Chery Omoda 5 Review and Buyer Guide: Prices, Problems and the New C5

The Chery Omoda 5 is a small SUV now sold new in Australia as the Chery C5, priced from $28,990 driveaway with a 7-year unlimited-kilometre warranty. Used 2024 Omoda 5s run roughly $18,700 to $33,770 on guide pricing. The 2025 update improved the ride, the transmission and the driver aids.

The Omoda 5 went on sale here in 2023 with styling that looked far more expensive than it was, and more than 5,000 found Australian buyers in 2025. Then Chery renamed it: for the 2025 update, the Omoda 5 became the Chery C5. This guide covers current prices, what changed, the problems reviewers report, safety scores and whether it deserves your money.

Omoda 5 or Chery C5? The name change explained

For the 2025 model year, Chery gave the Omoda 5 a mid-life update and a new badge: Chery C5. The rename came ahead of Chery's plan to spin Omoda off as a standalone brand in Australia.

The update was more than a badge swap. Here is what actually changed:

In practice, used listings badged "Omoda 5" are the 2023 to early 2025 cars, and anything new on a dealer lot is a C5. Same car underneath, meaningfully different experience on the road.

How much does a Chery Omoda 5 cost?

New, the current range on Chery's site starts with the C5 Urban at $28,990 driveaway, with a C5 Hybrid listed from $31,990 driveaway. At launch the petrol range ran from $29,990 driveaway for the Urban to $34,990 driveaway for the top-spec Ultimate.

The Ultimate adds Sony audio, synthetic leather, dual-zone climate, a power sunroof and a 360-degree camera. Chery has also offered factory discounts on the C5 (a $2,000 deal was running at the time of WhichCar's test), so treat the sticker price as negotiable.

Used, CarsGuide's price guide puts 2024 Omoda 5s between roughly $18,700 and $33,770 depending on variant and condition. A tidy used Omoda 5 at the lower end of the guide costs around $10,000 less than the cheapest new C5, roughly a third off.

One note on comparing those numbers: the new price is a driveaway figure while used guide prices are estimates, so compare like-for-like once you have real quotes. The other trade-off is that you get the pre-update car, and the update fixed real things.

For context, the C5 competes with the MG ZS, GWM Haval Jolion, Hyundai Venue and Mitsubishi ASX. That is some of the most price-competitive territory in the Australian market.

What you get: specs, features and warranty

Every petrol C5 runs a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder making 108kW and 210Nm, driving the front wheels through the six-speed dual-clutch auto. Chery claims combined fuel use of 6.9L/100km.

Boot space is 370 litres, which is on the smaller side for the class, and WhichCar also found the back seat tight. Worth knowing if you regularly carry a pram, teenagers or a big weekly shop.

The aftercare package is the headline: a 7-year unlimited-kilometre warranty, 7-year capped-price servicing, and up to 7 years of roadside assistance when you service with Chery dealers. For a buyer nervous about a newer brand, that warranty length is doing a lot of the reassurance work, and the remaining balance generally stays with the car for later owners.

Check the service book on any used example though, because the extended roadside cover depends on dealer servicing. Confirm the warranty position on the specific car with the dealer.

Is the Chery Omoda 5 a good car?

Honest answer: it's a good value car that has become a genuinely decent car with the C5 update.

The case for it has always been what you get for the money: the styling, the equipment list, and that warranty. Reviewers consistently praise the value and the standout coupe-styled design.

The case against the early cars was substance. CarsGuide's listed dislikes for the Omoda 5 were blunt: "ADAS features need a lot more work", "average ride and handling", and "fuel use way above official figure".

The C5 update addressed a fair chunk of that. WhichCar's review found the new independent rear suspension made the ride "more supple at lower speeds", the handling improved, and the active lane-keeping noticeably less intrusive, though they'd still like less sensitivity from it and from the adaptive cruise control.

WhichCar's real-world testing also found the 6.9L/100km claim achievable, a meaningful shift from the early cars' reputation. The main new criticism is the dual-clutch transmission, which they called jerky.

Common Omoda 5 problems to check

No car at this price is faultless. Based on published reviews, these are the things to test before you buy:

Driver assistance behaviour. The most persistent criticism of 2023 to early 2025 cars in published reviews, with lane-keep assist drawing comment for intervening too eagerly. On your test drive, spend time on a winding road and note how often the systems step in. On the C5 they're retuned and milder, but reviewers still describe them as sensitive.

Real-world fuel use. CarsGuide flagged fuel use "way above official figure" on the early cars, though WhichCar found the C5's official figure achievable. If you're buying used, budget on the pessimistic side.

Low-speed transmission behaviour. WhichCar called the C5's new dual-clutch jerky, and dual-clutch autos generally show it most in stop-start driving. Test it in a car park and in crawling traffic, not just on the open road.

Ride quality on pre-update cars. Torsion-beam rear suspension on all 2023 to early 2025 variants except the GT means a busier ride on rough roads. If ride comfort matters, the C5 or a used GT are the picks.

None of these are deal-breakers at the price. But they're exactly the sort of thing a 20-minute test drive in the wrong conditions won't show you.

Safety: what ANCAP found

ANCAP assessed the Omoda 5 in 2022 and scored it 87% for adult occupant protection, 88% for child occupant protection, 68% for vulnerable road user protection and 83% for safety assist. That is a five-star result under the 2022 protocol.

One nuance worth knowing: ANCAP lists the rating as applying to Omoda 5 petrol and Omoda E5 electric builds from January 2023 to March 2025. The updated C5 sits outside that listed build window, so ask the dealer to confirm the current car's ANCAP status if the badge matters to you.

On equipment, Chery lists 16 driver assistance systems on the C5. They include autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot detection, adaptive cruise and driver monitoring.

Buying used vs new: which one is the smart buy?

If you want the best version of this car, it's the C5. The suspension, transmission and software changes fixed the early car's most-criticised traits, and you get the full 7 years of warranty and capped servicing from day one.

If you want the best value, a 2023 or 2024 Omoda 5 with a full service history is compelling: around a third cheaper than new on guide pricing, generally still within the 7-year warranty period (confirm the specific car's position), and with the same equipment-heavy cabin. Just go in with clear eyes about the pre-update driving experience.

Before you commit to a specific car, our Used Car Scorecard walks through the inspection points that catch most used-car problems. History, condition and paperwork included.

Should you be nervous about buying a Chinese car?

It's the question behind the question, and the market has largely answered it. Chery sold 34,889 vehicles in Australia in 2025, up 176% on the year before, with the Omoda 5/C5 accounting for 5,298 of them.

January 2026 sales more than doubled again year on year. That volume matters for practical reasons: parts and service networks scale with it.

Chery has opened a $28 million parts warehouse in Melbourne and plans Brisbane and Perth warehouses by the end of 2026. That directly addresses the old fear of waiting months for panels.

The 7-year warranty is the other half of the answer: it shifts most of the reliability risk onto the manufacturer for seven full years. The sensible buyer's position is that the brand risk is lower than it was two years ago, and it's priced into the car.

This article is general information only and is not financial advice.