Chery Omoda5 vs MG HS +EV

What's the difference?

The GT AWD successfully adds a performance spark to the city-sized Chery Omoda 5 SUV formula. It’s sprightly and stacks up well in terms of value and practicality. It’s also space-efficient, safety’s great and the ownership package is hard to beat.

That said, despite the shift to a multi-link rear suspension, ride comfort and the steering could be better. But overall, no rotten tomatoes here. This is a worthy contender that shows how far and how quickly Chery has progressed.

The MG HS +EV Essence is a nicely specified medium SUV that should suit a lot of people. It looks really nice and I love that it's fairly practical with its features and size but would like some of the tech to improve. It’s not always seamless to use and in this market, tech is very important. The price tag and the on-going costs are hard to beat and if you’re looking for a greener option that will happily cruise in the city or on the open-road, this isn’t a bad option.

The Omoda 5 GT is a re-tuned version of the standard car, mechanically and visually.

We’ll cover the oily bits shortly, but from a design point-of-view, it retains the sweeping, diamond pattern grille and overall mix of intersecting surfaces and angular details from the entry models.

On three of eight available colours the GT shares red accents on the gloss black 18-inch alloys, exterior mirrors, lower part of the doors and underneath the roof spoiler also available on the Omoda 5 EX, but it somehow seems more appropriate here.

A car’s appearance is always a subjective call but I think the Omoda 5 looks contemporary in a sharply defined, Lexus kind of way, especially at the rear. The red highlights aren’t my cup of tea, but you might love them. 

The interior tone is set by the dual 10.25-inch LCD screens installed together across a sleek flat panel, one is touch-sensitive for multimedia and other functions and the second for instrumentation and drive information. 

Worth noting the GT’s centre console finish is gloss black rather than the standard car’s matt metallic-style treatment.

It all flows together nicely, the materials used look and feel good while the dash and front console layout looks sleek and works well from an ergonomic point-of view… with the exception of USB ports located low down on the passenger side of the console. Handy for the front passenger but likely a hangover from left-hand-drive production that’s uneconomic to change.

It has an inoffensive exterior design that you won’t be embarrassed to be seen in. Curvy in all of the right places, it still manages to look sharp with its tapered LEDs and chrome accents.

It sits firmly within the medium SUV specs at 4574mm long, 1876mm wide and 1685mm high, so navigating your local shopping centre car park will be manageable.

The interior looks polished with the Bader leather sports seats and their suede-like inserts. The air vents are cute and add some personality to the robust dashboard.

There’s a plethora of soft touchpoints throughout that enhance the overall comfort and refinement, too.

At a fraction under 4.4m long, just over 1.8m wide and close to 1.6m tall, with a roughly 2.6m wheelbase the Omoda 5 GT fits within the typical small SUV footprint.

At 183cm I’ve got more than enough breathing room in the front, the away slope of the twin screen array helping to open up the space.

For storage, there’s lots, including a decent-size, cooled lidded box between the seats, which doubles as a centre armrest, two cupholders, a generous glove box, a large area underneath the centre console and big bins in the doors with enough room for large bottles.

And in the back, sitting behind the driver’s seat, set to my position, I’ve got adequate foot room, plenty of legroom and heaps of headroom as well as adjustable ventilation. Big tick.

Storage options include map pockets, decent door bins and two cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest.

Power and connectivity runs to a 50-watt wireless charging pad as well as two USB-A sockets (one in the interior mirror housing ready for a dash cam) a USB-C and 12-volt socket in the front, a USB-A in the rear and another 12V in the boot.

Speaking of which, with all seats up the Omoda 5 GT offers 300 litres of storage space, which is relatively modest, but you have more than 1000 litres with the 60/40 split rear seat folded.

The upside is a full-size alloy spare sits under the floor (the 2WD has marginally more boot space but cops a space-saver) and the tailgate is power-operated. But those keen on towing are out of luck as the Omoda 5 isn’t rated.

The cabin space is very practical with its size. Each row has a decent amount of head and legroom. The big sunroof also makes the cabin feel airy and light-filled, which adds to that roomy feeling.

The leather-accented sports seats are quite comfortable and both are electric but the passenger side misses out on additional lumbar support.

I did have a few comments this week about the front seats, though, mainly that it feels like you’re perched forward in them. It would have been nice to be able to dip the bottom of the seats back.

The individual storage options are solid for this sized SUV with a glove box, two cupholders, drink bottle holders in the doors for front occupants and an air-cooled middle console box.

I missed having a utility tray next to the two USB-A ports and 12-volt outlet, as the Essence features wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but there is a dedicated phone holder next to the cupholders.

Back seat passengers enjoy two cupholders in the fold-down armrest, map pockets and drink bottle holders in the doors.

The seats in the back are well padded but you feel like your knees are propped up a bit because of the shallow footwell. Taller passengers may feel like they’re folding in on themselves.

