There's a universal narrative that Chinese cars offer exceptional value for money in South Africa. And to be fair, that’s true, to a certain extent. They often come packed with a brochure's worth of features as standard – things you'd usually pay an added premium for in many German rivals. On paper, it sounds like a winning formula: more tech, more style, and a lower price tag. Spend some real time with the car, though, and the experience can feel a bit different.
Some of those headline-grabbing features either don’t work as well as expected or appear unfinished. It makes you pause and ask: Does the affordability really justify the compromises? In the case of the Omoda C5, I found myself leaning towards 'no,' and here's why.
The Lux X variant, which slots just below the range-topping Elegance X model, brings some interesting design elements to the table. Looks are always subjective, but I am a fan of the front end. The recent update lends the C5 a more futuristic, confident stance that really stands out. The rear, on the other hand, falls short of expectations, and there is definitely room for improvement, particularly with the taillights, which sit noticeably higher than expected and disrupt the overall balance of the design. Still, it’s clear that Omoda is aiming to make a visual statement, and for the most part, it works.
Inside, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. On the plus side, the cabin feels decently solid, complemented by materials that give the car a slightly plusher feel. It’s clear that the interior has been built to budget, and with that in mind, the quality isn’t disappointing, but it doesn’t exactly come as a surprise either. Despite some surfaces appearing premium at a glance, most are made of hard plastics.
Storage is reasonable, with enough space for odds and ends, but the centre console's inclined section offers a spot to rest your phone, which is useful, unless the sun is out. It sits directly in the sunlight, causing devices to heat up quickly.
As is common in modern Chinese vehicles, two 10.25-inch displays have been merged to create a larger display. Yes, they do give the interior a smart and premium stance, yet the actual user experience is fairly basic. To Omoda's credit, the infotainment system allows both wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, while the digital instrument cluster shows key driving information, which can be controlled via physical buttons on the steering wheel.
But it's not all peachy. The alignment between the dashboard and the door panels feels slightly off, enough to make the design feel less polished than it should. More importantly, the infotainment system crashed and rebooted several times during my time with the car, including once while using the navigation, which was understandably inconvenient. Just below the infotainment screen, the interactive climate controls sit on a piano-black touch panel that stretches across the dashboard. While they’re responsive enough, I often found myself wishing for good old physical buttons, as I found it far too easy to trigger something by mistake when reaching across the console.
In the rear, the swooping roofline compromises the headroom, which taller passengers might notice. Add to that a small rear window that reduces visibility and a back seat experience that feels more cramped than it should in a car of this size.
In typical Chinese fashion, the Omoda C5 Lux X is powered by a 1.5-litre turbopetrol 4-cylinder engine that drives the front wheels via a 6-speed DCT transmission. With 115kW and 210Nm on tap, the engine is fairly lively and relatively refined when driven with a light foot. Push it harder, though, and it gets noticeably noisy and starts to feel a bit rougher around the edges.
Another frustrating thing is the gear selector. Despite being a modern shift-by-wire setup, it often requires a second, very deliberate nudge to shift between drive and reverse. Even more concerning is the car's tendency to roll back on inclines, even when in 'D,' which can feel unsettling and, honestly, unsafe.
The steering, on the other hand, doesn’t help the situation either. It’s overly light and vague, offering little to no feedback about what the front wheels are doing, which makes it challenging to keep it in line on the road. In fact, I had to dial it into Sport mode just to add some weight to it. In low-speed, urban driving, the lack of responsiveness is especially noticeable. You turn the wheel, and not much seems to happen – something I’ve never encountered in other Chery products that share the same T1X platform as the C5. A more consistent, naturally weighted setup would go a long way in making the driving experience less frustrating. Altogether, these quirks point to a lack of calibration finesse, and while the car does many things right on paper, the driving experience leaves a lot to be desired.
In its defence, the C5's suspension handles minor bumps and imperfections fairly well, providing a reasonably comfortable ride during daily driving. The driver’s seat is positioned quite high, giving you a commanding view of the road ahead, good for city and highway driving. The front seats are sporty and also provide a good range of adjustment, making it easy to find a comfortable driving position.
At R425,900, the Omoda C5 Lux X might initially look like a bargain, especially when compared to fully equipped rivals like the Toyota Corolla Cross XR (R501,500), VW T-Cross R-Line (R543,800), Kia Seltos LX (R492,990), and Renault Duster Intens (R519,999). On paper, the price difference is clear. However, once you factor in the C5’s thirstier fuel consumption and the glitches and gripes mentioned earlier, that apparent saving starts to shrink. Plus, while you may need to pay for optional extras on some rivals, these competitors don’t just excel in driving dynamics; they also bring a level of robustness that the C5 struggles to match (yes, Omoda has only been in SA for roughly two years). So, the value equation isn’t as straightforward as the sticker price suggests, so you'll need to do the math here. Value or peace of mind? You choose.
The Omoda C5 isn’t a complete letdown. It has its flaws, but there are also things to appreciate; its bold styling, modern-looking interior, and a fair amount of space inside. For the price, it delivers a decent mix of comfort and tech, which will likely appeal to many buyers. But when you look at the bigger picture, it’s tough to ignore the shortcomings. The drive just isn’t as refined as it should be; there are a few too many quirks and glitches, and fuel efficiency could be better.
In a market filled with well-rounded and proven options, the C5 feels like it’s trying to catch up. It’s not without promise, but for now, it’s tough to recommend over more polished rivals.
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