Journey to Wuhu, the home of Omoda and Jaecoo
07 May 2025|139 views
Until my colleague flew to Wuhu to checkout Jaecoo's J6, J7 and J8, I've never heard of Wuhu. In fact, none of my friends know the place either - fair enough though, as China has over 700 cities, surely not every single one would be well known.
Our trip started in Shanghai, where the biennial Auto Shanghai - one of the largest auto shows held globally - was happening, and it brought us to a city with a population size almost half of Singapore's. Admittedly, I wasn't too psyched about leaving one of the most developed cities in China after just one free night.
But Wuhu isn't just any city, it is the hometown of Chery Automobile, the parent company of Omoda and Jaecoo and a slew of other brands - its offices, factories and test facilities are all located here, and we are going to learn much more about the brand.
Wuhu is the hometown of Chery Automobiles, currently the fourth largest automaker in China
The home of China's fourth largest automaker
Founded in 1997, Chery Automobile is headquartered in Wuhu. The state-owned car manufacturer had a humble beginning, manufacturing cars using licensed technology from other brands. Many of Chery's early products are also heavily inspired, including the model that many of us are very familiar with - the Chery QQ.
From the original Chery QQ to the upcoming Omoda C3, the brand's products have improved leaps and bounds
Those that have experienced Chery's products in the 2000s might remember the brand for being more budget than quality oriented. However, like the many other Chinese automakers with humble beginnings, the brand's products have improved leaps and bounds in recent years. It is now the fourth largest automaker in China, offering a wide range of quality cars laden with tech that are exported to global markets. Just how far has the brand come along? Let's start with its booths at Auto Shanghai.
Chery took up almost the entire hall with its main booth and sub-brands' booths
Auto Shanghai 2025 - Chery - Exeed - Jetour - iCAR
Auto Shanghai is a massive show - there are a total of 14 halls, each almost as big as the entirety of Singapore Motor Show, and Chery took up two-thirds of the hall it was in. Chery's presence consisted of the main Chery booth where products from its sub-brands including Omoda and Jaecoo were present. Additionally, Exeed, Jetour and iCAR (various sub brands of Chery) had their own booths as well.
The new cars at Chery's booth include the C7 SHS and the J5 EV, both of which are coming to Singapore in the near future
Chery had several launches at its booth in Auto Shanghai - notable ones include the iCAR V23 (a retro-inspired off-roader), the Exeed Exlantix ES (a sporty sedan), the Chery Himla sub-brand that focuses on pick-up trucks, and the new Omoda C7 SHS and Jaecoo J5 EV. Both the Omoda C7 SHS, a plug-in hybrid with a fresh new design (reminiscent of the Lexus RZ), and the Jaecoo J5 EV, which looks like a smaller J7 in EV form, are making their way to our shores later this year.
Chery has come a long way - from cars that seemed haphazardly put together to beautifully made cars like the new iCAR V23 here
Having spent considerable time up close with these cars, the improvement in build quality is obvious to see. These cars no longer have large, uneven panel gaps, and the interior are well-put together with leather-like and soft touch materials to create an atmosphere that does not scream budget like the Chery cars of yesteryear.
Our first stop in Wuhu was Omoda and Jaecoo's headquarters, which was also the home to a Chery experience centre
All things Chery
After spending a hectic day at Auto Shanghai trying to take in all the sights and scenes, we were on our way to Wuhu, where a whole range of activities were arranged for us to get to know the Chery brand better.
Our first evening at Wuhu was spent at Omoda and Jaecoo's headquarters, which also housed a freshly-built experience centre where Chery's latest products were displayed. As part of Chery's International Business Summit, the large compound was also outfitted with a stage, along with cars from its various sub-brands sprawled across the vast field - including Jaguar and Land Rover cars that were part of the joint venture between the brands and Chery.
New cars such as the yet-to-be-released 03T and the newly launched C7 were also present at the experience centre
I took the opportunity to take a closer look at the cars within the experience centre and found a few that I really liked. At the iCAR section was the yet-to-be-released 03T, which is a range-extender version of the iCAR03 (also known as the Jaecoo J6 in Singapore). The 03T is especially aggressive-looking all thanks to its wide body with blistered fenders.
The iCAR V23, a handsome car inspired by iconic off-roaders, was also present at the iCAR section within Chery's experience centre
The iCAR V23 that was showcased at the Autoshow was also present, and this time round I had all the time to check out the car. Inspired by classic off-roaders such as the Toyota Land Cruiser, Land Rover Defender and Mercedes G-Wagon, the V23 is a unique and attractive off-roader that combined elements of all the cars mentioned above.
