A brand new premium SUV from Chinese brand Chery has been spotted in Australia for the primary time, albeit with none of the brand’s badging.
Expected to be sold because the Chery Omoda C9 in Australia, the five-seat SUV was spied in plug-in hybrid (PHEV) form on the Heartland Chery dealership in Chullora, Sydney… and with the steering on the best side.
While Chery has already received approval from the Australian Government to sell the C9 in Australia, the brand only sought approval for non-PHEV versions.
Approval documents list two variants of the Omoda C9: one with front-wheel drive and one with all-wheel drive, each with a 183kW turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine mated with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The PHEV uses a 1.5-litre Miller cycle four-cylinder engine. That is mated with either two or three electric motors, and either 19.43kWh or 34.46kWh batteries.
Total system outputs are 270kW of power and 605Nm of torque with the dual-motor configuration, or 445kW and 915Nm with the tri-motor plug-in powertrain.
The Omoda C9 is comparable in size to the Kia Sorento, though it has only two rows of seating.
In markets like China the model is badged because the RX or Yaoguang and sold under Chery’s premium Exeed brand, nonetheless the automotive seen in Sydney wears Omoda C9 badging like in other export markets.
Specced in white with a red interior, the spied C9 encompasses a sloping front end with a diamond grille pattern and wraparound light bar, while built-in door handles give it a sleek side profile.
Nine-spoke wheels were fitted to the undisguised recent arrival.
A low roofline folds down on the rear of the automotive, which also houses a big single light bar under silver Omoda badging.
The rear bumper houses integrated anodised exhaust suggestions, a styling cue straight out of the Genesis playbook.
Moving inside, the inside of the spied C9 is headlined by a curved combined infotainment and instrument screen, which stretches from the motive force’s door right across the centre of the dash.
The seats, door cards and dash front are trimmed in red leather, with black accents elsewhere.
Dual wireless phone chargers sit atop the central tunnel, while natural light reaches the cabin through a panoramic glass roof.
While a full equipment list isn’t available, in China the SUV can be offered with heated, ventilated and massaging power-adjustable front seats finished in Nappa leather; LED headlights with adaptive high-beam; and an augmented reality head-up display.
All models use a Sony sound system, with either eight or 14 speakers depending on the variant.
Lively safety and driver assist technology features include adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera, autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, and rear cross-traffic assist.
Along with the C9 and the Omoda 5, Chery has also revealed the Omoda 7 to fit in between them because the Omoda brand continues to grow.
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Exeed RX
Omoda isn’t currently being marketed as a separate brand here because it is in other markets, but approval documents list the C9’s make as Omoda and never Chery.
Chery is introducing Jaecoo as a separate brand here this yr, with the J7 as its first model. In China, this vehicle is sold under the Chery brand.
This Article First Appeared At www.carexpert.com.au
