Omoda is part of the, seemingly, ever-expanding Chery family in South Africa. We recently got a hold of the stylish Omoda C7 in Elegance guise to review.
Chery Automobile, as do many other Chinese automakers, have interesting diversification strategies. They seem to offer many different nameplates under a single umbrella, often sharing platforms and powertrains. This isn’t too dissimilar to what the likes of VW have been doing for years, albeit to a lesser degree. Other brands that come from Chery include Jaecoo, Jetour and most recently Lepas (which you can read about here). The strategy seems to be working, too.
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Omoda, another Chery brand, has been racking up sales since introduction just a few years ago. In fact, over 4 100 units of sister brands Omoda and Jaecoo (who report combined sales for some reason) were sold in the first quarter of 2026 alone, making it one of the top performers for the year thus far.
The first model brought to SA was the C5 (which you can read about here) and the range-leading C9, which left a very favourable impression on us. The protagonist of this review slots in between its numeric siblings, as you may have gauged from the name. Oh, as we were writing this piece it was announced that before the year is out there will also be a C4 available locally. The newcomer will be the new entry level model on offer.
Shopping for an Omoda C7 presents you with three derivatives. First up is the entry-level Luxury. In the middle of the range is an Elegance version, which is the subject of this review. These two are mechanically identical and only differ in terms of standard equipment. Leading the range is an SHS Plug-in Hybrid, which is named for its powertrain.
A Good Looker
Omoda is the fashionable brand in the Chery line-up. In fact, it’s name is combination of O – for oxygen and Moda – for fashion. As a result. Omoda is aimed at the style conscious. We first saw signs of that in the C5. The (most expensive of the range) C9 is a little more conservative. However, the C7 is, in our eyes, the best looking of the family. It has crisp lines and a completely unique aesthetic that had more than one onlooker asking: Wow, what is that?
From the sharp headlamps, which are extremely effective judging by annoyed oncoming traffic, to the sneaky little patterned LED motif hidden behind the bumper skin, to the lightning-esque LED taillamps; the C7 really sets itself apart. It also has a nice balance of metal/bodywork versus wheel size, something the C5 doesn’t quite get right. Driving an Omoda C7 will ensure you stand out among a sea of Fortuners and other Chinese products that are commonplace these days.
A Premium Cabin
The cabin matches the interior in terms of its upmarket appeal. Faux leather upholstery is soft-to-the-touch and the seats, front and rear, proved extremely comfortable during a road trip of about 300-odd km. The front seats in this Elegance spec version feature cooling and heating functionality. Tech and standard fitment is, expectedly, high. More than the standard equipment level and use of premium materials, the cabin also felt substantial, as though it was well bolted together. The doors close with a thud and the handles, inside and out, feel robust. Those last few comments came from a regular Audi driver who rode passenger with us.
There is the now, almost, standard dual screen layout. We found the digital instrument cluster a little on the small side, but we are guessing that was intentional to allow the screen to be fully visible through the squared-off steering wheel. The centre display takes care of almost all functions, including adjusting the side mirrors, which can be a little annoying. Thankfully Omoda has left a set of physical switches to control basic HVAC functions and audio volume. Having said that, the infotainment screen is fast in operation and generally easy to use. Most functions were found within expected menus.
There is also space aplenty in the cabin of the Omoda C7. We spent a few days with four adults aboard, not a once did anyone lack legroom. A fifth passenger wouldn’t really crowd the rear seat, either. The seating space is matched by a boot that is equally accommodating. It was unsurprising to learn that the quoted volume is just over 600 litres. Handily, there are two levels to set the boot floor and space under to keep smaller items from rolling around.
On the Move
The Omoda C7 Elegance is powered by a Chery group petrol engine. The 1,6-litre turbocharged unit produces 145 kW and 290 N.m of peak torque. While many products from this stable are fitted with CVTs, the Omoda C7 has a more modern dual-clutch transmission. The seven-speed item sends power to the front wheels only. We found the engine provided plenty of poke on the open road and remained largely smooth in operation. It does get a little noisy in the very high end of the rev-range, for eg when making an overtake on a group caravanners or trailer-towers and one needed to keep the gas flat to the floor.
On the open road the engine and gearbox work well in combination. One small gripe is that of the low-speed operation of the transmission in city/stop-start use. Between an over-eager power delivery at low revs and slow-to-engage clutch, one can make less-than-smooth pull-aways. We learned to drive around the issue by finessing the accelerator. However, it should really be an issue dealt with before the car is signed off at the factory.
Smooth Sailing
As mentioned earlier we covered a few hundred kilometres over the recent public holidays. We drove a wide variety of roads, though mostly avoided traffic. The ride quality is commendable. The snazzy dual-tone 19-inch alloys are shod with relatively plump tyres which means it deals with most road imperfections well. In fact, on one extended motorway section three of the occupants took the opportunity for an afternoon snooze (probably brought on by the large lunch and copious wine that preceded the return drive). That also speaks to the relative quietness of the cabin, especially on well sealed/new tar.
Many Chinese automakers have previously come under fire for powertrains that are less than frugal at the fuel pumps. That can be a real problem in this day and age of rising petrol prices. Omoda quotes 7,5 L/100 km for the C7. We managed a pretty comparable 8,1 during our review period. Admittedly, much of our touring was done on the open road. For a long spell we saw figures that almost matched the official quote.
Summary
Buyers of family SUVs in SA are faced with a plethora of options. And theses days it seems that the bulk of those options come from one country. There is notable change and improvement with each successive model that comes from China, which means that automakers in that country are taking notes of media and customer complaints/feedback. This is a very good thing as it means the customer ultimately wins.
This is quite evident in the case of the Omoda C7. Engineers have addressed most gripes that have been levelled at its stablemates and rivals. As a family SUV the C7 delivers on just about every front. Transmission response issue aside, there is very that it does wrong for a car in this segment. Rivals from traditional (read German, Japanese and Korean) automakers cost, at minimum 20 per cent more than the Omoda C7, which makes it a difficult to ignore.
Model: Omoda C7 Elegance
Price: R589 900
Engine: 1,6-litre four-cylinder turbopetrol
Transmission: seven-speed DCT, FWD
Max power: 145 kW
Max torque: 290 N.m
0-100 km/h: ~8,5 sec
Top speed: n/a
Fuel consumption: 7,5 L/100 km (8,1 during review period)
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