The technology looks good but isn’t always easy to use. The 10.1-inch touchscreen multimedia system is simple to understand but regularly feels laggy.

It has built-in satellite navigation but a lot of the controls are found via accessing the touchscreen – like the climate control and heating function for the front seats.

The 12.3-inch digital instrument panel is very easy to read but not really customisable.

Charging options are okay and I like the two USB-A ports in both rows but there’s no wireless charging pad or USB-C port which would provide faster charging speed.

The boot is a decent size for the class at 451L and you can bump that up to 1275L if you fold the back seats down. The rear seats have a 60/40 split for added practicality.

There’s a cargo blind and some underfloor storage for the charger and a tyre puncture repair kit. I liked using the powered tailgate but found it a bit glitchy, it sometimes stopping mid-action.

There are only two models in the HS +EV line-up and the Essence is the top dog.

It will cost you $51,990 drive-away and that positions it as one of the most affordable options relative to its rivals. Only the Haval H6 is more affordable at $41,990 (drive-away) but admittedly, it’s by a fair chunk of change - almost $10K!

The Essence is well-specified with Bader leather-accented trims, heated front seats, electric front seats with four-way adjustment for the passenger seats and six-way for the driver, a powered tailgate, as well as a massive panoramic sunroof. The middle console is even cooled with air-control for added convenience.

The exterior hosts full LEDs with its daytime running lights, headlights and tail-lights, as well as, a heated rear window with timed cut off.

It also sports dual-zone climate control up front and directional air vents in both rows, plus multiple charging options add to interior practicality.

Its technology feels up to category standard with the sizing but the usability isn’t as great as its rivals. More on that later. 

And an added bonus. All the paintwork colours are included in the price.

The GT swaps out the Omoda 5 BX and EX’s 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four sending drive to the front wheels through a CVT auto for a more powerful 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four pushing 137kW (at 5500rpm) and 275Nm (from 2000-4000rpm) to the front, or as here, all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch auto.

That means power is up 27 per cent on the standard car and torque is boosted by no less than 31 per cent.

The all-alloy engine is an in-house design produced by Chery’s Acteco powertrain subsidiary and features direct-injection and dual variable valve timing, while the dual-clutch auto comes from a collaboration with German transmission specialist Getrag.

Both HS +EV models share a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine and electric motor hybrid combination. Maximum outputs are 189kW of power and 370Nm of torque.

It’s very responsive with its power output and you definitely will be surprised by how much grunt this thing has.

Drive goes to the front wheels via a 10-speed auto transmission but it’s clunky and a bit too slow to shift out of the lower gears. This can make it feel like the engine is pulling back even when you’re accelerating, which I didn’t like.

On the electric motor side of things – the lithium-ion battery has a 16.6kW capacity and 63km (NEDC) driving range.

It has a Type 2 AC charging port but it can’t be hooked onto a fast charger as it lacks the CCS enhanced port. On a 7.0kW system you should see a full charge be completed in around five hours.

Chery’s official combined cycle fuel-economy figure for the Omoda 5 GT AWD is 7.4L/100km, the 1.6-litre turbo four emitting 176g/km of CO2 in the process.

Idling stop-start is standard and over a week covering mainly urban and suburban driving, with a hint of freeway running thrown in, we recorded an average of 10.2L/100km which is on the thirstier side of the spectrum.

Worth noting the minimum fuel requirement is the pricier 95 RON premium unleaded and you’ll need 51 litres of it to fill the tank which translates to a theoretical range of around 690km (roughly 500km using our real-world number).

With the electric motor being used, the official combined cycle fuel figure is 1.7L/100km and the urban figure comes out at 5.8L/100km.

My real-world usage came to 6.6L. That’s not bad at all, but I have done a lot of open-road driving this week. 

Based on the urban figure and the 55L fuel tank, you should see an approximate driving range of 948km.

MG recommends a minimum 95RON petrol be used. 

Chery doesn’t quote a 0-100km/h figure for this car but expect a time in the mid-seven-second range, and it feels quick. Particularly urgent in the mid-range.

That’s because maximum torque is delivered across a broad plateau from 2000-4000rpm, right where you want easy pulling power for safe lane changes and drama-free overtaking.

This car tips the scales at around 1.5 tonnes (100kg more than 2WD), which is par for the small SUV course and it feels nimble in traffic and on the open road. 

As is often the case with relatively small capacity turbo-petrol engines, you need to ease into the throttle gently for smooth take-offs. And once underway there are multiple modes available, the default ‘Eco’ setting, then ‘Sport’, ‘Snow’, ‘Mud’ and ‘Off-road’.

While we didn’t explore the loose surface modes, in Sport the seven-speed dual-clutch auto holds onto gears that little bit longer and changes down more readily. In fact, the transmission’s first few ratios feel quite low, so even in Eco the Omoda 5 GT has an eager, sporty personality.

