A new premium SUV from a Chinese brand Chery was first spotted in Australia, albeit without any branding.
Set to be sold in Australia as the Chery Omoda C9, the five-seat SUV has been spotted in plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) form at the Heartland Chery dealership in Chullora, Sydney… and with the steering wheel on the right.
While Chery has has received approval from the Australian Government to sell the C9 in Australia, the brand is only seeking approval for non-PHEV versions.
The approval documents list two variants of the Omoda C9: a front-wheel drive version and an all-wheel drive version, both featuring a 183kW 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The PHEV uses a 1.5-liter Miller cycle four-cylinder engine. This engine is paired with two or three electric motors and a 19.43kWh or 34.46kWh battery.
Total system output is 270kW and 605Nm of torque with the dual-motor configuration, or 445kW and 915Nm with the three-motor plug-in powertrain.
The Omoda C9 is similar in size to the Kia Sorentoeven though there are only two rows of seats.
In markets like China, the model is branded as the RX or Yaoguang and sold under Chery’s premium Exeed brand, but the car seen in Sydney is branded as the Omoda C9 as it is in other export markets.
Finished in white with a red interior, the C9 spotted features a sloping front end with a diamond-shaped grille and wraparound light bar, while integrated door handles give the car a sleek look.
This new undisguised car is equipped with nine-spoke wheels.
The low roofline dips down at the rear of the car, which also houses a large single light bar under a silver Omoda badge.
The rear bumper incorporates anodized exhaust tips, a design cue directly inspired by Genesis.
Moving inside, the C9’s interior features a curved infotainment screen and instrument cluster display that extends from the driver’s door all the way to the center of the dashboard.
The seats, door panels and dashboard are upholstered in red leather, with black accents elsewhere.
Dual wireless phone chargers are located on the center tunnel, while natural light streams into the cabin through a panoramic glass sunroof.
While a full equipment list isn’t available, in China the SUV also comes with power-adjustable front seats with heating, ventilation, and massage functions, Nappa leather upholstery; LED headlights with adaptive high-beams; and an augmented reality head-up display.
All models use a Sony sound system, with 8 or 14 speakers depending on the version.
Active safety and driver-assist technology features include adaptive cruise control, surround-view camera, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, and rear cross-traffic detection.
In addition to C9 and Omoda 5Chery has also Omoda 7 Revealed to step in between them as the Omoda brand continues to grow.
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Exeed RX
Currently, Omoda is not marketed as a separate brand here like it is in other markets, but approval documents list the C9’s trademark as Omoda, not Chery.
Chery introduced Jaecoo as a separate brand here this year, with the J7 being the first model. In China, the car is sold under the Chery brand.
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