2025 Chery Omoda E5 EX evaluate

As extra carmakers enter Australia’s new-vehicle market, newer and fewer well-established auto manufacturers are actually having to battle for the limelight.

The most recent instance of that is Chery, which relaunched itself in Australia in 2023 with the Omoda 5, a compact SUV that has since spawned a battery-electric model.

Launched in September 2024, the Omoda E5 small electrical SUV has simply acquired a $6000 low cost off its regular drive-away worth in your location, as a part of a ‘2024 Plate Clearance’ promotional deal that ends on January 31.

So for a restricted time, the entry-level BX variant will price central Sydney patrons, for instance, simply $40,300 drive-away. That’s a considerable low cost from the Omoda E5’s common beginning listing worth of $42,990 (earlier than on-road prices), and makes it about as inexpensive as Australia’s least expensive electrical SUV, the a lot older MG ZS EV Excite ($39,990 drive-away).

The all-electric model of the Chinese language model’s best-selling Omoda 5 (which itself is obtainable with a $3000 low cost on MY24 automobiles till January 31) competes with the aforementioned MG ZS EV, in addition to the BYD Atto 3, and the Leapmotor C10, amongst others. There are two variants – BX and EX – and the latter is on take a look at right here.

All variants are powered by a single front-mounted electrical motor producing 150kW of energy and 340Nm of torque, and it’s fed by a 61.1kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack. This permits for a WLTP-claimed driving vary of 430km.

Like all different Chery fashions in Australia, the Omoda E5 is roofed by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee. It additionally has a five-star ANCAP security ranking.

There are many engaging info and figures going for it, however how does the it stack up in the true world? Learn alongside to seek out out.

How does the Chery Omoda 5 evaluate?

View an in depth breakdown of the Chery Omoda 5 in opposition to equally sized automobiles.

Chery

Omoda 5

How a lot does the Chery Omoda E5 price?

On take a look at right here is the top-spec Omoda E5 EX, which after this month’s $6000 low cost (MY24 automobiles solely) will price an inner-Sydney purchaser simply $43,390 drive-away, which nonetheless makes it one of many least expensive electrical SUVs on sale in Australia.

What’s the Chery Omoda E5 like on the within?

Fairly premium feeling and looking, truly – particularly for the worth level.

A useful characteristic this automobile presents is the proximity unlocking and locking characteristic. You don’t have to fish your key out, nor even press a button on the door – it simply unlocks when you get shut sufficient after which locks when you stroll away.

A grating a part of this, nonetheless, is there’s a shrill beeping sound that performs when the automobile locks. It’s a typical trait amongst Chery automobiles and through my week of testing it brought about folks to show their heads as a result of it’s only a bit too loud. Fortunately if this does annoy you, there’s a setting to show it off.

Given the Omoda E5 is a barely raised crossover SUV, it’s simple to get out and in of. That is useful for these with restricted mobility as you don’t have to climb up or down too far.

When you’re in, there are fake leather-trimmed seats that look sporty with their one-piece design and really feel tender and squishy. Certainly, the driving force’s seat is a bit too tender and squishy, that means it isn’t essentially the most snug or supportive, particularly on longer journeys.

You’re in a position to electrically modify the driving force’s seat in six methods, however no matter the way you set it up the under-thigh a part of seat doesn’t transfer and feels somewhat flat. This can be a widespread trait in various the E5’s Chinese language-built rivals.

There’s additionally an absence of adjustable lumbar assist, and on lengthy drives my again began to ache.

The entrance seats each supply heating, but it surely’s managed utilizing the touchscreen which may typically be a little bit of a trouble, particularly if you’re utilizing smartphone mirroring. For a lot of, nonetheless, it will likely be a case of turning it on if you first hop within the automobile and then you definitely probably received’t contact it for the remainder of the journey.

Forward of the driving force, the fake leather-wrapped steering wheel feels tender within the hand, and it’s properly sized. All of the buttons are bodily, fortunately, however the hit factors are typically laborious to evaluate. There have been a number of occasions I needed to click on a button a few occasions for it to react.

One other factor is the steering wheel buttons are on shiny piano black panels which look grubby rapidly and scratch up simply when cleaned.

Behind the steering wheel is a wrap-around show setup housing two giant 12.3-inch screens. That is changing into a preferred design characteristic for automobile manufacturers and it brings a high-tech, screen-heavy look, even at this worth.

The 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster is high-resolution, although the interface is essentially minimal no matter whether or not you select the darkish or mild theme.

You’re in a position to configure the digital instrument cluster in a number of alternative ways, although it’s nowhere close to as configurable as the driving force shows dearer German rivals, that are nonetheless the benchmark on this regard. The scaling of a number of the key informative components can be a little bit out of whack. The digital speedometer readout is fortunately giant and outstanding, however the adaptive cruise readout may be very small.

