Sequined trolley: a popular brand from China has rolled out a new crossover
Omoda is launching sales of its second crossover, the C7, a larger model than the C5. The launch is scheduled for May 27, but the Izvestia correspondent has already traveled behind the wheel of this car. He found out if the car would have a sliding screen, if the LED "sparkles" in the bumper were bright, and where the crossover's towing eye was.
Omoda C7: What kind of car is this
The stylish Omoda C5 crossover once made the brand popular in Russia and still remains a sales engine. Sedans have not gained much popularity, dealers call them "cuckoos" behind their backs, hinting at the inconsistency of the brand's concept, and customers want another crossover — as stylish as the C5, but bigger.
Omoda C7 dimensions: 4660×1875×1670 mm, wheelbase — 2720 mm. Ground clearance: 176 mm for front—wheel drive, 175 mm for all—wheel drive
The new C7 is just like that — a swift silhouette, sharp lines, a pointed "shark nose" with a "mouth" of the lower air intake. There is something of Lexus crossovers in its appearance, but there are also unusual details. Bright lightning flashes in the lanterns, and the bumpers bloom with small LED "sequins" when opening and closing the car. Moreover, the sequins are hexagonal, as well as the elements from which the frameless radiator grille is assembled. While others are piling up the two- and three-story front, the C7 designers have returned to single headlights, and even fog lamps have been abandoned for the sake of clean lines.
The rear wiper was also hidden. At the whim of the designers, who removed all the details that they considered superfluous, searching for a hole for a tow eye in front is like a quest. It is hidden in one of the hexagons forming the frameless radiator grille. You just need to pick up the plug with something sharp. To find where the desired hexagon is located, I had to watch a video hint, but I couldn't find it on my own.
Omoda C7: how is it better than C5
The Omoda C7 is 26 cm longer than the C5 and surpasses the younger model in width (+45 mm), height (+82 mm) and wheelbase (+90 mm). Obviously, the rear row of the "seven" is more spacious, the panoramic roof and the presence of windows in the rear pillars visually add space. Whereas in the C5, because of the blind rear pillars and the low roof, you sit like in a cave. The trunk of the C7 is noticeably roomier — 639 versus 378 liters. There is a roller shutter, and there is a place for a full-size spare tire in the underground.
The interior is currently only available in black. Maybe there will be other colors later.
The interior of the C7 is noticeably richer than that of the C5, with lots of soft panels and stitching. The top of the front panel and the front and rear door cards are upholstered in a suede-like material.
Some solutions are borrowed from Chery's premium Exlantix line. Among them are a steering wheel with two spokes, steering wheel switches with a thin transmission selector, a small instrument panel and a large multimedia display, headrests of the front bucket seats.
Omoda C7: What's under the hood
The C7 is a direct competitor to Geely Atlas, Changan CS 75 and Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max. It has the T1X platform in common with the latest crossover, the cars even have the same track and the same bundle of a "robot" and a 1.6 turbo engine with the SQRF4J16 index. The rear wheel drive of the all-wheel drive C7 has the same Faps clutch, but, as promised, with updated firmware that increases its performance.
An all—wheel drive car accelerates from zero to one hundred in 10.4 seconds, with an average fuel consumption of 8 liters per 100 km. The declared urban consumption is 10.6 liters.
The Seven engine develops the same 150 hp and 275 Nm as the all-wheel drive C5. However, if the front-wheel drive C7 weighs about the same, then the all-wheel drive car is heavier than the "five" by 143 kg. This means that the engine will have to be more difficult, which was confirmed by a short trip around Moscow, literally several tens of kilometers. There is no sporting edge befitting such a fast-looking car in the reactions to pressing the accelerator pedal. Even the sports mode doesn't change the situation much. The engine roars quite loudly during acceleration, which is especially noticeable because the interior of the C7 is well insulated from road noise — there are even double side windows installed in the front. A more powerful unit is requested here.
Omoda C7: Creators were inspired by video games
Almost all controls are tied to a hefty "tablet", only a small block of physical keys was left on the center console — the choice of driving modes, volume control, emergency, and climate control hot buttons. The "tablet" in Russian cars does not yet move to the passenger, such a version is promised later, but it must be understood that it will not have a glove box.
The C7 will be offered in five colors, including the color with the name "Mint Cloud".
There are even 16-bit games in the multimedia system. Representatives of the company say that when creating the steering wheel and the chair, they were inspired by gamepads and gaming chairs. However, I would like a more natural feedback and a clear zero from the steering settings. Now it really feels like you're sitting on a high chair with wheels and playing a video game.
Ergonomics are partly to blame here, as are other T1X co-platform machines. The steering wheel lacks a bit of tilt adjustment — I want to move it lower. And there are questions about landing — in a sports bucket seat you want to sit even lower, but the adjustment does not allow. Unfortunately, there is no adjustment of the driver's seat cushion here. The length of the airbag has been increased compared to the C5, but it will still seem too short for tall drivers.
Omoda C7: improvements and price
At the same time, work is underway to improve the platform, especially its electronic component. Android Auto works stably, the voice assistant understands commands better, and adaptive cruise control navigates the flow well, although it shifts the car to the right edge of the lane.
There are also innovations in the chassis: hydraulic bushings. This solution is used on more expensive models of the concern and reduces vibrations and noise levels. In areas with road repairs, the suspension does a good job with bumps, but speed bumps are still a bit harsh, especially with the rear wheels. Apparently, the behavior of the Omoda C7 is not fundamentally different from the behavior of other co-platform models of the Chery concern. These are the first impressions of a short trip by car through Moscow traffic jams, where it was never possible to accelerate to 100 km/ h.
At the same time, a car with a striking design is entering the Russian market and it is quite capable of improving the affairs of the Omoda brand. As promised, it is adapted to Russian conditions — the body is galvanized, including the roof and tailgate, there is a full winter package. The price tag starts at 3.4 million rubles, which is slightly more expensive than the top-end C5 with all-wheel drive.
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