Omoda 5 – Brief Road Test

Kim Henson briefly test-drives the new Omoda 5 SUV…

(All words and photographs by, and copyright Kim Henson).

Please note: The following report has been produced based on briefly driving a non-UK spec car, and in advance of the UK’s press kit being issued; there may be differences in facts, figures and specifications for UK spec models.

Founded in 2023, the Chinese firm Omoda is a new kid on the block in terms of car manufacturers selling their wares in the UK, and I was interested in the newcomer as it will soon be attracting British buyers.

Recently I had the chance to sample an early example of the petrol-powered Omoda 5 (there’s an all-electric Omoda too; the E5).

I understand that in fact the test vehicle I drove was based on Australian specification and incorporated some differences when compared with the cars due to arrive soon here in Britain. However my short drive still gave me an idea of what to expect when the U.K. models become available to test drive.

The Omoda is a distinctively-styled family-sized ‘crossover’/SUV, incorporating fastback-style five door bodywork, with a ‘floating’ roof. It is powered by a 187 bhp 1.6 litre turbocharged four cylinder petrol engine, driving through a standard-fit seven speed automatic transmission.

Torque output from the motor is prodigious, with a maximum of 275 Nm (203 lb.ft) being available all the way from 1,750 rpm to 4,500 rpm.

Omoda figures tell us that acceleration from rest to 62 mph takes 7.8 seconds, and the car’s top speed is 128 mph. Overall fuel consumption should be in the region of 38 miles per gallon.

On the Road

During a brief run in the Somerset countryside the Omoda proved to be a very lively performer, and before knowing the capacity of the engine (1.6 litres), my co-driver and I were speculating that it might have a capacity of 2.0 litres or more.

Three drive modes are available to the driver; ‘Normal’, ‘Eco’, and ‘Sport’.

The engine pulled strongly from low rpm and delivered plenty of power at high revs too; this flexibility helped make the car effortless to drive at slow speeds as well as on the open road.

Main road cruising was quiet and comfortable, the Macpherson strut suspension at front and rear accommodating surface undulations with ease, and although during my test drive I was unable to explore the vehicle’s handling and roadholding capabilities, it felt responsive and safe, with good brakes too.

The seats front seats were comfortable, and those in the rear offered plenty of leg and head room.

I liked the futuristic treatment of the interior, with a prominent centre console assembly housing the transmission control lever, and with a clear-to-see 10.25in screen taking care of infotainment functions. The car also features a voice-activated control system for some aspects of vehicle operation, including telephone, sound system and electric window activation.

A wide array of safety and convenience systems is built-in, including blind spot detection, automatic emergency braking, intelligent headlamp control, lane departure warning/prevention, adaptive cruise control, a driver monitoring system, rear cross traffic alert and road sign recognition. An eight speaker sound system comes as standard too.

The luggage compartment is long, wide and flat-floored, features 2/3:1/3 folding rear seats and opens from bumper height, so should be practical in everyday use.

VERDICT

The Omada 5 is a comprehensively-equipped SUV, incorporating fastback exterior styling plus a futuristic interior, and providing eager performance. With prices from around £25,000 it is competitive too.

It will be interesting to test drive a UK version in due course; please watch this space on Wheels-Alive.