Omoda 7 (2026) Review

Introduction

If you’re into cars, or you’ve simply been watching what’s out and about on the UK’s roads, you may have noticed an unfamiliar name: Omoda. Granted, there are many others, too: Jaecoo, BYD, Leapmotor, GWM, and XPeng are just a handful of Chinese brands that have recently joined the party.

Some have been more successful than others so far, but most have one thing in common: huge equipment lists as standard.

With no previous consumer trust to fall back on, some are throwing the kitchen sink at their offerings, with even entry-level models coming with equipment that would cost hundreds as optional extras in more established brands. Omoda is one such manufacturer.

It is not to be confused with Jaecoo, though the two companies share many things in common. Both are sub-brands of the Chinese powerhouse Chery (which also markets cars under its own name), and both have closely related, confusingly similar vehicles in the UK.

Omoda and Jaecoo also share their fast-growing network of UK dealerships: together, they’ve recently opened their 100th base here, with plans to grow it by roughly 30% more soon. But what of their cars? Well, the small-ish Omoda 5 - the manufacturer’s first car to be launched in Britain - has proven popular, becoming the best-selling car in the Greater London area in 2025.

That wasn’t reflected nationally, but becoming ‘King of the Capital’ in your first year isn’t something to be downtrodden. It was followed by the large Omoda 9 SUV last summer – and now the bridge between them is here: the mid-size Omoda 7.

What are the Pros & Cons of the Omoda 7?

Pros:

• Well- equipped and great value
• PHEV has a decent all electric-range
• Spacious, nice-looking cabin 

Cons:

• Poor rearward visibility
• Not engaging to drive
• Complicated infotainment system

What are the first impressions of the Omoda 7?

Omoda says its design is based on the philosophy of ‘art in motion’. The fact that it was unveiled publicly at London Fashion Week rather than at a motor show is quite telling.

It is easy to see why: the front has a borderless grille that blends into the bodywork, while thin triangular headlights make the car look futuristic. There is a sharp nose with a steep drop-off to the very vertical grille, which sits above a vertically-spoked lower grille, beneath the front number plate.

The car's SUV credentials are highlighted by cladding along the lower sides, including the wheel arches, and it thickens slightly at the car’s mid-point. At the rear, the tailgate features a diagonal section followed by a vertical drop-off, split by a light bar spanning its full width, with the Omoda name above, and the number plate beneath.

While not looking exactly alike, there’s a hint of the Range Rover Evoque about the rear. It really looks the part - and is a welcome departure from plenty of SUVs today, which, though not ugly, appear a little bland and samey. Little wonder it has appeared at a fashion show.

What are the Omoda 7’s key features?

The Omoda 7 is offered in two trim levels, both well equipped. Entry-level Knight comes with 19-inch alloy wheels, a 15.6-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SatNav, and voice control, an 8.88-inch digital instrument cluster, and a six-speaker Sony premium sound system. You also get dual-zone air conditioning with air purification, a wireless phone charger, a rear-view camera, six-way powered driver's seat adjustment, and a heated eco-leather steering wheel.

Top-of-the-range Noble upgrades to 20-inch alloys, a 540-degree panoramic camera (we’ll explain this later), four-way electrically adjustable front passenger seats, a panoramic sunroof, and a powered tailgate. You receive the same Sony sound system, but with 12 speakers - and you get ventilated front seats. The top-spec model also includes a fragrance system and upgraded two-zone voice control for the air conditioning, which can detect where the speaker is sitting, so it automatically adjusts the temperature in the front or back.

Pure petrol power is set to arrive later in 2026 with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine producing 147PS. It will be connected to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission – and will only come in entry-level trim. For now, though, the only powertrain option is Omoda’s Super Hybrid System (SHS) - and that’s where the real innovation is found. Omada’s SHS is a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol mill paired with an electric motor, delivering a combined 204PS. It is mated to what Omoda calls a DHT (dedicated hybrid transmission), a one-speed unit that manages power flow between the engine and the motor.

The SHS is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), but the engine will act as a generator when required, charging the battery when it runs low, maintaining some hybridity at all times. Omoda claims the SHS is the world’s most thermally efficient engine at 44.5%.

What is the range of the Omoda 7 SHS, and what are the battery options?

The Omoda 7 SHS comes with an 18.3kWh battery and an all-electric range of 56 miles on a full charge. That is a civilised figure, which beats some foes, though some can go around 20 miles further nowadays. Omoda says that, when combined with a full 60-litre tank of fuel, its overall range is over 700 miles.

What’s the performance and drive like with the Omoda 7?

