Plug-in hybrid family SUV with 149km EV range could be set for Australia: 2025 Chery Omoda 9 launches in the UK to rival BYD Sealion 6 and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

Chery has launched a new family-sized, plug-in hybrid SUV in the UK under its more premium Omoda sub-brand.

As a fellow right-hand-drive market, the Omoda 9 will launch in the UK with a price tag of £45,000 (A$93,664) in May. Should it land in Australia at some stage to rival the BYD Sealion 6 and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, it would likely receive a significant price cut thanks to lower taxation and transport costs.

The brand's local operations told CarsGuide it was reviewing the Omoda range for the Australian market, which currently consists of the Omoda 5 and its electric E5 sibling, though a spokesperson stopped short of confirming the model for Australia.

In terms of design, the Omoda 9 carries a similar design language to its smaller Omoda E5 sibling, albeit with larger proportions and a few styling tweaks. That includes added front and rear LED light-bars and seemingly Kia-inspired, fang-style LED headlights.

It lines up at 4774mm long, 1932mm wide and 1686mm tall with a wheelbase of 2800mm, making it longer, wider and taller than the BYD Sealion 6, but slightly shorter than the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

Power is sourced from a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and twin electric motors mounted on each axle. Combined it delivers 330kW/700Nm to all four wheels through a three-speed automatic transmission.

Additionally, there is a new 34.4kWh battery pack sourced from Chinese battery giant CATL, with a max DC charging rate of 70kW. It claims to be 20 per cent more energy dense than the firm's previous lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) units, and delivers a claimed electric range of 149km.

Despite carrying at least 60km more of claimed electric range over its Sealion 6 and Outlander competitors, there is no confirmation that this figure has been scrutinised under the WLTP cycle.

The interior is headlined by a single 24.6-inch display that incorporates the multimedia display and digital driver’s display into a single unit. As with the rest of the Omoda range, the interior is abundant with chrome trims, while providing welcome luxury features such as a panoramic sunroof and premium Sony stereo.

Chery has reportedly prioritised acoustic refinement with the Omoda 9, adding acoustically-oriented Michelin tyres and double-glazed windows. The car sits on magnetorheological dampers and carries six drive modes (Eco, Normal, Sport, Mud and Off-road).

Physical buttons, switches and knobs remain for climate control, along with radio, seat-heating and ventilation functions.

Autocar UK reported that an additional Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5 rival in the Omoda 7 will follow the Omoda 9 in the UK later.

The latest Omoda news in Australia is the local Chery division will spin Omoda off into its own sub-brand separate from Chery's mainline vehicles and the Jaecoo division. Future Omoda vehicles will be sold alongside Jaecoo as a more premium offering, similar to how the sub-brands work in Europe.