New Omoda 7 SUV opens for UK business at £32k, and smells fantastic

Chinese newcomer Omoda will continue its assault on the UK and European market early next year with the launch of its all-new Toyota RAV4 and Hyundai Tucson-rivalling Omoda 7. Designed to plug the gap between the smaller Omoda 5 and flagship Omoda 9, it will be offered with a choice of petrol and plug-in hybrid powertrains.

The headline model is the Omoda 7 SHS (Super Hybrid System), which comprises the same 1.5-litre petrol engine and 18.3kWh battery found in the Jaecoo 7. Omoda says it’ll do 56 miles on electric power, delivering a combined range of “over 700 miles”. Official fuel economy stands at 403mpg, with CO2 emissions “as low as 23g/km”. Prices start from £32,000 – £3,165 less than its Jaecoo sibling.

Alongside the PHEV sits the petrol model, which uses a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine with 145bhp and 275Nm of torque. As you might expect, the ICE car undercuts the PHEV, with prices starting at £29,915. Every model comes with Omoda’s seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty.

If you can't wait for the new Omoda 7 to arrive, you can get your hands on the smaller Omoda 5 for under £23,000 through our Buy a Car service.

New Omoda 7 specs and design

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Two specs will be offered: Knight and Noble. Base cars come with 19-inch alloy wheels, while inside you’ll find a 15.6-inch central touchscreen and a 10.25-inch digital instrument display, dual-zone air conditioning, a six-speaker Sony stereo and a cooled, 50-watt wireless phone charger. 

Noble adds a better sound system with 12 speakers, six-way electrically adjustable, heated and ventilated seats plus a panoramic roof and larger 20-inch wheels. The air-conditioning system also features a “fragrance system” perfect for disguising that wet-dog smell. Omoda hasn’t yet announced the price to upgrade from Knight to Noble.

Design wise, there are clear links to the Omoda 5 and Omoda 9, without the brand taking the European-approved cookie-cutter approach. The front is characterised by a set of sharp LED lights, hexagonal grille inserts and prominent Omoda lettering. To the side, some of the weight is disguised by the Range Rover-inspired darkened B, C and D-pillars, while to the rear, the lights get a sharp lightning-bolt-like signature.

While it’ll be a few months before we get to drive the new Omoda 7, bosses are already emphasising how the car has been “developed with European roads in mind”. Apparently the chassis has been optimised by the firm’s German R&D team, to deliver “an ideal balance of comfort and responsive handling”.

The Omoda 7 will be available to order from January, with the maker’s sights set firmly on mid-size SUVs like the RAV4, Tucson and Kia Sportage, among others.

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