In the ever-evolving landscape of premium motoring, the Omoda 9 Virtue arrives as a bold statement, poised to redefine expectations in the luxury SUV space. If you’ve ever admired the Lexus-Toyota dynamic, you’ll immediately grasp the intent behind this newcomer.
Considered the “high end” brand for Chery (who also make Jaecoo), it’s built on proven foundations, but dressed for the discerning driver. Offered in one trim, with an all-wheel drive powertrain, it’s priced at $66,400 drive away.
It’s a compelling proposition that undercuts many established luxury rivals while offering an array of tech and safety features. For buyers seeking premium motoring without the badge tax, this SUV makes a persuasive case.
The front end has a bold yet sleek design, highlighted by a full-width LED light bar that stretches across the bonnet, flanked by vertical side lights that visually widen the stance. It’s a look that feels both assertive and refined.
Adding to its visual drama is the functional diamond-pattern grille, which doesn’t just serve airflow, it adds a layer of sophistication. The 20-inch wheels are a perfect addition, while bright red calipers add a sporty touch.
The rear has a similar full width LED light, which can be programmed to suit your mood (as can the front). Four exhaust outlets look the part, but are fake, with emissions actually exiting just behind the rear wheels. These unfortunately look cheap.
The roof spoiler rounds things out nicely, especially with the Dove Grey matte paint scheme on our test vehicle. Under overcast skies, it looks great, but as the sun broke through, the paint came alive, sparkling subtly and shifting tone throughout the day.
The Omoda’s standard colour is Silk White, with Shadow Grey and Ink Black rounding out the limited options. Inside, accessed via recessed door handles that extend to greet you on arrival, the cabin immediately impresses, with its sense of space and light.
The panoramic glass roof floods the interior with natural brightness, giving the cabin a well-proportioned, airy feel. The seats, trimmed in synthetic leather with elegant diamond stitching, offer both heating and ventilation for both front and back.
Despite their premium appearance, they fall short on comfort. They feel small and flat, which undermines long-distance support and detracts from what is otherwise a thoughtfully designed environment.
In a nice touch, the seat controls are on the door, which takes away the fumbling down the side. Up front, the dashboard and centre console are cleanly laid out and functionally intuitive. Most controls fall easily to hand, and the overall ergonomics are commendable.
That said, the roller shutter cover over the centre storage area is prone to scratching. Less successful too are the three rotary dials that manage temperature, drive mode, and fan speed. Their top-mounted symbols are difficult to read from the driver’s angle.
That’s especially so on the move. The drive mode selector in particular is annoying and on multiple occasions, this writer inadvertently engaged Snow mode while attempting to select Normal mode.
The programable LED strip lighting adds a spectacular aura at night and the huge OMODA symbol projected on the ground when the door is opened makes entry easy and safe. The 12.3-inch infotainment and instrument cluster are well laid out and comprehensive.
Gear changes are made via the right stalk, which takes some getting used to, but works well. The 360-degree camera system is fantastic and the see through view is amazing. The car can run over an object and the Omoda remembers it’s there and is still visible.
The 50W wireless phone charger is convenient but under energetic acceleration the phone disappears to the back floor. The large twin door centre console has an air conditioning vent to keep items cool.
The 12-speaker Sony stereo is adequate and includes speakers in the driver’s headrest, which work very well with incoming phone calls. Connection to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is easy and intuitive.
Other convenient features are a programable head-up display, and USB charging ports distributed around the cabin. The safety features are generous but are sometimes slightly enthusiastic, particularly the forward collision warning.
Amusingly, the driver attention monitor will trigger if you’re wearing sunglasses, and look away. The Omoda 9 Virtue is a five-seater, and with all seats up has a generous 660-litres of boot space. Put down the 60/40 back seat and the capacity goes up to 1,783-litres.
The back seats have a power adjustable seatback. But it’s in the drive where the magic happens. Under the bonnet is a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine producing 105kW, paired with a 75kW electric motor.
Combined these produce 385Nm of torque. But there’s more. The front wheels 90kW motor and 175kW rear work together to deliver 395kW of power. This drives through a 3-speed dedicated hybrid transmission with nine modes and 11 “gears” for seamless changes.
Any wonder then that this thing can sprint to 100km/h in just 4.9 seconds. Omoda claims a combined range of 1100km and a fully electric capability of 169km. The battery system is a 34kWh lithium ion unit, with a DC fast charge time of 25 minutes.
There is a EV only mode for those early mornings when you don’t want to wake the world. On the road, power delivery is evident, especially in Sport mode. There is a slight lag when you put your foot on the stop pedal as the car decides whether it wants to regen or not.
Handling is best described as comfortable but vague, although it’s still acceptable, even when pushed on winding roads. Towing capacity is just 1500kg (braked). What is impressive, is the 8-year unlimited kilometre warranty.
There’s also 8-years capped price servicing, and up to 8-years roadside assist. The 2025 Omoda 9 Virtue SHS has a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. You can find out more on the brand’s website, or by talking to your local dealership.
To get a low rate finance quote, talk to Australia’s best reviewed car finance broker; Credit One. To see a great range of vehicles for sale, check out OnlyCars.com.au.
Our test vehicle was provided by Omoda Jaecoo Australia for independent review purposes. Exhaust Notes Australia has not been paid to review this vehicle. Interior images supplied.