The central 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system is equally as giant because the digital instrument cluster, and it appears huge inside this small automobile. The best way it’s positioned although, relative to my driving place, required me to lean ahead to succeed in the far left-hand facet of the display, and the right-hand facet was blocked by the steering wheel.

If you’re first interacting with the infotainment system, the menu format is a little bit clunky and complicated. There are lots of menus and sub-menus that take a bit to study, plus the acronyms for sure issues don’t at all times make sense at first.

I did recognize the notification and management centre-like features that may be accessed by swiping both down from the highest of the display, or up from the underside, very similar to an iPhone. These enable faster entry to shortcuts.

A wierd omission is there’s no simple means for the entrance passenger to regulate the sound system quantity, with the driving force in a position to make use of the steering wheel, or press the touch-sensitive buttons on the right-hand facet of the dual-screen setup.

Like many screen-heavy automobiles, the local weather controls are within the touchscreen infotainment system, which could be a little annoying to vary on the transfer. Fortunately, just like the heated seats, for a lot of it’ll probably be a case of set and overlook.

By way of smartphone mirroring, the Omoda E5 presents each wired and wi-fi types of each Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. With my iPhone 15 Professional Max linked wirelessly, I didn’t expertise any dropouts in any way.

It’s nice there’s a wi-fi cellphone charger that has air flow, so my iPhone didn’t overheat. It additionally has an output of 50W, which is nicely and actually greater than my cellphone is able to receiving.

As talked about above, the inside is introduced in a tech-oriented, premium means, with loads of tender touches. That is changing into more and more widespread as extra rivals arrive, however the Omoda E5’s cabin nonetheless appears nice. The fake wooden trims on the sprint and centre console look swish, plus there fortunately aren’t too a lot of piano black panels, which is a significant plus in my eyes.

Not like the petrol-powered Omoda 5 vary, the Omoda E5 has a column-mounted gear selector, which helps unlock house on the centre tunnel. There have been many events after I did attain with my left hand to seize the gear selector on the centre console although.

What Chery has put instead of a standard centre console-mounted gear shifter is a small storage cavity that can be utilized to place keys in. It additionally comes with a lid so it may be lined.

Storage up entrance within the Omoda E5 is beneficiant. There’s a pleasant house beneath the centre stack for a small purse or the like, plus a sometimes sized centre console field and glovebox, adequately sized door pockets, and two cupholders.

The very last thing I’ll point out earlier than discussing the second row is the eight-speaker Sony sound system on this range-topping variant, which is superb. The brat remix album by Charli XCX sounded somewhat meaty.

Hopping into the second row, there’s an satisfactory quantity of house again right here in small crossover SUV phrases. It’s not a standout for the phase, however nowhere close to the worst.

At a leggy 182cm, I had okay head, leg and shoulder room, although toe-room beneath the entrance seats is a little bit compromised because of the placement of the high-voltage battery.

Two folks can simply match within the second row, although pushing it to 3 makes it a bit tight and squishy. Smaller adults and children can be superb.

Second-row facilities embrace rear air vents mounted on the again of the centre console, USB factors, heated outboard seats, fold-down armrest with cupholders, and map pockets on the seatbacks.

On the rear, the facility tailgate opens rapidly and quietly, which is a pleasant distinction to the annoying locking sound it makes when used.

Cargo house isn’t actually that nice, however that’s as a result of there’s truly a full-size spare wheel beneath the boot flooring. That is extremely uncommon for an EV; the one different mannequin that provides this peace of thoughts is the equally sized Hyundai Kona Electrical.

Boot-related facilities are slim, although there’s a 12V socket, small mild, and a parcel shelf cowl. There aren’t any bag hooks, which implies you’ll should be cautious when cornering with groceries onboard.

Lastly, not like a spread of different EVs based mostly on combustion-engined platforms, the Omoda E5 has under-bonnet storage. It’s not overly enormous at 19L, so that you may be capable to get your charging cable in there, but it surely’s higher than nothing.

To see how the Chery Omoda 5 strains up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability device

What’s beneath the bonnet?

Your complete Chery Omoda E5 vary is powered by a front-mounted single electrical motor fed by a 61.1kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery.

To see how the Chery Omoda 5 strains up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability device

How does the Chery Omoda E5 drive?

Like various EVs, the Omoda E5 doesn’t even have a begin button. As an alternative, all you could do to show it on is sit on the seat, then press your foot on the brake pedal.

When you get accustomed to the column-mounted gear selector, this automobile is straightforward to know and use. As I mentioned within the inside part although, there have been various occasions after I habitually reached to the improper facet for a shifter that wasn’t there.

