2025 Chery Omoda E5 BX review

While many new brands in Australia have taken an EV-first or even an all-EV approach, Chery has opted to launch a range of petrol-powered models to spearhead its Australian introduction, and is now rolling out its electric vehicle line-up.

The Omoda E5 is, as the name suggests, an electric version of the petrol-powered Omoda 5. The styling is a little different, but the body and key interior dimensions are familiar.

Like the Omoda 5, and indeed the whole Chery line-up, the focus is on value. Rather than a race to the bottom on pricing, Chery has aimed to balance competitive pricing with a high level of features.

As a small SUV, the Omoda E5 faces off against the MG ZS EV, which is in runout mode, but also crosses the price and positioning of electric cars like the GWM Ora, and BYD Atto 3, plus plug-in hybrid models like the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross.

We spent a week with the cheapest of two Omoda E5 models to see if Chery's first electric vehicle does enough to stand out in the growing electric vehicle crowd.

There are two variants of the Omoda E5 available in Australia. The difference relates to equipment rather than driving range.

The base-model Omoda E5 BX featured in this review starts from $42,990 plus on-road costs, while the better-equipped Omoda E5 EX model is priced from $45,990.

The list of included equipment in the base model is generous with features like dual 12.3-inch interior screens, six-speaker Sony audio, fabric and faux-leather interior trim, manually adjusted front seats, dual-zone climate control, 18-inch alloy wheels, LED head- and tail-lights with dusk sensing and auto high-beam, rain-sensing wipers, a 50-watt wireless phone charger (that's some decent grunt from a wireless charger), and more.

But for $3000 more, the higher grade EX adds quite a lot with features like powered front seats, front and rear seat heating, a sunroof, leather look seat trim and steering wheel trim, a powered tailgate, ambient interior lighting, and a range of smaller upgrades.

Both variants have the same 430km driving range and feature a 150kW/340Nm front motor.

Although it has entered runout mode now, the MG ZS EV was priced from $39,990 for the 320km-range entry-level version, up to $46,990 for the Long Range model with 440km of range. Standard-range models have a 130kW motor, while the Long Range runs a 115kW motor. At the time of writing MG was clearing stock with factory bonuses of $8000 ahead of a new-generation model with pricing and features yet to be announced.

The BYD Atto 3 also comes in 345km Standard Range and 420km Extended Range versions. Both share the same key features and equipment and are priced from $44,499 and $47,499 plus on-road costs respectively.

The Hyundai Kona Electric is more expensive from $54,000 plus on-road costs, while the Kia Niro EV is priced higher still, from $66,590.

Buyers not entirely sure if the full EV experience is for them may also like the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross plug-in hybrid, which allows more modest electric-only running (up to 55km), plus the flexibility of petrol-powered touring. The Eclipse Cross starts from $47,790 and spans to $56,490 plus on-road costs.

Because the Omoda E5 has so much in common with the petrol Omoda 5, most dimensions are shared. The 1588mm height, 1830mm width, and 2610mm wheelbase are the same. The only difference is overall length, which at 4424mm is 50mm longer as a result of the different styling and EV-specific front and rear bumpers on the Omoda E5.

Among its peers, the Omoda E5 is 121mm shorter than an Eclipse Cross, and only 30mm shorter than an Atto 3.

Interior dimensions are closely related to the Omoda 5 too, as a result of the shared bodywork, but Chery differentiates the electric version with a different dash and centre console design, similar to what you'll find in the larger Tiggo 7 Pro SUV.

In the base-model Omoda E5 BX you get fabric and faux-leather seats with manual adjustment, whereas the equivalent BX petrol model gets powered seat adjustment, synthetic leather trim, and ambient lighting that the Omoda E5 BX misses out on.

Still, the level of specification is strong in the Omoda E5 despite minor differences. The interior redesign also gives it a slightly more premium look. There's some added sophistication between larger screens, glossy faux wood panelling, and hide-away console elements like cupholders and a wireless charger that can be covered up.

It may not be to all tastes, but there's a lot of woodgrain on the dash and doors, and plenty of chrome look and silver trim highlights. It's handsome at a glance, but in my time with the car, I found that the dash had rattles, trim pieces like the console and door trims creaked when leant on, and the opening compartments lacked the robust feel you might expect.

This might be a little picky, but it would also be nice if the steering wheel was trimmed in faux leather too (it is on all Omoda 5 grades) given how much more expensive the Omoda E5 is. The wheel also sits quite low, even in its highest position it sits over the top of the instrument screen and covers secondary info like outside temp, driver monitoring status, and time.

