Common Problems with the
2026 Omoda 7

The petrol Omoda 7 uses a 145bhp 1.6-litre four-cylinder driving the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, and reviewers found it sluggish on the move with dimwitted, jerky low-speed responses - throttle applications in town can pause before drive takes up. Autocar had not driven the petrol 7 at publication but found the same powertrain coarse and clunky in other Chery Group cars. The plug-in hybrid is smoother and quicker, so this fault is specific to the petrol automatic; a dealer gearbox software update may improve shifts, but refinement lags rivals such as the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage.

The Omoda 7's large central touchscreen controls nearly every cabin function, including climate control and volume, and reviewers found it fussy: the screen can be unresponsive to touch, menus are nested without clear hierarchy, and English localisation is imperfect - the voice assistant greets drivers with 'have a happy drive'. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, but when mirrored the native system disappears entirely, so adjusting the temperature means exiting CarPlay first. UK long-term testers reported intermittent screen freezes and wireless connection drops. There is no hardware fix; dealer software resets and updates reduce but do not eliminate the issue.

The SHS-P plug-in hybrid blends friction and regenerative braking through the pedal, and the stronger regen settings kick in with a noticeable delay, making smooth deceleration difficult to control; reviewers resorted to the gentlest free-wheeling setting to drive the car smoothly. Brake pedal feel itself is not criticised, but the inconsistent regen response can catch passengers out and rules out one-pedal driving. It is a calibration behaviour rather than a failure, and while software can adjust it, the trait remains on early cars.