Omoda C7 SHS: Family motoring with an electric twist

The Omoda C7 SHS does not ask the driver to choose between electric driving and the convenience of a petrol engine. This is a family SUV that brings electric driving into everyday motoring.

From the outside, every Omoda has sharp styling to make it immediately recognisable as an Omoda. The C7 is no different.

SHS stands for “super hybrid system”, and is Omoda’s term for a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle  (PHEV).  The system allowed me to drive on electric power for shorter trips while retaining the petrol engine for longer journeys. Omoda quotes an electric driving range of up to 105 km, which is particularly useful for daily commuting, school runs and shopping trips. For many drivers, that is enough electric range to cover the majority of their weekday journeys without having to use the petrol engine.

Omoda claims a total driving range for the Omoda of approximately 1,200 km. A fully electric SUV can be brilliant for daily driving, but long-distance trips would require more planning. With the C7 SHS, I could enjoy the quietness and smoothness of electric driving while still having the flexibility to travel much further without having to stop and recharge.

The technology inside the C7 reinforces its modern approach. The sweeping dual-screen dashboard gives the cabin a suitably high-tech atmosphere, while the displays provide information in a clear and easy-to-understand format. For a PHEV, this is particularly useful,  because there is more information to keep an eye on, including how the vehicle is using its different power sources.

Comfort, Eco and Sport driving modes allowed me to alter the character of the vehicle depending on the circumstances. Eco makes the most sense when efficiency is the priority, while Sport added a little more urgency when I needed it.

The C7 is packed with technology designed to make driving easier. Adaptive cruise control was useful on longer highway journeys, while lane-keeping assistance helped keep the SUV where it should be. Blind-spot monitoring was especially useful in busy Johannesburg traffic, where cyclists, taxis and delivery riders have an uncanny ability to materialise beside the vehicle.

The 360-degree camera system was very useful. Parking a fairly substantial SUV can sometimes require a little more concentration, but the bird’s-eye view made tight spaces considerably easier to negotiate. The cameras remained clear in lower-light conditions.

While I am not a fan of a wireless charging pad (as I believe it overheats the cell phone) the one in the C7 worked reliably during my time with the vehicle, along with multiple USB-C ports.

For families wanting to dip a toe into electric motoring without completely cutting the cord, the Omoda C7 SHS makes a compelling case for keeping one foot in the petrol world and the other firmly in the electric one.

*Pricing for the Omoda C7 PHEV starts at R689,900.

* Sheryl Goldstuck is general manager of World Wide Worx and editor of GadgetWheels. Follow her on Bluesky on @crazycatbuzz.bsky.social.