2023 Chery Omoda 5 Buyer's Guide

Sales of Chinese cars are growing rapidly in Australia, and Chery wants a slice of the pie.

It relaunched Down Under in 2023, and the Omoda 5 is leading its charge. Fighting against some seriously popular cars, such as the long-running Mitsubishi ASX, it’s currently offered in two trim levels – with two more coming later this year, and an electric option on track for 2024.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Chery Omoda 5 pricing

• Chery Omoda 5 BX: $32,990
• Chery Omoda 5 EX: $35,990

All prices are drive-away

Chery Omoda 5 availability and wait times

“The Omoda 5 is in stock and readily available across our national dealership network, with more continuing to arrive on a regular basis,” Chery said in a statement.

More powerful EX+ and EX+ AWD models are coming to Australia later this year, with an electric model due in 2024.

Chery Omoda 5 lifecycle

The current Chery Omoda 5 was revealed in China during 2021, and arrived in Australia during the first quarter of 2023.

More powerful EX+ and EX+ AWD models are coming to Australia later this year, with an electric model due in 2024.

Although Chinese brands tend to work on faster life cycles than the broader industry, the Omoda 5 has plenty of life left in it yet.

Chery Omoda 5 engines and fuel economy

The Chery Omoda 5 is currently offered in Australia with one engine, although another is due to arrive later this year.

The current Omoda 5 uses a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 115kW of power and 230Nm of torque. Drive is sent to the front wheels only, and the car features a CVT automatic.

Chery claims combined cycle fuel economy of 6.9L/100km. It runs on 91 RON regular unleaded fuel and has a 50L fuel tank.

Later in the year, a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine will join the Omoda 5 range and bring with it multi-link instead of torsion-beam rear suspension, plus the option of all-wheel drive. This slightly larger mill produces 145kW and 290Nm.

Chery Omoda 5 safety

The Omoda 5 has advanced leaps and bounds in terms of both crash safety and available driver assist technology, earning five stars from Euro NCAP in recent testing. That points to a possible five-star ANCAP rating.

It received adult occupant protection and child occupant protection scores of 87 per cent, plus 88 per cent for the safety assist category and 68 per cent for vulnerable road user protection.

Standard safety features include:

• Autonomous emergency braking
• Adaptive cruise control
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Emergency lane keeping
• Integrated Cruise Assist
• Lane-keep assist
• Rear cross-traffic assist
• Traffic jam assist
• Traffic sign recognition
• Driver attention monitoring
• Front, front-side and curtain airbags
• Front-centre airbag
• Reversing camera
• Front, rear parking sensors

The EX also receives a surround-view camera.

Chery Omoda 5 colours

The full colour palette comprises:

• Space Black
• Mercurial Grey
• Saturn Silver
• Lunar White
• Titan Green
• Jupiter Blue
• Midnight Blue

In the EX, Mercurial Grey, Lunar White and Saturn Silver are also available with bold red accents on the side skirts, mirrors, wheels and front bumper.

Chery Omoda 5 dimensions

The Omoda 5 measures 4400mm long, 1830mm wide, 1588mm tall and rides a 2630mm wheelbase.

Chery Omoda 5 boot space and luggage capacity

The Omoda 5 has 360L of boot space with the rear seats up, expanding to 1075L with them folded.

A space-saver spare sits underneath the boot floor.

Chery Omoda 5 standard equipment

Omoda 5 BX highlights:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Automatic LED headlights
• Automatic high-beam
• Front fog lights
• LED tail lights with directional indicators
• Power-folding exterior mirrors
• 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
• 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Wireless phone charger
• 8-speaker Sony sound system
• Keyless entry and start
• 6-way power driver’s seat
• One-touch power windows
• Leatherette upholstery
• Rear air vents
• Remote start
• Front multi-colour ambient lighting
• 2 x USB outlets
• 1 x USB-C outlet

Omoda 5 EX adds:

• Omoda LED puddle lights
• Red brake callipers
• Heated front seats
• Heated steering wheel
• Second-row ambient lighting
• Exterior LED welcoming lights
• Four-way power passenger seat
• Surround-view camera
• Power tailgate
• Power sunroof

Chery Omoda 5 interior

The interior, like the exterior, offers plenty of flash.

The car unlocks as you walk towards it with the key. You open the door and listen to a weirdly long welcome sound, and press a start button that could have come from a Mercedes-AMG.

The touch-capacitive climate controls are neatly integrated and you can use them to adjust the cabin temperature, though touching any of them also brings up the climate menu.

Further along that panel is a patterned ambient light element visible at night, while ambient lighting in the doors pulsates to the music.

The steering wheel and shifter look as though they’ve come out of a more expensive car. The wheel is thick, flat-bottomed and leather-wrapped, with solid, metal-like switchgear and the Chery wordmark instead of the brand’s logo.

What appear to be two wireless charging pads – only one of them is, the other is for the key – rise upwards to the centre stack. They’re finished in a felt-like trim and look like they come from the same supplier Tesla uses.

Copper-coloured accents run along the sides of the centre console and provide contrast.

There’s a voice assistant you can program to respond to your voice prompt of choice, while sound is pumped through a Sony eight-speaker sound system. If you want to charge something up front, there’s a USB-A outlet and a USB-C outlet located on the passenger side of the centre console.

Storage is a strong suit of the Omoda 5. The centre console is bin and extends under the centre console’s cupholders, while there’s also an expansive shelf under the centre console. Bottle holders in the doors can also easily swallow large bottles.

The front seats are squishy in typical Chinese fashion, though they have a base that’s a bit too short and lack much in the way of bolstering. Nevertheless, they proved comfortable over longer drives.

Initially, the rear of the cabin didn’t appear particularly spacious but the Chery proved to have enough space for 180cm-tall occupants to be comfortable both front and rear.

There’s sufficient headroom for someone that height even with the sunroof, and the hump typically found ahead of a vehicle’s rear-centre seat is minimal.

In terms of amenities, there are air vents, a single USB-A outlet, and map pockets on the seatbacks. There are no passenger-side exterior lock sensors, but with the Chery’s walk-away locking function that’s not too bad.

The presence of a power tailgate is also welcome; it’s a rarity in this segment.

Chery Omoda 5 warranty

The Chery Omoda 5 is offered with a seven-year warranty, and seven years of roadside assistance.

Chery Omoda 5 servicing costs

The first five services are capped at $280 each, with the sixth and seventh priced at $391.04 and $295.54, respectively.

Intervals are every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever comes first.

Chery Omoda 5 competitors

The Chery Omoda 5 goes head-to-head with the GWM Haval Jolion, MG ZST Essence, and Mitsubishi ASX based on its price and size.

Chery Omoda 5 sales data

To the end of June 2023, Chery has sold 1612 examples of the Omoda 5.

Sales are ramping up, however. 603 of those were delivered in June, meaning the Omoda 5 last month outsold the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, Nissan Qashqai, and Mitsubishi ASX.

MORE: Everything Chery Omoda 5