Hyundai Kona vs Omoda 9

What's the difference?

It’s easy to see why the Hyundai Kona leads the Aussie small SUV category, with this hybrid version enhancing the car’s abilities in key areas. Sharply priced and well-specified, comfortable and practical with a hugely efficient powertrain as well as refined dynamic performance. It’s a compelling package. 

The arrival of Omoda and Jaecoo so soon after Chery’s Australian return just feels like a huge task to take on for the company. And given the amount of other new brands hitting local roads there is a real danger that customers will either feel overwhelmed or simply ignore many of these new models.

Trying to position Omoda as a genuine alternative to luxury brands, and even the likes of Mazda and Volkswagen, is a tough ask for the brand and its dealers. Certainly the price and styling will help attract potential buyers but to cement itself in the local market it will need to make sure it makes an impact early.

Judging the Omoda 9 on its merits, it’s a nice enough SUV and does many things well but doesn’t have any elements that really ensure it stands out from the numerous competitors it faces.

The Kona’s exterior mixes smooth curves across its softly rounded nose and swollen haunches with sharp lines and geometric shapes in the lower grille, wheel arches and rear bumper.

And when the current, second-generation version arrived in mid-2023 it swapped out its predecessor’s already slimline LED daytime running lights for an even thinner strip running the width of the car, in similar fashion to the Hyundai Sonata sedan and Staria people mover.

The single line light signature is repeated with the tail-lights, a brake, reversing and indicator cluster confined to the outer rear edges.

Throw in a conspicuous diagonal character line across the doors, and bright metallic accents making a visual connection between the top of the tailgate and the lower edge of the side glass and there’s a lot going on. 

Always a subjective call, but I don’t mind the Kona’s design, although our test car’s ‘Mirage Green’ paint finish leaves me (and my significant other) cold.

Inside, the colour palette is uniformly grey which contributes to a restrained, relatively low-key feel, although light trim for the headliner and pillar covers brightens the mood somewhat.

The dash treatment is cool and contemporary, comprising a wide wrap-around instrument and media screen panel next to a narrow tray on the passenger side.

Fit and finish is impressive and details like perforated centre panels on the leather-faced seats dial up the premium feel.

From a design perspective, the Omoda 9 certainly stands out as different from the Chery and Jaecoo range. It has a distinctive look that speaks to its ‘premium’ and ‘technology’ aspirations, both on the exterior and interior.

However, to this reviewer’s eyes, there are also quite clearly some visual similarities to the Cadillac Lyriq, both in the overall silhouette but also the details and cabin design. This isn’t unusual in the car industry, especially from Chinese brands. Jaecoo’s designers clearly took inspiration from Range Rover, so it makes sense that the Omoda would find an equivalent luxury brand to be inspired by. Or perhaps it’s just a coincidence…

The important thing is that it’s notably different to what Chery is offering with its Tiggo models, which form the core of its Australian line-up. Omoda needs to be distinct and more upmarket if it is to justify its price premium. On that front, the wider group has done a nice job of making each brand stand out visually.

Judging the interior of the Omoda 9 on its own, it's actually a very pleasant place to be. The level of design, fit and finish also feels like a big step up on what Chery offers, even if it does feel familiar. The materials don't feel truly premium, but given the price that's understandable and acceptable.

Even though the Kona measures a relatively modest 4350mm end-to-end, it offers up copious amounts of interior space. Dr Who would be proud.

Lots of breathing room up front, with the ‘shift-by-wire’ auto transmission shifter’s location on the steering column freeing up extra space in the centre console.

There’s a lidded bin between the seats (the padded top of which doubles as a centre armrest) with an open tray the size of a shoebox in front of it (which includes a pair of swivel-out bottle or cupholders) as well as a wireless phone charging bay ahead of that.

Generous bins in the doors include a recess for large bottles, plus there’s a decent glove box on the passenger side and a handy open tray above it. Plenty of room to keep the bits and pieces of everyday life under control.