As a shorter driver (at 169cm), I found the seating position a nice fit. I had a good view over the bonnet and felt a comfortable distance from key controls without the need to compromise. Taller drivers may find that the roof is a little close, and depending on your proportions, the front seats might be on the compact side.

The high console offers a good elbow rest, and the armrest storage is cooled via the climate control – but unless you close the rear events to direct air into the storage space, it doesn't do much at all. The wireless charge pad will quickly charge most devices, but the space is quite small. It'll fit a 'plus' size phone without much room to spare, and a bulky case could be enough to impede access.

The interior offers a variety of charge options too. The front and rear seats both have access to USB-A and USB-C ports, plus a USB-A port near the mirror for a dash cam. There's also a 12-volt barrel plug in the front of the cabin and another in the boot.

The rear seats are a 'stadium-style' seating position, with the seat base set higher than the fronts. This gives extra visibility, but also means taller passengers may need to stoop slightly to get comfortable, while kids have a bit of a climb up to get seated.

The boot is a relatively simple space, lacking bag hooks and tie-down points. The Omoda E5 has a slightly smaller boot (300 litres) than its petrol sibling (360L), but also gains a small front storage compartment under the bonnet rated at 19L and capable of holding items you might want to carry with you but not use too often (like slow-charge or Type 2 to Type 2 charge cables).

Something that is a little less typical of small SUVs, in general, is the inclusion of a full-size spare wheel under the boot floor.

The Omoda E5 shows off its credentials as a digital native via a pair of 12.3-inch displays arranged under a single panel, with one catering to driver info, and the other a touchscreen for infotainment duty.

The system comes with wireless and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto access, Bluetooth connectivity, AM/FM/digital radio and integrated satellite navigation.

The system can be navigated by touch input, but isn't always as responsive as you might expect given the slick graphics it uses. You can also use voice prompts, via 'hello Chery' commands, although this too can be hit-or-miss. It's handy for some functions, but stumbles with others. It's possible to adjust the climate control, open windows, or bring up the digital owner's manual via voice.

The infotainment screen offers shortcuts to climate control and into key menus like vehicle settings with a fixed command strip at the bottom of the screen. If you use smartphone mirroring this menu disappears, but you can swipe up from the bottom for climate controls, or down from the top to open a customisable list of common functions.

The Omoda E5 doesn't offer app connectivity, so remote status checks or access aren't available like they are in some rivals.

The Chery Omoda 5 was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on 2022 testing. The Omoda E5, which shares its key body structure with the petrol version, is covered by this same five-star rating.

The car achieved an 87 per cent score for adult occupant protection, 88 per cent for child occupant protection and 83 per cent for its safety assistance features. The Omoda 5 only achieved a lower 68 per cent score for vulnerable road user (pedestrian) protection.

There are seven airbags including dual front, front-seat side, full-length curtain, and a centre airbag between front occupants.

Like the Omoda 5 before it, the Omoda E5 has a comprehensive list of safety features; however, the usefulness of some shows there's a bit of room for improvement.

The list of safety assist covers things like autonomous emergency braking, a full suite of lane assistance including departure warning and lane centring, blind-spot monitoring with lane-change assist and door open warning, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, speed sign recognition with speed control assist, and a driver attentiveness monitoring camera.

In isolation, the speed sign recognition and adaptive cruise-control systems feel well developed. The sign recognition didn't trip up in my time with the car, and the way the adaptive cruise control works didn't feel unnatural or alarming.

There's still some notchiness to the lane-keep assist, and if you use this in conjunction with the cruise control, it's almost like the car is trying to fight you at every turn. With the centring off, but other lane features on, the car will still panic if it thinks you're getting too close to the lane's edge. Rather than nudge you away, it has a tendency to lock into the line marking, letting you neither cross nor move back to the centre.

Even with lane-assist systems fully deactivated the car would still, at times, intervene. The driver monitoring camera also proved frustrating. chiming constantly that the driver has been distracted.

There's a warning for almost everything you do in the car. Looking at the instruments, checking your mirrors, or glancing at the navigation results in a chime and warning message. Sometimes even glancing at an adjacent lane would trigger the system, and the warnings are almost instant with no understanding that driving a car involves more than just looking dead ahead.

The litany of 'boy who cried wolf' warnings makes it easy to ignore actual important alerts, and Chery would do well to invest more time and effort into getting these systems right.

