Mazda CX-90 vs Omoda Omoda 9

What's the difference?

There are many reasons I quite like this CX-90. It sells the plush luxury promise when it comes to its interior and design, it feels big and purposeful, and has a refreshingly minimalist approach to its cabin tech. As a seven-seat SUV it’s particularly impressive, with plenty of amenity and a third row that can genuinely fit an adult in comfort.

However, there are areas where it could use more polish, from the drivetrain to the ride, and it ultimately strikes an odd point for price and ownership which feels lost between the premium segment and the mainstream rivals.

If you’re a long-term Mazda owner, I still think you’ll love it, and this Touring grade is definitely the best value in the range. It offers the lion’s share of equipment at a price more comparable to Mazda’s traditional mainstream rivals.

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.