After close to five years of absence, it appears that Chery is finally returning to Singapore - and it's already decided which car it wants to relaunch itself here with.
As with its previous stint here, it also appears that the brand will be represented by Vertex Automobile in Singapore, which also takes charge of the Seat and Cupra dealerships locally.
Chery is perhaps still best known in Singapore for its QQ supermini Those old enough to not have their IC numbers start with 'T' should know that Chery first arrived in Singapore at the close of the 2000s, as Chinese marques were starting to expand beyond the domestic market. (One might also remember Geely from this era.)
At that point, the brand was known most prominently for the Chery QQ - a super-budget supermini that went head to head with rivals in its segment like the Chevrolet Spark and Kia Picanto.
Other models that made an impression on the local market included the V5 MPV, T11 SUV and J5 sedan - but they were ultimately all tied together with a more budget-oriented outlook.
Like many other Chinese marques, Chery has made efforts to sharpen its image over the years As prices trended upwards in the local market, however, this proposition clearly became more and more untenable for the brand; Sgcarmart's records show that its cars were last listed on our site in January 2019. In fact, as of end-2022, there were only 38 registered Cherys left on our roads.
Nonetheless, Chinese carmakers have fought hard to change the 'entry-level' images of their cars over the years - and they've arguably succeeded. (Just look at BYD and its Atto 3 - which continues to make inroads with local drivers.)
Chery, too, has made sure to give its brand a 'glow up' of sorts with a sharper and strengthened lineup in recent years. And if you're still not convinced, you might want to take a look at the car that it is promising to mark its return to Singapore with.
The Omoda 5 boasts the coupe-SUV styling that has recently taken the industry by storm On first glance, the Omoda 5 is vastly different from the more pedestrian offerings of the brand previously.
Opting for the trending coupe SUV style of today, it boasts a grille that is fittingly ostentatious, and a sheet metal that is fittingly sleek. In all, it's visually reminiscent of the Nissan Ariya that was previewed at the Singapore Motor Show earlier this year - which is to say, that it's quite good looking.
Furthermore, Vertex Automobile has made sure to note in one of its first Facebook posts that the crossover recently obtained an excellent five-Star safety rating at Euro NCAP.
Additional technical details on what will reach Singapore are still scant as things stand, but we do know that variants in markets abroad get either 1.5-litre or 1.6-litre turbocharged inline-four engines, both paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The Omoda 5 is also offered as a plug-in hybrid or as a BEV (battery electric vehicle).
In the meantime, Vertex Automobile seems to have opened a mailing list for those who are interested to receive the latest updates.
As with its previous stint here, it also appears that the brand will be represented by Vertex Automobile in Singapore, which also takes charge of the Seat and Cupra dealerships locally.
At that point, the brand was known most prominently for the Chery QQ - a super-budget supermini that went head to head with rivals in its segment like the Chevrolet Spark and Kia Picanto.
Other models that made an impression on the local market included the V5 MPV, T11 SUV and J5 sedan - but they were ultimately all tied together with a more budget-oriented outlook.
Nonetheless, Chinese carmakers have fought hard to change the 'entry-level' images of their cars over the years - and they've arguably succeeded. (Just look at BYD and its Atto 3 - which continues to make inroads with local drivers.)
Chery, too, has made sure to give its brand a 'glow up' of sorts with a sharper and strengthened lineup in recent years. And if you're still not convinced, you might want to take a look at the car that it is promising to mark its return to Singapore with.
Opting for the trending coupe SUV style of today, it boasts a grille that is fittingly ostentatious, and a sheet metal that is fittingly sleek. In all, it's visually reminiscent of the Nissan Ariya that was previewed at the Singapore Motor Show earlier this year - which is to say, that it's quite good looking.
Furthermore, Vertex Automobile has made sure to note in one of its first Facebook posts that the crossover recently obtained an excellent five-Star safety rating at Euro NCAP.
Additional technical details on what will reach Singapore are still scant as things stand, but we do know that variants in markets abroad get either 1.5-litre or 1.6-litre turbocharged inline-four engines, both paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The Omoda 5 is also offered as a plug-in hybrid or as a BEV (battery electric vehicle).
In the meantime, Vertex Automobile seems to have opened a mailing list for those who are interested to receive the latest updates.
