OMODA 5 SHS-H Review – Has This Hybrid Fixed the OMODA 5?
The OMODA 5 was already an interesting family SUV, but there was one fairly obvious problem with it: fuel economy.
We tested the petrol version previously and, while we liked the car itself, the MPG wasn't exactly its strongest point.
So OMODA has now brought the 5 SHS-H to the UK. It's a full hybrid, meaning you get a petrol engine and electric motor working together, but without the need to plug the car in.
And after spending more than a week living with one, we think OMODA may have fixed one of the biggest problems with the original car.
In fact, there's one thing that made Ollie seriously question his decision to lease a Nissan Qashqai...
OMODA 5 SHS-H – What's New?
The big change is underneath the bonnet.
The OMODA 5 SHS-H uses a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine combined with OMODA's Super Hybrid System. Official UK specifications put power at around 221bhp, with a claimed 0-62mph time of 7.9 seconds.
That makes it considerably quicker than the petrol OMODA 5, while also offering the benefit of electric assistance.
The battery is relatively small at 1.83kWh, so this isn't an EV and you don't plug it in. Instead, the system continually manages the petrol engine and electric motor to give you electric driving when possible and improve overall efficiency.
OMODA quotes up to around 53mpg and a potential combined driving range of more than 650 miles.
During our week with the car, we actually saw the displayed economy climb as high as 55.4mpg, with 54.3mpg recorded later in the test.
That's a big improvement over the petrol OMODA 5 we tested previously.
OMODA 5 SHS-H Price
And this is where things get interesting.
OMODA currently lists the SHS-H from £25,755 OTR for the Knight, while the Noble tested here is £29,255 OTR.
That's a relatively small step up from the petrol model considering the additional hybrid technology.
And then there's the leasing market.
At the time of filming, we found deals around the £280-a-month mark, which got Ollie thinking about his own Nissan Qashqai lease.
OMODA's current official PCH offer is £286.72 per month for the Knight, based on a 36-month term, 10,000 miles per year and an initial rental of £1,720.30. The Noble offer is £333.90 per month on the same basic term and mileage structure.
As always with leasing, deals change, so check the live offer before signing anything.
But at roughly this sort of monthly payment, the OMODA starts to make a lot of sense.
The Exterior – Has OMODA Changed Much?
Visually, the hybrid isn't radically different from the OMODA 5 petrol.
And that's probably a good thing because the OMODA 5 is still a pretty distinctive-looking SUV.
The front gets a slightly more understated treatment, with the large black section across the nose replacing some of the visual drama of the petrol car.
Personally, we preferred the bigger grille on the petrol version, and we definitely missed the red brake calipers.
The wheels also have more of an aerodynamic appearance, with plastic inserts, while there's a faux-carbon-style finish around parts of the exterior.
But overall, it's still a good-looking car.
From some angles, there's a little Nissan Qashqai about it, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's a compact family SUV, so it's going up against some very established competition.
Move around to the back and things get more interesting.
The roofline is quite steep and rakish, the rear lights look sharp and there's a full-width light bar with segmented lighting.
At night, the lighting animation when you lock and unlock the car looks particularly impressive for a vehicle in this price bracket.
Exterior score from our video
Adam: 7/10
Ollie: 7.5/10
We both preferred the petrol version's styling slightly, but there's no denying the SHS-H still looks smart.
What's It Like to Drive?
This is where the hybrid really changes the character of the OMODA 5.
The electric motor gives the car considerably more instant response than the old petrol version.
There are two main driving modes: Eco and Sport.
Eco is perfectly usable for everyday driving, and that's where we spent most of our time.
But switch to Sport and the OMODA 5 SHS-H becomes surprisingly entertaining.
It's not a hot hatch, obviously, but with around 221bhp and a claimed 7.9-second 0-62mph time, there's plenty of performance for normal family driving.
Our launch test did reveal a slight hesitation when initially flooring the accelerator, followed by a little front-wheel spin.
Once it was moving, though, the performance was much better than the old petrol car.
For getting out of junctions, overtaking and joining faster roads, there's more than enough power.
And that's really the point of this car.
It's not trying to be a performance SUV. It's trying to be an affordable family SUV that doesn't feel painfully slow.
The Hybrid System Is Surprisingly Smooth
One of the things we really liked was the hybrid transmission.
The OMODA uses a dedicated hybrid transmission, and in normal driving it's difficult to predict exactly when the system is switching between petrol and electric power.
When you're driving around towns and villages, the car can spend periods running purely on electric power.
It's quiet, smooth and gives you that EV-like feeling without having to plug the car in.
You can actually see the EV system working on the driver's display, which is a nice touch.
It's one of those features that makes you feel like you're getting something clever for your money.
What About Regenerative Braking?
