph sprint of just 4.9 seconds.
But interestingly, that’s the only powertrain choice Omoda 9 buyers will get, and the reasons are three-fold: ‘We think that the drivetrain really fits the model concept,’ says Lowe. ‘The car is very dynamic, but it’s also very smooth and calm to drive.’
‘In other markets it’s available in a 2.0-litre turbo, which doesn’t fit the UK market landscape in terms of customer demand,’ Lowe reveals. ‘And in terms of CO2, we want to be selling plug in hybrids where we can.’
Finally, the huge demand of the Jaecoo 7 SHS model above the other variants convinced Chery that the 9 should be offered in hybrid alone.
Where can I buy it?
Order books are open now, so customers can register their interest in one of the brand’s 73 dealers in the UK (100 are planned by the end of the year). Omoda is also offering a seven year/100,000 mile warranty with no milage limit for the first three years. There’ll also be an eight-year warranty on the battery. Deliveries begin in June.