Chery’s first new-generation mannequin in Australia shortly turned its first all-electric car in Australia too.
The Chery E5 (previously known as the Omoda E5) is the all-electric model of Chery’s distinctively styled C5 (previously the Omoda 5) small SUV, which spearheaded the Chinese language model’s return to the Australian market in 2023.
Aiming straight on the likes of the BYD Atto 3 and MG S5 EV, the E5 is an attainable compact electrical SUV that can value you related cash to an up-spec petrol-fired Kia Seltos or Mazda CX-30 – and now it’s even extra inexpensive.
Like its ICE-powered C5 sibling, the E5 trades laborious on worth and aftersales provisions, with inexpensive pricing and a protracted seven-year manufacturing facility guarantee. The E5 additionally provides aggressive efficiency and vary at this finish of the market.
On take a look at right here we’ve the entry-level 2025 Chery E5 – now often called the City – which since being renamed has seen retail pricing drop by as a lot as $6000. It’s now priced listed from $36,990 plus on-road prices.
WATCH: Paul’s video assessment of the 2023 Chery Omoda 5
The Chery model is steadily gaining momentum within the Australian market, registering 12,603 new autos in 2024 (up 114.0 per cent), with the Omoda 5 household (now C5 and E5) main the cost (6162 items, up 14.7 per cent).
Up to now in 2025, the Chery C5/E5 has been supplanted because the model’s top-seller Down Beneath by the extra inexpensive Tiggo 4 small SUV, nevertheless it stays in second place throughout the Chery secure. Is that this base EV model price a glance?
Notice: The car pictured is an MY24 Chery Omoda E5, which apart from revised ‘CHERY’ badging changing the previous ‘OMODA’ script and a few minor specification modifications, is successfully the identical car.
How a lot does the Chery E5 value?
For 2025, the Chery E5 has been renamed and repriced, with the bottom City now beginning at $36,990 plus on-road prices.
| Mannequin | Value earlier than on-road prices |
|---|---|
| 2025 Chery E5 City | $36,990 |
| 2025 Chery E5 Final | $40,990 |
To see how the Chery E5 traces up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
What’s the Chery E5 like on the within?
As with the Omoda 5 (now C5), the E5 provides a extra premium cabin design than most of its Chinese language opponents, with inspiration drawn from luxurious marques like Mercedes-Benz.
It differs barely from the petrol-powered C5 in a number of the detailing, with its padded leather-look protrusion beneath the air vents and central show, and a singular centre console design. It’s much more Benz-like than the ICE model.
There’s a slickness to the straight traces and shiny finishes. The bigger 12.3-inch shows are properly built-in right into a unified fascia, and the steering wheel design is beautiful – although within the base grade it’s not leather-based or leatherette wrapped, simply squishy plastic which feels a little bit rental-spec.
Piano black materials adorns a lot of the bridge, tunnel, and dashboard. Good within the dealership, not so good when you begin poking and prodding it with soiled fingers – finest to maintain a rag within the glovebox.
The sporty material and leatherette-clad seats are manually adjusted within the entry grade, however that’s advantageous within the scheme of issues. They’re comfy, with supple cushioning and first rate help from the bolsters.
They aren’t fairly nearly as good as the gorgeous entrance pews within the Mazda CX-30, however they’re comfortable on lengthy journeys. In contrast to another Chinese language-branded automobiles, there’s higher under-thigh help from the lengthy base cushion, which matches a good distance.
Now whereas these shows I discussed earlier look schmick when the automobile isn’t shifting, they’re not fairly as slick in operation. The design and interface may be very budget-Benz, however the display screen is laggy to the purpose the place issues virtually ‘tick’ as they animate, and the motive force’s cluster doesn’t have a extra typical dial view like in petrol autos.
Fortunately, the wi-fi Apple CarPlay labored usually properly throughout our testing, although there was the odd event the place identified blackspots would trigger a disconnection after which a buggy reconnection – or no connection in any respect.
Chery Australia has additionally eliminated native satellite tv for pc navigation from the E5 vary, certainly one of few modifications made in the course of the rebrand. So, these CarPlay quibbles could be a little bit of a problem when you’re utilizing your cellphone to navigate someplace and it all of the sudden disconnects and you’ll’t get it again on-line.
Construct high quality feels sturdy, and the design is extra up to date and cohesive in contrast than an MG ZST or GWM Haval Jolion. There’s first rate storage too, in case you have a behavior of carrying unfastened objects like wallets and bottles.
The E5 isn’t class-leading when it comes to second-row house, however has ample room to deal with a pair of adults with out a lot fuss. Simply be aware that the sloping window line may imply you knock your head on the best way in – talking from expertise right here…
Knee room is a little bit comfortable behind these chunky entrance seats, however in any other case 6″1′ me might sit behind my most popular driving place. Headroom is ok, although my voluminous hair was brushing the headliner within the again.
