Omoda O5 GT Is The Brand’s First Sports Sedan, But Should It Come To PH?

We’ve probably written countless articles about Omoda and its impending arrival in the Philippines at this point, but as you’ll probably notice, the Chinese brand that’s part of Chery International is only teasing the Omoda 5 crossover SUV and nothing else. So, what if you’re in the market for a sedan, would you consider the Omoda O5 GT if the brand offers it in our country?

But what exactly is an Omoda O5 GT? Well, it’s based on the Omoda O5, and for now, it’s a sedan that’s only on sale in Mexico. Yes, it’s a Chinese sedan, but it’s not sold as an Omoda in China. Instead, this is actually a rebadged Chery Arrizo 5, which was briefly offered in the Philippines as an electric compact sedan. Nevertheless, in its transformation into an Omoda-badged sports sedan, the Omoda O5 GT gains an X-shaped grille and slim LED headlights that look so much like a carbon copy of Lexus’s spindle grille front end. The side profile and rear end are pretty much the same as the standard Omoda O5 and therefore, the Arrizo 5, which means the lines are conservative but modern to look at thanks to elements such as those LED taillights.

Inside, the Omoda O5 GT gets a new dash design with two 10.25-inch screens that are similar to what you’ll find in the upcoming Omoda 5 crossover SUV. Being the GT model, it comes with a generous serving of red stitching, along with features such as heated and cooled seats, and even a host of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) such as blind spot warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, just to name a few.

Matching its sporty aesthetic is a new 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline engine that produces 194 horsepower and 290 Nm of torque. Mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, this sedan can sprint from 0-100 kph in just six seconds.

With these specs and features in mind, do you think Omoda should offer the O5 GT in the Philippine market? Would you consider it over the Honda Civic RS or GAC Empow?