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First Drive: Is the Omoda 9 a premium SUV contender?

As with other Chinese-made SUVs the 9 aims to undercut rivals on price, but does it succeed elsewhere? Jack Evans finds out.

By contributor Jack Evans, PA Motoring Reporter
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Supporting image for story: First Drive: Is the Omoda 9 a premium SUV contender?
The new Omoda 9 is here

What is it?

Omoda 9
Omoda falls underneath the wider Chery umbrella

But given that Omoda is still a relative newcomer in the UK car market, can the 9 do enough to tempt buyers away from established alternatives? We’ve driven it in the UK to find out.

What’s new?

Omoda 9
The 9 feels comfortable to drive

Reflecting a confidence in its reliability, Omoda is also offering the 9 with a seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty alongside eight-year coverage of the car’s battery. It’s certainly enough to add some peace of mind to those early days of ownership.

What’s under the bonnet?

Omoda 9
The 1.5-litre engine is linked to a large battery

With 443bhp, the Omoda 9 is also punchier power-wise than you might expect, so you’ll still manage 0-60mph in around 4.7 seconds. The 9’s top speed stands at 124mph, too, though high performance isn’t exactly what this car feels aimed at.

What’s it like to drive?

Omoda 9
The Omoda 9 rivals the likes of the Range Rover Velar

The steering is a touch light off-centre and though this can be weighted up by selecting sportier driving modes, it never feels that natural. However, this lightness makes the 9 very easy to drive in more urban environments. Both wind and road noise are kept pleasantly low and when coupled with the 9’s well-cushioned seats, make it a comfortable car to get around in.

How does it look?

Omoda 9
The 9 has a small number of colour options

You’ve only got five exterior colours, with just ‘Peridot Green’ being the sole ‘alternative’ choice. The remaining options are just greys and whites – it’d be nice to see a little more colour available.

What’s it like inside?

Omoda 9
The interior gets a good blend of screens and physical controls

Rear-seat passengers have got a decent amount of stretch-out space, too, and the outer rear seats can even be reclined for a more first-class experience.

What’s the spec like?

Omoda 9
Physical controls for heating are much needed

For instance, when you’re set up on either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, it’s tricky to get back to the car’s native system for the radio or navigation. All that is required would be a dedicated home button to make this easier. Thankfully, you’ve got physical controls for the heating and ventilation, which makes these far simpler to change when you’re on the move than a screen-only setup. During our time with the car, the radio reception was incredibly patchy, too.

Verdict

The Omoda 9 is the most accomplished car to come from the Chery-based manufacturer so far. It’s finished neatly and has all of the equipment you could need. Keep that massive battery topped up and the 9 will prove cheap to run, too, providing you have access to home charging.

Dynamically, it does little to move the game on, but with its competitive price and spacious design, the 9 is a newcomer which is worth taking seriously.