The Bulgarian new car market has not seen such dynamic movement for a long time as in recent months. The big culprit for this is the Chinese invasion, and in this case we are focusing on its newest representative - the ambitious SUV model Omoda 7. This car arrives in our country with the clear intention of confusing the accounts of traditional European and Japanese players.
In principle, as automotive journalists, we are used to looking with one mind at the loud promises from the East, but this time we have before us a machine designed specifically with the pretentious European taste in mind, which immediately aroused our professional curiosity.
Our team had the pleasure of spending a few days behind the wheel of this plug-in hybrid on the country's roads to find out if the reality matches the glossy advertising brochures. From our first live meeting, it became clear that this is not just another boring family transporter, but a crossover with a distinct personality that wants to be noticed. However, we will reveal to you in the following lines how well the intelligent technologies work in the harsh Bulgarian conditions and whether it is worth the investment.
Exterior
The exterior of the new Omoda 7 is undoubtedly one of its strongest cards on the table, relying on a futuristic and aggressive design. The front part grabs the eye with a massive frameless grille that smoothly flows into the body, surrounded by razor-sharp LED lights, creating a feeling of width and stability on the road.
With a length of exactly 4.66 meters, the crossover perfectly balances an impressive presence and maneuverability in the urban jungle, and the coupe-like silhouette with a smoothly descending roof line gives it a distinctly dynamic profile. Chrome details and two-tone alloy wheels complete this modern look that makes passers-by turn their heads after the car. The design is really eye-catching, although the strongly beveled rear window seriously limits visibility through the rear-view mirror, which is a small minus in the name of beauty.
Interior
When you step into the cabin, the first thing that greets you is the feeling of digital minimalism and spaciousness. Our team was immediately impressed by the huge 15.6-inch central touchscreen, which has a unique trick - with one swipe of four fingers on the display, it can physically shift half a meter to the right towards the passenger next to you. While this is a great attraction for entertaining the passenger during a long journey, in real life the ergonomics suffer, as the driver loses direct visual contact with the navigation.
Otherwise, the materials on the dashboard and doors are soft and pleasant to the touch, and the seats offer excellent back support, but unfortunately the lack of physical buttons for controlling the climate system requires digging through menus, which is distracting while driving. But this is a drawback of all new Chinese cars and not only. As for the second row of seats, it is quite enough for two adults, and the trunk with a volume of 537 liters is a true benchmark in this class, easily accommodating the entire family's luggage for the weekend.
Engine and driving characteristics
Under the hood of the Omoda 7 is the modern Super Hybrid plug-in system (SHS-P), which combines a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine and a powerful electric motor, transmitting traction to the front wheels through a specialized 3-speed automatic transmission. The system output amounts to a serious 274 horsepower and 365 Nm of torque, which provide acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in a very decent 8.4 seconds.
On paper, the manufacturer promises a combined fuel consumption of just 2.3 liters per 100 kilometers and a purely electric range of up to 90 kilometers thanks to the battery. When the battery runs out, however, the magic disappears slightly and the consumption in a real extra-urban cycle is pegged at around six liters of gasoline per hundred kilometers, which still remains an excellent achievement for an SUV of these dimensions.
Behind the wheel of the Omoda 7, the feeling is more of a settled and comfortable ride than of sporty dynamics, despite the serious horsepower. The suspension successfully filters out small bumps and pavement, but during sharper turns on mountain roads, there is a noticeable tilt of the body, which suggests that the car prefers a leisurely pace. The steering wheel is light and a bit "synthetic", lacking sufficient feedback on what is happening with the front wheels, which may irritate more enthusiastic drivers.
In the city, however, the noise reduction is at an extremely high level and thanks to the electric drive, the start is silky smooth, turning hanging in traffic jams into a relaxing experience. The total range of nearly 1,200 kilometers with a single tank and battery charge means that you can get from Sofia to the sea and back without even thinking about a gas station.
Conclusion and price
Ultimately, the Omoda 7 emerges as an extremely balanced and sensible choice in the family hybrid segment, offering a modern exterior, a technological interior and enviable economy. The car is not without its minor flaws, mainly related to the excessive digitalization of the cabin and the softer road behavior, but they quickly fade into the background when you look at the final result.
The official price list for Bulgaria starts at an extremely competitive 39,490 euros including VAT for the richly equipped Exclusive level. Adding to this the phenomenal factory warranty of 8 years or 160,000 kilometers for the entire car (and an incredible 1,000,000 km for the engine), this model has every chance of becoming a market hit in our country.