Your youngsters can be advantageous within the again supplied the entrance seats don’t impede their view an excessive amount of, and there are facilities like rear air vents, USB-A and USB-C cost ports (new for the up to date mannequin), map pockets, and bottle holders within the doorways. There’s additionally a flip-down centre armrest with cupholders.
Talking of the youthful ones, the requisite ISOFIX and top-tether youngster seat anchor factors are current as you’d anticipate.
Additional again, the Chery E5’s boot capability takes a success in comparison with petrol fashions. It’s quoted at 300 litres with the rear seats in play and 1079L with them folded. By comparability, the Chery C5 provides 370L in five-seat configuration.
One spotlight that’s fairly uncommon – particularly for an EV – is the presence of a full-size spare wheel beneath the boot flooring. Props to Chery for going in opposition to the trade development on this one.
| Dimensions | Chery E5 |
|---|---|
| Size | 4424mm |
| Width | 1830mm |
| Top | 1588mm |
| Wheelbase | 2610mm |
| Boot house | 300L-1079L; 19L ‘frunk’ |
To see how the Chery E5 traces up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
What’s beneath the bonnet?
All variations of the E5 are powered by a front-mounted electrical motor making 150kW/340Nm, fed by a 61.1kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack – and there’s a 19-litre ‘frunk’.
| Specs | Chery E5 |
|---|---|
| Drivetrain | Single-motor electrical |
| Battery | 61.1kWh LFP |
| Energy | 150kW |
| Torque | 340Nm |
| Pushed wheels | Entrance-wheel drive |
| Weight | 1776kg – kerb |
| 0-100km/h (claimed) | 7.6 seconds |
| Energy consumption (claimed) | 15.5kWh/100km – WLTP |
| Energy consumption (as examined) | 17.0kWh/100km |
| Claimed vary | 430km – WLTP |
| Max AC cost fee | 6.6kWh – single part 9.9kWh – three part |
| Max DC cost fee | 80kW |
To see how the Chery E5 traces up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
How does the Chery E5 drive?
The petrol Omoda 5 (now C5) is a little bit hit or miss in my expertise, relying on the drivetrain, so I used to be eager to see if the torque-rich nature of electrical motoring could be a marked enchancment within the E5.
Pictured: MY24 Chery Omoda E5 BX
Usually I discover that drivetrain refinement in petrol-powered Chinese language-branded automobiles wants a little bit work to actually be aggressive with legacy manufacturers from Europe and Asia, however within the EV house it’s a way more degree taking part in subject.
Naturally, the E5 begins in full silence, and setting off isn’t met with clumsy lurching like previous Omoda 5 autos fitted with the dual-clutch computerized had been susceptible to. It’s additionally very quiet, and the elevated driving place offers you a commanding view of the highway forward and makes this really feel like a bigger, extra substantial car.
Whereas straight-line acceleration is easy and responsive, supplied you don’t mash the throttle and light-weight up the entrance tyres, there’s a little bit of a disconnect between the drivetrain and dealing with.
That massive car really feel I discussed earlier interprets a little bit an excessive amount of to the steering and dealing with, with very mild weighting and minimal suggestions, often making the E5 really feel a little bit obscure and ponderous.
It’s fairly softly sprung too, so there’s a little bit of physique lean in corners, which mixed with the tall driving place can exacerbate the top-heavy feeling behind the wheel. That mentioned, it’s solely actually a disadvantage when you’re a eager driver, and that is priced to be economy-class zero-emissions transport.
Pushed with a extra measured strategy in metropolis and suburban environments, the E5 is a reasonably comfy and quiet runabout. It’s an excellent dimension for city dwelling too, with comparatively compact dimensions, entrance and rear parking sensors and an honest reversing digital camera – you want the flagship Final for the superb encompass cameras.
Outward visibility is sweet out the entrance and sides, although the rising belt line and slim rear window means the aforementioned sensors and digital camera turn out to be useful, as does commonplace blind-spot and rear cross-traffic screens.
Issues settle properly on the open highway too, with the E5 providing good sound insulation regardless of the absence of a combustion motor, and a settled journey that’s solely ever upset by sharp floor imperfections like growth joins on the nationwide freeway restrict – not helped by the bigger 18-inch alloy wheels shod with 215/55 Kumho rubber.
Whereas it’s principally an honest if not good exhibiting, Chery’s driver help applied sciences nonetheless require some work. This can be a criticism I’ve had about practically each one of many firm’s automobiles I’ve pushed.
In equity, it’s primarily the Built-in Cruise Help, which mixes adaptive cruise management and lively lane maintaining tooffer semi-autonomous freeway driving, that’s not fairly there.
