Chery C5 Urban 2025 Review

Well, we kind of gave the game away in the intro...

However, just in case you missed it, the 2025 Chery C5 Urban is now $2000 pricier than the model it replaces, moving the fresh metal into a monetary bracket that’s ever closer to brands endowed with earned and trusted reputations Down Under.

Getting into the C5 – formerly known as the Omoda 5 – now commands you spend at least $29,990 to drive away, no more to pay. And that’s the clincher, because both the sub $30k Urban and $34,990 Ultimate are drive-away prices, helping Chery maintain that vital value edge in the small SUV battle ground.

Yet, the advantage is closing, with the gracefully ageing Kia Seltos starting at $30,050 and redesigned Hyundai Kona available from $32,500 – albeit both are priced before on-road costs. If you’re happy to stick with a Chinese offering, the MG ZS Essence provides strong competition, too, at $29,990 drive-away.

Make of it what you will, but to our eyes, the 2025 Chery C5 Urban’s revised front-end design is more distinctive with its 3D-effect, diamond-pattern grille. And you won’t find many Chery badges anymore, with logos being replaced with wording.

Being the base model, it isn’t bursting with equipment, but there’s still enough for the sub-$30k price. The 17-inch wheels carry over, and are joined by projector LED headlights, LED daytime running lights, LED tail-lights, shark fin antenna, rear spoiler, acoustic glass (front) and power-folding wing mirrors.

Inside there are nicely sculpted cloth/faux leather seats (with six-way electric adjustment for the driver) and single-zone climate control. The keyless entry with push-button start also has a proximity-based auto unlock/lock feature – something usually found on higher-priced vehicles.

There are five colours to choose from, the Lunar White hue of our test car being the only no-cost option. Premium paint is an additional $500.

The C5 is covered by Chery’s seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with seven years of roadside assistance – but only if you service your C5 on time at an authorised dealership. Servicing is every 12 months or 15,000km (whichever comes first), with the first seven years or 105,000km of garage visits capped at $2055.78 – a competitive $294 on average.

Carried over from the Omoda 5, the 2025 Chery C5 Urban has a five-star ANCAP safety rating. While that was awarded under less stringent goalposts in 2022, it’s fitted with seven airbag, dual ISOFIX points and a trio of top-tether anchorages.

The C5 also comes with a full suite of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). The kit is highlighted by autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with cyclist and pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, active cruise control and lane departure warning with steering assist.

Extra features include blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert with braking, traffic jam assist, driver monitoring, traffic sign recognition and speed sign warning.

Unlike the Ultimate, the Urban doesn’t gain a 360-degree camera, but it does have parking sensors front and rear as well as a reversing camera of decent quality.

However, listing items is all fine and dandy, but how they’re implemented is another. Audible warnings are present, and often wrong when it comes to speed zones. While the driver attention monitoring will get mad at you when you try and switch the systems off.

Yet, by far the most intrusive is the active lane keeping. It seems to not only be fighting you, but itself, too. Staying between the white lines results in aggressive steering reactions from the car, so much so that it isn’t only annoying, but slightly unnerving. And it reverts to being on every time you start the car – or seemingly when you engage cruise control, too.

So, while it might tick all the boxes on paper, it struggles in terms of application. And as such, for this section, it must be marked down accordingly on the scorecard.

For an entry-spec model of this value, there’s no shortage of screen acreage in the 2025 Chery C5 Urban with dual 10.5-inch displays masquerading as one oversized unit.

Ahead of the driver is a digital instrument cluster that is aesthetically fresh with clean graphics and useful information – although slightly limited customisation. Sitting next to it is the infotainment touchscreen, which houses a competent operating system with a menu arrangement that isn’t too hard to learn.

The C5 Urban also gains wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, USB-A and C ports, ‘Hello Chery’ voice assistant and DAB+ digital radio – yet its reception hardly proved consistent during our time with the tester.

It’s also a shame that the Urban misses out on the 50W wireless charging pad found in the Ultimate, especially when there’s such a large provision for one – or two. It just ends up being largely wasted space.

And if you’re a fan of high-fidelity acoustics, the entry grade comes with a six-speaker system instead of the Ultimate’s upgraded eight-speaker audio.

The 2025 Chery C5 Urban continues with the 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine used in the Omoda 5.

This means the outputs remain unchanged at 108kW and 210Nm. For the size of the engine in comparison with the small SUV segment, it delivers performance that’s swift enough – certainly against its competition and for its 1432kg tare mass.

With a six-speed dual-clutch automatic replacing the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) of old, the driveline receives a significant overhaul – or is it? Read below.

As before, the C5 is front-wheel drive only despite being an SUV and being afforded 184mm of ground clearance.

