Okay, this is getting crazy. It feels like barely a week of 2024 is going by without another value-focused, pure-electric SUV hitting the Australian new-car market.
And this is the latest, the Chery Omoda E5, a compact, five-seater with the performance and range to challenge some other relatively recent arrivals.
It joins the internal combustion Omoda 5, variations of which have proliferated in the roughly 18 months it’s been on sale here.
'First in China, we face each other': Why Chery isn't fazed by competition not just from established marques like Toyota and Ford but also Chinese brands such as GWM, BYD, Zeekr, MG and more
All-new Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux rival from China? Chery ute in development as cut-price alternative that could feature plug-in hybrid power when it launches in 2025
New rival coming to challenge Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento? Chery Tiggo 8 L large SUV launches in China but will it see an Australian arrival to top out the Chinese brand's range?
This is CarsGuide’s first look and we’ve assessed everything from value and practicality to safety and driving performance. So, stay with us to see if this EV could be your entree into the world of battery-electric SUVs.
Price and features – Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with? 8/10
The Omoda E5 is offered in two grades, the entry-level BX at $42,990 and the top-spec EX at $45,990, both prices before on-road costs.
That undercuts the BYD Atto 3 ($44,499 - $47,499), overlaps the MG ZS EV line-up ($39,990 - $49,990) and sits well under the (non-N Line) Hyundai Kona Electric range ($54,000 - $68,000).
And aside from the safety and performance tech we’ll get to shortly, the BX offers up a handy standard equipment list.
Highlights include fabric trim (with synthetic leather accents), dual-zone climate control air, twin 12.3-inch screens covering multimedia and instrumentation, built-in sat nav, six-speaker Sony audio (with digital radio), wireless (and wired) Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a ‘Hello Omoda’ voice command function, wireless device charging, alloy wheels, all LED exterior lights, rain-sensing wipers plus keyless entry and start as well as power folding and heated exterior mirrors.
The EX adds more fruit including full synthetic leather trim, power front seats, ambient lighting, a heated synthetic leather trimmed steering wheel, eight-speaker Sony audio, a power sunroof, power tailgate, a 360-degree camera view, sequential rear indicators and puddle lamps.
Those included features stack up well for the category and the Omoda E5’s specific competitors.
EV Specs for Chery Omoda E5 2024
| Drivetrain | single permanent magnet synchronous electric motor |
|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 61kWh |
| Battery type | Lithium Iron Phosphate |
| Range | 430km (WLTP) |
| Plug type | Type 2 CCS |
| DC charge rate | 80kW |
| AC charge rate | 9.9kW (Max.) |
| Motor output | 150kW/340Nm |
| Efficiency | 15.5kWh/100km |
Design – Is there anything interesting about its design? 8/10
While retaining the fundamental shape of its internal combustion siblings the Omoda E5 does away with the petrol-powered car’s huge, rear-sloping grille, replacing it with a wrap-around forward-pointing nose proudly branded with the model name and hiding a pop-out battery charging port door.
The rear is more or less unchanged save for some detail tweaks to the bumper design, with a more noticeable change being the addition of aero-inspired 18-inch rims which I for one like a lot.
Parts of the interior are markedly different to combustion Omoda models with the front of the cabin dominated by an enlarged twin-screen array, both 12.3-inch, one covering multimedia and another in front of the driver for instrumentation.
The gearshift has also been moved to a steering column stalk which frees up additional space in the centre console.
Soft touch materials on the dash and upper part of the doors is a high quality touch often missing in this part of the market and overall this Omoda E5 has a contemporary exterior design (without necessarily breaking new ground) while the interior exudes a suitably techy vibe.
Practicality – How practical is its space and tech inside? 7/10
There’s plenty of space up front for the driver and co-pilot, the sleek, twin-screen dashtop array increasing the feeling of space and openness.
And when it comes to storage, there’s plenty with decent bins in the doors that have enough room for a medium-size bottle, a good-size glove box, two cupholders in the top of the centre console, a lidded (and cooled) storage box between the seats as well as a lower shelf under the upper ‘flying buttress’ part of the console unit.
