Omoda 5 to be launched under PHP 1.5 million

There's a new auto brand coming to the Philippines and they are set to launch a stylish and sporty crossover catered to the younger generation. After its initial preview in Malaysia last year, Omoda has just announced it will be arriving in the country very soon.

Omoda serves as the newest brand under the Chery Auto Group and will be setting foot in the Philippines sometime later this year. The automaker declared that they plan to officially begin operations in the country by October 2023. However, they also shared that they might start setting up shop much sooner than October of this year if all goes well with the local partners.

Executives from Omoda have not revealed who their Philippine partner would be, citing confidentiality as the distributorship agreement is yet to be finalized. They did mention, however, that it will not be UAAGI who is currently handling Chery and Foton in the country.

The first vehicle that they will be launching is the Omoda 5. First launched back in July 2022, the Omoda 5 features a sporty design that is highlighted by a frameless front grille, sleek T-shaped LED daytime running lights, aggressive 18-inch alloy wheels, a floating roofline, and full LED taillights around the back.

Inside, it will have a high-tech 10.25-inch touchscreen complemented by a digital instrument cluster. There will also be one-piece sport bucket seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, a wireless charging pad, a sunroof, intelligent voice control, and LED ambient lighting.

Under the hood, the PH-spec Omoda 5 will be powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. It makes 146 PS with 230 Nm of torque and is coupled to a CVT with 9 simulated gear ratios to play with. Size-wise, the Omoda 5 measures 4400mm long, 1830mm wide, and 1588mm tall. It also has a generous 2630mm wheelbase and a ground clearance of 190mm.

As far as pricing is concerned, the automaker plans to sell the Omoda 5 below PHP 1.5 million. At that image price, it will compete against other B-segment crossovers in the market. In the future, Omoda plans to offer two more models in the country as well as hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains.