Four reasons I’d buy an Omoda 7 over a European alternative (plus three dealbreakers)
Car changing is a big deal
The latest SUV to enter the family car fray, the Omoda 7 is up against some stiff competition, but senior reviews writer Mario Christou thinks it’s a better choice than the established crowd
You’d be forgiven for forgetting all about Omoda – given the current tidal wave of Chinese upstart brands washing up on our shores, it’s easy for some to get lost in the flood. Think Geely, BYD and the forthcoming Lepas, to name a few.
In fact, Omoda’s first UK effort – the Omoda 5 – was an entirely forgettable thing, with only its low price and decent levels of standard kit to tempt you away from other small SUVs. Yet the new Omoda 7 is clear proof of the brand’s stratospheric learning curve, because after spending a day with the car at its UK launch, I’d choose it over its alternatives from Hyundai, Nissan or Jaecoo. Here’s why:
It looks good
Okay so there’s more than a hint of Lexus in the Omoda 7’s styling, namely in the pointy front end and the swoopy window line, but just because it’s copied the Japanese brand’s homework doesn’t mean it’s not handsome. I’m particularly keen on the pointy headlights and funky taillights, which give the sensible SUV a surprisingly sporty appearance.
Do lightning-bolt taillights really belong on the back of a family car? Probably not, but I don’t care. I like them anyway, and they’re far less generic than the lightbar you’ll see on the back of a Jaecoo 7 or Volkswagen Tiguan.
The plug-in hybrid is fantastic…
The Omoda 7 may look sporty, but it isn’t. It is, however, very efficient thanks to its smooth and highly-capable plug-in hybrid engine. That doesn’t mean high-performance, though, as a dinky 1.5-litre engine resides under the bonnet, paired with an 18.6kWh battery and an electric motor to power the front wheels.
What does all this mean in the real world? Well, the engine never directly drives the wheels, instead sending power to the battery (it never goes flat, bottoming out at around 20%), which makes for smooth electric acceleration and surprisingly swift progress.
Floor it and the engine sounds a little gruff, but that’s few and far between, and a worthy trade-off for the impressive 49mpg I achieved on my twisty, hilly test route around the Oxford countryside.
…and it’s surprisingly good to drive
Fast, twisty country lanes may not be the natural home for a sensible, efficient family SUV, but the Omoda 7 caught me off guard with how capable it is on a good road. Just to make it clear, it’s not a sporty car by any stretch of the imagination, and I’d rather attack the test route in a BMW X2 M35i or a Cupra Ateca.
But, after having recently reviewed a Hyundai Tucson PHEV on a similar route, I have to say the Omoda 7 tackled twisty bends with less body lean and bumpy crests with more composure than its Korean alternative. All of that while being more comfortable around town, too.
It’s spacious and well-equipped
This sits low-down on the list because it’s not unique to the Omoda 7. Pretty much every Chinese SUV on sale in the UK offers plenty of standard kit, but the Omoda still impresses with crisp infotainment displays, plush, upholstered surfaces and lots – I mean buckets – of interior space.
There’s enough room to stretch out both front and back, though the sloping roofline eats away at head space a touch. The boot is a very impressive 639 litres, far bigger than the Jaecoo 7 at 450 litres and Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid at 490 litres.
Here’s what I didn’t like about the Omoda 7
It’s not all roses. The infotainment system is a faff, as you desperately poke around to get to the right menu. The boot is shallow, so good luck loading in a big box or a chest of drawers, with a high loading edge to deal with.
Though a lot of the interior surfaces are upholstered, I didn’t quite get on with the choice of material. It’s a leatherette, but it feels more like neoprene than a nice, soft hide, and it doesn’t feel very luxurious as a result. There are the customary scratchy low-down plastics around the centre console and door cards, too.
All-in-all, however, the Omoda 7 is actually a cracking car at a cracking price. That’s not damning it with faint praise, either, because up until now a lot of Chinese cars have only been good ‘for the price.’ The Omoda 7, however, is very good, regardless of price.
Car change? Carwow!
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*Savings are made up of the maximum dealer discount off RRP – subject to dealership, location and trim. Prices correct at the time of writing.