Revealed at the Festival of Motoring in Johannesburg on Thursday, the Omoda C9 is a sleek surprise from Chery’s premium brand.
Likely to reach local showrooms by December this year, the new flagship crossover boasts coupe-inspired styling and a luxurious interior.
Most of the specification details, including local pricing, are still under wraps for now, but the presentation this week did reveal that the Omoda C9 has a 2.0-litre turbopetrol engine that produces 197kW and 400Nm.
The engine pairs with an eight-speed automatic gearbox that was configured specifically for our market. Other regions such as Europe instead receive a dual-clutch gearbox. Local buyers will also get to choose between front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive variants.
Omoda describes the C9 as “Uber Luxurious” and after a quick peek inside the vehicle at the Kyalami-based show, we are in no position to argue. The front passenger seat has a fold-out leg rest of the kind you’d expect in a 7 Series or S-Class and as you’d expect from a modern Chinese offering, there is plenty of screen real estate and flashy mood lighting.
What’s more, both front and rear occupants get seats that are powered, heated and ventilated, while those up front get to enjoy a massage function.
@jason.woosey Omoda’s new flagship, the C9, coming to South Africa later this year. Revealed this week at the #festivalofmotoring2023 at #Kyalami @Chery South Africa @omodasouthafrica @IOLNEWS @Lance Witten450 ♬ This Is a Work of Art (Sketchy) - Dubskie
The Omoda C9 joins the C5 that was launched in South Africa back in April.
This compact model is also set for a range expansion soon, which will see the current 1.5-litre turbo front-wheel drive variant joined by a new 1.6-litre turbo engine option.
Paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automated gearbox, the new 1.6T will also offer a choice between front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.