“Is that your music playing?” my friend asked me as we got into the Chery Omoda 5 EX on Saturday night. “No, I think it’s the car’s!” I told her.
In fact, it was the car’s. And along with the tunes that can best be described as ‘elevator music’ that were automatically playing as we got into the car that night, a LED lightshow was also happening on the dashboard and the car’s informational screen was showing a futuristic background screensaver. With the LED lightshow, screensaver show and lift music, it felt like we’d stepped into a spaceship.
Not in fact, cars of today. Well, specifically, this Chery Omoda 5 EX, the brand’s latest model, an SUV, which arrived in Australia at the start of 2023. If you haven’t heard of the brand Chery before, you’re not alone — neither had I until I trialled the car for a weekend road trip.
A relatively new face in Australia, Chery is one of China’s biggest car brands – and one with a significant global footprint. In 2002, its sales topped 1.2 million. Sales in international markets accounts for 451,337 cars, an increase of 68% year on year.
“The Chery Omoda 5 is everything Australians are looking for in a sleek and stylish SUV,” said Chery Australia CEO, Andy Zhang, at the time of its launch. “It pairs fun-to-drive dynamics with a premium look and feel, a high-tech cabin experience and world-class safety.”
The car comes as an Omoda 5 and Omoda 5 EX, with both models powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine, producing 115kW and 230Nm, and for peace of mind, with no less than seven built-in airbags.
Both models are also equipped with keyless entry with push-button start, a 10.25-inch driver display and a 10.25-inch central infortainment screen that shows where other cars are in relation to you on the road and when you’re parallel parking, through the help of a 360-degree around-view camera.
The Omodo 5 EX has a red detailing on its exterior (‘cherry red’, should I say?), synthetic leather seats and a powered sunroof. At night, next to the passenger and driver seat, ‘OMODA’ could be seen lit up on the pavement, which my friends and I were quite excited about. The EX model also has heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and a powered boot.
Like all Chery models, the Omoda has a “Hello Chery” voice-control feature that lets you make calls or change the music without having to take your hands off the wheel. Helpfully, it also had a wireless charging dock above its gear controls where I placed my phone to charge once I’d connected to Apple CarPlay.
Every new Chery in Australia now comes with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, seven years of roadside assistance and seven years capped-price servicing.
Related: How to Plan the Ultimate Road Trip Across Australia
Related: 5 Holiday Parks in Victoria That Will Make You Want to Buy a Caravan
Read more stories from The Latch and subscribe to our email newsletter.
