Chery’s first all-electric model, the Omoda E5, marks a significant step for the brand as it ventures into the competitive EV market, with pricing and surprisingly high levels of refinement on its side.
Also, its futuristic crossover design paired with a decent range and jam-packed feature list places it in a reasonably competitive position in this, still quite small, small electric SUV market segment. But there are some shortcomings. Are they tolerable? Let’s take a look.
2025 Chery Omoda E5: Specifications
Battery: 61.1kWh, front-mounted e-motor
Output: 150kW / 340Nm
Drive type: Front-wheel drive
Weight: 1776kg
Claimed 0-100km/h: 7.6 seconds (tested: 7.09s)
Official range (WLTP): 430km
Starting price: BX $42,990, EX $45,990
2025 Chery Omoda E5: How much does it cost?
The Omoda E5 arrives in two forms in Australia; the BX and EX. Prices start from $42,990 and $45,990, respectively. And that excludes on-road costs. Even so, it is one of the cheapest EVs on the market, and certainly one of the most affordable electric SUVs.
Chery provides a seven-year warranty for the vehicle and eight-year battery warranty, both at unlimited distance.
2025 Chery Omoda E5: Interior & packaging
The interior of the Chery Omoda E5 is tech-centric, dominated by dual 12.3-inch screens that serve as the instrument cluster and infotainment system. Both screens are sharp, responsive, and give the cabin a futuristic feel.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard across both variants, adding convenience to the daily driving experience. In the EX model you also get extra luxuries such as a powered sunroof, heated seats, ambient lighting, and a surround-view parking camera system.
Material quality feel is good for the price, with soft-touch surfaces on the dashboard and doors, while fabric seats with synthetic leather bolsters come standard on the BX. Opt for the EX and you get full synthetic leather upholstery and a heated steering wheel.
The Omoda E5’s cabin is spacious, with ample headroom and legroom for front passengers. Rear seat space is decent, although taller passengers might feel slightly cramped on longer journeys due to the coupe-like roofline. Legroom, though, is excellent and the floor is completely flat. Part of that is thanks to the platform being designed from the beginning to accommodate EV applications.
Storage solutions are plentiful, with a good amount of space in the centre console and door bins. The boot offers 300 litres, expanding to 1079 litres with the rear seats folded flat, which should be sufficient for most daily tasks. But the figure is not as capacious as what’s offered in some direct rivals; the MG ZS EV offers 359L/1187L.
One standout feature is the full-size spare wheel. This is a rare but welcome inclusion in today’s market, let alone for an electric vehicle. It just means you’re not going to be stranded on the side of the road trying to figure out how to use a tyre repair kit (which is actually quicker than changing a spare if you know what you’re doing), but, mainly, you’re not speed-limited like with a space-saver spare or repair kit.
While the tech is impressive, there’s a downside to the minimalist design. Like many modern cars, the Omoda E5 relies heavily on its touch-screen for controlling key functions, and while the interface is mostly intuitive, it can be a bit distracting. This is not easy when you need to make quick adjustments on the go. Also, rear visibility is very poor due to that coupe profile and thick D-pillars.
2025 Chery Omoda E5: Powertrain & handling
The Omoda E5 is powered by a single electric motor mounted at the front axle, delivering up to 150kW and 340Nm. Acceleration is brisk, with a claimed 0-100km/h time of 7.6 seconds – I did some testing during the launch event on a quiet road with the Vbox, and it returned a real-world result of 7.09 seconds.
That’s more than adequate for city driving and highway overtaking. The torque is delivered instantly, giving the E5 an eager and responsive feel off the line. While it’s not the fastest EV in its class, it offers a good balance between performance and range.
Speaking of which, the WLTP range is 430km, which should be enough for most commutes for at least a few days in the week. Chery claims charging takes 30 minutes at max DC rate to go from 30-80%, however, the max rate is only 80kW – many rivals offer faster charging than this. The max AC three-phase rate is 9.9kW, slightly down on the industry standard of 11kW.
Handling is where the Omoda E5 shows some limitations. While it feels composed and stable during city driving, the steering feel becomes almost unnerving when pushed around tight corners with a little bit of speed. It’s obviously no sports car but there are many other rivals that feel nicer than this, in similar conditions.
Steering feedback is light and not particularly engaging, making it clear that the E5 is designed more for comfort than outright engagement. There are three drive modes (Eco, Normal, and Sport), and two steering weight modes (Comfort and Sport), so you can tailor the driving experience to your liking, somewhat, with Sport mode sharpening throttle response for a more spirited feel.
Ride comfort is definitely on the softer side, but that means it is comfortable in city settings. The suspension, with unique multi-link at the back (unlike the basic torsion beam in petrol FWD Omoda 5 models), soaks up most road imperfections with decent composure and control. However, on rougher country roads, the ride can become a little unsettled and bouncy.
Chery has done a lot of work tuning and testing the ADAS systems here in Australia. And I’m happy to report the driver monitoring camera doesn’t seem as sensitive as early Omoda 5 models, and the lane-keep assist isn’t as intrusive or as abrupt in operation. So that’s all good.
Unfortunately, Chery hasn’t done any suspension or steering tuning in Australia. It’s odd because it had a team of engineers here to test the ADAS. Why not just make some tweaks to the chassis while you’re here?
Another area that could do with further calibration is the throttle feel and brake re-generation syncing. There are three modes for the regen, but in all but the most relaxed mode, the regen seems to come in at delayed intervals and it’s a bit sudden. It would be nice if it came on more gradually and progressively. The throttle feel seems to get tangled up in this process if you’re on and off the pedal, pulsing between long switchbacks on country roads, for example.
2025 Chery Omoda E5: First impressions
Chery doesn’t have any firm plans at this stage to go full-EV, like some carmakers. And as far as we understand, this Omoda E5 will remain as the only EV in Chery’s lineup, at least for a little while.
It is good to have an EV offering that is reasonably priced, compared with other EVs, but I still can’t help but wonder how this is worth around $8000-9000 more than the FWD Omoda 5 GT (by the time you account for on-road costs in this).
On the positive side, the E5 offers excellent rear seat room, some cool touch-screen graphics (and big screens), and the cabin seems to present quality fit and finish. If you’re after an entry EV, or perhaps just a second car to do the errands, this could be worth taking for a test drive. Just be sure to ask the dealer for the last software updates, and don’t expect much back at resale.
2025 Chery Omoda E5: Specifications
