REVIEW: Omoda C5 X will hit a sweet spot for those who prefer sporty looks to practicality

There’s a quiz on one of Joburg’s popular radio stations, where contestants are asked to name a whole bunch of things starting with a specific letter, from countries to animals, foods and... you get the drift.

Of course, I’ve never entered because, with my luck, I would probably be stuck with a letter like ‘X’ or ‘Z’.

Nonetheless, on this specific day the contestant was saddled with ‘O’ and when asked to name a car brand, the answer given was Omoda. Not Opel, as the obvious one might have been a few years back.

But it illustrates a point. Among the seemingly endless tide of new Chinese brands entering the South African market, Omoda & Jaecoo has established a solid footing on the sales charts in a relatively short space of time.

In the first four months of this year they have sold an average of just under 800 cars per month, placing it 14th among the manufacturers, and it’s the Omoda C5 that leads this charge with a consistent monthly tally of just over 500 units.

The C5 range was recently split into two, with the facelifted ‘X’ models forming the upper half of the range, while the 1.5 Street and 1.5T Style variants continue unchanged at the more affordable end of the spectrum, with prices starting at R329,900.

The new C5 X is sold in two flavours, with the Lux X costing R425,900 and the Elegance X commanding R465,900. These models are a respective R52,000 and R42,000 less than their predecessors!

Subjective as styling is, I’d say this facelift is a cracker.

In the old version you got a huge, colour-coded and borderless grille with a bit of car hidden behind it.

The new model, with its sharper “diamond matrix” grille, derived from the elegant Omoda C9, just looks so much neater, particularly as it’s flanked by larger headlights and boomerang-shaped bumper elements.

The sleek body shape remains as before, and is just as striking and eye-catching as ever, now complemented by a more handsome front end.

However, the sporty silhouette does have a downside, which I discovered while trying to plonk my average-sized frame behind my driving position. Rear headroom is on the tight side, and while I only just fitted in comfortably, taller individuals might find themselves in a more claustrophobic position. I found the rear legroom to be adequate, but there wasn’t much stretching space.

The recent design upgrades saw the official boot capacity increase from 378 to 442 litres, which is certainly generous enough for a vehicle in this segment - you’ll fit a good few holiday bags in there.

The basic cabin architecture remains as before, but soft-touch surfaces are more liberally used. 

There’s a large curved panel, which  neatly houses two screens, rising above the dashboard, while a raised centre console creates a feeling of separation between the driver and front passenger, as you might find in a supercar. Below this you’ll find a large storage area, which also houses A and C USB ports.

The wireless phone charger, which sits between the upper console and infotainment screen, has an increased charging output of 50 watts.

The infotainment system, which integrates wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, is relatively straightforward and easy to use, and there is a separate touch panel below the air vents for most of the ventilation functions.

What’s it like to drive the Omoda C5 X?

The engine carries over, as the familiar 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol unit that pushes 115kW and 230Nm, but the previous CVT gearbox has been replaced by a new six-speed dual-clutch unit.

The electronic gear lever did not feel all that responsive to fast inputs between park, reverse and drive. But on the road the gearbox delivered reasonably smooth shifts.

Performance is on par with what you’d expect, given the vehicle’s size and power. It’s no firecracker, but it’s more than capable of keeping up with fast-paced urban and highway traffic.

Omoda claims an overall consumption figure of 6.9 litres per 100km, down from the previous version’s 7.4, but our test car averaged 9.8 litres per 100km in mixed conditions, while a freeway run of around 100km after a trip reset saw a figure of 7.3 litres per 100km. While not catastrophic consumption, it could certainly have been better.

That also sums up my feeling about the overall driving experience. There’s a new multi-link rear axle, but the ride quality is no better than average at best. Interior noise and vibration levels also leave room for improvement. It’s not necessarily unrefined, but it’s also not the height of sophistication either.

But let’s be fair here, as the Omoda C5 still enters the field with a high-value price tag, with almost every conceivable bell and whistle made available for under R500,000.

Both models come with automatic climate control, synthetic leather seats, with electric adjustment for the front occupants, sunroof, push-button start and a surround-view camera.

The Elegance X adds a few extra bits and bobs, such as driver’s seat ventilation, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and wireless phone charger.

VERDICT

The driving experience could still do with some fine-tuning, but other than that, the new Omoda C5 X is proof of how far Chinese car manufacturers have come in a relatively short space of time. Boasting sporty looks, a keen price tag and a glut of standard features, it should hit a sweet spot for many buyers seeking a desirable vehicle for under R500,000.

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