Several of my introductions to Omoda vehicle reviews have begun with explaining who in fact Omoda are. So rather than dwell on this, let me assume you know all about them and let’s crack on with the review of this ‘fashionable and clean-air’ brand’s EV SUV, the E5.
In its simplest form, the Omoda E5 is an all-electric medium-sized SUV that’s loaded with technology and offer’s value with a capital V. I recently drove its sibling, the C5 and was impressed with what it had to offer and that’s even before finding out that its price tag began with a 2. And it would appear that the E5 comes with the same kind of head-scratcher, how do they cram all that stuff into an EV and yet give it a sticker price that starts with a 4?
Adding to four petrol variants, Omoda has launched with two models in their EV range, the base model BX and the top of the line EX, and as I hoped, my review model was the EX. To say fully-loaded is a bit of an understatement.
Its looks are a mixture of futuristic modernity and sleek aerodynamics, all wrapped in an urban-chic SUV shell. Its nose has a somewhat proud appearance, with Omoda lettering across a gloss-black strip that joins its narrow LED lights. More lights bookend the closed off grille, while a toothy chrome valance underlines it all.
Omoda have opted to put the charge point on the nose too, and with a push of a button in the cabin, a flap ‘pops up’ to reveal the connector – it’s very pleasing for those that like pop-up headlights and it also makes public charge points ‘drive-in’ easy.
While I’m here, let me tell you about the powertrain. The E5 comes with a 61-kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery that is good for a range of 450 km (WLTP). The battery powers a front-mounted electric motor that provides 150 kW and 340 Nm of torque, enabling a 0-100 km/h time of 7.6 seconds. It also has V2L (vehicle-to-load) capabilities too, so you can power appliances and devices from the charger port should you so choose too.
The E5’s profile is very ‘SUV familiar’, and with its 4.4m length, 1.59m height and 1.83m width, it fits nicely into both garages and mall parking spaces, plus with 380L of boot space, you can carry good loads too. The 18-inch wheels come with a ‘55’ profile which adds the ride comfort and they’re closed-rimmed too, which adds to the EV’s overall low drag coefficient (0.28).
The rear offers up a roofline spoiler, privacy glass, LED lights and Omoda lettering on another gloss black strip, while the tail gate is electric and hand’s free for your convenience. This is all well and good, but it’s when you step inside that things get even more interesting.
The first thing you notice is the HUGE 24.6-inch infotainment/instrument screen. It’s curved for additional style and comes with a ‘best in glass’ (or best in glass) title. Well when writing this at least. It’s really easy to use and comes with screeds of information, ADAS menus, charging and battery use information, apps and a hefty Sony sound system. However, the wow moment is when the 360-degree cameras come on and a 3D image of the E5 and its surroundings are displayed. It’s ultra-clear, and cool to see the SUV from all angles – shame it can’t show the driver too, would make a nice screen saver.
The rest of the cabin is as spacious as they come, with plenty of light too, thanks to the sunroof. The passenger side dash has an illuminated image of the E5 (in case they forget what vehicle they’re in) and the synthetic leather seats are both supportive and comfortable, powered for both front seats and heated for those in the front and two in the rear – there’s a fight waiting to happen.
My time with the Omoda E5 was spent doing ‘normal family’ things, so generally running around at the beck and call of wife and child, which in all honesty, wasn’t an issue. It appeared that the E5 was very comfortable at doing the mundane and making it better for all.
For example, engaging drive comes via a stalk on the steering column (much like a certain well-respected German auto maker). The heated seats and leather-style steering wheel (so the immediate tactile bits) felt upmarket and welcoming and the stereo belted out my own personal tunes with plenty of oomph (obviously when the rest of the family weren’t around). And for those of us that are impressed with tech, the digital instrument cluster not only shows the regular data in crystal clear clarity, but when on the move, also shows the vehicles around you, so blind spots be gone.
‘Hello Omoda’ is extremely helpful and will not only tune your radio station or set the temperature, but will even open the tailgate, and should you wish to go ‘old school’ and use your hands, the infotainment screen is responsive and intuitive – I didn’t get lost once.
As with many modern vehicles, the E5’s suite of safety features is huge and it gets very upset if you venture over the speed limit, don’t keep your eyes on the road, go too close to the white lines.. Basically, it seeming disliked my driving style in its entirety. However, as I discovered, you can dampen down its vigour and (although I’m not recommending this, ahem, can be disabled too – although it does reset per drive). In actual fact, so much of your drive can be adjusted to suit you, the brake regen, the drive mode, the data you receive, the ADAS help (picks up the spec sheet again).
The cabin is quiet, even on our rough roads and in terms of handling, confident in corners and grippy, even in the wet. The off the mark acceleration won’t necessarily have you gasping for air, but it shifts its size well and feels responsive under foot.
Now when it comes to EVs, range is something that always seems to be asked, and this is difficult to answer due to my ‘irregular’ use – someone has to test the acceleration, sports-mode, heater – need I go on. However, I can say that the E5’s consumption figure averaged around the 16kW mark, and when I handed it back, the gauge displayed 27% and 116km, which if my math is correct, still meant that the total range would be 429km!
The Omoda E5 may be the new kid on the NZ EV block but it comes with an impressive amount of maturity. The tech is outstanding, its looks are great, and its cabin space, feel and serenity is very European – And that’s before you look at the price tag and 7-year warranty.
