FIRST DRIVE | Well-priced Omoda C9 takes on BMW and Mercedes

With luxury feel and punchy power, Chinese vehicle enters premium SUV segment

11 October 2024 - 14:11
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The C9’s styling is eye catching with a “diamond matrix” grille, coupé-style roofline and flush door handles that pop out when the car is unlocked.
The C9’s styling is eye catching with a “diamond matrix” grille, coupé-style roofline and flush door handles that pop out when the car is unlocked.
Image: Denis Droppa

In 2023 the Omoda nameplate was introduced in South Africa as the premium cousin of popular Chinese brand Chery.

Until recently Omoda’s offering has been served by the C5, a 4,400mm-long compact crossover available in a range of front-wheel drive models powered by 1.5l and 1.6l turbo petrol engines. With its keen pricing and noteworthy refinement, the C5 has enjoyed a positive reception and sold more than 4,500 units in SA since its arrival in April last year, outperforming longstanding players such as the Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5, BMW X1 and Volkswagen Tiguan.

The brand has set its sights more upmarket with the larger and more powerful C9 launched in the country this week. Pitched against premium rivals such as the Audi Q5, BMW X3, Lexus NX and Mercedes-Benz GLC, the Omoda C9 is a 4,775mm long SUV with 2l petrol turbo power and the choice of front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive guises.

The C9 is compellingly priced with the 2WD Inspire model launched at R760,000 and the AWD Explore at R860,000. These are special introductory prices and will increase by R25,000 in November, but even then the Chinese premium vehicle will significantly undercut its aforementioned German and Japanese rivals, which retail for between R1m to R1.26m for their entry-level models.

From my initial impressions driving the C9 at its Cape Town-based launch this week, the car seems well poised to steal some market share in the segment. It feels refined and sophisticated, and is equipped with a high level of standard luxuries.

The cabin trimmings are top-notch, with soft-touch surfaces and a high-quality feel. There are distinct Mercedes-Benz vibes inside the cabin, with Benz-style electric seat adjusters mounted on the doors and the stalk-operated gearshift on the steering column.

Both C9 models come standard with high-end features and premium interior finishes.
Both C9 models come standard with high-end features and premium interior finishes.
Image: Denis Droppa

The cabin is roomy, with plenty of leg and head room for four to five adults, and the large boot carries a full-size spare wheel. Standard fare in both derivatives includes a 12.3” infotainment screen and a 12.3” digital instrument panel, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android auto, wireless phone charger, electrically adjustable front seats, electric-powered tailgate, eight airbags, heated front and rear seats and a fragrance system.

The 2WD Inspire has black leather seats, an eight-speaker audio system, electrically-adjusted steering column, heated steering wheel, rain sensor wipers, automatic headlights, ambient interior lighting, three driving modes (eco, normal and sport), panoramic sunroof, surround-view parking camera and rides on 20” alloy wheels.

Driver-assist features are plentiful, including lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, door-opening collision warning and speed limit recognition.

The 4WD Explore ups the ante with added features such as nappa leather seats, a 12-speaker audio system, including one in the driver’s headrest, underbody protection, additional off-road driving modes, adaptive headlights, and continuous damping control with three suspension modes.

The dashboard is clean and uncluttered, with most functions integrated into the touchscreen — but there are physical buttons for the climate control system to help minimise distraction. The infotainment system is relatively user-friendly with menus arranged intuitively, and if features like the lane-keeping assist become annoying, they can be disabled with the car remembering the setting when it is switched off.

The Omoda C9 is available as a 2WD or 4WD.
The Omoda C9 is available as a 2WD or 4WD.
Image: Denis Droppa

Packing outputs of 192kW and 400Nm, the C9 is responsive whether punching past a long truck on a freeway or pulling off from a standing start. The eight-speed auto transmission tends to hunt for gears excessively in sport mode, but the normal and eco settings delivered a more relaxed drive without blunting performance. The test car averaged a respectably economical 10l/100km fuel consumption figure in an urban/freeway mix.

It is a refined drive with a fairly plush ride quality and well-muted exterior noise, with the engine becoming a little vocal at higher rpm.

A more exhaustive review will follow when we get the vehicle for a full road test in the near future, but from initial impressions the new car seems an impressive effort, and is the latest example of how much the Chinese motor industry has raised its game in a short space of time. From the medium-distance drive it was difficult to fault the C9, but as with any new brand the real test will be how the car’s reliability and resale shapes up a few years down the road.

The C9 is sold with a seven-year/200,000km warranty, 10-year/1-million km engine warranty and seven-year/100,000km service plan and there are 45 Omoda dealers around the country.


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