The Omoda brand is currently only represented in South Africa by the C5, which made its local debut in 2023. However, that will change over the next few months, as the company will introduce a trio of models to bolster its local line-up.
Omoda O7/C7
After the Beijing Motor Show last week, Omoda used the opportunity to reveal to the assembled motoring media in Wuhu the latest model in its stable, the Omoda 7. It will be rebadged as the C7 per the South African naming convention. This new model has been earmarked South African customers, but no timeline has been set yet.
Befitting a vehicle that’s the new kid on the block in a company that prides itself on being at the sharp end of innovation in China, the C7 was designed with three design directions in mind; that it be dynamic, avant-garde and futuristic.
The C7 is 4 621 m. long, 1 872 mm wide and 1 673 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2 700 mm. The cabin features a steering wheel inspired by the PlayStation 5’s Dual Sense controller and the nubuck leather front seats are similarly fashioned. The 15.6-inch infotainment screen can be slid across the dashboard to be positioned right in front of the passenger.
Available as a traditional five-seater or four-seater, the latter will be able to accommodate voice control from each passenger. The sound system will feature 14 speakers, two of which are integrated with the driver’s seat to relay instructions from the navigation and driver assistance systems. The air-con system will also be fitted with three fragrances that can be adjusted for intensity.
The powertrain is still being kept a secret, but what Omoda did let slip is that the C7 will come with “an extreme energy-saving mode” that allows this model to reach 1 200KM on a full tank of unleaded and a fully-charged battery.
Omoda E5
This is the first of the fresh batch of new models headed to South Africa, as it will arrive early in the second half of 2024. Quite simply its the all-electric version of our current C5 and C5 GT models.
The E5 is powered by a lithium-ion phosphate battery that sends power to the front wheels via a single electric motor. Omoda claims that the battery can be charged from 30 to 80 percent in less than 30 minutes, and that the E5 has a WLTP range of 430 km.
Omoda C9
Essentially the C9 is a rebadged Exeed RX, which we’ve seen multiple times in the past year. Although Exeed as a brand is unfortunately not destined for South Africa (Chery already has Omoda and Jaecoo under its umbrella in Mzansi), we’ll get the C9 sometime in the third quarter of 2024. There’s also a C9 PHEV coming, but Omoda’s mum on its arrival.
When it arrives, the C9 will be the most luxurious model available from Omoda. Judging from the 400T badging we saw on a model that arrived in South Africa early when the updated Chery Tiggo 7 was launched, it’s probably powered by an updated version of the 2.0-litre turbopetrol four-cylinder found in the Tiggo 8 Pro Max.
