Shopping for an electric car is a bit easier now compared to just a few years ago thanks to the increasing number of “affordable” choices. For about a year or so, the BYD Atto 3 (launched in late 2022) enjoyed a comfortable unrivaled position, but now there’s something new in the market, which is the Chery Omoda E5. It is priced competitively and it undercuts the BYD Atto 3 Extended Range by RM21,000, only costing you RM146,800 to purchase.
While Chery may not strike a chord with some of its earlier customers in Malaysia, this fully-electric Omoda E5 may just be a strong contender in the field of “affordable” electric SUVs – at least strong enough to make BYD offer a discount on the BYD Atto 3 Standard Range and to make Great Wall Motors slash the price of its Ora Good Cat.
Let’s peel the layers of the Chery Omoda E5 in this review. But first, here it is at a glance:
| Electric drive | Single-motor front-wheel drive (FWD) |
| Maximum power output | 204 hp metric |
| Maximum torque | 340 Nm |
| Transmission | Single-speed |
| Drivetrain | FWD |
| 0-100 km/h | 7.6 seconds |
| Battery Capacity | 61 kWh |
| Electric Range (WLTP) | 430 km |
| Max. AC charging rate | 9.9 kW 3-phase |
| Max. DC charging rate | 80 kW |
| Price | RM146,800 |
Chery Omoda E5 Exterior: A Lexus replica
Given the generic look of the BYD Atto 3 that it rivals, one could easily say that the Chery Omoda E5 is better looking. It is a bit more striking, and it mimics a Lexus or even a Cupra. That being said though, it still falls in the category of affordable EV SUVs from China, and it looks the part.
Its track is a bit narrow in relation to its overall width and that’s pretty much what would irk the regular car enthusiast. Put it on a set of bigger and wider wheels, de-badge it, and lower it slightly, and the Omoda E5 is quite a looker given what it is – an EV SUV from China.
It may look bigger than the BYD Atto 3, but it isn’t. It is slightly smaller, but the stretched and horizontal design elements make it look much larger than it is.
Chery Omoda E5 vs BYD Atto 3 dimension comparison:
| Chery Omoda E5 | BYD Atto 3 | |
| Length | 4,424 mm | 4,455 mm |
| Width | 1,830 mm | 1,875 mm |
| Height | 1,588 mm | 1,615 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,630 mm | 2,720 mm |
Chery Omoda E5 vs BYD Atto 3 exterior equipment at a glance:
| Chery Omoda E5 | BYD Atto 3 | |
| Privacy glass | Yes | No |
| Wheels | 18-inch wheels | 18-inch wheels |
| Keyless entry | Walk-away lock and near unlock function | Button on driver door handle or NFC card |
Chery Omoda E5 Interior: Inspired by the BYD Atto 3
It appears as if the Chery design team peaked at the BYD Atto 3 when developing the Omoda E5. There’s no need for such a “brave” interior colour choice, but the E5 has followed in the footsteps of the Atto 3 with its blue and white interior colour. Perhaps to a group of people, this colour choice is premium, but it isn’t timeless and it isn’t exactly elegant. Thankfully, with the Omoda E5, you have the option of choosing a black interior colour scheme, and I’d personally recommend this.
Something that could be improved in the Omoda E5’s cabin are the fake wood trims that you find just about everywhere. Fake wood trims are not uncommon in cars, but the one in the Omoda E5 conjures memories of the type of budget furniture that an average AirBnB owner would put in their apartment. And that’s a shame because the general shapes and functionality of these “wood” trims in the Omoda E5 are decent.
Its fit and finish is fine given its price tag. Some rubber trims and some screw placements are questionable, but it is generally alright. Complaints aside, the Omoda E5 does come with some nice materials in the cabin, like the felt lining in the centre console cubby space (just one) and the soft touch material on the dashboard.
Thankfully, the Omoda E5 hasn’t entirely followed the Atto 3 when it comes to its seats. In the Omoda E5, the seats are firmer and offer better support for long journeys. That said though, the Omoda E5 copies the Atto 3’s lack of an adjustable headrest for the first row – which is a weird design decision for both cars. If you like the Atto 3 for its ISOFIX-equipped front passenger seat, you won’t find that in the Omoda E5. It also doesn’t have the option to turn off the front passenger airbag.
As for its head unit, the Omoda E5 doesn’t impress in this department. The functions are pretty basic and there’s not much to do inside it. However, it does tick the boxes of standard conveniences with the availability of wireless Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay. The 360° and 3D view are also decent and have a sharp display. One convenience that it does lose out to the Atto 3 would be its lack of a built-in dashcam (which allows you to view recording via the head unit). But it’s not all bad as the Omoda E5 does come with a dedicated USB-A port for a third-party dashcam.
The cabin storage space is decent with a good amount of distinctive spaces and good size. If there’s one thing that makes the Omoda E5 feel a bit special, it would be the chiller vent in the armrest storage box that it has – just like what you would find in the Smart #1.
