Omoda launches in the UK: everything you need to know about the Chinese newcomer

There are quite a few new Chinese brands coming to the UK over the next 12 months or so, and Omoda has just become the latest. The marque officially launched on 30 August 2024 with two models on offer.

Omoda’s history goes back quite a long way outside of Europe though, so here’s a runthrough of the brand’s history, plans for UK growth and what you can expect to see over the coming years.

Who is Omoda?

The Omoda name is all-new for Europe, however its parent company – Chery International – has been around in China since 1997.

Chery has sold over three million cars in this time, and it’s created several sub-brands with more than 10 million combined sales globally. To put that into perspective, a total of 10.5 million cars were sold in Europe in 2023.

Omoda is one of its newest sub brands with a focus on small, sleek SUVs for the European market.

What Omoda models are sold in the UK?

Omoda is launching in the UK with two models – the 5 and the E5. They’re both very similar in terms of design, the main difference being what’s powering them.

The Omoda 5 has a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine mated to a seven-speed automatic gearbox, and it’s front-wheel drive. You get 186hp, and 0-60mph is dealt with in 7.9 seconds.

The E5 on the other hand is an electric car, as the name suggests. It has a 204hp electric motor powering the front wheels and a 61kWh battery. This gives it 257 miles of range, which is almost 30 miles less than the Kia Niro EV but around the same as a BYD Atto 3. More models are expected to join the lineup next year.

Where can I buy Omoda cars?

Omoda is very keen on sticking with physical dealerships to sell its cars, as opposed to brands like Tesla and Volvo which are moving towards a direct-to-consumer sales model.

Research by the brand claims that 76% of car buyers still see visiting a dealership as an important part of buying a car.

With this in mind, Omoda has launched in the UK with 60 physical dealerships, and it plans to expand this to 100 locations by the end of the year. These aren’t your standard car showrooms though, because they feature some pretty futuristic technology.

Customers will be able to go on virtual-reality test drives and use augmented reality to see the car in various settings. We’d still recommend going on a physical test drive though as this is the only way to truly work out if a car is for you.

Omoda 5 and E5 alternatives

So what cars are Omoda targeting with the 5 and E5? Well the 5 is a mid-sized petrol SUV which is around the same size as a Toyota C-HR or Volkswagen T-Roc. Other cars you could be considering include:

• Honda H-RV
• Skoda Karoq
• Seat Ateca
• Nissan Qashqai
• Mazda CX5

The all-electric E5 is exactly the same size as the Omoda 5, so it will go up against cars like:

• Kia Niro EV
• Tesla Model Y
• Hyundai Kona Electric
• Volvo EC40
• Vauxhall Mokka Electric

The main selling point Omoda has over these cars is price. The petrol-powered 5 starts from just £25,235, making it cheaper than all the alternatives listed above. The E5 starts from £33,055 which is pretty good for an electric SUV with almost 260 miles of range.

You get loads of standard equipment as well. All cars come with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, half leather seats. Adaptive cruise control and two 12.25-inch screens.

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