All-new Omoda X SUV revealed in China

Chinese brand Omoda, part of the Chery Group, launched its all-new and somewhat rugged Omoda X in Wuhu that could head to Australia.

While powertrain details remain under wraps, the Omoda X looks set to debut a number of interesting features that position it as a capable vehicle for adventurous types, with 200mm of ground clearance, 700mm wading capability, a 75kg roof-rack rating and a 1.8-tonne towing capacity.

On top of the rugged design and reasonable ground clearance, the new Omoda X also features a ‘Cool Tech’ panoramic glass roof that reduces the interior temperature by seven degrees celsius in sunlight, says the brand.

The thermal imaging camera can detect animals on the road up to 90 metres away – handy in roo country – and a new ProGloss Plus clearcoat special paint is self-healing and scratch-resistant, says the car-maker.

Inside, the brand showcased its mic-free karaoke feature, which uses built-in cabin microphones across four distinct input zones, and a new AI large language model (LLM) that should enable occupants to talk to the car in general terms and get guidance on things like where to eat and when events start.

The design language itself is rugged and edgy in equal measure, with a raised ride height, chunky tyres on 19-inch wheels, angular front and rear lights and plastic cladding, as well as high-contrast details like yellow brake calipers.

Omoda has also taken steps to address criticism of ‘tablet-on-dash’ interiors, carrying the angular exterior design into the cabin. The centre console features a semi-integrated 13.2-inch centre screen as part of a rising polygonal centre stack that uses physical buttons and switches, while drivers get a 10.25-inch display for essential information.

Visually, the X appears to be similar in size to the Omoda 7 – a model not currently sold here – but we’ll have to wait for official details on the powertrain, dimensions and pricing.

In Australia, the Chery family is already a force.

September 2026 VFACTS data shows Chery is Australia’s eighth best-selling brand year-to-date with 38,022 sales, up 58.2 per cent, while Omoda Jaecoo has rocketed 621% to 15,456 – and 11,193 of those are Jaecoo J5s.

Add them together and you get 53,478 sales, more than double (up 104%) the same period last year, which would make the Chery Group Australia’s seventh-biggest seller, just 2531 sales shy of Hyundai and well clear of GWM.

In September alone the pair notched 6515 sales, good enough for fourth place behind Toyota, BYD and Ford, and ahead of Kia. If Chery put every brand under the one badge, it would be a seriously big fish in the Aussie pond.

And the pond is about to get even more crowded.

Lepas has just priced its L6 electric SUV from $47,990 plus on-road costs (ORCs) ahead of November deliveries, while premium brand Exlantix – known as Exeed in China but renamed here thanks to a decades-old Mitsubishi trade mark – will land in mid-2027 with the ET SUV and ES GT shooting-brake wagon.

Boxy off-road brand iCaur arrives in early 2027 with the V25, the Chery-JLR Freelander brand is also due in 2027, and Jetour is locked in for early 2027 via a separate importer.

That’s eight Chery-linked badges vying for Aussie driveways. Why so many? Why not, says the local boss.

Omoda will announce market plans at a later date but given Omoda Jaecoo’s rapid local growth and the features shown on the night, the X is almost certain to be offered in Australia.

Another possibility is that the Omoda X would be badged a Jaecoo in Australia, which has more recognition among local buyers right now.

Locally, it currently lives only on the flagship Omoda 9 plug-in hybrid large SUV, while sister brand Jaecoo does the heavy lifting – and Chery said earlier this year it wouldn’t rule out trimming Omoda models that don’t pull their weight in showrooms.

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