Setting off, the accelerator pedal really feel within the regular drive mode is somewhat sensitive. I discovered it higher to stay to the ‘Eco’ mode, during which acceleration is extra linear, snug and simpler to handle.

Regardless, the only electrical motor is nippy. With all 150kW and 340Nm obtainable from a standstill, there’s loads of pulling energy at low speeds, that means you’ll probably win the visitors mild grand prix.

Though it’s zippy, the electrical powertrain can be environment friendly for a non-Tesla EV. Throughout my week of testing I achieved power consumption of round 15kWh/100km throughout a wide range of city commuting and freeway driving, which is best than the declare.

Issues begin to come up although when you again off the accelerator and begin to expertise the regenerative braking system, which recoups electrical energy when slowing right down to cost the battery. There are a complete of 4 ranges and all of them really feel means too robust, even the weakest setting.

One of the simplest ways to explain the feeling is sort of a mild change – it feels both utterly off or utterly on. There’s no in between.

It’s at its worst if you’re travelling down a mild hill the place you’d sometimes coast. Letting off the accelerator pedal even barely past its regen activation level prompts it in full, which in flip slows down the automobile an excessive amount of, too rapidly.

With a view to preserve a relentless velocity you could teeter rigorously round that regen biting level, which will get tiring if you wish to keep away from a see-saw feeling within the cabin because it goes backwards and forwards from full regen to none. It’s nearly sufficient to make you are feeling sick.

Round city the steering is extremely mild, which is nice for simple manoeuvers in tight carparks, however on the flipside it lacks really feel and may appear nearly arcade game-like. Nevertheless it’s not the one car on this class to really feel like that.

Regardless of the sunshine steering, the automobile continues to be enjoyable to chuck round on metropolis streets. The suspension tune can be a standout, being very compliant and settled at decrease speeds. It’s apparent Chery is working laborious on its experience high quality.

The one occasions the Omoda E5’s suspension feels out of its depth is on high-speed undulating bumps, the place it feels a little bit floaty and takes a number of actions to settle, which probably isn’t helped by the additional mass of the battery pack.

Underlining this EV’s city-centric focus, it’s able to getting as much as larger speeds but it surely reaches its limits comparatively rapidly and doesn’t really feel prefer it has a lot left within the tank for overtakes. That is widespread with many lower-powered EVs as they’re geared extra towards fast preliminary acceleration than highway-speed response.

There’s additionally lots of wind noise at freeway speeds too, particularly across the sunroof and facet mirrors. That is made worse because of the inherent silence of EVs like this, as a result of there’s no combustion engine thrumming away beneath the bonnet.

Throughout my testing I discovered the vary readout on the digital instrument cluster fluctuated dramatically. With my as-tested power consumption of 15.2kWh/100km, I theoretically ought to have been in a position to journey round 400km, however in accordance with the readout this wasn’t at all times the case.

This was most noticeable after I made a visit out to Marysville from the Melbourne CBD, which is a 100km journey together with a wide range of city after which twisty rural roads. With simply over 200km of claimed vary remaining, in accordance with the instrument cluster readout, I assumed I’d be superb to make it there and again with out recharging.

As I obtained into the drive, nonetheless, the vary readout plummeted dramatically. As soon as I reached Marysville the vary readout was lower than 50km, regardless of solely travelling 100km. I’d additionally engaged the Eco+ drive mode round three quarters of the best way by the journey as a result of the automobile indicated to me the battery was getting low.

Fortunately, I used to be capable of finding an EV charger in Marysville (at Peppers), as a result of I wasn’t sure if I’d make it again to Healesville (30km away).

This wasn’t the one dangerous expertise I had with the funky vary readout. I left the automobile parked for 2 days with round 20 per cent (and nicely over 100km of claimed vary) of indicated battery cost earlier than returning it. Throughout my 20km freeway drive to return the E5, the battery readout dropped all the best way to a daunting 4 per cent (and fewer than 30km of indicated vary). Discuss vary nervousness.

I’m simply grateful I wasn’t caught on the facet of the street with out sufficient battery cost to get me to my vacation spot, which as any EV is aware of is a significant inconvenience.

By way of charging, the Omoda E5’s cost port is positioned on the entrance, which truly isn’t a nasty location as you possibly can pull right into a parking house and simply join the cable.

With a peak DC fast-charging charge of 80kW, it’s nowhere close to the quickest on the market, but it surely’s much like what its rivals supply. When hooked as much as a fast-charger it’ll keep on the 80kW max cost charge for a very long time, earlier than ultimately petering out as soon as the battery will get above 80 per cent.

On the protection entrance, the adaptive cruise management is okay, although its response to vehicles forward does fluctuate. Generally it’ll decelerate actually early, leaving an enormous hole for different vehicles to chop in entrance of you, whereas different occasions it’ll brake late and closely.

