On a damp Luddenham Raceway, I had the opportunity to get acquainted with the recently released Omoda 9. This attractive cross-over SUV is from Omoda Jaecoo, a sister brand to Chery. Omoda vehicles are a step up from Chery and one of the newest Chinese car brands available in Australia.
Featuring the next iteration of Omoda’s signature diamond-shaped grille, the Omoda 9 has striking LED daytime running lights and headlights, retractable door handles, 20-inch alloy wheels and a premium LED lightbar across the rear of the SUV. It’s available in four colours, Silk White, Ink Black, Dove Grey and this matte paint colour called Shadow Grey.
The new Omoda 9 is a super hybrid SUV that combines electrified efficiency, performance and affordable luxury. Designed for customers looking for a more refined, but lower cost SUV, the Omoda 9 offers all-electric capability for everyday journeys and the power and range of a petrol engine for longer journeys.
The Omoda 9 is powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which produces 105kW/215Nm, teamed with two front electric motors and a single rear unit. The electric motors produce 75kW/170Nm, 90kW/220Nm and 175kW/310Nm (rear) respectively. With a combined output of 395kW, this large SUV accelerates from 0-100km/h time of just 4.9 seconds.
All-wheel drive is achieved through an electric motor powering the rear axle and power is sent to the front wheels via a three-speed Dedicated Hybrid Transmission. Even on the wet track there was no loss of traction when I tested out the off the line acceleration of the Omoda 9. On track, I was pleasantly surprised by the ride quality and stability on offer from the Omoda 9.
Your desired Drive Mode can be selected via Quick Control on the infotainment screen with six modes available Eco, Normal, Sport, Snow, Sand, and Off-road. There are also three battery modes, EV+ Mode that uses more battery to let you drive longer in electric-only mode than standard EV mode. EV Mode allows the vehicle to be driven by pure electricity until the State of Charge is low and HEV Mode where the hybrid system starts or stops the engine as needed for driving or charging.
In hybrid mode, the Omoda 9 can deliver a total driving range of up to 1,100km. The Omoda 9 also offers up to 169km electric only driving range (NEDC) from a battery that has a capacity of 34kWh and can be charged from 30-80% at up to 70kW on a DC fast charger in only 25 minutes. There are also three levels of regenerative braking available Low, Medium, and High for the strongest braking and maximum energy recovery.
The elegant styling continues to the inside of the vehicle, which has a Mercedes-Benz look and feel about, but not the same luxury aroma, even though the Omoda has an in-built fragrance system. The interior is highlighted by a panoramic sunroof, premium two-spoke heated steering wheel with powered steering column adjustment, and leather-appointed seats.
Both front seats are heated and ventilated seats with power adjustment, with the touch controls located on the doors. The passenger seat has powered adjustment for recline and forward/back only on the door and controls on the side of the seat that the driver can access to adjust the seat, a handy function if you have an elderly person in the passenger seat. The driver’s seat has additional single seat height adjustment, front leg extension, four-way lumber support, and three memory positions. The 14-speaker Sony sound system even has two driver headrest speakers with media sources from AM/FM radio, digital radio, and Bluetooth.
There are dual 12.3-inch LCD screens for the Driver Instrument Cluster and Infotainment Touchscreen, plus head-up display and an in-built dashcam (TF Card not included). The infotainment system offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (wired + wireless) and a wireless phone charger for compatible devices. Below the centre console there is one 12V socket, one USB Type-A for charging and data transmission and one USB Type-C for fast charging.
There is plenty of leg room in the rear seats and head room was adequate for me, but taller individuals may find it to be tight. There are two ISOFix/three rear tether child seat restraint points and the centre seat can be folded down as an arm rest with two cup holders in it. Plus there are good-sized drink bottle storage cubbies in all four doors of the Omoda 9.
The outer rear seats are heated and rear passengers get digital air speed controls with one central air vent and vents also located in the B-pillars. Below the central air vent there is one USB Type-A and one USB Type-C port. I liked the flat rear floor and textured nature of the front and rear floor mats, which add something a little bit special and match the stitching pattern on the seats.
The powered tailgate can be operated from the exterior button, a button in the cabin, and on the key fob. The boot space is quite a good size and if more space is required the rear seats have a 60:40 split fold mechanism with the release located on the outer seat shoulders. A tyre repair kit is located under the boot floor.
Occupants are protected by eight airbags and a full suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems which includes Autonomous Emergency Braking, Emergency Lane Keeping, Adaptive Cruise Control, and Forward Collision Warning. The Omoda 9 has received a 5-star Euro NCAP rating, but is currently unrated by ANCAP. For convenience you also get a 360-degree surround view camera with front, rear, and side parking sensors, auto lights with auto high beam, and auto rain sensing wipers.
Like all new OMODA JAECOO vehicles purchased, the Omoda 9 comes with an 8-year unlimited kilometre warranty, 8 years of capped priced servicing and an 8-year unlimited kilometre warranty for the batteries. On top of this, there’s also up to 8 years of roadside assistance. The service intervals for the Omoda 9 are 15,000km or every 12 months, and the first three services are capped at $299 each.
The Omoda 9 SHS is offered in one generously appointed variant (Virtue) and is priced from $61,990 excluding on-road costs. You can configure your Omoda 9 online or visit an Omoda Jaecoo dealer for more information.
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Photographs by Driven Women Magazine.