While the first row of the Omoda E5 feels well-equipped, the same can’t be said about the second row. The big front seats make the second row feel slightly claustrophobic and the short wheelbase of the car makes for slightly less legroom (when compared to the Atto 3). Its headroom could use some improvement too, if you plan on using it as the one EV SUV to do it all. Other than that, the second row is generally comfortable.
Speaking of “one EV SUV to do it all”, the Omoda E5 could use a bigger boot too. It’s just a bit peculiar that even with just a tire repair kit, the space underneath the boot floor isn’t fully utilized. It has no problem fitting 2 suitcases, but that would pretty much fill the boot to the brim of the tonneau cover.
Chery Omoda E5 vs BYD Atto 3 interior equipment at a glance:
| Chery Omoda E5 | BYD Atto 3 | |
| Frunk | Yes | No |
| Built-in dashcam | No (Dedicated USB port provided) | Yes |
| ISOFIX for front passenger seat | No | Yes |
| Android Auto | Wireless | Wireless |
| Apple CarPlay | Wireless | Wired |
| Armrest storage box | With Chiller | Standard |
| Black interior option | Available | Not available |
Chery Omoda E5 Driving Experience: Much firmer than the Atto 3
If a firm and planted ride is what you’re looking for, the Chery Omoda E5 is a better car to drive than the BYD Atto 3. Just like its seats, the suspension of the Omoda E5 is also firmer. And while this may mean a slightly harsher ride on rough roads in urban environments, it also means you’ll have a much more confidence-assuring ride on the highway.
Although the suspension is firmer on the Chery Omoda E5 (compared to the BYD Atto 3), its handling will leave you wishing it had better tyres installed. Just like the Atto 3, the Omoda E5 packs over 200hp and 300 Nm, which are all sent to the front wheels only. To be frank, this amount power to the front wheels is a bit too much to handle for the set of Kumho tyres that it comes with. And this is a general problem with most single-motor front-wheel drive (EVs). Even the Atto 3 and the Hyundai Kona electric could use better tyres.
There’s nothing much to shout about in terms of its performance, as it is exactly what you’d expect from an electric car. The single-motor setup makes sufficient power for a smooth and effortless drive although it isn’t “thrilling” like more powerful dual-motor EVs. If this your first EV, you will love it, but if you’ve tried other EVs, there is nothing remarkable about it.
Like some other EVs, the Chery Omoda E5 hasn’t quite nailed its regenerative braking as there is a significant delay with it and it only works with complete lift off of the throttle pedal. Until you can get used to it, the regen is best kept at its lowest setting as it is the easiest to modulate. In its strongest regen braking setting (curiously called “Height”), there is still a significant delay which makes it bothersome to modulate.
Real-world electric range: Pretty close to its WLTP range
There is one crucial part that is shared between the Omoda E5 and the BYD Atto 3, and it is the 61 kWh battery pack. Yes, you won’t be missing out on BYD’s blade battery technology if you opt for the Omoda E5, as it is powered by the same LFP blade battery in the Atto 3.
Having driven the Omoda E5 for some short road trips, I could say that its real-world range, calculated range (on the meter cluster), and its WLTP range all match up pretty well. I used 76% of the battery to drive for 279 km and that was done with some rather uneconomical driving. Even with that, I could have done 378 km if I drove it to 0%. Had I driven conservatively and less aggressively, a real-world range of close to 430 km would have been achievable.
Charging: A pretty unique AC charging setup and a decent DC charging curve
The DC charging speed of the Chery Omoda E5 is capped at 80 kW maximum, and although it doesn’t sound like much at sub-3-digits, that’s pretty much what you’d get with EVs within this price range. The BYD Atto 3, Hyundai Kona electric, and the MG ZS EV all have maximum DC charging rates of below 100 kW. So, it isn’t all that bad.
And having done DC charging with the Chery Omoda E5, I’d say that its DC charging curve is pretty decent. It could maintain a 70+ kW charging rate until up to 60 % state of charge (SoC). Only after that does it drop to 60+ kW. Past 80% it drops to 30+ kW, and past 90% it drops to 15 kW – honestly not too bad for an “affordable” EV.
Its AC charging is where things get a bit weird since it does it at 9.9 kW instead of the usual 7 kW, 11 kW, or even 22 kW. This 9.9 kW AC charging is done via 3-phase charging, which is a bit unique. This means that it draws 14 A with a three-phase supply instead of the usual 16 A or 32 A.
The good thing about this is that you get 9.9 kW from an 11 kW AC charger as opposed to the 3.7 kW that the Atto 3 would achieve when plugged into an 11 kW charger. What’s not so great is that if you plug it into a 7-kW-single-phase charger, it will only pull 5.2 kW at 20 A, as opposed to 7 kW at 32 A which the Atto 3 would achieve. This also means that if your home charger is a single-phase type, you will be charging your Omoda E5 at a maximum rate of 5.2 kW only.
Verdict
It’s a good alternative to the Atto 3 Extended Range, especially with its 3-phase charging, optional black interior, and its firmer ride. It does lose out on some equipment which is understandable due to theRM21,000 price difference.
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