ORIENT EXCESS?(some text hidden)

By Jonathan Crouch

Ten Second Review word count: 42

Chinese brand Omoda's initial foray into the UK market depends largely on this car, the Omoda E5. This all-electric compact family hatch crossover enters a tough segment but brings value and fashionable design for those prepared to try something a little different.

Background word count: 145

After years of promising to flood our market with electric vehicles, China finally has, with all manner of new EVs from unfamiliar brands arriving to take on the established makers. Here's another, the Omoda E5, a Chery automotive group product that sells alongside the conventional petrol version of this car that was launched just before it. As with other Chinese EVs from brands like the BYD, MG, GWM Ora and Leapmotor, this one primarily sells on value, technology and design. You probably aren't yet familiar with this Omoda E5; it's a lower-mid-sized family hatch / crossover model aimed right at the heart of the compact part of the family market, with appeal somewhere between family hatch (think something like a Vauxhall Astra Electric) and small SUV/Crossover (think something like a Hyundai Kona Electric). So why might you choose this Omoda over established players like those?

Driving Experience word count: 346

This E5 electric model offers 201bhp from its front-mounted e-motor. Which means that 62mph can be dispatched in 7.2s en route to 107mph, the kind of performance you'd be very unwise to exercise if you wanted to get anywhere close to the claimed 257 mile range figure from the blade-style 61kWh battery pack. This of course would require near-permanent progress in the most frugal of the three drive modes - 'Eco' - and possibly even selection of the 'limp home'-style 'extreme energy-saving mode' that's also provided. You'd also need to be frequently selecting the fiercest of the three provided Energy Recovery Level brake regen settings - choose between low, medium or high, the latter strong but some way off a 'one-pedal-style' feel in terms of the way that speed is scrubbed off when you release the throttle. Unfortunately, there are no brake regen steering wheel paddles - you have to fiddly about in screen menus to alter the effect. In a curious - but potentially irritating - touch, a breathy female voice articulates the drive mode chosen as you select it. There's slightly jerky driveability with the petrol model. Omoda's gone all out to ensure that there's none of that with this E5, building in two brake-related features; Brake Pitch Control supposedly smoothes out stopping; and a Brake Sensitivity Mode provides two options for adjusting brake pedal feel sensation - comfort or sport. Overkill? We thought so too. It'd be easier if smoothness was just built in at source. Still, the end effect is much more of a mature driving experience than with the petrol model, with dynamics that seem to be helped rather than hindered by this EV variant's extra 250kgs of kerb weight. The ride's slightly on the firm side, but that does at least mean that body roll's well controlled at speed through the turns, though the syrupy steering feel won't encourage you to put that to the test. Omoda says that the suspension, steering and anti-roll bars have all been re-tuned over the Chinese market model to cater for differing European tastes.