Chery Omoda 5
Published · Researched 2026-09-21
Chery Omoda 5 review: the bargain that brakes (literally, once)
The Chery Omoda 5 is for the buyer who wants maximum car per dollar and is willing to read the recall notices first — and there are real ones. Verdict: the best-equipped cheap crossover in its class, carrying two genuine safety recalls and an ADAS suite that needs a software chaperone.
What it is. A compact five-seat crossover from Chery's export-only Omoda brand (now rebadged Chery C5 in Australia), sold since 2022 with a 1.5T/CVT volume car, a punchier 1.6T GT, an all-electric E5 (61 kWh, 430 km WLTP), and — from 2026 — a full-hybrid SHS-H in the UK. Five stars from Euro NCAP and ANCAP. Not sold in the US, and the petrol car never made it to most of the EU.
What's genuinely good. Park a base Omoda 5 next to anything near its price and the spec sheet does the talking: panoramic roof, dual screens, full ADAS, ventilated seats on higher trims, and in Australia a 7-year/unlimited-km warranty with capped-price servicing. The styling turns heads — owners consistently say it looks like it costs half as much again. The 1.6T GT genuinely moves. And the E5 electric version landed in Australia as the country's cheapest electric SUV with a 5-star ANCAP rating and a full-size spare, which is the kind of value play that forces the whole market to flinch. When the software behaves, owners like their cars. That's doing a lot of work in that sentence, but it's true.
What's actually wrong. Start with the two recalls, because they're documented and serious. In February 2024, Australia recalled 5,901 Omoda 5s (2022–2023 builds) for a brake pipe union bolt that may not have been tightened — potential brake-fluid leak, reduced braking, the regulator's words not mine. In April 2024, Malaysia recalled 600 cars for a rear-axle beam component that could detach while driving, after a viral video showed an Omoda 5's rear axle breaking off on the road. Chery handled both with official campaigns rather than burying them, which counts for something — but check any 2022–2023 car's VIN before you buy, full stop. Then the ADAS: lane-keep that jerks the wheel, phantom emergency braking on highway overpasses (one Reddit rental thread describes sudden braking under bridges), systems that can't be fully switched off. The infotainment freezes, drops CarPlay, and in one documented 2024 case lost throttle response entirely — five dealer visits to fix. Real-world fuel economy runs 9–12 L/100 km against 6.8–7.4 claimed. The steering is vague, the ride is floaty yet somehow still transmits every bump, and the one-piece front seats will tire you out on a long drive. Skip it if you can't verify the recall work is done, if you need your driver aids to behave like adults, or if you're buying the petrol car anywhere in Europe — it was never homologated there and the parts pipeline is a rumor.
The social pulse. This is the most honestly-discussed Chinese export car in its class. Australian and Malaysian owners are warm but forensic — they love the value and they'll tell you exactly which software update fixed what. Turkish complaint boards are rawer: engines failing twice in a week, warped brake discs the dealer wouldn't cover. Nobody is faking enthusiasm and nobody is faking the complaints either, which is exactly how you want a young brand's feedback to look. The press split is telling: the lab gave it five stars, and the owners gave the ADAS a failing grade. Believe the owners.
The value call. Australia: from $29,900 MRLP for the petrol car, $36,990 for the E5 electric — against a used MG ZS or Haval Jolion, the new-car warranty and safety ratings make a real case. UK: the £25,740 SHS-H hybrid undercuts every hybrid rival on spec. Used: 2023 EX cars sit around A$25,000–29,750 on carsales — the first owners already ate the depreciation, which is your discount. Nearest alternatives: MG ZS / Haval Jolion (petrol), BYD Atto 3 (electric). Sweet-spot year: 2024+ — post-recall builds, calmer software. Skip 2022–2023 — the recall years and the rawest ADAS.
The Omoda 5 is proof that Chinese value has arrived — and proof that the first model years are still the beta test. Buy the debugged one, check the VIN, and keep the ADAS on a short leash.