Having already made successful inroads into the affordable end of the SUV segment, Chinese carmakers now have their sights on the premium end of the market.
The new Omoda C9, launched in South Africa this week, has more than a few hints of Range Rover Velar in its ultra-smooth lines, and it’s not too dissimilar in proportion.
But, as revealed at a glitzy event in Cape Town on Thursday night, it is significantly less expensive.
The new Omoda C9 is available in two versions, with the front-wheel drive Inspire model coming in at an introductory special of R760,000 and the all-wheel drive Explore listed at R860,000. Those prices apply for the month of October, and thereafter they will cost R785,000 and R885,000 respectively.
The 4,775mm crossover is the first Chinese vehicle to win a Gold Award in the International Design Awards (IDA) Automotive & Transport category.
Featuring a sloping ‘fastback style’ roof line, concealed door handles and a borderless grille with diamond-shaped elements, the C9 certainly appears premium. It rolls on 20-inch wheels as standard and both models also come with a panoramic sunroof and second row privacy glass.
The Omoda C9 is powered by a 2.0-litre turbopetrol direct injection engine, which pushes 192kW and 400Nm through an eight-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel paddles.
The cabin is high-tech and luxurious, boasting a dual-screen layout and a 256-colour ambient lighting system.
Even the base grade ‘Inspire’ comes with leather seats, six-way electrically adjustable for the driver and with memory function.
Also standard across the board is two 12.3-inch screens, wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, Intelligent Voice Command and a glut of driver assist gadgets, including Around View Monitor, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross Traffic Alert, to name a few.
The Explore variant comes with Nappa leather, in black or light brown, and features an audio speaker in the driver’s headrest. It also comes with a fragrance system for the cabin, with three selectable scents.
And if reliability is a worry at the back of your mind, the vehicle is sold with a seven-year or 200,000km warranty.
Stay tuned next week for more information and our driving impressions from the launch event.
IOL