The Omoda 9 is a £45k plug-in hybrid SUV that’ll beat a Golf GTI Clubsport in a drag race

Omoda’s advance into the UK market continues with this new flagship plug-in hybrid: the ‘9’ SUV. Priced from just under £45k, it’ll be sold on our shores with an ‘everything as standard’ approach, and in fairness, you do get a lot of kit. 

But first, that powertrain. Omoda refers to it as 'SHS' or 'Super Hybrid System'. It's made up of a 1.5-litre four-pot, a three-speed automatic gearbox, a pair of e-motors and a large 34.46kWh battery, and the result is 443bhp and 516lb ft of torque sent to all four wheels. That’s enough grunt to shove this thing from 0-62mph in just 4.9s, which is a full seven-tenths quicker than a Golf GTI Clubsport. Awks. 

It should be economical too; the battery can apparently deliver up to 93 miles of pure-electric driving, contributing to a claimed range of 700 miles when all systems are fully juiced. You could almost get from London to the Nürburgring and back again on a single tank. 

Looks like a bit of a tank, too. The bold styling includes 134 LED daytime running lights up front, plus a grille made up of rotated rhombuses. Elsewhere, you’ll spot a quad-exit exhaust system, a teeny roof spoiler and door handles incorporated into the body.

Make your way inside and there’s even more good stuff, with standout features including a 24.6in curved display, a 1.3-metre long sunroof, a Sony surround sound system and up to 20 ADAS features programmed in. It’s neatly organised, with five heated and ventilated seats thrown in and adorned with some funky patterns. 

There’s double-laminated glass for improved soundproofing too. Just 45.8 decibels of outside noise can enter the cabin, says Omoda.

The order books are open now and deliveries will apparently begin in June. Oh, and there will be a seven-year/100,000-mile warranty too. Reckon it'll be one to watch? Or will it be a case of 'all the gear, no idea'?