Another hybrid SUV will be joining Chery Australia's line-up this year, with the C5 hybrid set to expand customer options to a total of five.
Chery Australia will roll-out a hybrid powertrain option for its C5 small SUV, designed to specifically to target high-selling petrol-electric models like the Toyota Corolla Cross and GWM Haval Jolion.
The C5 hybrid will join the petrol-powered model, underpinned by a 108kW/210Nm 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder, and the all-electric E5 that has a 150kW/340Nm front-drive electric motor.
Powering the C5 hybrid is a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and single electric motor, combining for a claimed output of 165kW.
This makes it 15kW more potent than the smaller Tiggo 4 hybrid, while also surpassing hybrid rivals in its class like the GWM Haval Jolion (140kW), MG ZS (158kW), and Toyota Corolla Cross (146kW).
The power output will enable a claimed zero to 100km/h acceleration time of 7.9 seconds, according to Chery, while overall cruising range is a WLTP-tested 1000km.
The 2026 Chery C5 hybrid is also expected to rejuvenate interest in the C5 and E5 line-up – formerly known as the Omoda 5 – which was the only model line in the brand’s local line-up that didn’t grow its share last year.
Speaking to Drive, Chery Australia Chief Operating Officer Lucas Harris said the focus this year will be on driving interest to the small SUV.
“We want to transition away from ICE [internal combustion engine] vehicles to hybrid and Super Hybrid technology, so we’ve had a concerted effort and shift in our focus, and we’ve seen pretty good results out of that,” Harris said.
“That’s not to say that we want to forget about those ICE products, which at the moment C5 is.
“We will launch C5 with a hybrid powertrain.
“Part of that is we want to electrify our range, whether it’s hybrid or full BEV, and that’s why I think you’ve seen the focus drop off a little bit on some of those ICE models.”
Positioning is still unclear, but if Chery’s Tiggo 4 strategy holds true for the C5, it should be positioned $6000 above the petrol car.
This would mean the base C5 hybrid would be about $35,990 drive-away, while the top-spec Ultimate would be $40,990.
This would place the C5 hybrid right between the petrol versions, as well as the E5 EV that is $36,990 before on-road costs and $40,990 for the Urban and Ultimate respectively.
More details are expected closer to the C5 hybrid’s on-sale date later this year.
Tung Nguyen has been in the automotive journalism industry for over a decade, cutting his teeth at various publications before finding himself at Drive in 2024. With experience in news, feature, review, and advice writing, as well as video presentation skills, Tung is a do-it-all content creator. Tung’s love of cars first started as a child watching Transformers on Saturday mornings, as well as countless hours on PlayStation’s Gran Turismo, meaning his dream car is a Nissan GT-R, with a Liberty Walk widebody kit, of course.
