Omoda C9 PHEV – Road Test
A family SUV that runs on electricity for most of the week, outperforms an Audi Q7, and costs a million rand. The Omoda C9 PHEV makes a case that is difficult to argue with.
A family SUV that runs on electricity for most of the week, outperforms an Audi Q7, and costs a million rand. The Omoda C9 PHEV makes a case that is difficult to argue with.
The BYD Dolphin Surf Dynamic earns its place as South Africa’s most affordable serious electric car. At R393 900 it offers a five-star Euro NCAP rating, Vehicle-to-Load capability for load-shedding relief, and fuel savings of around R21 000 per 20 000 km over a comparable petrol car. Small boot, divisive steering, big value.
The MINI Aceman SE is a five-door premium electric crossover that drives with the sharp, tactile urgency of a hot hatch. At R897 000 in Classic trim, it brings the Cooper SE’s 160 kW motor and 54.2 kWh battery to a more practical body with genuine rear seats, a 380 km claimed range and an interior that remains one of the most distinctive in the segment. The compromises are real but specific. The rewards are immediate.
At R689 900, Jaecoo’s plug-in hybrid SUV costs less than the BYD Atto 3 and about the same as the new Geely E5. But spec-sheet range figures and real-world range figures are not the same thing — and once you account for that gap, the PHEV case looks rather more coherent than it might first appear.
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