Omoda 9 Review

Introduction

If you’re not familiar with Omoda, the significant influx of Chinese manufacturers into the UK may have passed you by.

Omoda is one of over a dozen companies that have arrived on these shores over the past year or so, hoping to capitalise on the shifting landscape in the automotive industry.

Some manufacturers are brand new; others have a long history of marketing cars in the East. Many have obscure origins, including ones that started out selling video equipment and refrigerator parts. But while this might make you think of tin-pot automakers producing awful cars, these new manufacturers are deadly serious – and many of the vehicles they’re putting on the market are offering real, credible alternatives to the established brands.

As a result of this latest model, Omoda will soon have three cars on sale in the UK – the 5, 7 and now the 9 (although the 5 is also available as a near-identical electric car, called the E5).

They are all SUVs, and the Omoda 9 – a plug-in hybrid – is the largest of these.

However, Omoda is positioning itself as a premium brand car – and that’s a big claim.

After all, however much it might want to be, a car manufacturer cannot simply say "we're up there with Audi, Mercedes-Benz and BMW" and expect to be taken seriously by the public consciousness. Its place among the luxury brands can only be earned on merit.

So, has Omoda done enough? We have taken one for a test drive to find out.

At A Glance

If you are already familiar with Omoda’s other cars, the basic shape of the Omoda 9 will look instantly familiar, albeit not identical.

There is a large lattice grille on the front, flanked by two large air intakes. The daytime running lights extend down two vertical pieces of bodywork to the extreme sides of the front end.

There is plenty of cladding, too, down below, while the wheel arches are amplified by creases, along with a sizeable indentation at the sides, towards the bottom of the doors.

When viewed from the side, you can also see the pronounced slope in the roofline, which continues to the bottom of the rear windscreen.

At the back, the two sets of taillights are connected by a horizontal light bar, which features the word ‘OMODA’ underneath it.

There is another indentation for the number plate, which sits in the middle, and a largely blank space beneath. The cladding rises to its highest point just under the tailgate, and there’s some protective bodywork at the bottom.

The Omoda 9 also bulges out slightly at the sides, accommodating a couple of rear fog lights.

From some angles, you can see hints of a Range Rover Evoque and Velar, albeit the design is more angular and sculpted, lacking the Velar's smoothness, and there are hints of the Lexus RX, too, especially with the front grille.

Whether it looks a little too 'busy' to be attractive is up for debate, but it certainly won't stick out like a sore thumb on Britain’s roads.

Key Features

The Omoda 9 is available in only one trim level, called Noble.

It features 20-inch alloy wheels, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, DAB radio, satellite navigation, a 14-speaker Sony audio system, and a 12.3-inch digital instrument display.

You also get a wireless phone charger, a panoramic view camera, electric front seat adjustment (six-way for the driver and four-way for the passenger), an electrically openable panoramic sunroof, air conditioning, and a head-up display.

LED headlights and taillights, dynamic indicators, a quad exhaust system, laminated windows, multi-coloured ambient lighting, heated and ventilated front and rear seats, keyless entry/start and power-folding door mirrors are also all included as standard.

Power comes in the form of a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine paired with an electric motor, producing a very substantial 449PS.

It also features all-wheel drive, with the electric motor powering all four wheels, and the engine assisting the front wheels when needed.

Most of the time, though, the engine acts merely as a generator, similar to the setup of Nissan’s e-POWER range, although in Nissan’s system, the engine can’t drive the wheels at all.

Omoda calls its version the Super Hybrid System (SHS).

Range & Batteries

The Omoda 9 is equipped with a 35.36 kWh (34.46 kWh usable) lithium-iron phosphate battery, a new technology that provides more energy while maintaining a lower weight.

That results in an all-electric range of 93 miles.

That is mightily impressive for a plug-in hybrid – most PHEVs manage between 30 and 60, with only a handful reaching more than that without needing the engine.

During our test drive, which took place on a media event in South Africa, we were on course to achieve around 85 miles in warm and occasionally wet weather, which is also very notable; however, expect less in winter.

Real-world range also depends on many factors, including, of course, your driving style.

Given that it's also fitted with a 70-litre fuel tank, Omoda says the vehicle has a combined range of over 700 miles, taking into account both battery power and petrol. Find out more about how range works in an electric vehichle in our complete guide to electric car range.

Performance & Drive

With plenty of power on tap, the Omoda 9 can do 0-62mph in just 4.9 seconds.

That is pacey by any car’s standards – and eye-wateringly quick for what’s a big-ish SUV.

