Omoda C9 (2024) First Drive Review - Buying a Car (2024)

Chery's sub-brand OMODA has released yet another sensational-looking, luxurious SUV, namely the C9. Does it have what it take to rival its Teutonic counterparts?

By Ané Albertse

Published: 15 October 2024, 09:41

Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

Following in the footsteps of it's affordable, yet opulent sibling, namely the C5 (read our review here), the C9 has its sights sets on money-savvy folk who appreciate the finer things in life but don't necessarily can (or want to) spend over a million bucks on a luxurious German SUV.

Styling

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It's a great-looking car, right?

The C9's look isn't completely borrowed from the more established, premium manufacturers; the borderless grille with an ombre-effect diamond design and striking LED headlights stand out from the crowd. The side view is sculpted and aerodynamic, with a floating-roof effect and fastback styling. 20-inch wheels with Michelin rubber is standard. Red brake callipers add some visual delight and extra stopping power on the flagship model.

Related: Is the Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupé good for long drives?

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It has premium written all over it - seen here is the more affordable, FWD 'Inspire' model.

At the back, the adjoining LED taillights form a unit which is the epitome of trendy Asian design at the moment. And when you unlock the car, the exterior lights give you a bit of show to welcome you in. The bottom line? It looks expensive, and you don't have to sell a kidney to buy one. It also happened to win the Gold Award in the Automotive & Transport category at the International Design Awards (IDA).

Related: Omoda C5 gets a stylish makeover with Khosi Nkosi car wrap designs

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Ready to take on the southern suburbs of Cape Town!

What's inside the C9?

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The twin screens boast excellent resolution.

You should probably ask what is not inside the C9, because everything is in there except for an espresso maker. A curved 'duplex' screen, keyless entry, the latest in semi-autonomous driving and safety systems, a Sony sound system, wireless charging, a fragrance system, seat heating and power adjustment for the first AND second row, full leather seats, ambient lighting, dual-zone climate control, a sunroof, voice activation, different driving modes; surround view cameras, adaptive damping and underbody protection (top-spec model); the list goes on.

Related: Is the Omoda C5 good for families?

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The black leather interior of the Inspire model.

Step inside and you'll immediately notice the Mercedes-Benz influence: the cooled (or heated) central armrest cubby opens in the same way, while the power seat adjustment buttons look and work the same. You also have the Merc stalk-operated gearshift behind the steering wheel. Even the leather seats have an S-Class design.

There are some subtle giveaways like the Burmester-inspired circular speakers that are plastic instead of metal, but considering the C9's price, it's something I'd be prepared to live with.

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Note the buttons for the seat adjustment and the speaker's cover.

Up front, a velvet-covered charging mat allows you to charge two phones simultaneously and there are two charging ports under the bottom shelf. Once you're plugged in, Apple CarPlay or Android Auto starts up instantly.

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Clever storage spaces keeps things from rolling around.

How many models are there on offer?

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A black C9 in Kalk Bay.

Only two: The entry-level Omoda C9 Inspire, which is front-wheel-driven, and the top-spec C9 Explore which is all-wheel-driven. Both are powered by a cracking 2.0-litre turbocharged engine with an output of 197kW and 400 Nm. This powerplant is paired with an 8-speed automatic Aisin gearbox and both models have steering-mounted paddles.

How does the C9 drive?

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The C9 rides comfortably, despite its large wheels.

Surprisingly well and better than expected. The traffic-heavy launch route, which also included Boyes Drive and Chapman's peak, provided plenty of opportunity to put the C9s nimbleness to the test, and it performed admirably; you don't really feel the big car's heft, and it's quick out of the starting blocks. I'm happy to report that the transmission doesn't "hunt" for gears except when it's in Sport mode; in Eco and Normal mode, changes are swift and concise. Roadholding is very good and body-roll isn't that evident. The driver-distraction functionality can get on one's nerves, as it beeps to tell you that you weren't paying attention, but you should be able switch it off.

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The Omoda C9 on display at the Norval Foundation in Cape Town.

I was impressed by how easy it was to activate the adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assistance systems; you press the little steering wheel button (on the steering wheel), and set your desired speed and distance, and the C9 takes care of the rest; it steers, stops, starts again, and you can completely remove your hands from the steering wheel for an impressively long time and watch it steer around the curves of the road, as long as they're not too sharp. When a white van came to a halt in front of us at the very last minute, the C9 reacted immediately and came to an equally abrupt stop; thankfully there was no-one behind us or they would have ruined the C9's attractive sheet metal.

What's it like to be a rear passenger in the Omoda C9?

It's a luxurious affair; as I've mentioned the second-row seats are electrically adjustable and can be heated too, and there's loads of legroom. You get as much of a VIP feeling riding in the back of the C9 as you would in any of its German/Japanese counterparts.

The 660-litre boot happily swallowed three journalists' overnight luggage and laptop bags with room to spare.

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You could even have your chauffeur drive you around in the C9.

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You can fold the rear seats completely flat to make more room.

How much does the C9 cost?

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Moonlight White, Cosmic Black, Meteorite Grey and Quantum Grey are the available colours for the C9.

The list price for the Omoda C9 2.0T GDI 400T Inspire is R785 900 while the C9 2.0T GDI 400TExplore AWD model will set you back R885 900. There's a special launch price for the month of October (2024) where you get R25 000 off on both models.

In my opinion, the Inspire model will do just fine, it has most of the specs in the more expensive AWD model, and it's the perfect daily driver.

What can you get for the same price as a new C9?

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The C9 takes on the big dogs of premium-SUV-land.

Considering that Omoda is pitting the C9 against premium players like the Lexus NX, the Audi Q5, and BMW X3, its pricing is really keen, especially when you consider that there is not a single box you have to tick for luxurious extras; it's all stock-standard.

The other cars in the C9's price bracket include theKia Sportage, Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson, Peugeot 5008, Volkswagen Tiguan, Toyota Fortuner, Nissan X-Trail, GWM Tank, Mitsubishi Outlander or Pajero Sport, an Isuzu mu-X, Subaru Forester, and the petrol-powered Mazda CX-60.

What about the warranty and service plan?

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A million-kilometre warranty (for the first owner) is part of the deal.

The Omoda C9 has a 7-year/200,000km warranty, that renowned 10-year/1-million km engine warranty (applicable to the first owner), and 7-year/100,000km service plan. At present, there are 45 Omoda dealerships in Mzansi, with plans for more.

To read more about what the warranty entails, click here.

ENDS

Omoda C9 (2024) First Drive Review - Buying a Car (2024)
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