Hybrid Luxury Under a Million Rand – The Omoda C9 PHEV
[Music] Okay, be honest. If I told you that this is a new Range Rover Valor, you might just believe me until I tell you that it’s a Chinese SUV that costs under a bar and looks well this good. [Music] Welcome back to Tyrone Pulson Drives. And yeah, we’ve actually reviewed this car before in its all petrol version. And that video is already on the channel. But today, my friends, this is the big one. The 2025 Amotus C9 PHEV, the plug-in hybrid that’s ready to make BMW, Volvo, and maybe even Range Rover themselves just a little bit nervous because this thing honestly might just be the best looking Chinese SUV in South Africa. Hell, maybe even the best looking SUV. Full stop. And yeah, I said it with my chest. It’s beautiful. From the front, that grill looks like it was designed in a wind tunnel with a Gucci model standing next to it. Sleek LED lighting, bold stance, proper proportions. It’s got presence. And when you see it parked next to an actual Range Rover at the mall, people give you the nod. You can almost hear them whisper, “New shape.” And you just smile and say, “Nah, it’s an Emotive, my guy.” the floating roof line, big 20-in wheels, and that light bar that could land planes. It all adds up to a design that looks far more expensive than it is. Now, like I said, we’ve already covered the petrol C9, but this PHEV is a different beast. It’s got brains, beauty, and batteries. So, let’s break down how this thing actually works and why I think it might be one of the smartest SUVs on sale right now. So, the price in South Africa, well, it’s 999,900 rand. Yep, just under a bar. And for that, you literally get everything. The panoramic sunroof, those massive screens, a heads up display, leather seats, wireless charging. It’s all standard. No extra tick box options. And honestly, that’s refreshing because every other brand gives you a price that looks nice until you add the things that you actually want. Now, here is where it gets very clever. The Emot C9 PHEV runs a 1.5 L turbo petrol engine paired with a 34.5 kWh battery pack and dual electric motors. That combo gives it up to 440 kW combined, which is wild for something this size with a claimed pure electric range of around about 150 km. That’s the best EVO only range in its segment right now. So basically around town you’ll mostly be driving electric. And when the battery runs low, the petrol engine quietly kicks in to recharge or help out when you need more power. And because it’s well always ready, there’s no start button. You just get in, put your foot on the brake, and it’s alive. No drama. The first time I sat down, I must confess it took me about 30 seconds to kind of figure out there is no start button. I was like a confused uncle and a bri at that time. Turns out the car’s been awake waiting for me the whole time to go. I Yeah, charging’s quick for a plugin. On a 70 kW DC fast charger, it’ll go from 30 to 80% in about 25 minutes. At home, plug it in overnight and you’re sorted. In the real world, if you’re doing daily city driving and keep it charged, you’ll hardly touch the fuel tank. A motor quotes figures as low as 1 to 1.7 L per 100 km, but realistically most owners will use even less. That’s if you charge it regularly and purely stick to EV mode. And if you want to take that weekend trip to the West Coast or or maybe even the garden route, the petrol engine then extends your range to over 1,000 km combined. So there’s no range anxiety, no planning every plug point. You just go. It’s the best of both worlds. Electric for weekdays, petrol for holidays. Basically, it’s well, escom proof. Now, because we’ve reviewed this car’s interior in the C9 petrol, I’m not going to do a full in-depth look at it, but the one thing that you do notice and still continue to feel is that the cabin is properly premium. Twin 12.3 in screens, a slick headsup display, soft touch panels. absolutely everywhere and one of the biggest panoramic sunroofs in its class. It’s light, it’s airy, and it gives off that I’ve made it energy without the financial stress. You’ve got things like wireless charging, wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, multiple USB ports, ventilated seats in the front and the back, and also ISOIX points as well. So, it’s got all the family stuff sorted. These seats are super comfy. The sound system is punchy and it’s whisper quiet when driving on electric mode. In fact, as I mentioned earlier, it’s so quiet that when I first got in, I thought it hadn’t started, but nope, it was already on. Just silently judging me for doubting it. Yeah, overall, man, this is a really good cabin, but its infotainment system is not perfect, and that is because of the lack of buttons. It means that you have to physically interact with, you know, endless menus just to get to turn off certain things like some safety features and stuff like that. But there is a swipe down function which you can like kind of create shortcuts like on a normal tablet or whatever. But yeah, it would have been great if it had a had some physical shortcut buttons just to be able to get through. But you’ve got stuff like air car knobs and drive mode facilities. And this heads up display is also very very good because it allows you to not be distracted by the all the infographics on the on the driver display which means you can just concentrate on the road and do what you need to do. But yeah, some some physical shortcut buttons would do maybe even on the screen. But overall, like I said in the previous review, this is a premium feeling cabin. And all of this for under a million rand, that’s a bargain. Actually, the Emot C9 PHEV has a boot capacity of 660 L, which expands to 1,783 L when the rear seats are folded down. There’s no spare wheel because of the battery and motors, but you do get a tire repair kit and space to store your charging cables. Basically, it’s enough space for groceries, suitcases, and a nice soft space to take that afternoon nap with the seats folded down, of course, in your aircooled car. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it. Especially works when hiding away from the boss. Amoda didn’t hold back on safety either. 17 ADS features, including adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, collision avoidance, blind spot monitoring, and a full 360° camera setup. It’s gunning for that five-star safety rating globally. And with all the skit, it’s got a solid shot at it. Plus, it just feels secure. Solid doors, quiet cabin with good visibility. So, who’s this car up against? Well, on the Chinese side, there’s competition from its cousins like the JU J7 PHEV. BYD, there’s some cars from them and soon the Cherry Tiggo 9 PHEV. On the mainstream side, you’ve got Toyota’s RAV 4 hybrid, Volvo’s XC60 Recharge, and even BMW’s X330e as a well, a price adjacent alternative. But none of them give you this level of spec and electric range for under a million rand. and definitely not this much attention when you pull up at your local corner shop’s parking lot. The C9, it’s got presence, it’s got tech, and it’s got that look that makes people well assume you’re doing very well in life, even though you’re desperately still waiting for your tax refund. Out on the road, it’s seriously refined. It’s steering is smooth. The suspension is soft. It’s even soft enough to, I think, to ab absorb even Joberg’s many potholes, but it still feels planted when you push it in a corner. And the hybrid system, well, it switches so seamlessly. There’s there’s no jerks. There’s no noise, no nothing. It’s just so good. And well, when you need to floor it, oh my goodness, the torque, it’s instant. And it surprises you. It just does it so effortlessly just like you will do with its well overtaking part. It’s it’s quiet. It’s regen braking. It feels kind of natural unlike a lot of other hybrids where it feels kind of like a rubber pedal. You know what? This car is one of those cars that you actually want to drive slower to appreciate it more. And I know that’s something South Africans would never say, but but when you do want to go fast, it is fast. 0 to 100. It’s claimed in 4.9 seconds. This thing is literally very quick. Um, there’s a video of it it out dragging an Audi S3, but this car is not made for that. It’s made for that smooth, comfortable, luxurious driving while being well, while being fuel efficient at the same time. And all of that all of this put together for for under a million rand. It’s a nobrainer, man. It’s a no-brainer. This This car is brilliant. I love driving it. I don’t want to give it back. Sorry. Yeah. You know, when you got that much power under your foot, you do want to use it. But I do honestly find myself just just at time silently driving around everywhere. It just it just feels very comfortable. It feels like it’s meant to just do that. Silent, smooth, and looking good. Yeah, for under a million rand. That’s brilliant. So, here’s the thing. For 999,00and, you’re getting a plug-in hybrid that looks well like a Range Rover, drives like a proper luxury SUV, and saves you real money at the pumps. You’ve got about 150 km of electric range, a 34.5 kWh battery, a panoramic sunroof, heads-up display, all the safety toys, and some serious serious design swagger. I said it before and I’ll say it again. This is probably the best looking Chinese SUV on the market. And honestly, one of the best looking SUVs in South Africa. Well, period. When it comes to peace of mind, the C9 PHEV comes standard with a 7-year 100,000 km service plan, a 7-year 200,000 km vehicle warranty, a 10year 200,000 km warranty for electrical drive unit components, and a 10year 1 million km engine warranty for the first owner. Additionally, you also get a 10-year unlimited kilometer power battery warranty for the first owner, which reverts to 10 years 200,000 km for subsequent owners. Additionally, it includes 7 years of roadside assistance as well. So, peace of mind box ticked. And if someone at the lights leans over and says, “Brew, is that the new Range Rover?” All you got to do is just, well, shake your head, smile, and wave, and glide off silently on EV mode. In a nutshell, if you’re looking for a cost-effective, wellspec, luxurious, goodlooking alternative to what’s out there, the Yomoda C9 PHEV is well just it. I said I would buy the petrol version for myself, but I would actually choose this one. I I just think it’s just a a whole better package. And with that, thank you very much for watching this edition of Tyrone Pollson Drives. Please hit the like button and subscribe to the channel and also the notification icon. And also, please go check out the previous review of the C9. And then hopefully the next time when I see you guys, I’ll be in something that turns as many heads as what this one does. With that, drive safely, be leer, and catch you on the next one. Heat. Heat.
I got to revisit the Omoda C9, this time in Plug-in Hybrid guise and boy did it impress. Could this be what we need in South Africa, all the tech and luxury for under a million. 3
