We are fully committed to keeping you up-to-date with all the new models from Chery (the parent brand), Jaecoo and Omoda (the export-focused sub-brands) being launched in New Zealand. But it's not easy; no promises.
Anyway, the latest is the Omoda 9, a luxurious 5-seat SUV that serves as the flagship for the brand. Omoda is already represented in NZ by the C5 (petrol) and E5 (electric) compact-SUVs; it's the more urban-crossover-kinda-thing of Chery's sub-brands, while Jaecoo focuses on a more traditional 4x4 vibe.
The Omoda 9 is a big step up from the C5: at nearly 4.8m in length it's a large SUV (albeit one with just 5 seats), which could be seen as a rival for anything from a BYD Sealion 6 Premium to a Mazda CX-60 PHEV. The omoda 9 comes in just one model, the $68,990 Virtue.
The technical specification looks impressive. It uses a development of the Omoda/Jaecoo Super Hybrid System (SHS), a combining a 105kW/215Nm 1.5-litre petrol engine with a large plug-in battery.
In Omoda 9 guise, the SHS boasts a 34kWh battery that gives a claimed EV range of 169km (albeit on the fairly lenient NEDC test cycle, with NZ-specific 3P-WLTP figures to come). The battery can be DC fast-charged at up to 70kW (30-80% in about 25 minutes).
It has 3 electric motors: two up front (75kW/170Nm and 90kW/220kW) and another on the rear axle (175kW/310Nm). Chery isn't 100% transparent on how all that works, but we're guessing there's an electric motor on both front and rear axles, plus another in the dedicated hybrid transmission.
The rear wheels are powered exclusively by electricity; there's no connection between the petrol engine and back axle.
That makes the Omoda 9 AWD of course; the SHS versions of the Jaecoo J7 and Chery Tiggo 7/8 are FWD only.
Combined power output is an eyebrow-raising 395kW and the Omoda 9 can rocket to 100km/h in 4.9 seconds. Omoda claims a range of 1100km in hybrid mode.
Standard equipment includes heated and ventilated seats, a panoramic sunroof, 14-speaker Sony sound system including two driver headrest speakers, plus an in-built fragrance system and built-in dashcam.
There’s also the “Hello Omoda” voice control system, which allows the driver to adjust the climate control, open the sunroof and change the radio station without taking their hands off the steering wheel.
