We tested the Omoda 5 EV, a Chinese electric car that dreams of conquering Spain.

The expansion of the Chinese group Chery into the Spanish market is a complete success. In just eight months, her Omoda brand has gained a foothold thanks to good reception that Omoda 5 has among the publiccompact SUV, which until now was sold exclusively with a gasoline engine.

Although the manufacturer has been operating in our country for less than a year, in October Omoda 5 managed to become the fourteenth most popular passenger car in the private channel. Now the company is aiming to replicate those results with its new electric version, which is distinguished from its combustion engine sibling by the “EV” name and certain aesthetics.

Currently, all Omoda 5 models are shipped from China; However, it is expected to begin assembly at the EBRO plant in the fourth quarter of next year. located in the Barcelona Free Trade Zone. Units produced in Spain will be manufactured from CKD kits; that is, with unwelded or unpainted parts.

Until then, the Omoda 5 EV will be subject to European Union tariffs on electric vehicles produced in China. Chery has confirmed that, at least in the short term this will not affect the value of the car.

This is the new Omoda 5 EV.

Omoda 5 EV is a compact SUV (C segment). 4.42 meters longwidth 1.83 meters, height 1.59 meters and length 2.63 meters. As such, it is slightly longer than the combustion engine model, from which it is distinguished by the absence of a diamond-shaped grille, leaving a cleaner front design, as well as specific 18-inch wheels.

T-shaped optical groups are divided into two sections. The top modules are connected by a black molding that runs along the front, into which the charging connector cover is integrated. Your profile is more dynamic than crossover use without turning into an SUV coupe. The rear, in turn, is somewhat reminiscent of the rear of the Nissan Qashqai. due to the shape of the pilots. The aerodynamic coefficient of the body is 0.281.

The interior boasts a good finish as the quality, choice of materials and adjustment of the various parts are clearly satisfactory. To give readers a rough idea, The interior finishing of the Omoda 5 is close to that of the KIA.. The top of the dashboard and doors (front and rear) are made of soft plastic, while the front panel and medallions on the side panels are covered in fabric. Visible seams and imitation varnished wood moldings enhance this pleasant sensation.

The dashboard is dominated by a double panel consisting of two 12.3-inch LCD screensone is for the digital instruments and the other is haptic for the infotainment system. The latter’s performance could be better, as sometimes it does not respond to the first touch; Yes, the transitions are smooth.

The interface has a simple design though There are a large number of submenus to access various vehicle functions.. The climate control is controlled from the screen, with only the air conditioning, heating and drive mode switches having direct access via a row of buttons on the center console.

The multimedia system is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The center console has wireless charger for smartphones with a power of 50 W.as well as USB, USB-C and 12V outlets. Habitability is just right, with quite a fair amount of headroom in both rows.

The rear seat position is similar to that of other electric cars, as the knees are slightly raised due to the position of the bench relative to the floor. The width is sufficient for two adults, but a bit cramped for three. The trunk is 380 liters. (10 liters more than the petrol model) is somewhat meager for the size of the car.

Driving the Omoda 5 EV

Omoda 5 EV is based on Chery group’s T1X multi-energy platform, which is compatible with thermal, hybrid and electric engines. Suspension (front MacPherson strut, rear multi-link) He’s very European: Although extremely comfortable, it effectively controls body movements for a truly agile driving experience. The same can’t be said about the steering, which suffers from over-boost.

204 hp electric motor (150 kW) drives the front wheels and allows it to accelerate to 100 km/h in 7.6 seconds with a top speed of 172 km/h. It is coupled with a 61 kWh LFP (lithium ferrophosphate) battery. blade type cages are supplied by the giant company CATL. It claims a WLTP range of 430 km, exactly the same figure advertised by the “comfort reserve” Renault Scénic E-Tech, one of its main competitors.

As for charging, it reaches a peak power of 80 kW at DC (30-80% in 28 minutes), clearly low power by today’s standards. Three driving modes (Eco, Normal and Sport) and three levels of regenerative braking hold are available; Yes, to select the latter we will have to navigate through infotainment systemTherefore, some cameras are missing that make the process faster and easier. The two highest hold levels brake the car a lot and can feel harsh in certain situations.

During our brief interaction at the national launch of the model, we were able to confirm that this is a fairly economical electric car, since on a route that includes highways and mountains (up and down), average consumption was just below 17 kWh/100 km..

The driving assistants (see Lane Centering) work more satisfactorily than in other Chinese cars such as the BYD Atto 3. although sometimes they err on the side of being overly cautious: The distraction detector is activated as soon as we look away from the center screen, and automatic emergency braking is activated in advance.

Assortment and prices

The Omoda 5 EV line is divided into two trim levels: Comfort (from 37,900 euros) And Premium (from 39,900 euros). These bets are cash; Taking into account promotional discounts, the starting price drops to 35,662 euros, and if we decide to finance, it will remain at 33,242 euros. On the other hand, the brand provides assistance under the MOVES III plan with free annual financing.

Comfort trim comes standard with dual-zone automatic climate controlFull LED headlights, light and rain sensors, induction smartphone charger, 18-inch alloy wheels, faux leather upholstery, parking sensors (front and rear) and a reversing camera.

Premium adds to all this SONY sound systemheated steering wheel, electrically adjustable front seats, heating and ventilation, heated rear seats, 360° camera, Head-up displaypanoramic roof and motorized gates.

Both offer standard adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane change assist. built-in cruise assistantautonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, traffic jam assist, forced lane change warning, lane keep assist, blind spot detector and driver monitoring system.

Conclusions

Omoda is a brand that has recently appeared in Spain; however, rapid expansion of its distribution network and competitive prices for Omoda 5 gasoline allowed it to gain a foothold in our market in record time. On paper, the Omoda 5 EV should follow this path of success as it is a product that, while not perfect, is convincing in most areas.

Its main problem is that its pricing is too close to rivals such as the BYD Atto 3 (420km WLTP, from €37,990), Skoda Elroq (374km WLTP, from €34,490) and Renault Scénic (430km WLTP ). , from 35,910 euros), which negates one of the greatest advantages of its thermal brotherwhich is noticeably cheaper than most similarly sized models.