Omoda launches new 1,100km hybrid SUV in South Africa – Pricing and features

Omoda has officially launched the new C9 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) in South Africa.

The new PHEV is positioned as the range-topping version of the brand’s flagship SUV, with prices starting at R999,000.

Powertrain

The new PHEV features a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, compared to the 2.0-litre turbo plant used by the other two C9 units.

However, while its engine may be smaller, the PHEV is significantly more powerful thanks to the addition of four electric motors placed over each wheel.

The result is an incredible output of 415kW and 915Nm, far exceeding the 192kW and 400Nm produced by the non-hybrid units.

The PHEV is so powerful, in fact, that Omoda claims it can keep up with European performance SUVs thanks to a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 4.9 seconds.

To put that in perspective, the VW Tiguan R achieves the same feat in 5.1 seconds, while the lighter Golf R hot hatch does it in 4.8 seconds.

The other major benefit of the PHEV system is that it supports fully-electric driving thanks to the addition of a 34.5kWh battery.

The battery, which powers the e-motors, and is large enough to allow for 150km of electric driving, contributing towards the C9’s combined range figure of over 1,100km.

The Omoda also supports 70kW DC fast charging, which allows owners to top up the battery from 30% to 80% in 25 minutes.

Alternatively, it will take 5.5 hours to fully recharge using a standard home wall charging box.

Assuming you make extensive use of the hybrid system, the SUV has a manufacturer-claimed fuel consumption of just 1.4l/100km, but this increases to a more realistic 6.9l/100km when primarily relying on the petrol engine.

Features

The PHEV is exclusively sold in the range-topping Explore trim level, which includes a variety of upmarket features and cosmectics.

The C9 has a diamond-shaped grille, automatic LED headlights and taillights, daytime running lights, a panoramic sunroof, privacy glass for the rear windows, and 20-inch alloy wheels with red brake calipers.

Buyers can choose from one of four colour schemes comprising Cosmic Black, Meteorite Grey, Moonlight White, and Quantum Grey, which can be further enhanced with a new two-tone roof option in either Moonlight White or Tech Grey. 

Similar attention has been given to the interior, which features Nappa leather upholstery with a black and light brown aesthetic.

The front seats are electronically adjustable with ventilation, and both the front and rear seats have heating functions.

You’ll also receive a heated Nappa leather steering wheel, dual-zone climate control with rear vents, and an armrest compartment that can be heated or cooled depending on what you want to store inside.

Other equipment includes keyless entry and start, a 12-speaker Sony stereo, ambient lighting, a 50W wireless charging pad, voice commands, and a pair of 12.3-inch digital displays for the driver and infotainment screens, the latter of which supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The Chinese SUV also has acoustic laminated glass for the windows for improved sound insulation, and an electric tailgate that gives way to a generous 660-litre boot.

On top of this, the Omoda is fitted with a driver assistance suite that includes adaptive cruise control, automatic braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-change assist, and traffic congestion assist.

It also has front and rear parking sensors, a 540-degree surround-view camera system, and seven airbags.

Pricing

The South African pricing for the new Omoda C9 range is as follows:

• Omoda C9 2.0TGDI 400T Inspire – R785,900
• Omoda C9 2.0TGDI 400T Explore AWD – R885,900
• Omoda C9 1.5T PHEV Explore AWD – R999,000 (New)

This includes a 7-year/200,000km warranty, and a 10-year/1-million kilometre engine warranty valid for the first owner, which defaults to a 10-year/200,000km warranty for subsequent owners.

It also comes with a 7-year/100,000km service plan and a 7-year roadside assistance plan.

Furthermore, the C9 PHEV is sold with a 10-year/unlimited-kilometre battery warranty and a 10-year/200,000km electric drive component warranty.

Omoda C9