Three numbers that change everything: 605 horses, 4.9 seconds to 100, 44,990 euros. The Chinese Omoda 9 is coming to Europe with an ambition that would have been considered ridiculous five years ago – but today German engineers are waking up in a cold sweat at night. So let's see if it really holds water.
If you thought it was Omod 9 just another friendly, anemic family SUV for hauling school bags, you're as wrong as someone who buys a vegan sausage at the gas station expecting gourmet pleasure. This is a machine that wants to scare your BMW neighbors while pampering your butt with massage and cooling.
From Fiat copies to global dominance
The Chery brand behind the prestigious line Omod, started producing cars in the 1990s that look like someone drew them from the memory of an old Seat Toledo – after a sleepless night. Today they are the fourth largest manufacturer in China and sell more cars than Skoda and Peugeot combined.
Omod 9 is their “entry-level” luxury saloon on wheels, coming to Europe with a clear ambition – to knock the overpriced keys out of the hands of German brands. And after a few days behind the wheel, I can tell you that this plan it works.
Engineering surplus: 445 kW (605 hp) of pure power
The total system power is incredible 445 kW (605 hp / 605 PS)The powertrain combines a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine with three electric motors – two at the front and one at the rear, creating intelligent all-wheel drive. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h (0–62 mph) is achieved in 4.9 seconds, and the three-speed 3DHT hybrid transmission automatically distributes power between city, highway and sporty driving.
Where did 605 horses come from?
The petrol engine in most cases acts as a generator for the battery and electric motors. But when you press the accelerator all the way down, it is mechanically connected directly to the wheels via the 3DHT transmission. At that moment, the power of the petrol engine and all three electric motors is added up in brutal 605 hp.
“A fuel-efficient hybrid and a road rocket in one car – finally.”
From Kranj to Jezersko
I was born in Kranj, grew up in the shadow of the Kamnik Alps, and I know those curves to Jezersko so well that I can drive them with my eyes closed (which of course I NEVER do, Mr. Policeman). When she brought me to the door 605-horsepower Chinese machine, the decision was self-evident – Jezersko, immediately.
Driving characteristics: Mountain test without panting
Those few memorized turns are Omod It worked without a hitch. And this is said very seriously, because this is an SUV that weighs over two tons and shouldn't exactly dance around the switchbacks. And yet it dances.
The chassis grips the road firmly and predictably. The four-wheel drive distributes the power in such a way that you don't feel like you're fighting gravity when cornering, and acceleration out of corners is something you can't help but feel. elicit a smile – quiet, no drama, but the kick in the back that you expect from 605 horses. The adaptive chassis does its job, body roll is present but manageable, and the brakes are – surprise! – they have a great feeling and they do not give way even after several consecutive braking manoeuvres into sharp bends.
But when I switched to Sport mode, something unexpected happened: the engine started. And it was making this loud – constant sound – electricity. In a car that was basically quiet, almost noiseless, the four-cylinder petrol engine suddenly roared, as if waking up from a long sleep and realizing that it had a fire extinguisher in its hand. It wasn't unpleasant, but the contrast was so stark that you started to wonder if you were in the same car as you were five minutes ago.
“The Omoda 9 is not a record-chasing machine on Mala Planina – but it is a surprisingly capable partner when you take it around your home curves.”
Highway: This is where Omoda 9 breathes most freely
The real environment of Omode 9 is highwayI rode the first 140 kilometers towards Grado in almost complete silence – double glazing does a serious job, wind noise is minimal, tire noise is barely detectable. If you close your eyes (which you still DON'T do), you might think you're sitting in a Mercedes S-Class. Except you paid a quarter.
At 130 km/h, the Omoda 9 doesn't pant, doesn't shake, doesn't signal that it's time for coffee – at least not if you're not yawning. It's like a luxury ship that takes you from point A to point B without emotion – which is actually the highest compliment in this class. The adaptive chassis absorbs bumps as if they were made of soft rubber.
New Car Smell: My Personal Kryptonite
I have to be honest here – I was bothered by the new car smell.Not that pleasant “new leather and plastic” smell, but a specific, recognizable smell that I don't notice so strongly in European cars.
And this is my problemI have a specific problem – I remember the smell of every car like a sommelier remembers wine. The Omod 9 has a standard system installed. for cabin perfumery with three different fragrances, which makes a big difference – you can customize it to your taste. The average customer probably won't even notice the smell, and it will disappear after a few weeks anyway. I mention it because honesty with the customer is more important than marketing.
Infotainment: Far from ideal, far from bad
Entertainment and information system not the best in the world, but far from bad. Two 12.3-inch screens plus a head-up display are available. Satellite navigation is built in, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but they work wirelessly, which is now mandatory. A few things are wrong – for example, an excessive set of menus and submenus – a few things have been need to get used to, but most of the logic is completely understandable.
The sound system is also really good. Sony branded 14-speaker system (including those built into the driver's seat headrest) is incidentally The reason you're not in a hurry to get home in the car – the sound is rich, deep and fully fills the cabin.
As an interesting fact – the system also includes DVR camera / dashcam, if you insert a memory card. On the two thousand dollar competition you look for this as an extra. But here it is standard. The dot on the “i”.
ADAS systems: Sophisticated, not tiring
Here is Omoda 9 positively surprised. ADAS systems are quite sophisticated and not too tiring – with many competitors (including some German premium cars) you feel like the car is arguing with you throughout the entire drive. Not with the Omoda 9. I wasn't too "fluent" with the interventions.
Lane keeping doesn't "fight" with the steering wheel, adaptive cruise control drives smoothly and predictably, and warnings are sensible, not hysterical. What is the most important – you can easily turn off certain things with swipe down gesture on the screen and quick selection. The speed limit warning is turned off with a single tap and is so cleverly solved that sometimes it I didn't turn it off at all.And that's saying a lot from someone who usually turns it off within the first three seconds of driving.
“Listen to the driver, not the regulator – a sensibility that Europeans are losing.”
Dimensions: A giant with a trunk that knows no bounds
Omoda 9 measures 4,820mm in length (almost five meters) and has a wheelbase of 2,820 mm – more legroom than in many business sedans. The trunk offers 660 liters, and with the seats folded down it increases to 1,800 litersThe drag coefficient is at 0.308, which is excellent for an SUV of these dimensions.
For comparison, the Omoda 9 is longer than the Skoda Kodiaq and offers more luggage space than the BMW X5 or Mercedes-Benz GLE. This is an SUV that uses dimensions not just for show, but for actual utility.
The back seat is by the way huge. A real limousine impression. Not only heated, but also cooled rear seats – something you usually look for in a Mercedes S-Class, not a Chinese SUV for 45 thousand.
5-star electrical freedom and safety
The range on electric power alone is official 145 km (90 miles), and the total autonomy rises up to 1,100 km (683 miles)Battery capacity 34 kWh (NMC chemistry – nickel, manganese, cobalt) supports both DC fast charging up to 70 kW as AC charging up to 7 kWRealistic: 100 km of all-electric driving without effort.
Forget about range anxiety – with the Omoda 9 you can drive from Ljubljana to Berlin without a single stop at a gas station.
Security: Omoda 9 aims to 5 stars Euro NCAP and is equipped with the most advanced ADAS technology – automatic braking, lane keeping, adaptive cruise control and a high-strength steel roll cage. The Chinese understood – in Europe, safety is not an add-on, it is a ticket.
Interior: Sony, massage and provocative red leather
Two curved screens dominate, Sony 14-speaker system (including speakers in the pillow) is the star of the show. For the daring, there is red upholstery, so provocative that it would probably be banned in some more conservative cities.
Let's add massage, heated and ventilated front seats, memory function on the driver's side, panoramic roof, wireless phone charging with cooling (I think 50w) and ambient lighting. Wherever there is supposed to be plastic, it is soft rubberized surface. Encouraging.
Price and warranty: Chinese trump card
605 horses, massage, 145 km of electric range, supercar acceleration – for €44,990. Plus 7-year warrantybecause the Chinese know you are skeptical.
For this price, you get solidly equipped rims and maybe a genuine leather steering wheel from the German competition. A real tragedy for the European car class.
Conclusion: My (uncensored) opinion
After the test from Kranj to Jezersko and back via the highway I can say with an open heart: the specifications are not a marketing lie. On a mountain road it can be surprisingly powerful, on the highway it is so comfortable that you forget where you are, and in the city it is quiet and elegant. Disadvantages? Slightly loud engine in Sport mode, specific smell of a new cabin (my personal problem), volume knob a little too far and a slightly drawn-out infotainment – but these are all things that will not make you call the dealer who sold you the car.
605 horses for 45 grand is absurd. If we add to this the “bizarre” long warranty – 7 years – 150,000 kilometers. It is Omod 9 the best car in the world? No. Will Porsche tremble? Not today. Will BMW marketing have a tough year in 2026? Almost certainly.
In a world where coffee in the center of a European city costs five euros, is Omoda 9 refreshing proof that you can get a huge car for reasonable moneyThe German premium class has recently 15 years of behavior, as if the customers had forgotten to do the math. The Chinese came with a calculator – and kindly reminded them that the math still works.
“If you don't mind your neighbor not being able to pronounce your car's name, you'll be the one who has the last laugh - while you leave it on the highway in a cloud of dust and complete hybrid silence.”
And when in five years your neighbor pronounces "Omoda" as fluently as "Audi," it will be too late. Smart buyers will then be in another model - with even better equipment and an even lower price. The Chinese revolution on European roads has begun. And it started at 44,990 euros.
