OMODA E5 Review & Prices

If you’re looking for an electric car that’s anything but the obvious choice, the Omoda E5 could be the SUV for you. This, and the petrol-powered 5, are the first models to be sold in the UK by Chinese car maker Omoda.

It’s a bit like saying no to a Microsoft Surface laptop and picking a Huawei MateBook instead.

While you might not have heard of Omoda, the E5 is an alternative to lots of similarly priced electric SUVs from companies you probably have heard of, including the Volvo EX30, Smart #1, Hyundai Kona Electric and Skoda Enyaq. The Cupra Born is another option if you’re not totally committed to the SUV body shape.

The Omoda E5 isn’t the most stylish thing to look at. The electric version gets a smoother front end than the petrol model’s mega-grille, and you get narrow daytime running lights that look pretty cool at night, but it’s a largely bland and inoffensive design.

Omoda E5: electric range, battery and charging data

Range: 257 miles
Efficiency: 3.8 miles per kWh
Battery size: 61kWh
Max charge speed: 80kW
Charge time AC: 8hrs, 0-100%, 11kW
Charge time DC: 28mins, 30-80%, 80kW
Charge port location: Front
Power outputs: 204hp

It’s much better inside. The overall design is smart, the materials look good quality, and largely feel pretty premium to the touch. The massive twin-screen setup works pretty well – both displays have sharp, bright graphics and are pretty snappy to respond to your inputs, though some of the menus are really confusing to find your way around. Funnily enough, it’s a similar story with other Chinese brands, BYD and MG.

Ergonomically it’s less positive. The steering wheel and driver’s seat don’t have enough adjustment, and the pedals are quite close, so it’s a struggle to find a comfortable driving position. The centre console is also too big and intrudes into your personal space, so it’s difficult to relax your left leg on long journeys.

And when it comes to practicality, the E5 is a bit of a reverse Tardis, because when you look at the outside you’re expecting it to be a bit more roomy inside than it is. Space in the back is limited in particular, and it can be a bit of a faff to fit a child seat, while storage throughout is fine but about the minimum you’d expect.

The boot is smaller than alternatives, too. At 380 litres it’s only a fraction down on the Cupra Born, but that car is a hatchback. SUVs like the Hyundai Kona Electric and Skoda Enyaq have massive boots by comparison, though the Smart #1 lags well behind all here.

You have one choice of battery and motor in the Omoda E5, with a 204hp output and an official range of 257 miles, which is about the same as you get from entry-level versions of the alternatives we’ve been looking at here, all of which are a bit more expensive than the Omoda. Fast charging speeds are pretty poor, which can be annoying on long trips, but efficiency is decent, so it’ll be a bit cheaper than your average EV to run.

The recurring theme with the Omoda E5 is that it’s fine, but others do it better, and that’s also true of the way it drives. The suspension is soft so it soaks up bumps pretty well, and the steering is well-tuned so it’s easy to place the car on the road, but there’s quite a bit of tyre noise at higher speeds. It’s not particularly fast, but it goes round corners without feeling like it will fall over. It’s good enough if you don’t care about how a car drives, but the Cupra Born and Hyundai Kona Electric in particular feel more satisfying to drive at any speed.

As a first entry to the UK market this is an intriguing electric SUV. It’s packed full of technology for the cash, and looks pretty upmarket inside, but it falls behind other options in most of the key details. It’s a bit cheaper than those cars, but budget-allowing, they’re worth the extra cash.

If you want to get a great price, check out the latest Omoda E5 deals on Carwow. You can also browse used Omoda models from our network of trusted dealers, and when it’s time to sell your current car, Carwow can help with that, too.

The Omoda E5 is priced temptingly. Of the best electric SUVs at a similar cost, only the Smart #1 undercuts it, and even then only just. That car is a bit more spacious in the back seats but has a much smaller boot.

Otherwise the Hyundai Kona Electric is a bit more expensive, and the Skoda Enyaq more expensive still. The Cupra Born is a little pricier than the Omoda, and isn’t an SUV, but it offers similar practicality and is much more enjoyable to drive.

The Omoda E5 does get some great kit as standard, though. There are two trims, with the entry-level Comfort model getting LED lights all round, the twin-screen setup inside, and all the same assistance kit as the top-spec Noble, such as adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning. Noble models get full synthetic leather seats with heating, a power sunroof, and a Sony sound system.

The Omoda E5 is pleasant to drive and handles bumps pretty well, but it’s a bit noisy on the motorway and not much fun on a twisty road

In town

The Omoda E5 is fairly easy and relaxing to drive around town, and it’s nicer than the petrol-powered 5, because you don’t have to deal with the clunky gearbox. The electric motors are smooth, and the brakes are pretty good once you’re on the move, but when you’re travelling at slow speeds they’re really difficult to judge. It’s almost like they’re fully on or off, meaning crawling in traffic or manoeuvring around your driveway can be quite a jerky experience.

The suspension deals with bumps pretty well though, so it’s comfortable on rubbish road surfaces. Visibility isn’t great, because although the view out the front isn’t too bad (unless you’re tall, because the seat position forces you to sit quite high), the view out of the back isn’t great.

