Omoda and Jaecoo brands make world debut in China, coming to PH this year

Chery International has just held the world debut of its new brands, Omoda and Jaecoo, also known as O&J, in the company’s hometown of Wuhu, Anhui, China. The momentous occasion was witnessed by nearly 400 people, including dealer principals, motoring media, and partners from 67 countries and regions around the world.

The O&J world debut also came with two new vehicles–a fully-electric version of the Omoda 5, the brand’s first ever model, and the all-new Jaecoo 7 compact crossover.

“Today, global automotive development has entered the fourth window of opportunity in history — a new era of full-scale advancement towards intelligent and new energy technology products,” said Mr. Zhang Guibing, General Manager of Chery International. “Furthermore, with the rise of personalized products, more and more SUV/CROSSOVER models are included in the Top 10 Best-Selling Models.”

Omoda gets its name from “O” which represents brand new and “Moda” which means “fashion trend” and/or “modern.” The brand aims to position itself as a youthful brand, aimed at younger car buyers who want something fashionable. On the other hand, Jaecoo is targeting outdoorsy buyers who want an off-road capable urban crossover.

Coming to PH this year

Yes, the two new brands will also be launching in the Philippines this year. Rumor right now is that both brands will be sold under a local subsidiary instead of through a local distributor. This setup would be similar to other mainstream brands with their subsidiaries like Toyota Motor Philippines, Nissan Philippines, and Honda Cars Philippines, just to name a few. This would also mean that Omoda and Jaecoo will be the first Chinese car brands to enter the market not through a distributor.

Right now, at the helm of Omoda and Jaecoo Philippines, as its Brand Manager, is John Ezekiel Asuncion, more popularly known as “Uzzi” in the industry, he brings with him years of experience working in multiple car brands over the past decade, including Toyota and Subaru, most recently.

Omoda Philippines recently held a virtual press conference where we were able to gather more information about the brand and its plans for the Philippine market.

Omoda Philippines is set to introduce two models with the first being the Omoda 5 crossover, and the second being its electric version. The brand is targeting younger buyers and said that they stand-out compared to its parent company, Chery, and sister brand Jetour through their design. More information about the Omoda 5 can be read here.

As for Jaecoo Philippines, it is expected that they will enter the market with the Jaecoo 7 as their first model. Another model, the Chery Tiggo 9-based Jaecoo 9 was also unveiled at the recent Auto Shanghai 2023.

We still don’t know when both Omoda and Jaecoo will enter the market. Unfortunately, we didn’t see them at the recently concluded 2023 Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) but they did mention that their launch will surely be before the year ends.