The petrol Omoda 7 will do 0-62mph in 10.4 seconds, which is on a par with its rivals, but we’re driving the more potent SHS in Knight trim, which shaves two seconds off that time. The SUV’s electric motor primarily handles low-speed acceleration from a standing start, but you can adjust the engine's priority by changing driving modes. In Eco mode, though, you could feasibly do a medium-distance journey on just the batteries, thanks to its impressive all-electric range. 

The car feels like it was built to be used without the engine, too, demonstrating suitable responsiveness when relying just on the electric motor. That makes it great for around-town driving, where it feels pacey enough to make progress on ring roads, yet smooth enough not to feel tiresome in stop-start traffic.

The Omoda 7 easily gets you up to a fair lick before the engine kicks in and, when it does, it helps you continue up to motorway speed. Using Sport mode sharpens the accelerator response, but while fine if you want a burst of acceleration on a fast road, it quickly becomes jerky and jarring as momentum decreases.

The SHS’s engine is quiet and only really noticeable when it's worked hard. Ride comfort is supposedly a strength, with Omoda claiming its hydraulic suspension improves it by 30%, but while that may be true, the Omoda 7 isn’t a class-leader.

The car we’re testing has 20-inch alloys, which doesn’t help the absorption - if anything, the ride feels quite firm. It irons out potholes and bumps well and never feels unstable, but it isn't as well-planted as more refined competitors like the MG HS.

Around corners, a firmer suspension usually means better handling, but it doesn’t have the excitement of the likes of the Ford Kuga, which is more driver-focused. Nevertheless, for a mid-size SUV, it has plenty of hold around bends and resists body lean well – it just lacks the engagement of more refined contenders. One welcome trait of Omoda, including its parent brand, Chery, and sister marque, Jaecoo, is its willingness to listen to feedback.

Jaecoo's early models generated complaints about excessively intrusive driver-assistance systems and braking. This has been improved in the Omoda 7, with better progression as you press the brake pedal. The driver assistance is still keener to intervene than in some rivals, but nowhere near the infuriating levels of initial Omoda/Jaceoo/Chery cars. 

The regenerative braking system is okay but not perfect, lacks a meaningful difference between the modes, and one-pedal driving isn't possible even in its most ferocious setting. The Omoda 7 SHS is very hushed at speed, thanks to acoustically treated glass and active noise cancellation. However, you'll notice more tyre noise at pace than with some competitors.

How fast can the Omoda 7 SHS charge?

The Omoda 7 SHS can charge at a maximum rate of 40kW DC. While slow compared with EVs, it's worth remembering that, as a PHEV, the Omoda 7's battery is much smaller than an EV's, so it still charges to full quickly.

It is also worth bearing in mind that some PHEVs can’t do DC fast charging at all, so are restricted to around 7kW AC charging. A 30-80% DC top-up takes around 20 minutes, though most other manufacturers quote times for 10-80%, so beware of marketing tactics when comparing times. Omoda hasn’t announced charging times using a 7kW AC home wallbox, though it’ll likely take three to four hours for a full 0-100% top-up.

What are the running costs and emissions for the Omoda 7 SHS?

Choose the SHS, and you'll be happy with official economy figures of 403mpg and 23g/km of CO2. Alongside its 56-mile all-electric range, running costs will be kept low. The SHS will be cheap as a company car, too, sitting in the 9% Benefit-In-Kind tax band, though some PHEV opponents sit in a lower band due to their longer electric range.

No PHEV will be able to outperform an EV in terms of BIK tax bands, though.

What’s the interior and technology like with the Omoda 7?

Omoda positions itself as a premium marque and, while it takes years to carve out a reputation, it's done its claims justice with the 7’s interior. It is a minimalist design that looks lovely and features a wide cabin with a thick centre console, a two-tiered dashboard, and a steering wheel that’s more 'square with rounded edges' than circular.

Ambient lighting bathes the cabin in a glow, while a glossy piano-black trim surrounds the wheel's multi-function buttons. However, apart from the ends of the indicator stalks, the central armrest cubby’s border and a row of buttons next to it, there’s not much silver décor to break up the otherwise singular black interior.

Nevertheless, the rest of the cabin barely disappoints. The main 15.6-inch infotainment touchscreen takes centre stage, like a tablet perched on the centre console, next to the wheel. Its 2.5k high-resolution display offers clear, attractive, contemporary graphics with sensibly sized icons which are easy to hit while driving. A handful of shortcut buttons can be found on a swipe-down menu from the top of the screen, too.

However, the system has too much depth, with many features hidden in submenus that require multiple presses to find. It is a faff to use unless you learn it like the back of your hand. 

Behind the wheel is the very precisely-sized 8.88-inch digital instrument display, which provides an informative view of critical stats, such as speed and remaining range. But, some of the text is small, the customisability is limited, and you have to press a couple of buttons on the wheel every time you want to scroll through its screens.

