This is the new Omoda 5, the compact SUV from Chery that will arrive this year and could be manufactured in Spain

You have to mentally repeat the brand and model name to yourself. And once the Omoda 5 name comes automatically (the mnemonic trick of combining the word ‘moda’, meaning fashion, with the letter ‘o’ in front is especially recommended for reasons we’ll explain later), you have to be clear that it’s a worthwhile effort, without doubt, because it’s going to generate a lot of talk.

For now, the new Omoda 5 is the compact SUV with which the Asian brand is going to land in Europe at the end of 2023. And at Highmotor we have had the honour of being among the few privileged guests invited to an almost personalised presentation by the manufacturer, from China, to learn firsthand about the merits of this car and everything it is going to represent in the market: a compact SUV that will arrive in the last quarter of the year –apparently closer to December than October– and that could even be manufactured in Spain.

The first global car from Chery

The manufacturer tells us that the Omoda 5 “is the first global crossover that Chery designs by and for Europe”. It is conceived under the ‘art in motion’ philosophy, so the styling –with a ‘cool’ touch– must necessarily be one of the fundamental pillars shaping this car, “along with technology and sustainability for a greener world”, they tell us.

It is therefore no coincidence that its commercial name relates to the words “moda” (fashion) and “moderno” (modern)… and the O stands for “oxígeno” (oxygen), “sorpresa” (surprise), “positividad” (positivity), “energía” (energy)… to “seduce the new generations”, the manufacturer continues, before going on to tell us all the details of its new and long-awaited product.

A diamond (or many) in the rough

Outwardly, this crossover aims from the outset to be a recognisable vehicle, a ‘diamond in the rough’ on which to build an entire brand in the new markets it is exploring, while already guaranteeing high standards of quality, technology, safety and comfort. At the same time, it keeps up to date with all the trends taking hold in the European and Spanish markets.

This translates, first and foremost as a distinctive feature, into a spectacular front grille with original trapezoidal shapes, topped precisely by a ‘diamond’ inside each of them. And then, state-of-the-art solutions: dual LED headlights and dynamic indicators, reinforced wheel arches with dark synthetic mouldings, a pronounced slope from the B to the C pillar to give it coupé-style lines, rear lights running across the full width of the tailgate…

The first unit we had the chance to examine more closely –the one the Omoda team set up specifically for this presentation– is, as can be seen in the images, grey with red inserts (this is one of the dozens of combinations planned). On it we were also able to appreciate attractive two-tone 18-inch alloy wheels, black door frames that accentuate the ‘floating’ sensation of the roof –panoramic and sliding– a prominent rear spoiler and a sporty double exhaust outlet…

As a curiosity, although the first photos being released to the press may show the designation C5 on the rear tailgate, in the European market the official name will be Omoda 5. And, barring last-minute changes, the word Chery will not appear anywhere.

Very high-tech interior

Inside, in this first presentation, the new Omoda 5 promises a comfortable cabin for five adults, with 360 litres of boot space, attractive and very high-tech, with a sporty touch –in the seats of one piece, bucket-style, for example– topped by a huge central LCD screen of almost 26 inches (split into two of 10.25″ each), with connectivity compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, from which everything can be managed, from any infotainment-related aspect to opening the sunroof, along with many other functions… But fundamentally, according to the manufacturer, the idea is that although the display is touch-sensitive, voice control is more than sufficient to gain in safety and comfort.

These and other values are also fundamental to this model’s philosophy, as the brand’s best entry point into markets like ours. For this reason, the manufacturer boasts of having 5 stars in crash tests for its homologation, as well as numerous driver assistance systems (ADAS), including blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and a peripheral camera system to make parking easier.

A petrol debut

Unlike other Eastern brands, Chery‘s bet is for the Omoda to make its official European debut with the Omoda 5 powered by a combustion engine: a front-mounted, transversely arranged, turbocharged four-cylinder inline unit of 1.6 litres, producing 197 CV and 290 Nm of torque at 2,000–4,000 rpm, paired with a automatic gearbox with dual-clutch seven speeds, which together accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds.

For now, the car’s official launch is expected in the final months of 2023, although some units have already been sent to Spain and are already running on the country’s roads. However, we are told that for the following year a 100% electric version is expected, as well as other models to expand the range, with different engines and technologies still to be defined, but which will make up an offer of “more than seven models by 2025”, they tell us.

For fashionable, connected and adventurous young people

When Highmotor asked about the potential target audience for the new Omoda 5 and which other car manufacturers they intend to compete with directly in our market, the brand has its ‘target’ very clear: young people, with style, lovers of design, quality and technology who also want to use their car on weekends to enjoy their free time, preferably in company.

“We want the Omoda 5 to be much more than a car, to become a vehicle that transports you to new experiences and adventures”, said the product managers –who name Kia and Hyundai among its most direct rivals– of this model at this select presentation from China.

A ‘Spanish’ Omoda?

Finally, the protagonists of the event, responding to journalists’ questions, opened the possibility of reaching an agreement with the Nissan factory in Barcelona to produce this and/or other models of the group in Spain.

“We are still discussing many issues related to this, but we cannot give further details until the senior management of the Chery Holding Group makes a decision,” they concluded.