For power and connectivity there are USB-A and -C inputs, located on the passenger side of the lower console, a USB-A plug in the mirror unit for a dashcam, a 12-volt socket and a wireless charging pad.
Move to the rear and at 183cm tall I have more than enough head and legroom behind the driver’s seat set to my position. That said, my legs sit up at a fairly steep angle, missing out on much support from the seat cushion.
Three full-size adults will be a short journey-only tight squeeze in the back, although a trio of up to mid-teenage kids will be fine.
For storage, again, there are bins in the doors with room for bottles, there’s a pair of cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest and map pockets in the front seat backs.
USB-A and -C jacks are onboard for power and adjustable ventilation for back-seaters is always a welcome addition.
Boot capacity with all seats up is 300 litres to the cargo cover which is appreciably less than its key competitors all of which hover around the 450-litre mark.
That number rises to 1079 litres with the 60/40 split-folding second row backrest lowered and there’s a 19-litre frunk in the nose. And Chery deserves a big pat on the back for including a full-sized spare wheel because the Omoda E5 is the only EV on the market that does.
And if you need to hook up that box trailer for a trip to the tip the E5 is rated to tow a 750kg unbraked trailer.
Under the bonnet – What are the key stats for its engine and transmission? 7/10
The Omoda E5 is powered by a single permanent magnet synchronous electric motor in the nose driving the front wheels through a single-speed reduction gear transmission.
Outputs of 150kW/340Nm are solid without being spectacular for a car of this size and close to 1.8-tonne weight.
Efficiency – What is its fuel consumption? What is its driving range 7/10
The Omoda E5 is powered by a 61kWh lithium iron phosphate battery and it can accept an 80kW DC charge which translates to a 30-80 per cent charge time of around 28 minutes.
And the Type 2 port in the centre of the nose makes charging a breeze, allowing you to park in front of a charger without having to think about which side of the car the plug has to go into.
Connect to AC at the E5’s maximum 9.9kW capacity and you’ll be looking at a 10-100 per cent charge time in excess of 30 hours.
Official energy consumption on the WLTP combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle is 15.5kWh/100km and claimed range is a handy 430km.
Over a mix of urban, suburban and freeway running on test we saw a real-world average of 16.8kWh/100km which is roughly what you’d expect for a reasonably rapid electric SUV of this size.
Driving – What's it like to drive? 6/10
Chery says the Omoda E5 will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 7.6 seconds which is pretty rapid and there’s plenty of thrust from a standing start and for dodgem car-style city manoeuvring. There’s also ample oomph for safe highway cruising and overtaking.
There are three powertrain modes - Eco / Normal / Sport - with the latter adding some extra urgency but there’s not a dramatic difference between the three.
The column-mounted gear selector is in the style of a Mercedes lever rather than a rotary controller and it initially takes conscious effort to avoid flicking it like an oversize indicator stalk.
Once settled in, though, it becomes second-nature and its location frees up extra space for storage in the console between the front seats.
Chery says it spent eight months on local testing and development of the suspension tune, powertrain integration and safety assistance systems and we believe the car could be better in aspects of all three.
The Omoda 5 rides on a platform designed to accommodate combustion and electric propulsion from day one and the front-wheel-drive E5 is suspended by struts at the front and multi-links at the rear.
It takes a lot to manage close to 1.8 tonnes of mass in a relatively small car. Walking the tightrope between body control and ride comfort is tricky with a beefy battery onboard and the E5’s around town ride is best described as jittery, upset by even moderately rough surfaces, although things improve as road speed rises.
The 18-inch rims are shod with 215/55 Kumho PS71 EV rubber and despite its relatively stubby sidewall we’ve driven this tyre on other cars without issue, so it’s likely not the culprit.
Steering weight can be adjusted but road feel is modest and quick cornering isn’t the E5’s forte. But it’s not that kind of car. Urban duties rather than slicing through a favourite set of corners will be its more likely primary purpose, and for that, the steering’s fine.
Then, no matter which drive mode you’ve selected, or the level of regen braking, it’s hard to be 100 per cent smooth with accelerator and brake inputs. They can be sharp on application and lift-off.