You get front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera as standard, while top-spec models get a 360-degree camera.

On the motorway

Motorway cruising is where the Omoda E5 is at its best. The electric motors are just about punchy enough that overtaking and getting up to speed on a slip road are no drama, and it’s generally pretty quiet, apart from some noticeable road noise.

The seats are comfortable, but the intrusion of the centre console means it’s difficult to really relax your left leg, which can become annoying on longer journeys. The Hyundai Kona Electric is a more relaxing car to take on a long journey.

Assistance kit is useful, with adaptive cruise control fitted as standard, along with systems to keep you from drifting out of your lane, though it can feel like the car is fighting you if you get too close to a white line.

On a twisty road

Twisty roads are not the best place for an Omoda E5. The soft suspension means the body leans quite a bit, and it never really gives you confidence to drive quickly. However, the steering is nicely judged, so it feels natural and easy to place the car on the road. Some of the lane-keeping kit can be intrusive on particularly narrow roads though, which can be a bit unnerving in the face of oncoming traffic.

To be fair to the E5, few affordable electric SUVs are great fun on a winding B-road, but the Volvo EX30 is the pick of the bunch. If you can stretch your budget the Tesla Model Y is worth a look, too.

There are some useful storage spaces inside but the rear seats are a squeeze and the boot isn’t very big

Space in the front isn’t too bad, with electric adjustment for the driver’s seat as standard, and included for the passenger seat on the top Noble trim. However, there’s not as much adjustability in the seat and steering wheel as you might want, which makes it difficult to get a comfortable driving position. The centre console feels a bit too big, which makes the space for your legs a touch cramped.

Storage is okay though, with a good-sized glovebox and door bins, and a big space beneath the armrest. You also get a large area beneath the centre console that’s ideal for storing a handbag or small backpack. There’s a 12V socket as well as two USB-C slots, though these are on the passenger side, which makes them a bit fiddly to get to.

Space in the back seats

There’s less space in the rear seats than you’re expecting of a car this size. Kneeroom is okay, but headroom is a bit tight, and the floor is high so your thighs don’t rest on the seat cushions. It’s a bit narrow for three, too.

Storage is a bit less impressive in the back than it is in the front, with door bins and seat pockets being about the minimum you could want. There are USB-C and A slots in the back so rear passengers can charge their devices.

Fitting a child seat is possible with ISOFIX mounting points in the outer rear seats, but because space isn’t great you might find bulkier rear-facing seats don’t fit too well. The doors don’t open particularly wide either.

Boot space

The boot capacity is 380 litres, which is fine if the most you carry is the weekly shop, but even the Cupra Born hatchback has a bit more space at 385 litres. The Hyundai Kona Electric is massive by comparison though, at 466 litres, and if you’re able to spend a bit more the Skoda Enyaq outshines even that at 585 litres. The Smart #1 and Volvo EX30 have less boot space at 273 litres and 318 litres respectively.

It’s not like it makes up for a lack of space with some nifty tricks to make the most of the area on offer, as there’s no underfloor storage or hooks for holding bags, but you do at least get a 12V socket. Folding the seats isn’t too difficult because you can reach in from the boot to do it.

The interior design looks pretty posh and the screens are crisp and clear, but it’s lacking in the finer details

First impressions of the Omoda E5’s interior are good. You get two large screens – one for the infotainment and one for the instruments – and the design is classy with materials that all look pretty premium.

There are some neat strips of colour and ambient lighting to lift the interior, and generally material quality feels about right for the price, but it’s easy to find some cheaper plastics in the cabin.

Those prominent screens work really well, though. The 12.3-inch infotainment screen has sharp graphics and it’s quick to respond to inputs, but its menu layouts are confusing so it can take some time to learn where everything is. It’s not always particularly logical, and some of the buttons are small, making them tricky to tap on the move. The 12.3-inch instrument screen is similarly crisp in its appearance and has all the information you need.

You have a single motor and battery option in the Omoda E5. It uses a 204hp motor to power the front wheels, and a 61kWh battery with a range of 257 miles. Official tests put efficiency at 3.8 miles per kWh, which is pretty good and actually exactly what we saw during our time with the car.

That measures up pretty well with alternatives, but where the Omoda E5 is let down slightly is its fast charging. It has a maximum charge speed of 80kW, which isn’t great, and is likely why Omoda claims a 30-80% fast charging time of 28 minutes. Most manufacturers show a fast charge time of under half an hour, but this is usually from 10-80%...

Still, being an electric car means that your company car tax will be very low, and the Omoda E5 has no road tax associated with it either.

The petrol-powered Omoda 5 scored five-out-of-five in Euro NCAP safety tests, and its ratings in each category should translate to the electric model, too.

The vast majority of driver assistance kit is included as standard on the Omoda E5, which is nice because you don’t have to pay extra for safety and security. It comes with adaptive cruise control, front and rear collision warning, lane departure warning and prevention, and rear cross traffic alert.

It’s impossible to predict the Omoda E5’s reliability because the brand is so new to the UK. However, reassuringly the company offers a seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty, which puts it up there with the best available, such as Kia and MG. You also get a separate eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty for the main battery, and Omoda offers roadside assistance support.