Omoda's C7 and C5, along with the Jaecoo J5 that's destined for Singapore, were also present, but I didn't spend much time scrutinising these cars as the brand already has another activity lined up for us the next day
A glimpse of the new cars
Chery didn't invite us to its hometown just to look at static displays of its cars. It arranged for us to test drive a few of its upcoming models, including the C7 and J5, as well as the J8, a large SUV.
We had a taste of how the C7 SHS and J5 EV drives like on the small test course, which consisted of an acceleration segment, a slalom and a figure-of-eight course
We got to drive the C7 SHS and J5 EV on a small course that consisted of a straight-line acceleration segment, slalom and a figure-of-eight course. This small preview (actual driving time was just a couple minutes) allowed us to get a taste of the cars' performance and stability.
We took the Jaecoo J8 for a spin on a short, undulating dirt course
The Jaecoo J8's test drive was a little more exciting - we got to drive it on a short, undulating dirt course with tight turns. The car's tall ride height and short overhangs made quick work of the incline and declines on the course and handled our abuse without any issues at all.
No photos allowed: We had a tour of Chery's car manufacturing factories
We were told that the courses we drove the cars on are just a small section of the various test facilities that could be found all over Wuhu. Chery Automobile has quite a few facilities sprawled all over Wuhu, including respective factories that handle each stage of its car manufacturing process - from stamping of metal, to welding, and final assembly.
We caught a glimpse of the new Omoda C3 before anyone else in the world
We also got a glimpse of the striking new Omoda C3, a crossover featuring an all-new design language at its launch event in Wuhu.
The trip to Wuhu was concluded with an evening of music, celebration and fireworks at one of the largest theme parks in China
Celebration of the growth and future of the Chery brand
Our trip to Wuhu ended with an evening at the Wuhu Fantawild adventure, one of the largest theme parks in China, where Chery held a music festival to mark the end of its International Business Summit. The music festival saw performances from global artistes and was concluded with a spectacular fireworks show.
From a brand with products that were reverse-engineered and imitations of other established manufacturers, Chery has evolved into a brand that is not only capable of attractive and quality products packed with innovative technology, but also one with substantial global presence.
This trip to Wuhu demonstrated to us the rapid advancement of Chery Automobile and its brands such as Omoda and Jaecoo. While I still remember the subpar quality of Chery cars in the early 2000s, its current cars are nothing like those.
Judging from the upcoming products that Chery has shown us, I believe that the brand will continue to grow, and with it, maybe the city of Wuhu will one day be widely recognised as the hometown of a successful Chinese car manufacturer - Chery Automobile.
Until my colleague flew to Wuhu to checkout Jaecoo's J6, J7 and J8, I've never heard of Wuhu. In fact, none of my friends know the place either - fair enough though, as China has over 700 cities, surely not every single one would be well known.
Our trip started in Shanghai, where the biennial Auto Shanghai - one of the largest auto shows held globally - was happening, and it brought us to a city with a population size almost half of Singapore's. Admittedly, I wasn't too psyched about leaving one of the most developed cities in China after just one free night.
But Wuhu isn't just any city, it is the hometown of Chery Automobile, the parent company of Omoda and Jaecoo and a slew of other brands - its offices, factories and test facilities are all located here, and we are going to learn much more about the brand.
Wuhu is the hometown of Chery Automobiles, currently the fourth largest automaker in China
The home of China's fourth largest automaker
Founded in 1997, Chery Automobile is headquartered in Wuhu. The state-owned car manufacturer had a humble beginning, manufacturing cars using licensed technology from other brands. Many of Chery's early products are also heavily inspired, including the model that many of us are very familiar with - the Chery QQ.
From the original Chery QQ to the upcoming Omoda C3, the brand's products have improved leaps and bounds
Those that have experienced Chery's products in the 2000s might remember the brand for being more budget than quality oriented. However, like the many other Chinese automakers with humble beginnings, the brand's products have improved leaps and bounds in recent years. It is now the fourth largest automaker in China, offering a wide range of quality cars laden with tech that are exported to global markets. Just how far has the brand come along? Let's start with its booths at Auto Shanghai.
Chery took up almost the entire hall with its main booth and sub-brands' booths
Auto Shanghai 2025 - Chery - Exeed - Jetour - iCAR
Auto Shanghai is a massive show - there are a total of 14 halls, each almost as big as the entirety of Singapore Motor Show, and Chery took up two-thirds of the hall it was in. Chery's presence consisted of the main Chery booth where products from its sub-brands including Omoda and Jaecoo were present. Additionally, Exeed, Jetour and iCAR (various sub brands of Chery) had their own booths as well.
