Omoda E5 Review

Introduction and model history – Omoda E5

With all the buzz around the likes of MG and BYD it would be easy to miss the fact that Chinese carmaker Chery’s precious little baby brands Jaecoo and Omoda are quietly mopping up among the newly launched brands in the UK. 

It’s hard to discern from afar exactly what Chery is doing with all these brands, which now include the recently launched Lepas, but I can say that to my eyes the Omoda offerings are the better looking ones, like one of those French DS cars started doing the 5:2 diet and got a haircut. 

This E5 was the first car that Omoda launched in the UK and it was criticised for its driving experience and some of the onboard tech. You can’t afford to give away any ground in a competitive part of the car market that includes cars as diverse as the Renault Scenic, BYD Atto 3, Kia Niro EV and MG ZS EV.

What’s fascinating is the pace at which these new challenger brands from China are prepared to listen and make improvements – the E5 only arrived in the UK at the end of 2024, people had a look and already Omoda has come back with some significant upgrades under the skin.

The compact range of two trims starts just over £33k and offers a lot of value for money – let’s read on for more. 

Range, Battery & Charging

The Omoda E5 has a 61kWh LFP battery from CATL with a 59kWh usable capacity and a WLTP range of 267 miles. 

I got 4.2m/kWh over mostly motorway roads from a few days of driving, which extrapolates to a real world range of 248 miles. Warm weather admittedly, but I think there was probably a bit more available there. 

There are rivals out there with bigger batteries and longer range, but in practice the E5 probably sits in the sweet spot of range and efficiency that most drivers will be entirely happy with. 

One of the improvements over the initial car is a boost in DC rapid charging capability from 80kW to a more impressive 130kW that knocks 15 minutes off your 30–80% charging time, now just 28 minutes. This is much more on par with rivals. 

You also get 11kW AC charging as standard, which is useful, and 3.3kW V2L capability where you can run electronics off the car’s battery. It’s a neat feature and means you can take your [insert beloved electrical appliance here] off camping with you or wherever. 

There’s a heat pump fitted to the top trim Noble model, which will also help boost efficiency during the relentlessly dreary British winter. 

The charging port is very neatly integrated into the front of the car, incidentally – I can see it turning into a fun game getting your passengers to try and find the plug when you stop to charge. When you want to put them out of their misery there’s a useful little button by the steering wheel that opens the flap. 

Practicality & Boot Space

The E5 has unabashed SUV vibes, it’s not trying to be a coupe or a hatchback or anything else – you sit nice and upright and enjoy a good view out of the car. 

Rear passenger space is on the good side of acceptable, so a couple of average-sized adults will be comfortable, although headroom is a bit tighter than in the ID.3 or Kia Niro EV and there’s very little foot space beneath the front seats. 

It’s on par with the MG4 EV, though, so still perfectly usable for small families. The door openings aren't huge though, so getting in could be a struggle for less-mobile passengers and the size of the front seat backs and high window line will make it feel slightly claustrophobic too, even with the big sunroof fitted to the posher Noble models. 

Boot space has been boosted in the E5 to 430 litres, which is a decent size. That increases to just over 1,000 litres with the seats down. Fold them and the floor isn't completely flat, but if you're carrying something heavy like a wardrobe the cushions will compress enough to give you a level floor.

The opening is nice and flat and level, but that sloping rear hatch will affect practicality if you're really looking to stuff the car full of things. But if that's an issue then get an estate car, or a van or something probably. 

You get a powered tailgate in the top trim if that’s on your list of must-haves, and towing capacity is just 750kg on the electric version of the car – if you want to tow anything heavier then you’d have to go for the pure petrol car and its 1,100kg of towing capacity. 

• Dimensions (l/w/h): 4,424mm / 2,102mm / 1,588mm
• Max towing capacity: 750kg

Interior, Design/Styling & Technology

The E5 might have a cheaper price than many of its rivals, but that doesn’t mean that you’ll feel shortchanged inside the cabin – the design is fairly slick and the materials pretty decent. 

There are dual 12.3in displays for the infotainment and digital dashboard display, and wireless Apple/Android connectivity comes as standard. 

One of my pet peeves here is when a car does wireless CarPlay but you have to plug in to charge your phone – the cooled 50w wireless charging pad is only on the top spec Noble car, not the entry level Knight trim. Another little ergonomic frustration in the car is that the USB plugs are squirrelled away on the passenger side of the dashboard.

The infotainment is all fairly crisp and workable, though of course you’re going to default to smartphone mirroring as soon as you get in. I’ve not driven the previous iteration of the car, but the safety kit didn’t seem too obtrusive so perhaps that has been updated. 

Rear heated seats as standard are a nice touch, and the swanky glass up front seems to help make the cabin that little bit more relaxed. 

Motors, Performance & Handling

Omoda has clearly done a bit of tweaking to the motor as well, with power up the tiniest smidge to 211hp, but enough to knock 0.4secs off the run to 62mph from rest, which now takes 7.2secs. 

It’s not a car that encourages you drive fast, it rewards a more sedate approach, but even this neutrality is a positive step forward from Omoda. Again, I didn’t drive the initial version of the car, but I quite liked being behind the wheel of the new one and by all accounts it was dreadful before.

The E5 feels like an easy car to get on with, there’s no fuss in terms of just jumping in and heading off. The standard fit adaptive cruise and quiet cabin make the E5 a useful motorway runner. 

Running Costs & Pricing

There are two trim levels to choose from when it comes to buying your E5 – Knight or Noble. The entry level Knight costs just over £33k and the Noble trim asks for an extra £1,500 on top of that. 

Unless you’ve already pushed right to the top of your budget, I’d say go for the top trim E5 just to get all of the good stuff. 

The Knight trim gets you the wireless Apple/Android, dual-zone aircon, adaptive cruise control, auto lights and wipers, heated front and rear seats, V2L, a rearview parking camera and 18in alloys. 

Noble sees all that and raises you a 360-degree parking camera, electrically adjustable front seats, fancy acoustic glass up front, ambient cabin lighting, panoramic sunroof, heated steering wheel, cooled wireless phone charging and a powered tailgate. That’s a lot of kit for the extra cash. 

An interesting colour is a £500 option, otherwise you’re stuck with a slightly dull looking silver. 

Those prices do however include a seven year/100,000-mile warranty on the car, and eight years/100,000 miles on the battery. 

Omoda doesn’t do its own finance, but will point you in the direction of someone who will – I got a quote on its website for three years/30,000 miles with a 10% deposit for £458 a month. There are much cheaper lease deals to be had though, sub-£300 a month.

Verdict

The Omoda E5 remains a head purchase rather than a heart one – you’re choosing it for the lower price and higher level of standard kit. What’s changed with the recent upgrades is that you’re no longer being expected to make a sacrifice to achieve those goals. 

There’s a lot of competition for the E5, and that’s just within the Chery family. But with these sharp looks and what has become a competent all-round offering, I wouldn’t judge you if you got one. Although I would probably judge you if you went for the entry model and missed out on all the fun tech and gizmos.

​Like the Omoda E5? Try these...

[Review,OPW895hSmGvecyJW]
[Review,NeSY5rWMVm6_ZFhp]
[Review,O-c9qqDdLowfmGZp]​