It was around September of 2024 when the first units of The Omoda 5 officially arrived on our shores, since then Omoda & Jaecoo Philippines has been busy doing a lot of mall tours, a ton of influencer campaigns, corpo events, and just recently did an online live stream.
Still, very few have gotten to really drive any of their offerings.
Happily, our local PH automotive media members, including myself, finally got a taste of what’s coming for Omoda & Jaecoo PH. And just like ‘baksakan style,’ a standard test drive wasn’t enough, we got the lot —finally, we got to drive the Omoda C5, an ICE 5-seater crossover; the Omoda E5, which is an EV variant of the C5; and a full EV offroader, the Jaecoo EJ6.
Run, Turn, Stop, Go Offroad & Try not to Crash
Omoda Jaecoo PH kept it simple, drive all 3 cars on the Batangas racing circuit, then try the offroad experience just outside the track.
Our initial evaluations focused on hard acceleration, braking, and handling—with the Omoda E5 boldly leading the first round.
So how was it? It was uneventful and made a great first impression. The E5 screeched off the damp racetrack. I did my best to impress the driving instructor and thought I did okay, but what stood out was how planted and controlled the E5 felt. Its body roll and braking performance were right on point—I never doubted its ability to handle the challenge.
Additionally, I couldn’t ignore the plush interior of the E5, it looked and felt very luxurious, and it wasn’t weird or outlandish like the BYD Atto 3. This was more conventional and I kinda liked that on the Omoda E5.
Next, the Omoda C5
I’ve seen Omoda’s 5-seater crossover for a while now, and to be honest, I’m still not a fan of its exterior. My expectations were high from the previous test, but at least in terms of handling, the Omoda C5 aced both the hard braking and “ABS” tests.
I will say though that it was the EV (E5) that stood out to me more versus the ICE vehicle (C5).
Easy, Fun Offroading with the EJ6.
Unlike the first test, the Jaecoo EJ6 turned plenty of heads with its striking exterior. But there wasn’t much time to admire it—I immediately got down to business, taking this full-EV 4×4 through a short but very muddy off-road course. Inside, I noticed familiar “Chery Automotive” design cues, like a Jetour-like steering wheel and elements reminiscent of its parent company. But looks weren’t the focus—we were here to put the EJ6’s off-road capabilities to the test. And so, off we went.
So how was the experience? It felt like playing in the mud—but in the best way possible. The Jaecoo EJ6 handled the course well, and while I had to reverse a few times, it never felt underpowered, even flooring it and I could compensate easily with the light steering wheel Just like in the first test, I never doubted its capabilities. It was easy. And that’s a good thing.
What stood out to me was the difference between driving an EV 4×4 and a traditional ICE one. In a conventional 4×4, the steering feels heavier, and you’re constantly aware of the engine noise and rattles. In the Jaecoo EJ6, it was quiet—almost dignified, if you will.
I liked it and so did the other members of the media drive.
Ah yes, The Omoda C5, E5, and Jaecoo EJ6 on the track.
While these vehicles aren’t exactly performance cars, I suppose Omoda & Jaecoo Philippines wanted to put any doubts to rest with a test track drive—because, well, why the hell not?
So how’d it go?
My favorite, or best “performance” was for sure the E5, yes the full EV, which is a weird thing to say many years ago but today, I gotta put it to the Omoda E5, compared to its ICE variant this had a lot of pull out of the corners, the battery being on the bottom and its light aluminum structure – the Omoda E5 felt planted, the brakes were great including the pedal feel and the steering was communicative
The Jaecoo EJ6 also did well enough for me with the Omoda C5 performing as I expected it to, albeit the least bit exciting of the 3.
Omoda & Jaecoo PH have finally arrived.
If there’s one takeaway from my first track day experience, it’s that Omoda & Jaecoo’s offerings are finally showing their teeth. The engineering and hard work behind these cars are starting to shine. Despite the delays and rescheduled dates, what truly matters is how the cars perform—and both on and off the track, they proved they have what it takes to compete.
Omoda & Jaecoo will officially be launching on February 18, and we can’t wait for our full-on test drive.
