Chery Omoda 5 SUV spied testing in Malaysia – is the confirmed X50 and HR-V rival launching here soon?

Chery Omoda 5 SUV spied testing in Malaysia – is the confirmed X50 and HR-V rival launching here soon?

Click to enlarge

We’ve seen high interest on our posts of the Chery Omoda 5 so far, and perhaps it’s the Chinese SUV’s bold design that has captured the imagination. Certainly, the Omoda 5 is galaxies away from the Chery that some of us might remember – think Eastar MPV and the old RAV4-copycat Tiggo SUV.

Guess what, the Omoda 5 has now been spied testing in Malaysia ahead of its local introduction. This mule was pictured in Petaling Jaya, and locals will recognise the background to be the LDP stretch after the Kelana Jaya LRT station. Malaysia is a good place to rack up endurance testing miles, given our hot/humid weather and variety of driving situations. Chery could also be evaluating tech or ADAS based on our traffic conditions.

At first glance, the tail lamps seen here don’t match the horizontal strip on the Omoda 5, especially with those round inner lamps, but that could be decoy. The profile lines – high dashes above the wheelarches – and the B-segment SUV’s shape are similar. Check out the angle of the rear screen, which can rival the new Honda HR-V for rake. The camo pattern also matches prototypes seen in China.

Chery Omoda 5 SUV spied testing in Malaysia – is the confirmed X50 and HR-V rival launching here soon?

Click to enlarge

By the way, Chery is making a return to Malaysia and is expected to make an announcement sometime this year. In December 2021, the carmaker told paultan.org that it was in discussions with a potential joint venture partner to set up CKD local assembly operations, and had said an announcement on this – as well as the identity of the local partner – would be made in 2022. Chery’s Indonesian comeback was announced in March.

One of the models that will spearhead the brand’s return is the Omoda 5. In February, Chery confirmed that the SUV is coming to Malaysia, and we will be among the first international markets outside of China to get the model. Chery Malaysia has also set up an official Omoda 5 Facebook fan page.

The Omoda 5 is powered by a 1.6 litre TGDI petrol engine (from Chery’s new Kunpeng engine family), producing 197 PS and 290 Nm of torque. Drive is sent to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. This version does the 0-100 km/h sprint in 7.8 seconds. Order books for the Omoda 5 has just opened in China, where domestic buyers can also opt for a 1.5 TCI + 9CVT powertrain.

What do you think of the Chery Omoda 5 as a rival to the Proton X50 and new Honda HR-V?

GALLERY: Chery Omoda 5 global debut

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • Maverick Rafizi on Jul 05, 2022 at 2:17 pm

    Bring it on.The more models ,the merrier.
    Let the com petition get sizzling hot,especially as alternative for X50/x70.
    Lets see,whether the spare parts issue crop up with this imported marque.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 16 Thumb down 0
  • Dwayne on Jul 05, 2022 at 2:34 pm

    Hopefully this car can be fuel efficient too.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 0
  • Poor man's XC90 on Jul 05, 2022 at 3:55 pm

    This HRV X50 rival got trusted and knowledgeable foreman/service centre nationwide onot?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • no aftersale and unknown reliability dead on arrival just like all previous china car brand that has come to malaysia (boargward, haval, etc)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • X50 fan on Jul 06, 2022 at 7:36 am

    Better than x50 for sure!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
  • joeSatriani on Jul 06, 2022 at 8:18 am

    take my money..beautiful design

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
 

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