It isn’t, really.

Despite an official claimed fuel consumption of 6.9L/100km, we couldn’t manage to dip the marker any lower than 8.8L/100km – which isn’t great against hybrid rivals. Of course, if using fossil fuels is an issue, the fully electric E5 could be right for you.

The C5 manages to claw back some brownie points by being able to fill its 51-litre tank with cheaper 91 RON unleaded.

While the 2025 Chery C5 Urban gains fancier, more sophisticated multi-link rear suspension (MacPherson struts up front) as opposed to the previous torsion beam, it hasn’t transformed the dynamic character. Yes, it’s an improvement, but it’s still not top of the field.

At slower speeds the ride quality has greater refinement, but it still struggles to fully iron out poor surfaces and be truly cossetting. On the open road, the compliance is a little better, but the lack of body control is noticeable through undulations despite the revised rear axle.

Aside from the abovementioned issues with the active safety systems, the steering is okay for purpose – meaning, you don’t need to dabble with the driving modes, as Normal forms the happiest middle ground between Eco and Sport. The latter only adds artificial weight with even less natural feel and consistency.

Without hybrid gubbins and regenerative braking, the pedal feel is consistent and easy to get on with. And while the Giti tyres (215/60 front/rear) aren’t a premium brand, they provide enough grip for the C5 considering how it’s intended to be driven.

So, in terms of dynamics, the Chinese brand still hasn’t turned the corner to compete with the established Japanese and Korean offerings. Yet, where the Chery will do most of its work, and where it arguably needs to shine, is within city limits. And it doesn’t.

This is mainly down to the new six-speed dual-clutch transmission, which makes progressive getaways from a standstill almost impossible. Couple the gearbox with the lax stop/start system, poor throttle-pedal calibration and some turbo lag, and it all conspires against smooth progress.

It’s almost like you’re a teenager again and bunny hopping away from the traffic lights on L Plates. A fellow staffer even reported wheel slip and axle tramp at traffic lights in wet conditions. Even the gear lever itself can be frustrating given its slow response to inputs. It’s all too easy to select manual mode instead of Drive because of this, meaning quick three-point turns can swiftly become an ordeal.  

Thankfully, it does redeem itself past first gear. On the run it is an intuitive transmission with shifts being smoother and more responsive – plus, it doesn’t perch revs monotonously high like a CVT under acceleration. Outside the CBD, it’s much more pleasant.

The interior of the 2025 Chery C5 Urban is where it really claws back points. It’s a key reason to buy this small SUV as it feels luxe without the high cost of admission.

While its origins are rooted in 2022, the design is standing the test of time with a contemporary, upmarket look. The one-touch controls for the climate are a nice touch, meaning you don’t need to delve into the screen for simple commands, while the multi-function steering wheel also houses tactile buttons.

Storage areas are decent with a large space underneath the centre console as well as a glovebox, cupholders, bottle holders in the doors and a flat space ahead of the gear lever where a wireless phone charge pad would be – if you spend more to upgrade to the Ultimate.

However, our test car had slightly less than 4000km on the clock and there were some annoying squeaks and rattles already present. The main culprits were the driver’s seat rubbing up against the centre console and a buzz from the upper dash at highway speeds. Aside from that, in general, the cabin is nicely quelled from outside tyre roar and general noise on-road.

Dimensionally, the C5 is on the bigger side of the small SUV segment. This means rear leg (and toe) room is great, while headroom is slightly impeded by the roofline for taller passengers. Yet, it’s still a nice place to be with rear air vents, USB-A port, map pockets, bottle holders and a folding centre armrest.

According to Chery, the cargo capacity has increased 10 litres to 370L, then expanding further to 1075L with the 60/40-split folding rear seats stowed. A space-saver spare wheel hides underneath the tiered floor.

Well, yes and no. While the Omoda 5 was easier to recommend because of its price-leading value, the $2000 increase attached to the shift in nameplate hurts the 2025 Chery C5 Urban. In a sense, the Chinese small SUV has lost a bit of its USP.

Legacy brands like Suzuki have also swooped in to cut the Chery’s lunch. Yes, the Fronx isn’t as big, but it goes head-to-head on price and arguably exceeds it in terms of driving experience and appeal. Even Chery’s own Tiggo 4 Pro erodes the C5’s case as an attractive proposition.

It’s clear Chery is keen to keep refining the formula – which is commendable. Yet, while there’s appeal considering the sheer amount of metal for your money, a lot more homework needs to be done to make the C5 easier to recommend.   

2025 Chery C5 Urban at a glance:
Price: $29,990 (drive-away)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 108kW/210Nm
Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 6.9L/100km (ADR combined)
CO2: 160g/km (ADR combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2022)

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