Chery Omoda O5 in the first test

Next year, Chery plans to launch its market in Europe and especially in Germany with models like the Omoda O5. Unlike other Chinese competitors, the Chinese not only want to attract customers with electric cars, but also with modern gasoline engines. Although SUVs are mainly aimed at Europe, South Americans rely on small sedans and Chery also offers these with its Olando O5, which is also sold in Russia.

Chery wants to go to Germany – even with a combustion engine

The product portfolio under the umbrella of the Chery Group, based in Wuhu, Anhui Province, includes small brands such as Omoda, Jaecoo and Exeed. The company, founded in 1997, has been the leader in selling cars outside of China for two decades. Last year, more than 1,200,000 cars were sold, nearly 450,000 of which were outside China – more than a third of the total volume.

Chery sedan Omoda: Lots of space inside

Despite its impressive dimensions, the 4.63-meter-long O5 sedan belongs to the compact class and is powered by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder turbo engine that produces 108 kW / 147 hp and a maximum torque of 230 Nm. Power is transmitted to the front axle through a CVT transmission. The turbo engine – completely hidden under the hood – is very active on the gas and even the weak continuous transmission cannot slow down the Chinese car a bit.

Economical four-cylinder petrol engine with 147 hp

In addition, normal consumption is kept within the limits of 6.4 liters Super per 100 km. If you want to travel fast, you can get up to 195 km / h from the export model. However, the chassis of the 1.5-ton four-door car is uneven in daily use, because although the configuration is good, uneven road surfaces are visible in the interior. Straight to the point: power steering assist.

The design of the sedan and the bold radiator grille are pleasing, although the wheels with 16-inch wheels look at least one size too small – a disadvantage of Chery’s domestic platform strategy. The design is mediocre, because when the doors are opened, it does not seem as valuable as the maintenance of plastic panels and controls inside. Things look quite different with the seats and instruments, as the top-end leather interior is impressive.

Processing: It works like this

The seats are generously sized, electrically adjustable and up to 1.80 meters tall can sit comfortably in the back. Digital instruments are as clear as the central 10.25-inch multimedia system touchscreen in the center of the dashboard. There are shelves in the doors and in the wide center console, where a smartphone can also easily rest on the charging cradle. Meanwhile, with just a few clicks you can have Apple Carplay or Android Auto on board for entertainment. Driver assistance systems such as navigation or distance can be operated via direct buttons on the left side of the dashboard, as can both driving apps, although they are not very different from each other.

21,200 euros for a full sedan

The price of the basic model with average equipment Omoda O5 1.5 T is equal to 21,200 euros and therefore the top model is probably the best choice, because for 2,000 euros more you not only get aluminum rims, but also a large screen on the screen . center console, electric sunroof and leather seats. In addition, the panel and dashboard are decorated with artificial leather and visible stitching – not bad for a car in the league of 20,000 euros. Let’s continue to wait for the Omoda O5 SUV, which is also expected to be launched in Europe as an electric version.

By Stefan Grundhoff