More powerful Chery Omoda 5 inbound

UPDATED 14/11/2023 2:30pm: The all-wheel drive version of the Chery Omoda 5’s inbound 1.6-litre turbo-petrol powertrain has just received Australian Design Rule approval, meaning the small SUV line-up will soon feature a wider array of drive systems than the established Kia Seltos, Mazda CX-30 and Toyota C-HR.

Local homologation data shows the AWD Omoda 5 will output the same 137kW as the front-drive 1.6 and feature the same seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Chery Australia representatives previously confirmed to carsales – full details below – that the gruntier engine would become available Down Under in the first half of next year and that an AWD version is very much on the cards, and it's now been given the green light.

As with all of its relevant rivals, the 1.6-litre all-paw drivetrain will sit atop the Chery Omoda 5 range until the electrified variants materialise.

UPDATED 12/09/2023 3:00pm: Chery Australia has confirmed that more powerful 1.6-litre Omoda 5 variants won’t arrive Down Under until the first half of 2024, and that they will initially be available in front-wheel drive guise only, as per the homologation data below.

A spokesperson told carsales that all-wheel drive was still very much on the radar for the line-up going forward, but there are no immediate plans to offer an AWD Omoda 5 at this stage.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE PUBLISHED 12/09/2023 2:30pm: Preliminary details for the gruntier 1.6-litre turbo-petrol powered Chery Omoda 5 have surfaced online, with local homologation data revealing the small Chinese SUV’s new engine will send 137kW to the front wheels.

This intel clashes with what Chery Australia has said previously about the upcoming 1.6-litre Omoda 5 being offered with the choice of front- or all-wheel drive when it arrives here by the end of this year, and means Australian versions will be down on power compared to their Chinese equivalents.

The data doesn’t nominate an official torque figure for the new mill, but its peak power output is 8kW lower than in its domestic market.

Maximum power is developed at 5500rpm and harnessed by an equally new seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, whereas the established 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine (108kW) is paired to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).

The combination should yield significantly stronger performance than what’s on offer from the smaller 1.5-litre engine, which will be matched with a beefier braking package and revised suspension set-up.

But while the lack of AWD could still make it a tough sell against the 1.6-litre Hyundai Kona and Kia Seltos variants that come with an all-paw system and multi-link rear-end as standard, the tweaked chassis and brakes should put the Omoda 5 in good stead against similarly-powered front-drive rivals like the Mazda CX-30 G25.

And Chery will more than likely strike back with lower asking prices than the Omoda 5’s established rivals, as well as a superior aftersales program.

carsales has contacted Chery Australia for an update on the 1.6-litre Omoda 5 variants and to confirm whether AWD is still on the agenda for our market.

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