Chery's First Omoda Car in UK Targets Skoda Karoq Sales

author: FutureCar Staff    

Omoda, a car brand from China's automotive giant Chery, is aiming to achieve 15,000 sales of the Omoda 5 in the UK next year. The SUV, set to launch at the end of 2023, has the potential to outsell established competitors like the Skoda Karoq, Honda HR-V, and Citroen C3 Aircross. To support its sales goals, Omoda is currently recruiting franchised dealers and plans to establish a network of over 50 showrooms by the start of 2024.

Pre-order bookings for the Omoda 5 are expected to open by the end of this year, and the company has already been in discussions with leasing companies. Omoda's target is to register 15,000 units of the Omoda 5 in the UK during its first year, offering both petrol and full electric options. The petrol models will be priced between £20,000 and £25,000, while the electric variant's pricing is yet to be confirmed, but press reports suggest it could be around £45,000.

In order to establish a futuristic brand image for customers, Omoda has chosen not to badge its cars for the UK and Europe as Chery. Instead, the brand believes that the name Omoda, derived from "Oxygen" and "Moda" (meaning modern), will better resonate with its target audience. Wenlong Liu, the brand manager, stated that Omoda vehicles are highly competitive and feature advanced functions, such as ADAS for safety, while maintaining an affordable price.

Omoda has provided details about the Omoda 5, which includes a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 197PS. Additionally, an electric version will be available from launch. Although no official specifications for the UK-bound electric vehicle have been released, Omoda showcased the car at the Shanghai motor show in May. The brand revealed that the electric variant will have a 61kWh battery pack with a 280-mile range, a power output of 224PS, and a charging time of approximately 35 minutes for 10% to 80% capacity.

All Omoda models are SUVs, and the company has plans to introduce a larger SUV, the C9, to the UK market by the end of 2024. This will be followed by a compact C3 SUV in 2025, both of which will be available exclusively as full electric models. Customers will have the option to purchase Omoda vehicles online or through authorized dealerships.

In terms of competition, Skoda UK sold just under 9,000 Karoqs in 2022. Omoda's parent company, Chery, already exports vehicles under the Omoda subsidiary to South America, Russia, and South Africa. Omoda enters a highly competitive market in the UK, with several Chinese brands already selling vehicles in the country, including MG and Great Wall's Ora since last year. Other Chinese brands like BYD, Lynk and Co, and Nio are also preparing to introduce their electric vehicle offerings to UK customers.

FutureCar Staff