Omoda 5 aims to set new benchmark for SUVs

OMODA is benchmarking premium in rivals with its first UK offering, the Omoda 5 SUV, which will land in dealers here next spring. And based on an early preview of the 5 in a London studio, the Chinese maker is on track to pose a serious threat to well established models such as the Nissan Qashqai and Hyundai Tucson.

- John Mcllroy

This is a family-sized SUV - a little shorter than the Qashqai, but longer than the B-segment Hyundai Kona, a vehicle cited by Omoda's engineering chief Peter Matkin as a key rival. The 5 will be offered as an EV at launch, with a 61kWh battery and a range of 280 miles, plus a hybrid is expected later.

But the core model at launch will feature a 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine, front-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. It produces 187bhp and 275Nm, and while Omoda is still awaiting final verification, it should return somewhere approaching 40mpg on the combined WLTP test. The car already has a five-star Euro NCAP rating, earned in testing last year.

From the outside, the Noble trim level that we were presented with in the studio has a complex front grille (the EV's will be cleaner and more flush to reflect its powertrain), and red styling flashes in areas such as the side-mirror supports and some parts of the 18-inch alloy wheels.

The overall profile is quite rakish by SUV standards, with a blacked-out C-pillar helping to deliver a 'floating roof effect.

Inside, it's easier to see how Matkin's team have aimed high by benchmarking Audi and Mercedes, in the hope of getting close enough to those premium brands' level of execution - and to embarrass the 5's real rivals. The finish is smart, and build quality feels up there with some of the strongest offerings in the family SUV class.

There are hard plastics on some areas of the doors and dash, including a hefty chunk of piano-black trim on the centre console. But in general, the parts you're likely to touch have dense, padded material - and although some of the switches are recognisable off-the-peg items from established suppliers, they seem solid enough. Even the simple rotary volume control is nicely weighted and damped.