How ‘new Cherry’ should be viewed today’s Hyundai, says brand

To – or back to – the Chinese car brand, Cherysays customers can comfortably look back on the brand’s heritage, but insists that it is a completely different entity today.

For those unaware, the Chery was first launched in Australia in 2011 by independent importer, Ateco Automotive. Under that stewardship, the company offered the J3 hatchback, the J11 compact SUV, and the J1 city car, which at the time was the most affordable car in the nation at $9,990 to drive.

However, the brand didn’t last long, withdrawing in 2015 following some untenable safety ratings and recalls of asbestos-related parts.

But the ‘new’ Chery seems to be wanting – to borrow a phrase I coined in a recent story – Men in black existing brand memories with a range of new, higher-tech and safer products.

Chery Australia marketing director James Curtis says people are free to consider where the brand has been and where it will be at launch, offering some interesting contextual considerations.

“They can, but I also challenge them to compare it to an old Hyundai,” he said, pointing to the Korean brand’s heritage.

Its history is a bit longer and arguably less scandalous, but arguably there was a common negative connotation attached to the brand in its early days due to some question marks over quality.

“Our vehicles are built for 2023 and beyond. Omoda 5 is a completely new product, not all products are available on the market. We do not carry a recycled product. “We’re delivering an all-new vehicle with the latest in technology and safety features, and one that’s unbelievable in terms of its powertrain,” said Mr Curtis. “It’s a really important part of our strategy.”

The Omoda 5 will be the first model sold in Australia under Chery’s new business structure, which is a wholly owned subsidiary; which means that Chery herself controls the brand’s destiny locally, not a third-party operator who cares about their interests.

“The Omoda 5 is our debut vehicle, which is a small SUV – or what you would surely call a ‘crossover. A few images we’ve released so far – you can visit our website where the car is available in seven different colors. It has a really beautiful design language, very powerful design,” he said.

“It will stand out on the road… the colors are quite distinct from dark to light, and that allows people to personalize the car to suit their needs,” he said, noting recent story posted on auto expert and the fact that the car caught the eye of a reader on the Sydney motorway.

It is believed the car discovered in Sydney is being evaluated for local tuning of advanced safety systems, and Mr Curtis says that while having the technology is one thing, making sure it works well for Consumers are another matter.

There may also be other changes to the car to make it suit the specific tastes and preferences of Australian drivers – another tip for Korean brands, as Kia and Hyundai both consider it’s important to consider development for new models they are tuned to Oz as well – but Mr. Curtis did not want to comment on specifics.

“We actually had a prototype in Australia, driving around, because I think of June for this reason; to ensure that the vehicle has been calibrated for the local market. I can’t say specifically what was modified or changed – but this is a fundamental part of the development process we go through to ensure that our products are market-appropriate.

“That’s one of the key things as cars get more and more advanced, we need to make sure those advanced features work in real-world environments. We’re putting a lot of effort into tweaking things like blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist; anything to do with cameras and sensors to ensure that Australian road conditions and the vehicles we supply operate the way they are intended,” he said.

Mr. Curtis also said achieving a standard safety rating – Omoda 5 was awarded a Euro NCAP five-star rating in December 2022 – would be an important consideration for potential customers. .

Furthermore, Mr. Curtis stated that the brand intends to offer an industry-leading warranty plan, calling the seven-year warranty offered by Kia, MG, SsangYong and GWM Haval models fundamental. version needs to be beaten by Chery in the minds of consumers.

“We’re aiming to be the best in the market – that’s where we’re comparing,” he said. “There must be at least seven [years of warranty] – you look at the competitors, there must be at least seven.”

For context, when the Chery initially launched, it had a three-year/100,000 km warranty that was the industry standard at the time.

THAN: ‘Seven years of warranty is not enough!’ – Chery aims for industry leadership