OMODA C9’s award-winning design to shake up SA’s luxury SUV market
The striking new OMODA C9 is set to shake up South Africa’s luxury SUV market with its award-winning design, which combines exquisite exterior proportions and dynamic lines with a technology-filled yet user-centred cabin.
Having been presented with a Gold Award in the Automotive & Transport category at the prestigious International Design Awards (IDA), the OMODA C9 – which is known as the Exeed RX in some markets – became the first high-end vehicle from a Chinese brand to achieve this honour.
Founded in 2007, the IDA recognises and celebrates “exceptional design” across several categories, with the organisation’s highly respected jury comprising a carefully selected panel of industry experts. These jurors gave the C9 a Gold Award for its fresh approach to automotive aesthetics.
Distinct from all other luxury SUVs on the market, the soon-to-launch C9 features not only an eye-catching coupé-like silhouette – complete with a dramatically sloping fastback-style roofline – but also a design language influenced by the time-tested Golden Ratio principle and centred on the aesthetics of light, both inside and out.
The daytime running lights, for instance, were inspired by the Greek letter “Σ” and feature as many as 134 LED elements. The striking taillights exhibit a similarly artistic flair, while the luxurious cabin boasts a 256-colour ambient lighting system that allows occupants to customise the interior’s illumination according to their mood.
“A true masterpiece of automotive design, the new C9 will fittingly arrive as OMODA’s flagship model. Seamlessly integrating the principles of modern art with cutting-edge technology, the C9 is nothing short of an industry-leading design set to redefine the local SUV landscape,” said Shannon Gahagan, National Brand and Marketing Manager OMODA & JAECOO.
Further exterior design highlights include a borderless grille that incorporates distinctive diamond shapes, along with a neatly integrated rear spoiler, a quartet of tailpipes, flush exterior door handles and stylish alloy wheels. Inside, this game-changing SUV features plenty of passenger space, plus luxuries like a high-end audio system, a curved dual-screen set-up and top-notch materials.
More details of the OMODA C9’s lengthy standard specification list will be revealed at this spectacular new flagship model’s official market launch in South Africa in the near future.

June has been a record-breaking month for OMODA & JAECOO South Africa, with 1,009 new passenger vehicles sold during this period. Since entering the local market in April 2023 with the stylish C5 crossover, both sales and interest in Brand O&J nameplates have grown significantly, driven by a dynamic product lineup that continues to resonate with an expanding customer base.
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The new OMODA C9 PHEV, a luxury plug-in hybrid SUV that combines electrified efficiency, performance, and premium luxury, has officially launched in South Africa. Designed for customers who value sustainability, luxury, and performance, the C9 PHEV offers all-electric capability for everyday journeys and the power and range of a petrol engine for longer journeys.
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OMODA and JAECOO, the marques within the Brand O&J division, will expand their lineup next month with the introduction of an electrified model. The flagship C9 range will welcome the C9 PHEV, a plug-in hybrid derivative that blends efficiency, performance, luxury, and low emissions in one sophisticated package.
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