The OMODA C5 is a semi-finalist in the 2023/24 South African Car of the Year (COTY) competition.
That’s right! One of South Africa’s youngest vehicle brands has been picked as a contender in this esteemed competition by some of the best South African automotive and mobility journalists.
OMODA received the nod from the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists (SAGMJ) for its OMODA C5, its current flagship range and the model that has defined the OMODA brand in South Africa.
“When we decided to introduce the OMODA brand to South Africa, we specifically picked the OMODA C5 to be our first model.
“This model is both a showcase of our technological development with its 115 kW 1.5 litre turbo-petrol engine and a perfect example of our futuristic design language that sees nothing as sacred and that looks at any new technology or design element through the lens of functionality and customer benefit,” says Shannon Gahagan, National Brand and Marketing Manager of Omoda South Africa.
The OMODA C5 range starts at R447 900 for the OMODA C5 Tech model. Even at this price, the C5 offers a comprehensive range of features, including diamond-cut alloy wheels, a dual-screen 10.25” cockpit with touch-screen infotainment and vehicle information and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The list of creature comforts and styling enhancements increases exponentially with the OMODA C5 LUX, LUX S, the OMODA C5 ELEGANCE and ELEGANCE S. The last-mentioned offers customers a unique dual-tone design, with red highlights on the wheels, roof and in the cockpit and perhaps the highest level of luxuries in its segment.
OMODA has further increased the appeal of its model range recently by introducing a sporty OMODA C5 GT. Aside from the styling upgrades, such as aerodynamic side skirts, a front splitter and a rear wing, the OMODA C5 GT is fitted with the brand’s Kunpeng 1.6 turbocharged petrol engine.
With this engine, the OMODA C5 GT delivers an impressive 145 kW and 290 Nm of torque for a 0-100 km/h acceleration of only 7.8 seconds.
This new model was introduced at the Mr South Africa pageant in November this year. OMODA was the official vehicle sponsor of the Mr South Africa event, and it used this opportunity to showcase its C5 range and take the wraps off the C5 GT. Contestants and celebrities were transported in a range of stylish OMODA C5 models and the vehicle received wide praise for its performance, stylish design and SUV-comfort.
Says Gahagan: “We decided that we would follow a zero-compromise policy with the product planning for OMODA. This means that customers receive the best possible design, features and specifications with the OMODA C5 and OMODA C5 GT, regardless of which model they prefer,” says Gahagan.
This approach to product design and development has certainly benefitted OMODA sales. Aside from its success in the South African market, OMODA has also performed exceptionally well in established markets, such as China, Russia and Australia, and newly launched markets, such as New Zealand and Brazil.
OMODA sold 12 148 vehicles in its export markets in November and an impressive 134 078 vehicles across all its markets since the start of the year. This is a very impressive sales performance for a young brand with limited, but growing, exposure to global markets.
Returning to the SA COTY. The SAGMJ Car of the Year competition is one of the most highly regarded of its kind in the world. Unlike many other COTY competitions, the South African version includes rigorous testing, both at low speeds over uneven surfaces and at the highest possible speeds, with sharp course corrections and dynamic handling of obstacles.
These tests should prove to be no problem for OMODA, which has taken its sporty design and transferred it into an equally sporty and dynamic chassis.
With its purebred engineering credentials and stunning design, the OMODA C5 is sure to offer unmatched value to customers in its segment and to the judges of the competition.
“We are competing in one of the most hotly contested segments – the Compact Family vehicle segment. While there are many contenders in this segment, we are confident that the OMODA C5 will offer unmatched value, dynamic capabilities and performance to impress the judges and make it into the list of COTY finalists,” says Gahagan.
