If you’ve been keeping an eye on the automotive landscape, you’ve probably noticed Chinese car brands making serious waves in Australia. The latest to turn heads is the Omoda 9, and frankly, it’s nothing like what you might expect from a Chinese SUV. This isn’t just another budget option trying to undercut established players – it’s a genuine performance machine that’s rewriting the rulebook.
What Makes the Omoda 9 Special?
The Omoda 9 represents a significant milestone for Chery’s premium sub-brand, Omoda Jaecoo. At $61,990 before on-road costs, it’s the most expensive vehicle the Chinese automotive giant has ever brought to Australian shores. But before you dismiss it as overpriced, consider what you’re getting for that money.
This isn’t just about prestige pricing – the Omoda 9 packs a serious punch. With a combined output of 395kW, it’s officially the most powerful vehicle in the entire Chery group lineup. To put that in perspective, we’re talking about supercar levels of power in a practical SUV package.
Performance That Surprises
The heart of the Omoda 9 is its sophisticated plug-in hybrid system. While many manufacturers are still figuring out how to make hybrids exciting, Omoda has created something genuinely thrilling. The system combines a 1.5-liter turbocharged petrol engine with not one, not two, but three electric motors.
Here’s how it breaks down: the petrol engine produces 105kW and 215Nm, while the electric motors contribute 75kW/170Nm and 90kW/220Nm at the front, plus a hefty 175kW/310Nm at the rear. This setup doesn’t just provide all-wheel drive capability – it delivers a 0-100km/h time of just 4.9 seconds. That’s faster than many sports cars and puts it in seriously quick company.
Real-World Practicality Meets Performance
Range and Efficiency
One of the biggest concerns people have about hybrid vehicles is whether they actually deliver on their efficiency promises in real-world driving. The Omoda 9 tackles this with a substantial 34kWh battery pack that provides 169km of electric-only range under NEDC testing conditions.
Now, we all know real-world range often differs from testing figures, but even if you achieve 80% of that claimed range, you’re looking at around 135km of silent, emission-free driving. For most people’s daily commutes, that means you could potentially drive on electricity alone for several days before needing to fire up the petrol engine.
When you do need the petrol engine, the total combined range stretches to an impressive 1100km. That’s the kind of touring range that makes long road trips genuinely feasible without range anxiety.
Size and Space
The Omoda 9 isn’t trying to be a compact crossover. At 4775mm long, 1920mm wide, and 1671mm tall, it’s a properly sized SUV that should comfortably accommodate families and their gear. The 2800mm wheelbase is particularly noteworthy – it’s actually longer than what you’ll find in many premium European SUVs, which typically translates to more rear passenger space.
To give you some context, it’s dimensionally similar to the Mazda CX-60, another PHEV SUV that’s been well-received in Australia, but the Omoda 9 offers a 70mm longer wheelbase, potentially meaning more interior room where it counts.
What You Actually Get for Your Money
Equipment and Features
At $61,990, the Omoda 9 comes in a single, fully-loaded trim called “Virtue.” This is actually refreshing in a market where manufacturers often nickle-and-dime you with endless option packages. When you buy an Omoda 9, you’re getting everything the company thinks you need.
While the full specification list wasn’t detailed in the initial announcement, the “fully loaded” description suggests you won’t be left wanting for features. This approach mirrors what many successful Chinese brands have done – offer tremendous value by including equipment that would be expensive options on European or Japanese competitors.
Design Choices
The Omoda 9’s design philosophy is refreshingly straightforward. You get four exterior color options – white, grey, silver, and black – and a mandatory black interior. Some might see this as limiting, but there’s something to be said for focusing on getting the fundamentals right rather than overwhelming buyers with choices.
The design itself follows Omoda’s sleeker aesthetic, distinguishing it from the more traditionally SUV-styled Jaecoo models in the same showroom. This positioning makes sense – Omoda is clearly targeting buyers who want something that looks more contemporary and car-like rather than truck-based.
The Bigger Picture: What This Means for Australian Buyers
Market Positioning
The Omoda 9’s arrival represents a significant shift in how we should think about Chinese automotive brands. This isn’t a budget alternative trying to compete on price alone – it’s a legitimate performance SUV that happens to come from China.
At just under $62,000, it’s positioned to compete with established premium brands rather than undercut them. This confidence in pricing suggests Omoda believes its product can stand on its own merits, which is a notable evolution from the early days of Chinese cars in Australia.
Warranty and Support
One area where Chinese brands have consistently impressed is warranty coverage, and the Omoda 9 continues this tradition. The eight-year, unlimited-kilometer warranty applies to both the vehicle and the high-voltage battery system. Add in eight years of roadside assistance and capped-price servicing, and you’re looking at ownership peace of mind that many established brands can’t match.
Should You Consider It?
The Omoda 9 arriving in Australian showrooms from early August presents an interesting proposition. If you’re in the market for a performance SUV with hybrid efficiency, the traditional options have typically meant looking at premium European or Japanese brands with price tags to match.
The Omoda 9 offers something different: genuine performance credentials, impressive efficiency numbers, and comprehensive warranty coverage at a price point that undercuts many established competitors. Whether it can deliver on these promises in real-world ownership will ultimately determine its success, but on paper, it’s certainly compelling.
For buyers who are open to trying something new and want the latest in hybrid technology without the premium badge surcharge, the Omoda 9 could be worth serious consideration. After all, in an automotive world that’s changing rapidly, sometimes the most interesting options come from the most unexpected places.