Although the central shifter easily transitions to sequential ‘manual’ mode a pair of wheel-mounted paddles, sadly missing, would be even better for direct gear control.

Suspension is by struts at the front and multi-links at the rear, the latter a change from the ‘standard’ car’s torsion beam set-up.

The 18-inch alloy rims are shod with 215/55 rubber and that 55 aspect ratio makes for a relatively comfy tyre sidewall. But beware the ride is firmer than the standard car with high-frequency bumps making their presence felt, although it’s far from extreme.

In fact, the car is refined in terms of engine or any other noise with standard acoustic front side glass playing its part.

No surprise the steering is electrically assisted and it can be swapped through ‘Sport’ and ‘Comfort’ modes. The latter is relatively light and road-feel is okay.

Switch to Sport and the weight increases noticeably but road feel remains the same. Not the best in the business but not the worst, either.

Given this GT’s get up and go and sporty pretensions you’re likely to enjoy a drive on your favourite twisty backroad and this AWD version grips securely through the bends.

On the highway, with the active cruise engaged, it’s worth noting steering wheel inputs from the lane-departure function are constant and relatively abrupt even in sweeping, well-marked bends.

Braking is by discs all around, ventilated at the front with the GT featuring bigger rotors front and rear (308mm vs 283mm fr - 313mm vs 263mm rr). Aside from the fact it’s unusual to have a larger disc at the rear they’re pretty smooth but you need to be firm with the pedal to wash off speed effectively.

Under the heading of miscellaneous observations, in 3D mode the ‘AVM’ panoramic view system plays with your mind. It’s literally an out of body experience thanks to four external cameras providing an exterior view of the car on the road on the central media screen.

At just over 10 metres the turning circle is agreeably tight while vision for parking, supported by the reversing camera and panoramic view, is clear.

The driver’s door armrest is kinda firm and the media system, complete with ‘Hello Chery’ voice recognition, is quick to respond and easy to navigate. 

I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the overall driving experience. Besides the slower gear shifting, it’s generally smooth to handle. The power is there and makes it easy to keep up with traffic or overtake if you need to.

The suspension handles bumps very well and the steering is responsive. You can tackle corners or a winding road with confidence and without too much roll!

The cabin is quiet, even at higher speeds but you will note the whining of the engine at lower speeds as those gears shift.

On a windy day at higher speeds, the car moves about in the lane more than I like but otherwise, is firmly placed.

The regen braking isn’t customisable but it’s firm enough that you’ll feel it when you pull off the accelerator.

Going down a mountain let me gain five per cent charge on the battery and despite driving over 500km this week I only popped it on charge once (with 15 per cent left) - just to give you an indication of its performance.

I kept the EV mode on default but you can switch it over to a full EV if you want to wring out the most from the electric range.

This is not a difficult car to park and you’ll love its size in a small car park. However, the 360-degree camera view, while pretty clear, is jumpy.

At first, I thought it was laggy but the image just shudders, like a bad connection. I's prefer to see front parking sensors, too, as this MG only has them at the rear.

The safety features are good on the HS and I like the 360-degree camera view but don't like the way the image shudders while in use.

It has a blind-spot monitoring system but the interior ‘alert’ light is in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it position.

Other features that come standard, are LED daytime running lights, forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping aids, lane departure warning, intelligent seat belt reminders, rear parking sensors, traffic sign recognition, a driver fatigue monitor and adaptive cruise control.

It has autonomous emergency braking with car, pedestrian and cyclist detection which is operational from 0-80km/h.

The HS +EV hasn’t been assessed by ANCAP but its fuel-based sibling achieved a maximum five-star rating in 2019.

It only has six airbags, which is pretty low for an SUV, but the curtain airbags cover the back row.

There are ISOFIX child-seat mounts on the outboard seats and three top-tether anchor points but two seats will fit best.

Front passenger space may be compromised a little when a 0-4 rear-facing child seat is installed but overall, it was very easy to install my booster seat this week.

Chery covers the Omoda 5 with a seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, which is two years up on the majority of the mainstream market.

Roadside Assist is complimentary for the first year, renewed annually for up to seven years if you have your Omoda 5 serviced at an authorised Chery dealer. 

The main service interval is 12 months/10,000km, which is a bit short on kays relative to most of the competition at 15,000, however, Chery offers capped-price servicing for up to 10 years/150,000km, the average cost for service over the seven-year warranty period being just over $350, which is in the ballpark for the category.

The ongoing costs are great on this! It comes with a seven-year/unlimited km warranty, which includes the hybrid battery.

It also has a seven-year capped-price servicing plan, which is above average for the class, and services average $426 which is competitive.

Servicing intervals are every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first, which is fine if you don’t clock a lot of kays every year.