Like other models in the Chery line-up, the Omoda E5 is covered by a seven-year warranty with no distance limit for privately used vehicles, or a seven-year, 150,000km warranty for cars used commercially (including ride share, rental, or delivery). The high-voltage battery is covered by an eight-year warranty.

From purchase, the Omoda E5 comes with 12 months' roadside assistance, which is extended for a further 12 months with each service carried out by a Chery dealer, for up to seven years.

Service intervals are set every 12 months or 20,000km. Chery has a capped-price servicing program with relatively affordable per-visit pricing for the first seven service visits. The first five services are priced at $130 or $280 for alternative visits, the sixth service is the most expensive at $511. Over the full seven years, scheduled servicing comes to a total of $1586.

A comparative insurance quote came to $2731 per year based on the details of a 35-year-old male living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

The same driver details saw the quote for an MG ZS EV come in at $1827, while a BYD Atto 3 Standard Range was quoted at $1935 per year.

The Chery Omoda E5 has a claimed 430km driving range based on WLTP testing. Its energy consumption is rated at 15.5 kilowatt hours per 100 kilometres, which isn't outstanding for a vehicle of its size. The larger BYD Atto 3 claims 16kWh/100km, but the MG ZS EV has a higher 17.7kWh/100km claim.

In real-world driving, the Omoda E5 used an indicated 16.8kWh/100km. In urban driving it fared best, using 15.8kWh/100km, but on the freeway in a mix of 100km/h and 110km/h zones, plus some slow-speed roadworks traffic, we recorded 19.2kWh/100km.

The 61.1kWh battery uses lithium iron phosphate chemistry.

While it's not the only car to do so, rather than having the charge port on one side of the vehicle, the Omoda E5's charger lives under the nose. Handy for access as you can reach it no matter what side of a public charger you pull up to.

The Omoda E5 steps up over its petrol siblings with a punchy but incredibly smooth electric drivetrain. The turbo petrol engine and CVT auto in the standard Omoda 5 range can be laggy and sluggish, but the Omoda E5 is much perkier.

The 150kW and 340Nm electric motor outputs are strong, without being market-leading, but as some other electric SUVs have demonstrated, that's a lot of torque available very quickly for the front wheels to cope with. The Kumho Ecsta tyres fitted aren't necessarily a bad or low-cost tyre either.

In dry or wet conditions it's easy to chirp the front wheels without meaning to. All but the gentlest of acceleration can easily overwhelm the front tyres. Handling isn't the Omoda E5's forte either, with early and obvious understeer out of corners.

The Omoda E5 offers a choice of two drive modes, Normal and Sport, but unless you need even more front-wheel scrambling, Sport doesn't do much to elevate the experience. There are also three modes of brake regeneration. The car defaults to the lowest mode with each restart, but the delay between lifting off the pedal and regen kicking in when using the other two modes isn't particularly smooth. A one-pedal driving mode isn't available either.

The suspension has been reworked compared to the regular Omoda 5 too. The E5 uses a multi-link rear suspension (as do GT versions of the Omoda 5) and the suspension has been tuned for better control. The transformation leads to a car that feels more stable and less floaty, but the Omoda E5 still puts comfort ahead of dynamic prowess.

The steering is very light and mostly numb, and the brakes are quite soft too and require a strong stab of the pedal to meaningfully wash off speed.

Around town, the Omoda E5 feels pretty happy, but on highways, you'll notice high levels of tyre noise filtering through to the cabin.

The Chery Omoda E5 BX feels a little like it's been configured to grab the price-sensitive attention of fleet buyers, although it still offers plenty of substance for private buyers.

A good mix of standard equipment, striking looks, and a driving experience that's more evolved than some of Chery's other models are all positives for the Omoda E5. Its competitive set is large, though, and cars like the MG 4, MG ZS, and BYD Atto 3 give it a serious run for its money.

It might be the striking looks, the perky performance, or the driving position that feels just right for shorter-statured drivers, but the Omoda E5 has a few tricks up its sleeve and one of those may be right up your alley.

The Chery Omoda E5 BX makes a good impression, but it's hard not to look to the better-equipped Omoda E5 EX model, which brings a lot of extra features for only a little more money.

If you're keen to check the Omoda E5 out in person, you can find your local Chery dealer here with the brand expanding its reach around the country. You can also find the full range of Chery cars for sale at Drive Marketplace.

With Chery still rolling out new models and adjusting its offers, there's plenty of news from the brand. You can find all the latest Chery news here.