It surges off the line with aplomb and lots of assurance thanks to the all-wheel drive. So you can be confident that when you’re joining a motorway via the entry slip road, or trying to overtake once you’ve done that, it’s still got plenty of capability in reserve.

The transmission is only a three-speed (called Dedicated Hybrid Transmission, or DHT), but don't let that put you off – it's seamless, smooth and quiet, and you don't notice the apparent shortage of gears as much as you’d think.

As a result, when you floor the accelerator pedal, it delivers power quickly and without hesitation as the car picks up speed.

Regardless of the mode you're in, when the battery depletes to 20%, the engine will come into play, gradually charging itself as needed, and ensuring the vehicle retains its efficiency.

This ensures you’re not exclusively using the engine at any point, and when the engine does switch itself on, it’s barely noticeable.

Overall, it feels exceptionally refined to drive, from the powertrain’s perspective.

At lower speeds, the Omoda 9 feels generally comfortable, athough you’ll be quickly reminded that you’re on 20-inch alloys when you hit a bump.

At higher speeds, the 9’s behaviour depends on the road surface.

It feels sophisticated and smooth on well-maintained motorways, but lacks the refinement of established premium brands, and is prone to feeling unsettled by lumpier road surfaces, which Audi and BMW foes would credibly iron out.

Along with the suspension and brakes, the steering can also be adjusted – pre-chosen settings are selected by choosing a driving mode from a switch on the dashboard. At the same time, further tweaks can be made via the infotainment touchscreen.

However, perhaps counterintuitively, given the Omoda 9's straight-line performance, the Sport driving mode is the one that should be avoided, as the suspension becomes excessively harsh.

The steering still feels relatively light, too – it doesn't weight up sufficiently for our liking, considering it's a car with different driving modes. However, it’s accurate enough to give you some confidence in terms of where you're placing the vehicle.

The handling isn't bad, but you'll experience quite a bit of body lean around faster bends. While it doesn’t display cornering prowess by the bucketload, it’s decent enough for a reasonably large car, even if it doesn’t feel athletic or agile.

It won’t be enough to give the BMW X3’s chief designer sleepless nights, though – let alone the Porsche Macan’s.

Nevertheless, while it lacks the sophistication and refinement of experienced and established premium marques, Omoda has done a fine job.

Charging

The Omoda 9 can charge at a maximum DC rate of 70kW.

That means a 30-80% charge takes just over 20 minutes.

Plugging it into a 7kW wallbox will take around five hours to achieve a 0-100% AC top-up. Want more einfo on EV charging? Check out our charging an electric car guide to find out more!

Running Costs & Emissions

The Omoda 9 returns up to 201.8mpg with a fully charged battery (although expect to achieve around 40-45mpg if the battery is empty), emitting 38g/km of CO2.

These emissions, coupled with its official electric range of 93 miles, mean the Omoda 9 PHEV falls into the 5% band for Benefit-in-Kind tax.

That should make it a popular choice as a company car, although an electric car will be treated even more favourably by HM Revenue & Customs.

Road tax won’t be cheap, however, thanks to the list price being above £40,000, meaning the Expensive Car Supplement applies.

In practice, that means you’ll pay an extra £425 a year for years two to six, in addition to the standard £195 road tax payment, though the first year only costs £110.

The supplement, informally known as the ‘luxury car tax’, is currently under review, but the Government is yet to announce any plans to raise the £40,000 threshold.

Interior & Technology

The interior of the Omoda 9 is very nice indeed.

It has a really premium feel, with an imposing flat-bottomed steering wheel covered in double spokes between 3 and 9 o’clock.

The steering wheel features haptic touch buttons that generate a 'clicking' sensation through your fingers, even though they don't physically depress when pushed, and they feel very realistic.

There is a lovely centre console that rises towards and connects to the dashboard, making you feel cocooned. The centre console cubby is surrounded by silver décor, which extends up and around three dials on the dash.

This enclosed feeling is enhanced by the cockpit-like dashboard, which is dominated by a single wide unit which houses both the infotainment screen and the digital instrument display.

At 12.3 inches, the infotainment screen looks the part, too, with a high-resolution display, attractive graphics and a modern interface – and the screen responds swiftly to your inputs.

Admittedly, there are numerous options within the screen, which can be confusing to use. The menu layout is complex and unintuitive, and some of the icons are on the small side, making them difficult to hit accurately when on the move.

Next to it is the digital driver's display, which offers identical, crisp, and clear graphics, but it also feels cluttered and unnecessarily overcomplicated.