There are three regen settings: Low, Medium and High.
High is particularly noticeable and can slow the car down strongly, getting you down to roughly 6mph before you need to intervene.
The problem is that we found the highest setting a little too aggressive.
When you come back onto the accelerator, there's a slight jolting sensation which can become annoying on faster roads.
For town driving, though, High works reasonably well.
For general use, we preferred Low or Medium because they made the car feel smoother.
It's Actually Quite Quiet
Another thing that surprised us was how refined the OMODA 5 SHS-H feels.
The front windows use double acoustic glass, and during our week with the car we found road and wind noise well controlled.
At motorway speeds and on A-roads, there's some tyre and road noise, as you'd expect, but the cabin remains impressively quiet for a car that starts at around £26,000.
That's becoming something we've noticed with a number of newer Chinese-market cars entering the UK.
They're often very well insulated from the outside world.
And when you're paying this sort of money, that's a big advantage.
Suspension and Handling
The OMODA 5 isn't designed to be a sports SUV, but we were pleasantly surprised by how it handled.
On A-roads and motorways, the suspension does a good job of soaking up bumps.
On rougher B-roads and larger potholes, you can certainly feel what's underneath you, but it doesn't feel especially crashy.
There's some body roll through tighter corners, but it's controlled enough that you can actually have a bit of fun.
The steering is light but predictable, and that makes the OMODA easy to place on the road.
It's one of those cars where you quickly stop thinking about how you're driving it and just get on with your journey.
And that's exactly what most family SUV buyers want.
Brakes – A Pleasant Surprise
We also liked the brakes.
They're progressive rather than grabby, which gives you confidence when you're trying to stop precisely.
After driving the car for a week, this was one of those things we noticed almost immediately.
The braking system simply feels natural.
What's the Interior Like?
Inside, the OMODA 5 SHS-H feels more expensive than the price tag suggests.
The dashboard is dominated by twin 12.3-inch displays, and the layout is relatively clean.
There's also plenty of soft-touch material around the cabin, along with some decent-looking trim and well-damped controls.
Some of the materials aren't perfect.
We weren't completely convinced by the wood-effect trim, and it could potentially be susceptible to scratching.
But overall, the cabin quality is impressive for the money.
The physical shortcut buttons are particularly welcome.
You can quickly get to things such as the climate controls without having to dig through endless menus.
And there are two simple driving modes: Eco and Sport.
We like that.
No endless list of Normal, Comfort, Individual, Balanced, Super Eco and whatever else manufacturers decide to throw at us.
Sometimes simple is better.
Plenty of Equipment
This is where OMODA really tries to tempt buyers.
The Noble tested here gets a panoramic roof, electric seats, heated and ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel, wireless smartphone charging, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a 360-degree camera system.
The Knight isn't exactly stripped out either.
You still get heated seats, along with plenty of the technology and comfort equipment you'd expect from a modern family SUV.
OMODA also backs the range with a seven-year/100,000-mile vehicle warranty, subject to its conditions, with an eight-year warranty on the battery.
The Infotainment
The screens themselves are good and responsive, but there are a couple of things we'd change.
The standard navigation isn't really something we'd rely on, so you're probably going to use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto instead.
Thankfully, both are wireless.
We also found some of the information on the driver's display a little too small.
The speed is easy enough to see, but some of the additional hybrid information could be larger.
You can change the display between Classic and Streamlined layouts, which is a nice option.
We preferred the more minimal Streamlined design, although it isn't as easy to read in bright daylight.
Cameras Are Surprisingly Good
The Noble gets the 360-degree camera system, and during our test we thought the quality was pretty impressive.
The camera view pops up when you indicate at lower speeds, giving you another view around the vehicle.
For a car costing under £30,000, that's useful equipment to have.
The Knight gets a simpler camera and rear parking sensors instead.
A Clever Remote Start Feature
One of our favourite little features is the remote start.
Using the key, you can start the car remotely.
Because this is the hybrid, it can initially start in EV mode rather than firing up the petrol engine.
The climate system can also run, meaning you can get the cabin started before getting in.
On a hot day, that's brilliant.
It's one of those features you might not expect to find on a car at this price.
Practicality
This is where the OMODA 5 isn't quite as impressive as some of its rivals.
The official boot capacity is 370 litres.
That's perfectly usable, but some competing family SUVs offer more luggage space.
The hybrid system only sacrifices around 10 litres compared with the petrol version, though, so OMODA has done a decent job of packaging everything underneath the car.
The rear seats fold 60:40, giving you additional space when required.
Under the boot floor, you'll also find the 12-volt battery and a 12V socket.
There isn't a huge amount of additional storage underneath, but at least the space is reasonably straightforward.
What Are the Rear Seats Like?
The rear seats are comfortable enough for normal-sized adults.
