Here Are 9 Noteworthy Things With The Omoda Jaecoo C9 AWD

Joshua Chin February 17, 2026

0 1,562 5 minutes read

Here are 3 good, 3 meh and 3 definitely could-be-improved things regarding the Omoda C9.

So a little while ago, this writer managed to secure some time with the Omoda C9. And wanting to play on the ‘9’ in its name, what follows therefore are nine noteworthy things about it.

Worth noting here though is that noteworthy, of course, does not automatically mean good. So here are actually three good, three meh, and three definitely could-be-improved aspects with this self-proclaimed “luxury off-road SUV coupe”.

The Good

Styling

Now starting with one of the Omoda C9’s biggest assets first, it could genuinely be argued that this SUV is perhaps one of the more handsome of its kind on the road right now. In fact, perhaps the more apt word to describe its exterior aesthetic is expensive — and importantly, expensive in a classy, restrained way rather than gaudily loud.

The C9’s frameless grille paired with slim LED lighting does after all lend it an elegant yet imposing face, with this imposing elegance then carried on through from its large but sleek overall silhouette. Massive turbine-style alloy wheels adds just enough subtle bling to its profile, while details like the Mazda Cosmo-esque roof-mounted third brake light serve as the cherry on top of this rather stylish SUV coupe cake.

Cabin

Step inside and the most immediate plus point is just how big this thing is. The C9 is a large SUV and feels every bit of it from the inside, especially for rear passengers. The back seats offer acres of legroom, with power recline and adjustable “airplane-style” headrest wings contributing to a properly indulgent rear-seat experience.

And as alluded to by the many features from just the rear seats alone, it’s not exactly surprising to learn that this cabin needs to be that large just to fit all the luxury accoutrements. From the electrically adjustable steering wheel and electric interior door releases, to Audi-esque tweeters that proudly rise from the dash and ambient lighting integrated into the air vents, this Chinese SUV has more bells and whistles than a marching band.

Aside from the fancy toys too, it is worth mentioning that the C9 genuinely feels rather premium inside. Material quality is on par with some modern-day Mercedes-Benzes (though this perhaps has more to say about the three-pointed star than anything), and unlike other Jaecoo models tested previously, there were really no major squeaks or rattles to report during this writer’s time with it.

General NVH

In sticking with the luxury theme, the C9’s overall NVH levels are also actually more than decent. Its adaptive suspension delivers a comfortably supple ride, helped along by seats that feel suitably soft and plush at first touch. Road and wind noise are also well suppressed, to the point where one might find oneself travelling faster than expected without realising it — a telltale of a luxury vehicle.

Meh

Engine

That said, the aforementioned praise around its general NVH does unfortunately neatly into the first “meh” aspect of the C9: the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder under its bonnet.

Now for what it is worth, this boosted four-banger does have enough power to move this sizeable SUV along without much fuss, and outright performance is perfectly acceptable. The issue lies however in how it sounds while doing so. Under even moderate load, the engine chugs and clatters in a manner that one might think it runs on diesel, which does rather detracts from the first-class experience the rest of the car is clearly aiming to deliver.

Handling

And while the ride quality is respectable, handling is unfortunately also not exactly the C9’s strong suit. Despite this writer observing that nearly every Omoda C9 owner seems to drive as though their pants are on fire, the car itself feels tall and a little wobbly when pushed, which is not especially confidence-inspiring.

The C9 very quickly reminds you that this is not a low-slung sports SUV, despite what the slim greenhouse and coupe-like profile might suggest, and that impression is reinforced by its steering. Typical of any modern Chinese car, it feels light, overly assisted and somewhat artificial. That said, it does claw back some points with a surprisingly tight turning circle for a vehicle of this size, making urban manoeuvring less stressful than expected.

Boot Space

Though on the topic of size, surprisingly for a car of this big too, the C9’s boot isn’t particularly so. It may be long and wide… but it is not very deep, and the sloping roofline further limits its usefulness when carrying bulkier items. The saving grace however is that the shallow boot floor is largely due to the presence of a full-size spare wheel underneath, which is an increasingly rare and genuinely appreciated feature (by some at least) these days.

Could Be Improved

Gearbox

Finally onto the bits that could really use some work on the C9, lets start first with its rather disappointing gearbox. Despite being a conventional eight-speed automatic, it somehow still manages to have the unfortunate tendency to hunt for gears, not to mention occasionally delivering shifts with an awkward “ker-thunk” that’s reminiscent of a not-very-good dual-clutch transmission.

And really, when with the already gruff engine, this dimwitted gearbox behaviour does a sizeable fly in the premium-feeling ointment and undermines what is otherwise should have been a fairly polished driving experience.

Software

Another area that detracts from the Omoda C9’s day-to-day livability is its software. While the screens themselves are crisp, modern and responsive, the overall user experience is let down by cluttered and unintuitive menu structures. It really shouldn’t take multiple prods at the screen just to adjust the fan speed, after all.

In this writer’s experience at least too, wireless Android Auto only worked about 50% of the time. And when it doesn’t, any audio will hence only be as good as one’s phone speakers… which hence rather defeats the purpose of having a decent 14-speaker Sony surround sound system in the first place.

Seats

Now this final point may be more nitpick than deal-breaker, but while the C9’s seats are undeniably soft and plush, they’re not exactly the most comfortable, especially over longer stints. Much of this comes down to the seat base, which is bolstered in such a way that even this svelte writer’s posterior feels slightly pinched. And thus as a result, those with a more generously proportioned behind may (read: will) find themselves less enamoured after extended time behind the wheel.

Conclusion

If one were being dismissive, the gripes levelled at the Omoda C9 might lead one to conclude that this this self-proclaimed “luxury off-road SUV coupe” can’t quite cash the premium cheques that its premium looks are writing. However when viewed more generously, the strengths on display suggest that it is nevertheless actually very close. And really (for the price especially), nearly there is really more than good enough for most buyers.

A small piece of buyer advice though: much like the Jaecoo J7 PHEV, this writer would wager that the PHEV version of the C9 will be the one to have. Removing engine noise and pairing it with a smoother electrified drivetrain should finally deliver the properly refined, premium on-road experience this handsome SUV so clearly deserves.

Odds & Ends

In keeping with its premium aspirations, the C9 features fancy electric button-operated door releases. It also however does comes with a not-so-hidden mechanical door handle just above it, which somewhat renders the button redundant.

The Omoda C9’s Android Auto menu still displays “Exeed” on the home screen, which is incidentally the brand under which this car was originally launched in its home market.