The new cars at Chery's booth include the C7 SHS and the J5 EV, both of which are coming to Singapore in the near future
Chery had several launches at its booth in Auto Shanghai - notable ones include the iCAR V23 (a retro-inspired off-roader), the Exeed Exlantix ES (a sporty sedan), the Chery Himla sub-brand that focuses on pick-up trucks, and the new Omoda C7 SHS and Jaecoo J5 EV. Both the Omoda C7 SHS, a plug-in hybrid with a fresh new design (reminiscent of the Lexus RZ), and the Jaecoo J5 EV, which looks like a smaller J7 in EV form, are making their way to our shores later this year.
Chery has come a long way - from cars that seemed haphazardly put together to beautifully made cars like the new iCAR V23 here
Having spent considerable time up close with these cars, the improvement in build quality is obvious to see. These cars no longer have large, uneven panel gaps, and the interior are well-put together with leather-like and soft touch materials to create an atmosphere that does not scream budget like the Chery cars of yesteryear.
Our first stop in Wuhu was Omoda and Jaecoo's headquarters, which was also the home to a Chery experience centre
All things Chery
After spending a hectic day at Auto Shanghai trying to take in all the sights and scenes, we were on our way to Wuhu, where a whole range of activities were arranged for us to get to know the Chery brand better.
Our first evening at Wuhu was spent at Omoda and Jaecoo's headquarters, which also housed a freshly-built experience centre where Chery's latest products were displayed. As part of Chery's International Business Summit, the large compound was also outfitted with a stage, along with cars from its various sub-brands sprawled across the vast field - including Jaguar and Land Rover cars that were part of the joint venture between the brands and Chery.
New cars such as the yet-to-be-released 03T and the newly launched C7 were also present at the experience centre
I took the opportunity to take a closer look at the cars within the experience centre and found a few that I really liked. At the iCAR section was the yet-to-be-released 03T, which is a range-extender version of the iCAR03 (also known as the Jaecoo J6 in Singapore). The 03T is especially aggressive-looking all thanks to its wide body with blistered fenders.
The iCAR V23, a handsome car inspired by iconic off-roaders, was also present at the iCAR section within Chery's experience centre
The iCAR V23 that was showcased at the Autoshow was also present, and this time round I had all the time to check out the car. Inspired by classic off-roaders such as the Toyota Land Cruiser, Land Rover Defender and Mercedes G-Wagon, the V23 is a unique and attractive off-roader that combined elements of all the cars mentioned above.
Omoda's C7 and C5, along with the Jaecoo J5 that's destined for Singapore, were also present, but I didn't spend much time scrutinising these cars as the brand already has another activity lined up for us the next day
A glimpse of the new cars
Chery didn't invite us to its hometown just to look at static displays of its cars. It arranged for us to test drive a few of its upcoming models, including the C7 and J5, as well as the J8, a large SUV.
We had a taste of how the C7 SHS and J5 EV drives like on the small test course, which consisted of an acceleration segment, a slalom and a figure-of-eight course
We got to drive the C7 SHS and J5 EV on a small course that consisted of a straight-line acceleration segment, slalom and a figure-of-eight course. This small preview (actual driving time was just a couple minutes) allowed us to get a taste of the cars' performance and stability.
We took the Jaecoo J8 for a spin on a short, undulating dirt course
The Jaecoo J8's test drive was a little more exciting - we got to drive it on a short, undulating dirt course with tight turns. The car's tall ride height and short overhangs made quick work of the incline and declines on the course and handled our abuse without any issues at all.
No photos allowed: We had a tour of Chery's car manufacturing factories
We were told that the courses we drove the cars on are just a small section of the various test facilities that could be found all over Wuhu. Chery Automobile has quite a few facilities sprawled all over Wuhu, including respective factories that handle each stage of its car manufacturing process - from stamping of metal, to welding, and final assembly.
We caught a glimpse of the new Omoda C3 before anyone else in the world
We also got a glimpse of the striking new Omoda C3, a crossover featuring an all-new design language at its launch event in Wuhu.
The trip to Wuhu was concluded with an evening of music, celebration and fireworks at one of the largest theme parks in China
Celebration of the growth and future of the Chery brand
Our trip to Wuhu ended with an evening at the Wuhu Fantawild adventure, one of the largest theme parks in China, where Chery held a music festival to mark the end of its International Business Summit. The music festival saw performances from global artistes and was concluded with a spectacular fireworks show.
From a brand with products that were reverse-engineered and imitations of other established manufacturers, Chery has evolved into a brand that is not only capable of attractive and quality products packed with innovative technology, but also one with substantial global presence.
This trip to Wuhu demonstrated to us the rapid advancement of Chery Automobile and its brands such as Omoda and Jaecoo. While I still remember the subpar quality of Chery cars in the early 2000s, its current cars are nothing like those.
Judging from the upcoming products that Chery has shown us, I believe that the brand will continue to grow, and with it, maybe the city of Wuhu will one day be widely recognised as the hometown of a successful Chinese car manufacturer - Chery Automobile.
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