By Malusi Msomi

Introduced back in 2022, Omoda/Jaecoo is a relatively new name in the automotive scene and falls under the Chery Group. We first saw the Omoda last year November and were quite impressed with the way it was presented design wise. Fast forward to 2024 and we finally get behind the wheel of the new comer in the picturesque city of Cape Town.

Design

Now that we’re up to speed about the Omoda, let’s get down to business. We recently travelled to Cape Town for the launch of their latest model, the Omoda C9, the brands latest flagship SUV. The large SUV comes with a rather gorgeous coupe like exterior. Standard features on the outside include 20-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin rubber, full LED lighting, including headlamps, daytime running lights, and taillights.

Distinguishing between the two variants available on offer, which is the FWD Inspire and AWD Explore, is just red brake calipers. Going with a more out of this world theme, it’s available in four colours: Moonlight White, Cosmic Black, Meteorite Gray and Quantum Gray. Overall, we like the look of the new SUV.

Interior

The interior is equally impressive as the exterior. Inside you are with crisp dual 12.3-inch screens for the instrument cluster and infotainment system, the latter coming wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities. You also get luxurious leather seats, a high-quality Sony sound system, dual wireless charging pads, and a panoramic sunroof. We like the fact that Omoda has used minimal gloss black finishes which is a big YES on our end. In terms of space, it offers 660 litres of cargo space, which expands to 1,783 litres when the 60:40 split rear seats are folded.

The drive

Space wise, it has plenty of room for 5 passengers, plenty of USB ports for charging and the large panoramic sunroof brings plenty of ambiance to the cabin. There are a few odd balls, but might won’t be a deal for most. One odd ball was trying to find the hazard button which is oddly placed near the sunroof controls. With that said, the Omoda C9 comes with a beautiful well laid out cabin and plenty of amenities which are standard on this car and will cost you a pretty penny speccing them on higher level premium German brands.

Under the hood, the Omoda C9 packs a 192 kW and 400 Nm of torque from its 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. You can choose between front-wheel or all-wheel drive, with the AWD model also offering off-road driving modes and adaptive suspension. After sampling both the front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, the latter feels quite comfortable thanks to its Continuous Damping Control (CDC) adaptive suspension all-around. There is a tad bit of turbo lag from a standing start, but when it comes to highway driving overtaking is a breeze. A small drawback which hinder the driving experience when driving spiritedly is the steering wheel feel which we found quite vague even in Sport mode.

Safety

In terms of safety, both models come equipped with the brand’s advanced ADAS driver assistance system, which includes a range of safety features: autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning and assist, blind spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, and a driver distraction sensor.

Final words

The Omoda C9 is quite a compelling offering. When bench-marking it against the German brands, you quickly realize that you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck. That said, there are a few teething issues, but Chery group and it’s affiliate brands have made significant inroads with updates to improve their offering.

Pricing

OMODA C9 FWD – R785,900.00 (limited-time launch price of R760,000.00)

OMODA C9 AWD – R885,900.00 (limited-time launch price of R860,000.00)

The new OMODA C9 comes standard with a 7-year/100 000 km service plan, a 7-year/200 000 km vehicle warranty and an industry-leading 10-year/1,000,000 km engine warranty (for  the first owner).