Omoda X revealed in Wuhu with thermal night vision and rugged styling, but no Australian launch confirmation

A rugged reveal in Wuhu

Chery's Omoda Jaecoo division has taken the covers off the Omoda X, a new crossover with a tougher SUV look and thermal imaging technology. CarExpert attended the Omoda X Night unveiling in Wuhu, China, on October 20, held as part of the Chery Group's International User Summit, which runs from October 18 to 24, 2026. ¹²

Italian outlet MotorBox reported the vehicle shown in Wuhu is a concept described as very close to the final production version. Omoda and Jaecoo were established as sibling brands under Chery Automobile in 2022, selling only outside China, with the brands entering Australia in 2023, Europe in 2024, and markets including South Africa and Mexico in 2023, according to autoEvolution. Australian availability for the Omoda X itself has not been confirmed. ⁶³

Design: 'Crossvolution' and Mecha styling

The Omoda X introduces what the brand calls its 'Crossvolution' design direction, combining a more upright, rugged appearance with the angular styling of its newer crossovers. The company describes the result as the meeting of the "dynamic tension of a sports car" with "the raw strength of an off-road vehicle", and says the design draws on 'mecha culture'. The reveal vehicle features pronounced wheel arches, extensive lower-body cladding, sharply creased panels, jagged daytime running lights and lightning-like rear lamp graphics, and wore black 19-inch wheels with yellow inserts, yellow brake calipers and yellow coil springs, with Mecha badging on the side sills and an Off-Road badge on the rear pillars. ¹³⁴

TorqueCafe reports the X previews the brand's upcoming mainstream SUV offering, while MotorBox says the design marks a shift from sharp to faceted, squared-off surfaces for Omoda, with the vehicle drawn by the dedicated Omoda and Jaecoo team at Chery's Wuhu design centre. ⁵⁶

Dimensions and off-road-focused hardware

Slotting below the Omoda 9 flagship, the mid-size Omoda X measures 4650mm long, 1910mm wide and 1720mm tall, or roughly the same size as a Toyota RAV4, according to CarExpert. TorqueCafe describes it as slightly larger than a RAV4 across all dimensions and believes it remains a five-seater. MotorBox instead positions it between the Omoda 7 and Omoda 9, a difference in positioning that the company has not resolved in the supplied announcements. ¹⁵⁶³

Claimed capability figures are consistent across outlets: 200mm of ground clearance, wading depth of more than 700mm, a braked towing capacity of 1800kg and a roof load rating of 75kg. The summit car wears 19-inch alloy wheels wrapped in all-terrain tyres, which CarSauce specifies as 255/55 R19 Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus. TorqueCafe notes the claimed 1800kg towing figure sits in the ballpark of similarly sized SUVs such as the RAV4, which it cites with a 1900kg claim. ¹⁴⁵

Cabin tech, including a brand-first thermal camera

The headline feature is an infrared thermal imaging night vision system, a first for Omoda Jaecoo, with a claimed recognition range of up to 90 metres. CarSauce suggests such animal-detecting technology could be useful on Australian roads where kangaroos and other wildlife regularly move near traffic, though the model is not confirmed locally. ¹⁴

Inside is what Omoda calls the Mecha Command Cockpit, with a twin-wing layout, an X-shaped floating centre console, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.2-inch central touchscreen. Physical toggle switches, rotary controls and buttons cover functions such as air-conditioning and drive mode selection, and there is a claimed 39 storage spaces. CarSauce also lists a configurable X Mode drive setting, a microphone-free Open Mic karaoke function with four independent voice zones, an NFC-based Mecha Pet companion that attaches magnetically, a panoramic glass roof claimed to cut cabin temperature by seven degrees Celsius in sunlight, and a ProGloss Plus clearcoat the brand says is scratch-resistant and self-healing. These are manufacturer claims. ¹³⁴

Powertrain and production timing

Full specifications have not been detailed. CarExpert, TorqueCafe and autoEvolution all report the Omoda X will be offered with plug-in hybrid (PHEV) or electric (EV) powertrains, across both two-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive layouts. MotorBox adds that the production model will sit on a new platform, with production expected to begin at the end of 2027 and deliveries from spring 2028; those dates are that outlet's reporting rather than confirmed manufacturer milestones, and no market launch plans have been announced. ¹³⁵⁶

The Omoda X shares its debut stage with Omoda Jaecoo's Super Hybrid vehicles. CarSifu's reporting, synthesised by Rockstar Auto, notes Chery introduced a 5kWh battery hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) system in the Omoda 7 SHS-H during the summit, with media endurance testing across the event; that specification belongs to the Omoda 7 SHS-H, not the X. ²

Where it fits in Australia

Australian availability, pricing and launch timing for the Omoda X have yet to be announced. Omoda Jaecoo's local operation previewed the vehicle ahead of the event without confirming it for sale here, CarExpert reports, and TorqueCafe quotes Omoda Jaecoo Australia chief commercial officer Roy Munoz saying the reveal "marks another significant step forward for the brand" — a statement of enthusiasm, not a local launch confirmation. ¹⁵

The brand's next confirmed Australian additions are the Omoda 4 small SUV and Omoda 7 mid-size SUV, both due in the first half of 2027 after their local unveiling at Everything Electric Sydney in September, and positioned below the Omoda 9 flagship. CarSauce additionally reports Omoda saying the X, a planned entry model called Z and a future flagship called G will arrive within three years. CarExpert also notes the Omoda 7's sliding 15.6-inch touchscreen is offered on the flagship UK-market version, though Omoda Jaecoo Australia has yet to confirm whether it will be offered locally. ¹⁴

Context for the brand's local standing: September 2026 VFACTS data cited by CarSauce lists Omoda Jaecoo at 15,456 year-to-date sales, up 621 per cent, with Chery combined at 53,478 sales, up 104 per cent; TorqueCafe adds that 11,193 of Omoda Jaecoo's year-to-date total were the J5. autoEvolution reports the brand maintains an Australian presence that includes deals with Uber for eligible drivers and recognition for the Jaecoo J5 EV in the 2026 Australian Good Design Awards. CarSauce also notes other Chery-linked brands moving into Australia, including Lepas with the L6 electric SUV, the iCAUR V25, and Exlantix from mid-2027, with the Omoda X adding another potential SUV to the wider Chery Group pipeline. ⁴⁵³