JAECOO OMODA C9 to be launched in December

After a successful start with the J7, JAECOO Malaysia will add the OMODA C9 to its range as the second model, which means the J8 will be the third one. Pricing will be in the RM185,000 to RM195,000 range and the model is expected to be launched in December this year.

Chery… JAECOO… OMODA
Before going further, we should explain how JAECOO, OMODA and Chery are related because there are already two OMODA models (the OMODA 5 and OMODA E5 EV) in the market. Chery is the main company and it has many brands (including a Chery brand). OMODA and JAECOO are young brands which Chery established during the past 2 years and are used for markets outside China.

To make things a bit more confusing, there is also an OMODA model line sold under the Chery brand in China, with the OMODA 5 having gone on sale in the second quarter of 2022. This is the same model that is assembled in Malaysia and sold under the Chery brand. The OMODA E5 EV was launched in this market in March this year.

 

JAECOO, on the other hand, is a brand on its own and in fact, there is an company called JAECOO Malaysia affiliated to Chery Malaysia managing the brand. The way Chery had intended was for JAECOO and OMODA to be separate brands in export markets so they could develop individually in different market segments.

However, in Malaysia, there seems to be some ‘mix-and-match’ sort of thing and we now have JAECOO also selling an OMODA model called the C9 (in China, it is sold as a Chery Exeed). This is said to be an exception and is likely to be the only OMODA model that JAECOO Malaysia will offer.

“The JAECOO brand has been presented as a premium off-road SUV brand and as you can see with the OMODA C9, it fits into that positioning. Therefore, we decided to market this new model under JAECOO Malaysia while Chery Malaysia will market non off-road models, which the OMODA 5 and OMODA E5 are regarded as,” explained Emily Lek, Vice-President of JAECOO Malaysia, adding that the C9 also has JAECOO’s ‘signature pricing’.

On the emphasis on ‘off-road’ for the brand, Ms Lek acknowledged that most owners are unlikely to drive their SUVs in serious off-road conditions. Long ago, Land Rover knew that 98% of its Range Rover owners never went ‘off-road’. “But we have shown that our SUVs are capable – as the events at M4TREC proved – and for the owners, that is probably added peace of mind when they drive on rough roads or over flooded stretches of road,” she said.

 

Anyway, whatever brand it is, they all basically originate from Chery and so there will be the same engineering and quality, with JAECOO models being higher in both respects due to its premium positioning.

D-segment coupe SUV
The C9 is a D-segment crossover SUV with a length of 4775 mm and a width of 1920 mm, which is about the size of the Chery TIGGO 8 Pro but not quite as large as a Proton X90. It has some styling elements of the OMODA 5, notably the distinct diamond matrix for the grille.

The frontal appearance is certainly futuristic with the narrow LED headlamps connected by a strip that incorporates the OMODA name. Not so evident unless pointed out is the way the daytime running lights on either side are connected by the strip and form sigma, the Greek alphabet, lying on its side.

This appearance matches the rest of the coupe SUV form well, enhancing the sporty image. It is believed that the styling was influenced by the Land Rover’s Range Rover Velar. That wouldn’t be surprising as Chery and the British automaker have been working together for the past 12 years. They even have a joint-venture company which builds certain Land Rover and Jaguar models for the Chinese market.

The rear end likewise has a connecting light strip, which you find on many EVs these days but the C9 is not an EV. On top of the roof spoiler, you will notice two small cubes in the middle. These are not cameras but are the Centre High-Mounted Stop Lights (or third brake light, as most people call it). It’s the first time we’re seeing such a brake light design and we wonder if it is permitted under JPJ’s Vehicle Construction Rules.

From what we remember, the third brake light must be of a certain minimum size and the cube design may also not meet a design requirement (if any). This can be an issue as there was a case with a Japanese MPV many years ago which had an undersized brake light and the model could not be officially sold in Malaysia until the manufacturer enlarged it when it did the facelift. That delayed the entry into the market for a couple of years.

 

Looking at the Chery version (known as the Exeed Yaoguang launched in China in February last year), the design is integral with the spoiler. If it does not meet local regulations, then JAECOO Malaysia will probably have to install another brake light in the rear windscreen as a temporary solution until the factory redesigns the spoiler.

2-litre powertrain
Given its size, the C9 doesn’t have the 1.5-litre engine size that is popular with many models from China. Instead, it has a 2-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine and with turbocharging, it produces 257 bhp/400 Nm which goes to the front wheels or all four wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission (torque converter type).

Adaptive suspension
While the suspension is fairly straightforward with front MacPherson struts and a rear multilink layout, the C9 has an advanced control system that is said to be the first in this price range, Known as Continuous Damping Control (CDC), the suspension is adaptive according to varying road conditions. Suspension settings can be adjusted within milliseconds so that the ride remains comfortable at all times.

Like many SUVs today, the driver also has pre-programmed driving modes to optimise drivetrain characteristics. For the 2WD version, there are 3 modes but the AWD version has up to 7 modes.

Premium interior
As already seen with the J7, JAECOO is intent on offering a product that justifies being called ‘premium’. The console and dashboard are covered in premium soft touch leather and ambient lighting enhances the cabin environment at night.

A single 24.6-inch (625 mm) HD panel integrates the centre infotainment display and the instrument, with driving information also projected onto the windscreen by a head-up display. There’s no shift lever between the seats and driver has to use a stalk (as shown in the inset above) and paddle shifters on the steering wheel to change gears manually if preferred.

Besides the built-in digital videorecorder, the panoramic display shows ‘540 degrees’ of view. This is a new thing among Chinese automakers and the additional 180 degrees to 360 degrees refers to under the vehicle or above it. Of course, the display is simulated by a computer which uses images from multiple cameras around the bodywork.

Other premium features include an air quality system with fragrance, electric adjustment for the rear seats, ventilated front seats, 3-zone climate control, 50W wireless charging pad and a Sony 14-speaker surround audio system (for C9 AWD). Two of the speakers are integrated into the head restraints of the front seats.

Keyless entry is pretty much standard these days and even low-priced models have it (along with pushbutton engine starting). The C9 takes the convenience further with Near Field Communication (NFC) technology that unlocks the doors as the owner is near it. For just that bit of extra aerodynamic efficiency, the door handles fold flush when not required.

The C9’s ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) are at the 2.5 level which allows semi-autonomous driving with radar and camera sensors. They would obviously not be less than what the J7 has and that model’s list is extensive, with 8 airbags as standard as well.

To be assembled in Selangor
The C9 will be assembled at the Chery Corporate Malaysia plant in Shah Alam, Selangor. The plant has already assembled some 2,000 units of the J7 since June this year. It still has capacity to take on the C9 which will start rolling out by December. Besides this plant, Chery models (including the OMODA 5 and E5) are also assembled at the Inokom plant in Kedah.

Click here to locate an authorised JAECOO dealer in Malaysia to register your interest in the OMODA C9.

First locally-assembled JAECOO model officially launched