Chic new Omoda has the show. And serious go
Chery’s stylish sub-brand is no longer just finding its feet in the ultra-competitive family crossover arena. This new C7 steps Omoda up a division to deliver a striking mid-size SUV that probably does best at turning heads.
The next one up, C7 trades its smaller C5’s quirky polarising cues for a substantially broader, more authoritative stance. Flanked by sharp, ultra-slim LED lighting signatures and a flowing fastback silhouette, it radiates street presence.
Better yet, there’s genuine mechanical substance hiding under all that catwalk-ready sheet metal. Armed with a peppy 145 kW 290 Nm 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine turning the front wheels, the C7 promises open-road punch to back up its high-fashion intent.
BOLD STYLING, CONTEMPORARY PROPORTIONS
Viewed in profile, the C7 strikes an athletic, balanced SUV silhouette on its 2,720 mm wheelbase. The coupe-like roofline arches gracefully toward the tailgate without chewing much into rear occupant headroom or practical luggage volume.
A frameless, jewel-cut parametric grille dominates the front end to give the C7 an unmistakably upscale aesthetic. Flush deployable door handles, chiselled body sides, and smart aero alloy wheels complete a clean and cohesive design package.
It’s a welcome and mature evolution over earlier Omoda designs. And like its million buck big brother C9, this mid-ranger commands genuine parking-lot envy, with a convincing look and feel that create the impression it fits a considerably steeper price bracket.
BUT WAIT! WHERE ARE ALL THE BUTTONS & KNOBS?
Cross the threshold and you’re greeted by an ultra-modern, uncluttered cockpit devoid of most knobs and buttons. However, while this wholesale digital minimalism is great for nerds, stripping the sculptural centre console of conventional tactile switchgear is probably a step too far for boomers and gen X folk most likely in a position to buy it.
Relegating mirror adjustments, ventilation fans, and drive modes to a digital panel is far from ideal. Not only does it take the driver’s attention far away from the road, making it a huge safety hazard, but it is also practically impossible to operate on an average stretch of African tarmac.
Fortunately, Omoda’s underlying user software interface is quicker and more intuitive than most rival systems. Response times are crisp, graphic resolution is sharp, and the most vital operational sub-menus remain straightforward to access, if you can touch the right bit of that screen on the fly, that is.
SURPRISING PUNCH, SERIOUS MID-RANGE URGE
Strap on the VBox, and the C7 wastes no time proving that it’s deceptively quick, too. Hooking up neatly off the line, it surges through the 60 km/h mark in just 3.75 seconds and goes on to hit 100 km/h from standstill in 7.91 seconds flat.
That comfortably outperforms Omoda’s conservative factory claim. The standing quarter-mile is dispatched in a swift 15.9 seconds at 144 km/h, along with a brisk 5.32-second 80–120 km/h overtaking punch that is more than enough to surprise that unsuspecting hot hatch.
Best of all, that mid-range urge is backed up by refined road manners when you settle down. Out on the open road, the C7 isolates its occupants with fine acoustic dampening and a serene cruising demeanour, eating up highway kilometres with the quiet composure of an effortless cross-country cruiser.
A PLUSH TOURER WITH A FEW CRITICAL QUIRKS
Urban ride is however a touch brittle, and steering feel, bum-in-the-seat feedback, and pedal feel are, albeit on the better side, still typically Chinese cardboard. Furthermore, overly zealous and chatty ADAS safety alerts, coupled with unmarked capacitive steering wheel controls, require some getting used to.
Once up to national cruising speeds, however, cabin vibrations and wind flutter disappear into the background. The sculpted front buckets provide comfy long-distance support, while rear-seat passengers enjoy executive legroom on a flat cabin floor.
All in all, besides the usual Chinese quirks and missing the knobs and buttons the average human being needs to functionally operate a motorcar, Chery’s new C7 has impressive muscle under the hood to match its chic runway appeal. Even if some traditional badges now rival that apparent price advantage. – Michele Lupini
Images & Testing: Giordano Lupini
ROAD TESTED: Omoda C7 1.6T Elegance
Engine: 145 kW 290 Nm 1.6-litre turbo petrol I4
Drive: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic FWD
TESTED:
0–60 km/h: 3.75 sec
0–100 km/h: 7.91 sec
0–120 km/h: 10.96 sec
0–160 km/h: 20.06 sec
1/4-mile: 15.92 sec @ 143.8 km/h
80–120 km/h: 5.32 sec
120–160 km/h: 9.09 sec
CLAIMED:
VMax: 190 km/h
Fuel: 7.5 l/100 km
CO2: 171 g/km
Warranty/Service: 5y/150K km/5y/70K km
List Price: R589K
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