2025 OMODA 9 SHS

It rarely happens that a car makes you nervous even before you open the door, but the OMODA 9 SHS managed to do exactly that.

My previous experience with the JAECOO 7 SHS had not been particularly positive. It was a product full of good intentions, but lacking the finesse to truly measure up to what we are used to in Europe.

You would not immediately expect the larger, more ambitious OMODA 9 to simply erase that disappointment. And yet, the moment I stepped inside, doubt slowly began to give way.

A cockpit that immediately feels more mature

The first few minutes in the car still required some orientation. Not because the design was poor, but simply because it feels different from the brands we have known for years. Very quickly, however, it became clear that the infotainment system, despite its obvious relation to that of the JAECOO 7, feels far more grown‑up here. Menu structures make sense, response times are up to standard, and above all: calm.

Where the JAECOO 7 irritated me with endless warnings and beeps, the OMODA 9 remained noticeably quiet. Almost as if OMODA has finally understood that premium does not shout, it whispers.

A hybrid heart that rewrites the numbers

The SHS name, short for Super Hybrid System, certainly raises expectations. This time, they are actually met. The combination of a 1.5‑liter four‑cylinder with two electric motors already looks impressive on paper, but it is the way this powertrain operates that completes the story.

Everything flows together smoothly and almost with a sense of refinement. No hesitation. No frustration. No noticeable transitions. Just a quiet, confident stream of power.

With 535 hp and 650 Nm in a plug‑in hybrid family car, you are entering territory that until recently belonged exclusively to AMG or BMW M models. The sprint to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds is impressive, but what really stands out is the manner in which the car delivers its performance.

The 34.4 kWh battery realistically provides 120 km of electric driving, and when you combine everything, covering distances of more than 1000 km becomes effortless. This is not evolution. This is a leap.

Interior quality that genuinely surprises

The moment you close the door, it’s clear this is no longer a product that feels the need to apologise for its origins. The OMODA 9’s interior feels almost unfairly rich for its price point. The leather is firm, the fit and finish are tight, the Alcantara headliner lifts the entire cabin, and the vast 24.6‑inch dual display stretches across the dashboard as a single, uninterrupted line.

There are echoes of recent Audi interiors here, but without the visual complexity or the sense of overload. Less busy. More intuitive. More this just works.

The equipment list borders on the absurd. Massaging seats. Ventilated seating front and rear. A Sony audio system. Panoramic roof. And crucially, none of it feels cheap or like “budget luxury”. There’s no hollow switchgear, no trim that betrays the numbers on the price tag. It genuinely feels like a car designed to impress not just on first contact, but kilometre after kilometre.

On the road: calm, composed and quietly confident

Where the JAECOO 7 came across as restless, nervous and occasionally unpredictable, the OMODA 9 delivers a sense of composure you’d normally associate with a Volvo XC60 or Lexus RX. The CDC dampers filter out imperfections as if the car is operating a segment higher, while overall noise isolation is impressively controlled. The petrol engine remains distant, even when it has to contribute under load.

The AWD system shifts torque smoothly between the axles, reinforcing a sense of security without ever pretending to be sporty. That’s clearly not the brief. This car is about calm progress, comfort and trust, not engagement or edge.

There is one minor caveat. At 1.87 m, I sit higher than I’d like, almost as if the seat base doesn’t drop quite far enough. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s a detail that becomes noticeable over longer drives.

Software and driver assistance: finally grown‑up

The biggest frustration with the JAECOO 7 lay in its driver assistance systems. They intervened constantly, beeped incessantly and corrected your inputs as if the car was trying to protect itself from the person behind the wheel. In the OMODA 9, that issue has been largely addressed.

Adaptive cruise control operates far more smoothly. Lane assist feels calmer, less alarmist. Most importantly, the car finally gives you the sense that you remain in control. As if OMODA has come to a simple but crucial realisation: technology should support the driver, not get in the way.

A price that borders on the unbelievable

And then there’s what may be the most surreal aspect of the OMODA 9 SHS: its price. Starting at €48.900, you get a fully equipped SUV that can credibly line up against cars costing €20.000 to €30.000 more. Power, technology, comfort and an almost excessive level of standard equipment come together in a package that feels borderline shameless at this money.

This is a direct challenger to the BMW X3, Volvo XC60 and Lexus NX. And honestly? It holds its ground remarkably well.

Conclusion: the first OMODA that truly convinces

The OMODA 9 SHS isn’t perfect. There are still areas where the brand has room to grow in finesse, detail tuning and overall premium polish. But this is, without question, the most mature, most complete and most convincing product they have built so far.

It’s a car that surprises, that exceeds expectations, and that once again underlines how quickly Chinese brands are coming of age. The OMODA 9 is no longer an experiment. It’s a statement.

And more than anything, it’s an SUV that now deserves to be taken seriously.