Chery O5 facelift teased, Malaysian intro soon: Omoda name dropped, SUV gets new face, DCT, rear multi-link

The Chery Malaysia Facebook page has posted a teaser of the Chery O5 as an upcoming arrival, with a registration of interest page now open for the SUV ahead of its arrival later this month. In case you’re wondering what the O5 is, well, it’s essentially the facelifted Omoda 5, which made its debut in Russia last year.

However, following the model’s switch from the Omoda sub-brand into the main brand (and because Omoda | Jaecoo runs as a separate entity here), its moniker has also followed suit, being redesignated as the Chery O5 for Malaysia.

It’s the same car as the C5, which was launched in Indonesia earlier this year, just named differently to avoid the same naming convention as the Omoda C7 and C9. However, like Indonesia, the O5 will wear an Omoda word mark branding on its face (Australia gets the C5 with a Chery script).

The refresh brings about a new face – aside from the word mark, there’s a significantly reprofiled front bumper and a revised grille, the latter ditching the current chrome-studded design for body-coloured squares.

Elsewhere, the O5 features a new 18-inch wheel design, and, as shown on the Indonesian example, the red highlights across the vehicle (bumpers, door mirrors, rocker panels, tailgate spoiler and wheels) are no longer present, now being presented in black.

The engine pick remains a 1.5 litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, which on the outgoing car offered 156 hp and 230 Nm, but there are some mechanical changes elsewhere – the nine-virtual ratio CVT from earlier has been dropped in favour of a six-speed dual-clutch transmission, while the previous torsion beam setup has been replaced by a multi-link rear suspension.

There are no revisions to the interior, with the full-width air vent design, widescreen display panel with twin 10.25-inch screens (which the company calls a 20.5-inch integrated dual-screen here) with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto remaining key highlights.

With two trim levels expected to feature again, equipment levels should mirror that seen previously. Mention is made of some kit, from faux leather upholstery and ventilated seats, dual-zone auto air-conditioning, a voice assistant feature, an eight-speaker Sony audio system and wireless mobile charger.

Safety-wise, the O5 will come equipped with six airbags, a Level 2 ADAS driver assistance suite and a 540-degree camera system to provide an improved level of all-round visibility.

GALLERY: Chery C5 at GIIAS 2025