We feared such a detailed system would inevitably mean that Omoda had buried the air conditioning controls within the touchscreen, but thankfully, we were proven wrong.

Instead, temperature settings are operated by dials on the lower part of the dashboard, as is the driving mode selector.

This is far more convenient to adjust on the move than by prodding away at a touchscreen.

The build quality feels good – there are lots of plush surfaces, and even the damping on the switches and buttons feels like no expense has been spared.

Omoda has done a great job with the cabin design. It is sophisticated, opulent and even ostentatious in parts. Posh, it certainly is.

Practicality & Boot Space

Finding a good driving position is a piece of cake thanks to the six-way powered adjustment in the driver's seat (the front passenger seat also gets four-way electric adjustment). However, rivals certainly offer more travel in the seats and steering wheel.

You will have no issues getting comfortable, with the seats feeling absorbing and relaxing to sit in. Legroom and headroom are also plentiful.

The wide centre console should also mean you're not competing for elbow room if someone is sitting next to you.

The great news is that the generous amount of space extends into the rear as well.

There is a civilised amount of headroom despite the sloping roofline, in part thanks to the panoramic roof, which extends into the back, meaning you gain an inch or two of space thanks to the glass being positioned higher up than the rest of the ceiling.

You will also find more than enough legroom to stretch out, so even taller adult passengers in the back are unlikely to feel too enclosed.

Forward visibility is reasonably good, thanks to the swept-back windscreen and the relatively thin pillars. They are much thicker at the back, though, not helped by large black borders on the small third window behind the C-pillar. However, front and rear parking sensors mitigate this, along with what Omoda calls a ‘540-degree’ camera, which we’ll explain shortly.

Boot space is 660 litres, which is more than enough for most competitors, although a handful still offer significantly more.

Space expands to 1,783 litres with the rear seats folded in a 60:40 split; however, some opponents offer a more versatile 40:20:40 split.

Safety

The Omoda 9 has recently been crash-tested by Euro NCAP safety experts and achieved a top five-star rating.

It scored 90% for adult occupants, 85% for children and 80% for safety assists.

In the Omoda 9, these assists include automatic emergency braking, lane change assist, lane departure prevention, front collision warning, driver monitoring system, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, and auto parking assist.

Many of the safety systems aren't as well implemented as those on some cars and seem overly sensitive and interfering, leading us to turn several of them off via the infotainment system.

As a result, if taking advantage of such technology is high on your priority list, we’d recommend taking it for a lengthy test drive first.

You also get front and rear parking sensors, as well as what Omoda refers to as a ‘540-degree’ camera system. In practice, it's only 360 degrees, but it uses a set of wide-angle cameras that can generate a digitised view, which, on a screen, makes the car appear transparent. Clever stuff.

Options

There isn’t an options list on the 9 – Omoda has thrown everything in as standard to tempt you away from more established brands.

The only choice you’ll face is what colour you want.

White is the default shade, while dark grey, black, light grey, and light green are available for an additional cost.

Rival Cars

The Omoda 9 has plenty of challengers.

Given Omoda is positioning it as a premium car, it'll go up against the likes of the BMW X3, Lexus RX, Mercedes-Benz GLC PHEV, Range Rover Velar and the Volvo XC60.

Audi has also announced a PHEV version of its Q5.

However, there are also a host of other motors, including the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Peugeot 3008, Skoda Kodiaq, and the Volkswagen duo of the T-Roc and Tiguan.

The Cupra Terramar and Toyota RAV4 are also worth considering.

Verdict & Next Steps

Taken in isolation, the Omoda 9 is tempting to lease.

It boasts a fabulous equipment list, plenty of poke, superb all-electric range and fuel economy, and a very nice interior that screams sophistication. Plus, it’s very practical in terms of cabin space and boot capacity.

However, the handling isn’t on par with established premium marques, nor does it feel as well-planted. The huge alloys hinder the ride comfort, and the infotainment screen is overcomplicated and unintuitive to use, despite being visually appealing.

While it’s considerably cheaper to lease than premium rivals, it still competes against impressively priced PHEV alternatives, such as those from Hyundai and Kia, which have proven track records.

And plenty of similar cars out there are just as good to drive, if not better, for similar money, and in that respect, while the Omoda 9 has got a lot going for it, it becomes a lot tougher to justify.

However, unlike many non-premium competitors, it’s got opulence in abundance – and that might just be enough to swing the argument in its favour.

Where to next?

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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 9 SUV

**Correct as of 21/07/2025. Based on 9 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 36 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments, or £3,789.90 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.