And when it comes to assist systems, lane-keeping intervention when using cruise control is abrupt and annoying. The centring function can be switched off but, ideally, you shouldn’t have to.
And likewise, the driver attention warning is intrusive. To the point where it fired an alert at times where I was looking directly at the road ahead. Again, it can be turned off (which is what I’d do 100 per cent of the time) but the calibration could be better.
Physical braking is by vented discs at the front and solid rotors at the rear and three levels of regen braking are available. Snag is you have to work through multiple screen options to get to the point where you can adjust it. Wheel-mounted paddles would be far more effective but the bean counters must have won the arm wrestle with engineering.
Once you apply the most aggressive regen level, even it is relatively low-key, so no i-Pedal-style single-pedal driving here.
In terms of miscellaneous observations, strategic inclusion of acoustic glass on the EX grade seems worthwhile as the mild highway wind noise we noticed on the BX wasn’t apparent in the top-spec model.
And the lack of a conventional dial for audio volume control is a miss. Far safer to quickly adjust a dial than sliders or buttons (even on the steering wheel).
Interesting to note Euro NCAP is lining up to make inclusion of physical controls for things like audio volume, turn signals, hazard lights, wipers and the horn mandatory for a maximum five-star safety assessment from 2026 onwards.
Safety – What safety equipment is fitted? What is its safety rating 7/10
Petrol powered versions of the Omoda 5 received a maximum five-star ANCAP score from testing in 2023, but the E5 isn’t included in that assessment.
Chery expects an ANCAP rating for the E5 by the end of the year and is anticipating a five-star result.
Active (crash avoidance) tech highlights include auto emergency braking (AEB), lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear AEB, driver monitoring, tyre pressure monitoring, front and rear proximity sensors and a range of other alerts, warnings and assists.
Those other features consist of forward collision warning, lane keeping assist, lane departure warning and prevention, ‘Traffic Jam Assist’, ‘Lane Change Assist’, ‘Door Opening Warning’, ‘Speed Control Assist’, ‘Intelligent Headlamp Control’ and ‘Smart High beam’.
Having said all that, there are the features, and then there’s how well they operate, and interestingly Chery has confirmed it has worked to evolve its ‘ADAS’ safety functions on the internal combustion Omoda 5 since its launch around 18 months ago.
And as hinted at in the driving section it could be a similar scenario with this car, especially when it comes to lane keeping and driver monitoring.
If a crash is unavoidable there are seven airbags onboard including a front centre bag to minimise head clash injuries in a side-on crash as well as multi-collision brake which lowers the chances of secondary collisions following an initial impact.
For baby capsules and child seats there are three top tethers and two ISOFIX anchors across the second row.
Overall, the Omoda E5’s safety report card gets more than a pass mark but there’s room for improvement.
Ownership – What warranty is offered? What are its service intervals? What are its running costs? 9/10
Chery covers the Omoda E5 with a seven-year/unlimited km warranty, which is ahead of the mainstream market norm, with a separate eight-year/unlimited km warranty for the drive battery; again, ahead of the pack.
You’ll also pick up seven years roadside assist (if you service the car at a Chery dealership) and the brand’s seven-year capped-price servicing program is super-competitive.
The scheduled service interval is 12 months/20,000km, which is shorter in terms of time than many EVs which stretch the interval to two years. But each workshop visit averages around $227 and that’s sharp.
Verdict
The Chery Omoda E5 gets solid ticks for value, practicality, performance, efficiency and a great ownership promise.
But its suspension compliance isn’t in line with class standards and some of its safety assist features aren’t as refined as they should be. Both of which matter in a car likely to be used by families day-to-day. Its price and specification are strong drawcards and that will get it over the line for many. But we think this Omoda E5 would still benefit from some judicious fine-tuning.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.
Pricing Guides
Range and Specs
| Vehicle | Specs | Price* |
|---|---|---|
| BX | Electric, 1 SPEED AUTOMATIC | $42,990 |
| EX | Electric, 1 SPEED AUTOMATIC | $45,590 |
.jpg){kind=spacer}
.jpg)
.jpg)
Comments