There’s additionally the Clever Cruise Help system, which mixes adaptive cruise management and lane centring. I prevented utilizing it as a result of it’s too hands-on with its steering inputs and may have a tendency to use fixed small corrections that result in pin-balling in your lane, even on straight and clearly marked roads.

Lastly, the driving force consideration monitoring system is an efficient factor to have in principle, however in observe it’s irritating. My major subject is it’s too delicate and goes off even if you happen to have a look at the touchscreen for only a bit too lengthy. Even having sun shades on brought about it go off a few occasions.

My different frustration with the driving force consideration system is it must be turned off each time you drive the automobile utilizing the touchscreen. Fortunately, you possibly can configure a shortcut button on the steering wheel to take you straight to the driving force help settings menu.

To see how the Chery Omoda 5 strains up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability device

What do you get?

There are two trim ranges of the Omoda E5 obtainable in Australia.

2025 Chery Omoda E5 BX gear highlights:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Full-size spare wheel
• LED headlights
• LED tail-lights
• LED entrance fog lights
• LED rear fog mild
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Heated, power-folding facet mirrors
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wired and wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Satellite tv for pc navigation
• DAB+ digital radio
• ‘Whats up Omoda’ voice assistant
• 6-speaker Sony sound system
• 50W wi-fi charger
• 5x USB ports
• 2x 12V sockets
• Twin-zone local weather management
• PM2.5 filter
• Polyurethane steering wheel
• Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
• Charcoal cloth upholstery with artificial leather-based bolsters
• 6-way handbook driver’s seat
• 4-way handbook entrance passenger’s seat

Omoda E5 EX provides:

• Energy tailgate
• Energy sunroof
• Privateness glass
• Entrance door acoustic glass
• Gloss black window beltline
• Sequential rear indicators
• 8-speaker Sony sound system
• Multi-colour inside ambient lighting
• Heated, artificial leather-based steering wheel
• Black artificial leather-based upholstery
• Heated entrance seats
• Heated outboard rear seats
• 6-way powered driver’s seat
• 4-way powered entrance driver’s seat
• Encompass-view digital camera

To see how the Chery Omoda 5 strains up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability device

Is the Chery Omoda E5 protected?

The Chery Omoda E5 acquired a five-star ANCAP security ranking based mostly on testing of the front-wheel drive petrol Omoda 5 in 2022. It confirmed the outcome by conducting extra assessments on the Omoda E5.

2025 Chery Omoda E5 customary security gear contains:

• 7 airbags
• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
• Emergency lane retaining
• Lane departure warning
• Lane hold help
• Adaptive cruise management
• Visitors jam help
• Built-in cruise help (adaptive cruise + lane centring)
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Rear cross-traffic help
• Rear collision warning
• Visitors signal recognition
• Driver monitoring system
• Entrance and rear parking sensors
• Reversing digital camera

EX provides:

To see how the Chery Omoda 5 strains up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability device

How a lot does the Chery Omoda E5 price to run?

The Omoda E5 is backed by Chery’s seven-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee, according to the remainder of the vary.

Servicing for the primary seven years is capped at $130, $280, $130, $280, $130, $511, and $125 per annual service.

To see how the Chery Omoda 5 strains up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability device

CarExpert’s Tackle the Chery Omoda E5

This electrical model of Chery’s top-selling car in Australia packs lots of premium package in a package deal that doesn’t break the financial institution. Round $40,000 on-the-road for a range-topping EV – or certainly an electrical SUV – is nice worth.

The quantity of sentimental touches within the cabin is luxurious and the extent of know-how is stunning, however we don’t love having to depend on utilizing the touchscreen to function a big array of car features and settings.

The Omoda E5 is clearly at house across the metropolis and suburbs, the place it feels zippy, the experience is compliant, and the power consumption is nearly Tesla-like. The sunshine steering really feel does detract from a dynamism standpoint, however the upside is with the ability to navigate tight spots extra simply with much less effort.

And it’s extremely uncommon although for an EV to have a full-size spare wheel. The one different mainstream competitor that comes with one is the Hyundai Kona Electrical.

There are some basic issues with this automobile although. The most important for me is the vary readout on the instrument cluster, which gave me main vary nervousness a number of occasions throughout my week-long mortgage.

Others embrace the regenerative braking system that feels prefer it’s both utterly on or off, and the protection techniques that may typically be extra irritating than they’re useful.

The Chery Omoda E5 is a discount in terms of small electrical SUVs, but it surely’s removed from the very best in its class. So we advise you drive it earlier than you signal on the dotted line, and check out a few of its rivals as a result of there are extra popping up each day.

Keen on shopping for a Chery Omoda E5? Get in contact with one among CarExpert’s trusted sellers right here

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