The criticisms are minor blotches on what’s otherwise a very nicely designed cabin. There are lots of quality materials and soft-to-the-touch upholstery dotted about the place, and it feels more upmarket than many challengers.

Is the Omoda 7 practical, and how big is the boot?

Finding a comfy driving position is simple thanks to six-way electric adjustment in the driving seat, which is standard on all models. The higher Noble trim we’re testing adds four-way power adjustment for the front passenger’s seat, and there’s ample travel in the chairs and steering wheel. Four-way electrically adjustable lumbar support is standard on our Noble model, too.

The Omoda 7 provides an elevated vista of the road ahead, and the front pillars are relatively thin, offering an unobstructed view at junctions. The view out of the back isn't as good, hampered by the car's sloping roofline, which makes the rear windscreen shallower.

Thankfully, front and rear parking sensors are included, with a rear-view camera on entry-level Knight trim, and a so-called “540-degree” panoramic view camera on our higher model. The name comes from the fact that the camera combines images to let you see through the car on the screen, as if it were transparent. You will find lots of space up front, with a stack of headroom and legroom, while the wide centre console helps keep your shoulders apart from a fellow front-seat occupant.

There is also plenty of rear space, with impressive legroom compared with most rivals, while the panoramic sunroof in our Noble test car doesn’t compromise rear headroom, despite the subtle slope to the car’s roofline.

In terms of boot space, the petrol version offers 639 litres, but in our SHS, it's reduced to 590 litres because the underfloor storage is used to accommodate the 18.3kWh battery. Nevertheless, even this capacity is good enough to beat many other SUVs of this ilk.

The seats fold in a 60/40 arrangement, typical for this class, though a few peers offer a more versatile 40/20/40 rear seat split. With the rear seats folded, cargo space balloons to 1,417 litres. The cabin includes plenty of storage, including a large, lidded cubby in the centre console, between the pad for the wireless phone charger and the central armrests, beneath which is another cubby. There is a large glove compartment, too, along with big door bins.

How safe is the Omoda 7?

The Omoda 7 has yet to be tested by Euro NCAP, the safety experts, but most Jaecoos, Omodas and Cherys assessed so far have earned five stars. 

The Omoda 7 SHS comes with a large collection of driving aids, including autonomous emergency braking, traffic congestion assist, adaptive cruise control, lane change assist, and forward collision warning. You also get lane departure prevention, emergency lane-keeping assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and a driver monitoring system, plus the parking sensors and cameras we mentioned earlier.

Can I choose optional extras with the Omoda 7?

There aren’t many options to pick from. Like many Chinese brands, Omoda throws everything at the car as standard to tempt people who might otherwise have to fork out thousands more on optional extras.

This is certainly necessary when Omoda has no prior UK reputation to fall back on. You can, though, select the body colour, with white as the default, while silver, dark grey, a greeny-grey, and black are the paid-for alternatives.

What are the rival cars to the Omoda 7?

There are a whole bunch of quality mid-size SUVs on the car leasing market these days. The Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson and Volkswagen Tiguan are just three, while MG offers the HS, and Toyota has the RAV4.

There is also the Ford Kuga and Honda CR-V – and let’s not forget another Chinese competitor, BYD, which has the Sealion 5. Sister brand Jaecoo also offers its ‘7’ SUV for similar money. One car you might not have considered is the Geely Starray, a fellow Chinese contender.

At the premium end of the market, there’s the Audi Q3 e-hybrid.

What’s the final verdict on the Omoda 7?

The Omoda 7 SHS has heaps of positives, with a respectable electric-only range, impressive standard equipment, and a stylish, spacious cabin that beats many foes - and it’s a great price for a PHEV. However, it lacks the refinement of more expensive competitors, including some non-premium models, and the ride quality isn’t the best.

SUVs aren’t known for awesome driving dynamics, but even factoring that in, the Omoda 7 isn’t overly engaging to drive, while the minimalist interior, nice as it may look, forces you to use the overcomplicated touchscreen for almost everything.

Reliability can’t be guaranteed, given Omoda is new, but all the latest Chinese brands are in the same boat. Our higher Noble model is fab, but there's nothing wrong with the entry-level Knight, which still offers an equipment list unmatched by many players.

If you want a breathtaking drive, look elsewhere. But if value for money, economy, practicality and a nice-looking interior are priorities, the Omoda 7 SHS should be on your list of cars to consider leasing.

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the Omoda 7

**Correct as of 20/03/2026. Based on 12 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 36 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 12 monthly payments, or £2,602.08 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.

Every lease deal is a fixed monthly cost for the whole of your contract, apart from changes to government costs, e.g. VAT changes or road fund license cost changes and in certain specific cases where the funder changes the price. Electric range quoted is WLTP.

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