Car · the full story
Omoda 9 UK 中国
Kai Zhang · Editor-in-Chief · Updated 23 Jul 2026Who makes it — and will they still be here?
Omoda is one of two export sub-brands (alongside Jaecoo) owned by Chery Automobile (奇瑞汽车), China's largest private-car exporter for over 20 consecutive years. Chery posted 2.81 million global sales in 2025, with 1.34 million units exported — a scale that puts it firmly in the "too big to fail" tier for an independent Chinese automaker. The Omoda 9 is imported by OMODA & JAECOO UK Ltd, sharing a growing dealer network with the Jaecoo 7. The parent's longevity supports the 7-year warranty in a way that smaller, listed Chinese start-ups cannot match.
What Chinese owners actually say
The Omoda 9 is not sold in China under that name. The closest proxy is the Exeed Yaoguang C-DM (星途瑶光C-DM) — a Chery PHEV on the same platform family, with near-identical dimensions and a comparable 1.5T hybrid powertrain. Chinese owner data on this proxy paints a picture consistent with UK reviews: strong chassis, spacious cabin, and impressive real-world range — but infotainment that trails the class, NVH above 80 km/h, and an emerging pattern of transmission noise complaints on 2024 production. The 车质网 satisfaction score of 1.4/5 sounds alarming but reflects a small-volume complaint channel and high dealer-dispute inflation; the autohome score of 4.53/5 from actual owners is more representative.
China versus UK — what is and is not in your car
Because the Omoda 9 is a purpose-built export model rather than a direct export of a Chinese-market car, the gap is smaller than on BYD or XPeng models. The ADAS suite has been tuned for European roads and Euro NCAP — Auto Express specifically noted the systems are "among the better-tuned for a Chinese car." There is no LiDAR or autonomous-navigation mode in China or elsewhere for this platform. The key China-vs-UK watch point is the infotainment: the Chinese proxy uses an 8155 chip that owners describe as under-utilised. The UK car retains the Qualcomm-based setup but no CarPlay as standard.
UK essentials — specs, costs, and what to watch
One trim, one price: £44,995 OTR. The Omoda 9 does not offer a BEV version in the UK — it is purely a plug-in hybrid. With 93 miles of WLTP electric range (expect around 60 miles real-world), it qualifies for the 5% BiK rate, making it one of the stronger salary-sacrifice propositions in the large SUV class. However, its list price triggers the Expensive Car Supplement — adding £640 per year for five years on top of the standard EV VED rate. Insurance group 47 is on the high side; compare this with a Skoda Kodiaq PHEV from group 24. The 7-year / 100,000-mile vehicle warranty and 8-year / 100,000-mile battery warranty are class-competitive and transferable.
Honest pros and cons
The Omoda 9 is a compelling package if you spend most of your mileage locally and plug in regularly — the 5% BiK rate and 700-mile combined range make it a strong fleet and salary-sacrifice argument. The 7-year warranty and Chery's export track record are genuine differentiators. The caveats are real: insurance group 47 will surprise buyers used to PHEV norms, the Expensive Car Supplement hits regardless of electrification, infotainment is behind class leaders, and the coupe roofline limits outright rear headroom despite a generous wheelbase. Transmission niggles on the Chinese proxy are worth monitoring on 2024-production cars.
How we verify:AI-assisted research gathers Chinese owner reviews & pricing → a person checks high-stakes facts (UK price, range, warranty, safety) → Kai Zhang signs off before publish. Anything still unchecked is labelled.
Quote and affiliate CTAs on this page are commercial and labelled separately from editorial.