A premium Chinese SUV that impresses for under R1 million

HARDLY a month goes by without a new Chinese brand or model announcement, and more often than not, they’re well priced and even better specced.

- Willem van de Putte

THE Omoda 2.0TGDI 400T Explore AWD makes a bold statement in the luxury segment.

As with all things, some are better than others, but South African consumers have embraced many of them, and we're seeing more people with calculators in hand than stars in their eyes before signing an offer to purchase.

This is especially so in the premium market, as demonstrated by the Omoda 2.0TGDI 400T Explore AWD, which makes a fine case for itself. Omoda is part of the Chery Group, which has been making strong inroads into the local market and has become a household name in part as a result of its popular Tiggo range.

Think of Omoda as their luxury brand, and for R885 900, you get heaps of luxury and technology wrapped in what is genuinely a premium experience.

I think bold and elegant would be the best way to sum up the exterior, and while many SUVs seem to be cut from the same cloth, the Omoda C9 certainly attracted attention from bystanders.

The sloping roofline and borderless diamond-shaped front grill with the full-width LED lightbar connecting the headlights give it a commanding presence and an almost Range Rover-esque look.

Flush door handles and attractively creased sheet metal combined with 20-inch alloys deliver an eye-pleasing side view, while the sleek LED taillights and integrated spoiler round off the rear.