2026 Chery O5 Review: How Chery’s Daring Overhaul is Conquering Southeast Asia

Is the 2026 Chery O5 the SUV that finally places Chery on equal ground with Honda, Toyota, and Proton? We delve into the design, interior, performance, safety, price, and verdict in this in-depth review customized for Southeast Asia.

A New Chapter for Chery: From Underdog to Contender

Each car brand has a tale. Toyota emerged from obscurity with the Corolla. Hyundai used to sell “cheap but cheerful” vehicles before zooming into premium category. And Chery?Chery‘s tale in Southeast Asia has been more that of the plucky exchange student: underestimated, sometimes laughed at, but stealthily taking notes.

When Chery originally entered markets such as Malaysia and Indonesia years back, it came with budget cars that were loaded with features but lacked refinement. Individuals purchased them for price, not desire. But things have changed over the past few years. Chery has been pouring money into improved engineering, more assertive design, and advanced technology.

The result of that effort is the 2026 Chery O5. More than just a facelift of the Omoda 5, it’s a statement. It says: “We’re not here to play catch-up anymore—we’re here to lead.”

Inside the Chery O5: Premium Without the Premium Price

If you’ve ever ridden in the old Omoda 5, you’ll appreciate it immediately as you close the door of the O5. It closes with a solid thunk, not a tinny clang. The dashboard is covered in soft-touch trim rather than hard plastic. The focal point is a swooping 20.5-inch curved dual display, bringing driver information together with infotainment into one seamless panel.

The seats? Ventilated, and powered in several directions. The armrest?Cooled, because in hot tropical Southeast Asia, no one wants their beverage to become soup during a jam on the PLUS highway. Wireless charging pads, ambient lighting, and even a frameless rearview mirror all add up to a feel that’s much higher than the sticker price implies.

And perhaps most importantly, everything feels well put together. Buttons click with precision, surfaces are neatly aligned, and the steering wheel has the heft of something you’d expect in a European crossover.

Performance: Ditching the CVT Blues

Let’s be honest: the Omoda 5’s CVT was… fine. It did its job, but it didn’t exactly make your pulse race. Chery clearly listened to feedback, because the O5 now comes with a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT). Paired with the familiar 1.5L turbocharged engine (156 PS, 230 Nm), the O5 feels more alive.

Acceleration is smoother, overtaking is more confident, and the feared “CVT drone” disappears. You also have three driving modes—Eco, Normal, and Sport—to suit your mood. It drinks fuel like a cheapskate accountant in Eco mode; and in Sport mode, it wakes up just enough to remind you that SUVs do not need to be dull.

The giant leap in engineering is at the back suspension. The Omoda 5 employed a standard torsion beam configuration. The O5 takes the step up to a multi-link independent rear suspension, which provides you with better control in corners and much smoother ride over bumps. On Southeast Asian roads—where potholes magically appear overnight and highways go on for hours—that’s a godsend.

Safety First: Tech That Actually Helps

To Southeast Asian buyers, safety is now obligatory—it’s de rigueur. Chery has apparently received the memo. The O5 arrives loaded with features that only more expensive crossovers typically get:

Six airbags (front, side, and curtain)

A body composed of 78% high-strength steel

Adaptive cruise control to temper long road trips on highways

Lane departure warning and lane-keep assist for when your mind drifts away

Blind-spot monitoring (a necessity on crazy city streets)

A 540° panoramic camera, providing you with a nearly drone-like view while parking in to-be-debated mall parking lots

Tyre pressure monitoring to provide that extra peace of mind

For family car users, that safety net is invaluable. For single motorists, it’s technology that will make every drive home less stressful.

Day-to-Day Capabilities: Designed for Southeast Asia

Chery is aware that the O5 will not be taken up Mount Kinabalu or over the rice fields of Central Java. It is an urban crossover and it does that job with assurance.

Boot space measures 442 litres, sufficient for family holiday road trip gear or seven days’ shopping. The raised ride height carries you smoothly over speed bumps and waterlogged roads during the monsoon months. And due to its suspension, motorway cruising is stable even when the vehicle is laden.

Is it a beast for the beaten path? No. But as a daily workhorse in Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, or Bangkok streets, the O5 is perfectly at ease.

Pricing and Availability: The Value Play

In Malaysia, the 2026 Chery O5 retails from RM116,800, undercutting competitors such as the Honda HR-V and Toyota Corolla Cross but with more features. For budget-conscience families and young professionals, that’s an attractive proposition.

With Chery investing in regional assembly plants—including Vietnam—look for availability to expand rapidly. Local production also suggests better after-sales service and parts support, two concerns buyers in Southeast Asia have.

Pros and Cons

Strengths

Fashionable new look with space-age grille and lights

DCT transmission is a massive step forward over CVT

Luxury-grade interior feel with superb build quality

Extensive safety and ADAS equipment

Extremely competitive pricing

Weaknesses

Engine performance is good but not sporting

Chery still rebuilding its brand image in some markets

Limited off-road capability

Final Verdict: The SUV That Changes Minds

The 2026 Chery O5 is like the moment the dark horse finally matures into a serious contender. It’s sleek, sensibly priced, and loaded with features that count. More significantly, it drives and handles like a car that’s been designed with attention to detail, not simply stuck together to achieve a low sticker price.

For Southeast Asian consumers who’ve so far settled for Japanese or Korean crossovers, the O5 is evidence that Chery should be given a second chance. If this SUV is any sign, the days of writing Cheryis “cheap and cheerful” are gone.

Actually, don’t be surprised when your neighbour drives up in a Chery O5 some day—and you catch yourself thinking, “Hey… that’s a pretty neat-looking vehicle.”