The lane-centring operate nonetheless can’t precisely hold the E5 centred in its lane, usually jerking the steering wheel left because it dislikes the driver-side lane markings. From time to time it’ll wrestle you in direction of the car subsequent to you or a concrete barrier if it could’t appropriately detect the lane markings, which could be fairly unsettling.
Chery’s driver monitoring system can also be deserving of a standard gripe made in opposition to Chinese language manufacturers, usually chiming too eagerly even when you’re simply doing a head-check or glancing over on the infotainment show.
To see how the Chery E5 traces up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
What do you get?
The Chery E5 vary stays a two-variant mannequin household in Australia, although the previous BX and EX trims are actually known as the City and Final.
2025 Chery E5 City tools highlights:
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Kumho PS71 215/55 R18 tyres
- Full-size spare wheel
- Eco, Regular and Sport drive modes
- LED headlights
- LED entrance fog lights with cornering operate
- Computerized high-beam
- Proximity entry with push-button begin
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Heated, power-folding exterior mirrors
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Wired and wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- DAB digital radio
- Voice assistant
- 50W wi-fi cellphone charger
- 6-speaker sound system
- Cloth upholstery with leatherette bolsters
- Folding rear armrest with cupholders
- Twin-zone local weather management with rear air vents
- Gloss woodgrain impact trim with darkish chrome accents
- Tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment
- 3 x USB-A shops (1 x sprint, 1 x higher windscreen, 1 x rear)
- 2 x USB-C shops (1 x entrance, 1 x rear)
- 2 x 12V shops (1 x entrance, 1 x boot)
E5 Final provides:
- Sequential rear indicators
- Energy sunroof
- Acoustic entrance door glass
- Rear privateness glass
- Energy tailgate
- Leatherette-wrapped steering wheel
- Heated steering wheel
- Leatherette upholstery
- 6-way energy driver’s seat
- 4-way energy passenger seat
- Heated entrance seats
- Heated outboard rear seats
- Color-adjustable ambient lighting
- 8-speaker Sony sound system
Is the Chery E5 secure?
The Omoda E5 has the identical five-star ANCAP security score as its petrol-powered siblings, primarily based on 2022 take a look at standards.
| Class | Chery C5 + E5 |
|---|---|
| Grownup occupant safety | 87 per cent |
| Little one occupant safety | 88 per cent |
| Susceptible highway consumer safety | 68 per cent |
| Security help | 83 per cent |
The checks had been performed by Euro NCAP, however when awarding the electrical model the identical five-star score, ANCAP confirmed extra testing was performed on the E5 to find out the integrity and security of the E5’s battery and high-voltage electrical system.
Normal security tools contains:
- 7 airbags
- Adaptive cruise management
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Driver consideration monitoring
- Lane-keep help
- Emergency lane-keep help
- Built-in Cruise Help
- Site visitors Jam Help
- Parking sensors – entrance, rear
- Rear cross-traffic help
- Secure exit warning
- Pace restrict info
- Multi-collision brake
- Reversing digital camera
- Tyre stress monitoring
Final provides:
To see how the Chery E5 traces up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
How a lot does the Chery E5 value to run?
As with the broader Chery lineup, the Omoda E5 is roofed by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee, with the high-voltage battery in EV fashions lined by a prolonged eight-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee.
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| Servicing and Guarantee | Chery E5 |
|---|---|
| Guarantee | 7 years, limitless kilometres – car 8 years, limitless kilometres – EV battery |
| Battery guarantee | 8 years |
| Roadside help | As much as 7 years – service activated |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 20,000km |
| Capped-price servicing | 7 years |
| Whole capped worth service value | $1586 |
To see how the Chery E5 traces up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
CarExpert’s Tackle the Chery E5
Since I drove this car in MY24-spec, Chery has made a considerable change to the retail pricing which helps the worth equation by some margin.
An entire $6000 drop – even when there have been sharp drive-away offers on the time of testing – is nothing to sneeze at, and the bottom City’s new $36,990 sticker places it within the firm of quite a lot of legacy-branded combustion-powered SUVs.
For an inexpensive electrical crossover it drives properly sufficient, it’s outfitted properly sufficient, and it’s arguably styled to look costlier than it’s. Eager drivers like me may discover it underwhelming or boring on the highway, nevertheless it’s advantageous for what it’s.
The finicky driver help tech stays a criticism, however that is frequent to the majority of Chery’s lineup together with even its new Omoda Jaecoo portfolio. It’s an space the place BYD and MG have made fairly good strides – although their equal fashions value extra.
Whereas it could lack a number of the polish of the equally sized BYD Atto 3 and MG S5 EV, the Chery E5 is hundreds extra inexpensive and provides extra vary than its Chinese language rivals. That alone can be a key promoting level for a lot of.
CarExpert can prevent hundreds on a brand new Chery E5. Click on right here to get an important deal.
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