Omoda Omoda 9 vs Jayco Swift

What's the difference?

Does Australia need yet another new car brand?

It’s the question I keep asking myself seemingly every other week as a new brand announces its intention to join the other 70 odd marques already competing for a slice of the Australia new-car market.

Chery made a successful re-entry into the Australian market in 2023, quickly establishing itself as a value-led brand. Earlier this year it launched Jaecoo, its more premium, adventure-focused offering and announced it would be spun-off into separate showrooms alongside the new Omoda brand.

The first Omoda-badged vehicle has now arrived, the Omoda 9 Virtue SHS (Super Hybrid System), which will join the almost-as-new Jaecoo J7 and J8 in the growing number of dealers around Australia.

So, does Australia need Omoda? Does the Omoda 9 Virtue SHS make a compelling case, in the same way the sharply-priced Chery models have? 

Read on for our verdict.

Jayco is Australia’s most prolific builder of camper-trailers, caravans and motorhomes. Many of its models are the cheapest options in their class and represent decent value for money.

The company’s cheapest little camper-trailer – the Swift – is the perfect example of that: functional, versatile, packed with features and it costs less than $20,000.