Legroom is decent, although taller passengers may start to find things tighter if the front seats are pushed further back.
Headroom is a bigger consideration.
The sloping roofline looks good, but it eats into the available space.
At around 5ft 11in, we found the front seating position already fairly high, with limited headroom when the seat was at its lowest position.
If you're over six feet tall, we'd definitely recommend trying one before buying.
In the back, two adults should be comfortable enough, but three across the rear will be a squeeze.
You also get ISOFIX points and a central armrest with two cupholders.
Overall, it's usable rather than class-leading.
Visibility
From the driver's seat, we actually found visibility pretty good.
The wing mirrors give you a clear view down either side and there's a decent amount of bonnet visible, which makes positioning the car relatively easy.
The smaller dimensions also help.
This isn't a huge SUV, and that makes it feel manageable when you're driving around town or squeezing into tighter spaces.
The rear visibility is less impressive, partly because of the chunky seats and smaller rear windows.
Which Trim Would We Choose?
This is where our opinion differs slightly from what you might expect.
The Noble gives you plenty of equipment.
You get:
Ventilated front seats
Heated front seats
Electric seats
Panoramic roof
Ambient lighting
Power tailgate
360-degree camera
Front parking sensors
But the Knight still gives you a lot of the important stuff.
You still get heated seats and plenty of the standard technology, while losing some of the luxury extras.
For that reason, we think the Knight could be the sweet spot.
If you don't desperately need ventilated seats, a panoramic roof or a power tailgate, spending less on the Knight could make more sense.
And because the starting price is currently £25,755, it keeps the OMODA 5 SHS-H firmly in affordable family SUV territory.
OMODA 5 SHS-H vs the Competition
The OMODA 5 SHS-H enters one of the most competitive areas of the UK car market.
It's competing against cars such as the:
MG ZS Hybrid+
Hyundai Kona Hybrid
Kia Niro Hybrid
Toyota C-HR Hybrid
Nissan Qashqai e-POWER
Kia Sportage Hybrid
Hyundai Tucson Hybrid
And this is where the OMODA's value proposition becomes particularly interesting.
It doesn't necessarily beat every rival in boot space, refinement or brand familiarity.
But it gives you a lot of equipment for your money, decent performance, hybrid efficiency and a long warranty.
And if you're looking at monthly payments rather than the outright price, the current leasing offers make it even more interesting.
Pros
✔ Much better fuel economy than the petrol OMODA 5
✔ 221bhp and 7.9-second 0-62mph
✔ Quiet and refined cabin
✔ Lots of standard equipment
✔ Heated seats even on the Knight
✔ Ventilated seats on the Noble
✔ Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
✔ 360-degree camera on the Noble
✔ Panoramic roof and power tailgate on the Noble
✔ Seven-year/100,000-mile vehicle warranty
✔ Competitive leasing deals
✔ Easy and predictable to drive
Cons
✘ Boot space isn't class-leading at 370 litres
✘ Headroom can be tight for taller drivers
✘ Rear visibility isn't brilliant
✘ High regenerative braking can feel jerky
✘ Slight hesitation and wheelspin when launching
✘ Some infotainment information is too small
✘ Styling is slightly less exciting than the petrol Noble we tested
✘ Some interior trim doesn't feel quite as premium as the rest
Car Chat TV Verdict
So, has the hybrid fixed the OMODA 5?
We think it has fixed the biggest problem we had with the original.
The petrol OMODA 5 was an interesting and well-equipped SUV, but its fuel economy made it harder to recommend.
The SHS-H changes that.
You're now getting a much more efficient powertrain, considerably more performance and the ability to drive around town using electric power without ever having to worry about plugging the car in.
And then there's the price.
Starting from £25,755, the OMODA 5 SHS-H is still firmly in the affordable family SUV market.
The Noble we tested costs £29,255, but the Knight could actually be the version we'd choose because it retains so much of the equipment while keeping the purchase price down.
And if you can find a lease deal around the £280-a-month mark, as we did when filming, it becomes even harder to ignore.
Ollie's biggest problem after spending a week with the car wasn't the OMODA.
It was the fact he'd just leased a Nissan Qashqai for £350 a month.
At the time of filming, he was looking at the OMODA and thinking he could have saved around £70 every month.
And that pretty much sums up what this car is all about.
It's not perfect.
It's not the biggest SUV inside, the rear headroom could be better and the highest regen setting isn't particularly smooth.
But for an affordable family SUV that gives you hybrid efficiency, decent performance, loads of equipment, a quiet cabin and a seven-year warranty, the OMODA 5 SHS-H is a very compelling package.
The biggest question isn't whether it's a good car.
It's whether the price and equipment are enough to tempt buyers away from the established names.
After a week with it, we think OMODA has given itself a much better chance this time around.