Power and connectivity for the driver and passenger runs to two USB-C sockets and a (180W) 12-volt outlet.

Switching to the back is where the Tardis factor steps up a notch, the Kona offering space more in line with a next-size-up medium SUV.

Sitting behind the driver’s seat set to my 183cm position there’s loads of leg and headroom and even enough shoulder room for three adults to get to know one another on shorter journeys. A close to flat floor also helps with foot room in the centre position. Worth noting the rear seat backrests recline slightly for extra comfort options.

No door bins as such but, again, there are recesses for bottles. Netted map pockets on the front seat backs are helpful as is a fold-down centre armrest, which includes a pair of cupholders.

Individual air vents for back-seaters (in the rear of the front centre console) is always a welcome inclusion, and there’s a small oddments tray underneath them. Another pair of USB-C sockets will keep devices charged.

Boot capacity is healthy at a class-competitive 407 litres (VDA), expanding to 1241L with the 60/40 split-folding second row seat folded.

There are storage wells behind the rear wheel tubs, multiple bag hooks and four tie-down anchors to help keep loads secure.

There’s a temporary space-saver spare under the boot floor, which gets a tick over the increasingly common repair kit option and you’ll be able to tow a 1.3-tonne braked trailer (600kg unbraked).

One of the standout features of the Omoda 9 is its size, measuring 4775mm long with a 2800mm wheelbase. That makes it longer in both measures than the likes of the Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5, pushing it to the upper end of the ‘medium-sized’ SUV segment.

That liberates more space inside, with good room up front and a generous back seat, at least in terms of knee and foot room. The rear seats are compromised slightly by the large sunroof and sloping roofline, with headroom tight for anyone over 180cm.

Unfortunately, the space isn’t utilised as best as it can be, thanks to the lack of seat height adjustment for the driver. It’s not unique to Omoda and is becoming a common issue among Chinese-built cars for reasons I can’t explain. What it means is I couldn’t get the seat to a point I was 100 per cent happy with, which is a problem for what should be a very comfortable vehicle.

Omoda compensates for this with some clever technology, beyond just the pair of 12.3-inch screens (housed in a single setting, which again looks very similar to the Cadillac Lyriq), and the option of wired or wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

The 14-speaker Sony sound system includes two speakers inside the driver’s headrest. This is a clever addition that allows you to take phone calls via these speakers only, so you don’t annoy the rest of the occupants in the car.

The other notable luxury element is the fragrance system, which can diffuse three different scents into the car. While the names are a bit hard to interpret (Natural, Cure and Sport), the fact you can choose from three different scents and have them gently fill the cabin is a nice luxury touch.

In terms of storage, there's plenty of small item spaces around the cabin and the boot measures a roomy 660 litres and offers a nice flat floor with a square load area. However, that comes at the expense of any sort of spare tyre, with a tyre repair kit located under the floor.

For those who have been paying close attention the Omoda name will be familiar, as the Chery Omoda 5 was the first model the Chinese brand launched on its return to Australia. That has now evolved into the Chery C5, so the Omoda 9 becomes the first standalone model for the brand as it tries to position itself as a more premium, luxury and lifestyle brand separate from Chery.

While there are no confirmed plans for further Omoda models yet, the Omoda 9 is being positioned as the flagship of the range. It’s a medium-sized SUV but at the larger end of the segment so it will compete against the likes of the Mazda CX-60, BYD Sealion 6 and even the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

In keeping with the more premium image the brand is trying to create, there will be a single, high-specification model offered, the Virtue SHS, which will be priced from $61,990 plus on-road costs.

For this price you get 20-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and tail-lights, dual-zone climate control, a 14-speaker Sony-branded sound system, inbuilt navigation, surround view camera, automatic parking function, head-up display, wireless smartphone charger, leather seats with memory function, heated seats and steering wheel and even an in-built fragrance system.

