First Drive: Omoda E5
A new brand for the UK market brings more EV choice for drivers. John Challen gets behind the wheel.
WHAT IS IT? Electric C-SUV HOW MUCH? From £33,500 RANGE: 257 miles (WLTP) CHARGE 30-80%: 28 minutes (80kW)
The news that the Chinese are coming to the UK automotive market is nothing new and has been touted for some time – much to the concern of some drivers. However, in the case of Omoda, it’s somewhat of a known quantity, the company’s owner being Chery, which currently has 12 million drivers around the world with its different auto brands.
The task for Omoda is to grow the European proportion and the goal is to achieve sales of 30,000 in 2025 and 40,000 by 2026. Kicking things off is the Omoda 5 and its electric counterpart, the E5, which is what we’ll focus on here. It’s a car built for Europe and developed in Europe, specifically on UK roads – historically a benchmark for manufacturers to hone ride and handling.
Going for the volume, it’s another C-SUV but, with prices starting at £33,055 (the 1.6-litre petrol equivalent comes in at £25,235), it is aiming to be more like a B-segment contender – and straddles the two sectors, size-wise. The spec certainly helps the value proposition with two 12.3-inch screens, the second angled slightly towards the driver for a better view. The driver’s screen is clear and customisable, with essential information such as speed, range and power usage detailed. There’s voice control included for easier instruction inputs, while Omoda says a remote-control app is on its way.
Beneath the floor of the E5, there’s a 61kWh battery pack, featuring lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry for a more efficient offering and balance of range, performance and cost. It’s a single motor configuration, with 201hp and 340Nm of torque. That’s enough power to take the E5 to 62mph from a standstill in 7.6 seconds. In keeping with a lot of the European competition, there are three drive modes: Eco, Comfort and Sport. The WLTP driving range for the E5 is quoted as 257 miles.
Two grades are available on the E5, Comfort and Noble (the latter priced from £34,555), with the base model being a decent spec. The Chinese brand clearly recognises the importance of having creature comforts and a certain level of quality in order to compete offerings from legacy manufacturers. That means on the Comfort there are LED lights all round, a 3D camera for parking assistance, powered tailgate and six-way power adjustment for the driver’s seat – and much more. Choosing the Noble version adds that capability to the passenger seat, as well as seat heating, dual-zone climate control and a heat pump. There’s also an upgraded stereo here, a Sony surround sound system that sounded decent on our test drive. All models come with 11 airbags, a large suite of ADAS and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
The Omoda E5 might surprise some people, but it shouldn’t because the brand knows what it takes to get buy-in from drivers. On the road, it’s a very capable companion in town and out on A-roads – quiet, comfortable and plenty of room up front. In a sector is crowded, you could do worse…
The Lowdown
Key fleet model: Noble
Thumbs up: Value; spec level; comfort
Thumbs down: Lack of brand awareness; limited rear space
Seven-word summary: A promising debut from the new entrant
Also consider: Kia Niro EV; MG 4; Volkswagen ID.3
John Challen
John previously edited International Fleet World magazine, and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role, having been in automotive journalism for more than 20 years. Over those two decades, he has researched and written about a vast range of automotive topics, including fleet, EVs, engineering, design, retail and the aftermarket.
