Chery leaves ‘cheap and cheerful’ to rivals as $30K Omoda 5 opener excludes on-roads

„ PETER BARNWELL

RECENTLY relaunched Chinese car brand Chery has announced pricing of its initial, two-variant, Omoda 5 small SUV line-up with the base grade pitched at $29,900 plus on-road costs and the higher-spec Omoda 5 EX at $32,900 + ORC.

The company had indicated last month that it would launch on March 23, with drive-away pricing but is now describing the official Omoda 5 launch as in “the first half of 2023” and pricing is not drive-away.

At launch, both variants have a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and continuously variable transmission (CVT), with a more powerful Omoda 5 EX+ 1.6 turbo and EX+ 1.6 turbo AWD using a seven-speed dual clutch auto scheduled to arrive in the second half of the year.

Battery electric versions are not due until the first half of 2024.

The Omoda 5 is up against a swag of sharply priced small SUVs including GWM’s Haval Jolion from $28,490 driveaway, Kia Seltos from $29,500 + ORC, Mazda CX30 from $30,290 + ORC, MG ZS from $22,990 drive-away, Mitsubishi ASX from $23,990 + ORC, Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross from $31,490 + ORC, new Subaru Crosstrek from $34,990 + ORC, new Nissan Qashqai from $33,890 + ORC, Suzuki Vitara from $26,490 + ORC, Toyota C-HR from $31,715 + ORC and even the new Corolla Cross from $33,000 + ORC.

In a media statement, Chery’s factory-owned Australian outpost said the Omoda 5 range “will fulfil a brand promise to deliver style, substance and incredible value to Australian new-car buyers”.

Chery is one of China’s biggest automotive brands and, under its wholly OEM-owned reboot in Australia, will sell its vehicles through a 40-strong dealer network.

The company says the initial Omoda 5 line up is “feature-packed” and offers “market-leading value with a long list of premium features and a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating”.

Entry level Omoda 5 variants arrive with “style, safety and technology features”, including a 115kW/230Nm

1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine, CVT nine simulated stepped ratios, 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and daytime running lights, keyless entry with push-button and remote engine start, cabin pre-heating and pre-cooling, noise-re- ducing windscreen with “silent” wipers, synthetic leather seats and dual-zone climate control with rear vents.

On top of that, the base variant has a six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, one-touch power windows for all doors, ambient lighting (front of cabin), a twinscreen digital dash with 10.25-inch driver display plus 10.25-inch central infotainment screen, wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, wireless device charging, eight-speaker Sony stereo and “Hello Chery” voice control.

Seven airbags are standard

Stepping up to the EX gains red brake callipers and design flourishes, “Omoda” puddle lighting, ambient interior light- ing (front and rear), heated front seats, heated steering wheel, power-adjust passenger seat, powered tailgate, powered sunroof and a 360-degree aroundview camera.

From a safety standpoint, both Omoda 5 models pack a full suite of high-tech safety systems, including lane change assist, lane departure warning and prevention, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert with braking, automatic emergency braking, traffic jam assist, traffic sign recognition with speed limit information and speed control assist, driver monitoring system and emergency lane keeping.

Seven airbags are standard, including front, side, curtain and a front-centre.

The Omoda 5’s 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine returns a claimed combined fuel consumption of 6.9L/100km and can run on the cheaper regular 91 RON fuel.

Chery has matched key small SUV players such as MG, Haval and Kia by backing the Omoda 5 with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty plus seven years of roadside assistance and seven years’ capped-price servicing.

The Chery Finance product – underwritten by Branded Financial Services –will be available for customers either on a self-serve basis online or at dealerships.

“Chery’s brand philosophy is to put its customers first, which is exactly what the Omoda 5’s pricing strategy aims to do,” said Chery Australia CEO Andy Zhang.

“We want as many people as possible to experience this feature-packed SUV, and we want to provide true value in the Australian new-car market.

“The Omoda 5 delivers on both counts, with its competitive pricing and a long list of premium features across two seriously well-equipped trim levels.”