IMOTO: OMODA C7 SHS
IT IS AMAZING that Omoda & Jaecoo has only been established for three years as its cars have become so widespread in the world.
Two months ago we were at the Chery International Business Summit, in Wuhu, China, the CEO of Omoda & Jaecoo International, Shawn Xu said that in the three years they have been there, they have been able to import to 69 countries.
South Africa is one of them and it is ranked first where this company wants to grow.
Omoda unveiled the popular C5 but it is no longer the only one as there are also the C7 and C9.
The C7 is the plug-in hybrid we’ve been driving. I must clarify that it is a plug-in hybrid, or SHS according to their language, because there are other models under it that do not run on a petrol engine.
I saw someone turning around with it when I came. It’s probably because of its beauty, especially at the front where it has a stylish grille.
Needless to say, the lights are all LED on the front as well as the back.
In the front, when you turn it on or off, the lights “dance” and some appear on the bumper below. Also on the back of the phone there are some blue ones that flash when the phone is charging when you turn it on.
Its beauty is complemented by 20-inch rims with red callipers to make it look sporty.
On the side it reminded me of the Range Rover Velar when I looked at it.
When you go inside I see it is open. The wheelbase is 2 720mm. It is more than the new Toyota RAV4 which is 2 690mm but less than the Haval H6 PHEV and Jetour T1 DM.
The electrically-opening boot has less space at 537 litres.
At the front, it is similar to other cars in its family in that it has a bunch of buttons and everything you do on a large 15.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
In addition to connecting a mobile phone with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and seeing the whole outside when you park and playing music with Sony speakers, you can also arrange side mirrors.
It has USB and wireless charging ports. I didn’t lack places to put things like drinks and so on.
If you have a careful eye you can almost see the similarity in some of the buttons and gear like Mercedes-Benz.
The driver has a digital instrument cluster that displays information about the car and there is also a Head-Up Display. There was a time when it indicated that the air in the front right tire was not good even though it was written that it was the same as the others.
Also on the inside are leather seats that are electrically adjustable in the front and can be cooled. The passenger will vote for you. It also has a vent that emits sweet scents and a panoramic sunroof that opens up.
It was built and looked good but there was a noise that kept bothering me when it was shaking on bad roads and speed bumps.
It was as if the interior door panels were not properly connected but were loose. I don’t know if it’s just what I’ve been driving or if it shows the level it’s in.
IRAV4 is made of plastic before but I didn’t hear this noise.
The Omoda C7 SHS is powered by a 1.5 liter turbocharged petrol engine combined with electric power as it has an 18.4 kWh lithium-ion battery.
Both have 225kW of power and 525Nm of torque.
If you charge the battery, they say you can go 105km. Charging it takes 20 minutes from 30 to 80% with a fast 40kW or 160 6.6kW.
I never charged it in the week I spent with it because I was transporting it as a hybrid and the battery charged itself. There was no need because if the tank is full and the battery is full, you can go about 1200 kilometers.
In petrol, it shows that it consumes 6.1l/100km.
When I took off the seat belt without putting it on, it suddenly hit the ignition. This is good for encouraging drivers to wear their seat belts at all times, but it’s annoying if you want to push it a little further.
I have noticed that when you take off something else happens, it causes the front wheels to lose power and the tire squeals. After all, its power makes it really fast on the road and passing other cars is very difficult, but if you have ever exceeded 120km/h, it will remind you.
Bumps hide their nature on the road.
At Omoda, they have installed a series of driver and safety accessories that I can’t even count.
Price:
Omoda C7 SHS – R689,900.00
It comes with a five-year or 75,000km service plan, a seven-year or 200,000km warranty, a 10-year battery warranty for the original owner and an engine warranty of 1 million kilometers or 10 years for the original owner.