The Kona Hybrid is powered by a naturally aspirated 1.6-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine working in concert with a single electric motor, both driving the front wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The all-alloy engine features dual variable valve timing and direct-injection to produce 77kW at 5700rpm and 144Nm at 4000rpm, the permanent magnet synchronous motor chipping in with 32kW/170Nm for a total combined outputs of 104kW/265Nm.

That power output is in the middle of the small hybrid SUV pack and torque is at the higher end. 

Kerb weight is a fraction over 1.5 tonnes and you can expect 0-100km/h acceleration in the high 10-second range with a top speed around 170km/h.

The Super Hybrid System may sound fancy, but it’s effectively a plug-in hybrid powertrain, which is a technology that is becoming increasingly familiar to Australian drivers as it fills the gap between internal combustion and electric vehicles.

Omoda’s SHS system combines a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with three electric motors - two at the front, integrated into the transmission package and one at the rear - to create a potent SUV. This complex system can send power to either the front wheels or all four wheels via a three-speed ‘Dedicated Hybrid Transmission’.

Omoda claims the combined output of the Super Hybrid System is 395kW, allowing this family friendly SUV to sprint from 0-100km/h in just 4.9 seconds.

It’s backed up by a 34kWh battery, which allows for meaningful electric only range too.

Hyundai’s official fuel consumption figure for the Kona Hybrid Elite, on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle is a miserly 3.9L/100km, the 1.6L engine emitting 89g/km of CO2 in the process.

Minimum fuel requirement is 91 RON ‘standard’ unleaded and with a 38-litre tank theoretical range is around 975km.

On test, over several hundred kays taking in city, suburban and freeway running, we saw an average of around 4.4L/100km, which is impressive and a big contributor to the car’s appeal.

Using our real-world test number, the range figure comes in at a still handy 860-plus km.

What gives Omoda some confidence to use the Super Hybrid System name is its claim that the battery allows the 9 to drive up to 145km (WLTP) on electric power alone, which is more than both a conventional hybrid and many existing PHEV models. For example, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has an EV range of 84km and the Mazda CX-60 can make 76km.

Fuel economy is officially rated at 1.4L/100km, although that relies on using the battery to its maximum and once that is depleted, you can expect to see a much higher figure. Realistically somewhere around 5.0L/100km is what you should expect if you do mostly urban driving and anything below that is a good result.

Omoda claims that the Virtue SHS can drive up to 1100km, but that is theoretical and based on achieving both the full EV-only range and then the 1.4L/100km figure, which isn’t actually achievable in the real world.

The first things that come to mind when it comes to driving the Kona Hybrid are comfort, quietness and lack of stress.

From an ergonomic point of view the dash and cabin layout make life easy. There are physical controls for key functions like heating and ventilation, as well as audio and drive modes. Not a fan of the hard driver’s door armrest, though.

The engine is quiet and the transition between combustion and electric power is seamless. It’s fun to watch the (available) graphic screen in the driver’s display illustrating where drive is coming from at any given moment. Without it you’d be hard-pressed to know.

Acceleration is more than adequate and the powertrain’s bias towards electric propulsion means take-offs are ultra-smooth. 

Suspension is by MacPherson-type struts at the front with a multi-link rear set-up and ride quality is outstanding. Despite the Kona Hybrid’s relatively large 18-inch rims, bumps and ruts don’t cause major disruption and the Kumho Ecsta PS71 tyres (215/55) are exceptionally quiet.

Steering accuracy and road feel are both good and drive mode switches between ‘Normal’, ‘Eco’ and ‘Sport’ are noticeable, the latter dialling up urgency and dynamic response.

That said, we found ourselves in Eco most of the time, without any penalty in terms of throttle response or cruising ability.

Torque vectoring helps keep everything buttoned down if you decide to press on through your favourite set of corners, the front seats remain comfy on longer drives while keeping you securely located and the ‘shift-by-wire’ electronic gearshift is slick.

Physical brakes are ventilated discs at the front with solid rotors at the rear and they operate with reassuring smoothness. An active hydraulic booster controls regenerative braking, adjustable through three levels. Warning: the most aggressive setting makes the car annoyingly ‘shunty’ at slower speeds.  

Driver-assist safety tech makes its presence felt occasionally, but never to a disturbing degree… with one exception.

Despite the ability to program a steering wheel button to short-cut directly to the appropriate screen, the need to cancel an incessant and sometimes inaccurate overspeed warning every time you start the car is a pain.

A tidy 10.6m turning circle helps in slow-speed manoeuvres as do front, side and rear parking distance warnings and a high-quality reversing camera.

The Kona Hybrid is as good or better than anything in the class when it comes to the drive experience.

While a generous level of standard equipment is one key measure of a luxury/premium vehicle, driving is another. For a vehicle to be truly premium it must have effortless performance, a comfortable yet controlled ride and confidence-inspiring handling.

This sets the bar quite high for the Omoda 9 and that makes it hard to really live up to the brand’s aspirations. 

From a performance perspective the SHS powertrain does a great job. Certainly 395kW means the SUV feels quick and easy to punch into gaps or call for a burst of acceleration. But the rest of the driving experience doesn’t really live up to the premium standard buyers might expect.

The ride is too busy most of the time, never feeling settled and often fussing over the bumps in the road. It lacks the smooth, relaxed ride that premium buyers are looking for.

The same is true for the handling, with the steering too light and vague off-centre and lacking feeling when you find yourself on the open road. 

The Omoda 9 is by no means a bad car to drive, but it does lack the precision and elevated comfort that genuine premium cars need to have. Perhaps with some local ride and handling optimisation it could get closer to what buyers in this part of the market expect.

The Omoda 9 ticks all the boxes that customers and, just-as-importantly, the safety authorities expect, like autonomous emergency braking (AEB), forward collision warning, emergency lane keeping, driver monitoring system and adaptive cruise control. 

Omoda even goes a step further and offers 'Traffic Jam Assist' and 'Integrated Cruise Assist', which can centre you in the lane when cruise control is active to create a low level of autonomous functionality.

However, like so many modern cars these safety systems are not integrated smoothly into the driving experience. Instead, the Omoda likes to distract you with graphics and warnings on the dashboard and then warn you that you’re distracted. To be blunt, it’s both annoying and - ironically - very distracting. 

To the credit of Omoda, as well as Chery and Jaecoo, the company has invested in a local tuning program for the active safety features and there has clearly been a dramatic improvement since the first Chery model I experienced less than 12 months ago. Hopefully with a bit more time and tuning the systems will become better integrated and the car won’t tell you you’re distracted looking at warnings.

In terms of a crash test safety rating the Omoda 9 hasn’t been tested by ANCAP yet but has five-stars from Euro NCAP so there’s little reason why it would be dramatically different if crashed locally.

The Kona is covered by Hyundai’s seven-year/unlimited-km warranty (upgraded from five years mid-last year), which is ahead of the mainstream five-year warranty pack.

Roadside assistance is complimentary for the first year, with the deal extended for another 12 months every time the car is serviced at an authorised Hyundai dealer. 

Speaking of which, scheduled servicing is recommended every 12 months/10,000km, which is a little lower than the (15,000km) norm for the category. After a complimentary check up at six weeks/1500km, the first seven services (in line with Hyundai’s ‘Lifetime Service Plan Pricing’) come in at $3782, for an average of $540 per workshop visit.

That’s on the high side considering an equivalent Toyota Corolla Cross (in line with ‘Toyota Service Advantage’ pricing) will set you back an average of $354 per service over the same period.

Hyundai has a network of 185 dealers covering every Australian capital, state and territory.

In a bid to give customers confidence to try a new brand Omoda is applying the Jaecoo ownership model, which means an eight-year warranty as well as eight years of capped-price servicing and roadside assistance.

Service intervals are every 15,000km or 12 months, whichever comes first and across the eight years you’ll be spending a total of $3343, which averages out to just over $418 per year.

The decision to offer such extended coverage is a commendable move from Omoda and will no doubt help its bid to convince customers to give it a chance.