The affordable EV segment is constantly changing, and is currently swarmed by Chinese brands.

In this competitive landscape, existing models face the challenge of keeping up as other manufacturers introduce new vehicles, showcasing their latest technological advancements.

The Omoda E5 is the newest member of the Chery family, based on the combustion-powered Omoda 5, while the BYD Atto 3 was first released in Australia in August 2022.

Although it hasn’t arrived on our shores yet, the newcomer from Chery has been all but fully detailed ahead of its launch in the coming months. Most details are public, bar pricing and some minor specification details.

In 2023, BYD registered 11,042 new Atto 3 units, which is far off the tallies of other leading mid-size SUVs like the Toyota RAV4 (29,627), Mitsubishi Outlander (24,263) and Mazda CX-5 (23,083), but leaps ahead of the Volkswagen Tiguan (7,298) and GWM Haval H6 (8,971).

A top-end Atto 3 lines up with a top-specced Omoda E5 on paper not accounting price – here’s how they stack up.

Pricing

At the moment, pricing for the Omoda E5 has not been released.

Chery will likely reveal pricing in the lead-up to the E5’s September 2024 launch; however, the company has previously stated pricing will be “competitive”.

The flagship variant of the BYD Atto 3 is priced at $47,499, excluding on-road costs.

While we currently cannot compare local pricing, Chery’s statement suggests that the E5 might be priced similarly to the BYD Atto 3 and the MG 4 in the $40,000-$50,000 bracket.

Drivetrains

Both vehicles share similar drivetrain specifications, with have minor differences on paper.

While both are front-wheel drive and produce the same amount of power, the E5 generates more torque at 340Nm.

The BYD Atto 3 Extended Range has a slightly higher energy consumption rate, while the E5 comes with a slightly larger battery capacity.

Dimensions

If practicality is a dealbreaker, you won’t have to worry with these two electric vehicles.

On paper, the Atto 3 is slightly larger than the E5 by just a few millimetres.

At the moment, the boot capacity and kerb weight specifications for the E5 are unconfirmed, so a proper comparison cannot be made until these details are available.

Servicing and warranty

At the time of publication, exact service intervals and fees for the Omoda E5 have not been confirmed.

The Chinese-based company offers longer warranty coverage, supporting the Omoda E5 for seven years, while BYD covers the Atto 3 for six years.

In addition to its extended warranty, the Omoda E5 comes with seven years of roadside assistance and capped-price servicing.

Safety

Euro NCAP and ANCAP have yet to test the Omoda E5, though the petrol-powered version received a five-star rating from both safety authorities.

On the other hand, the Atto 3 achieved the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating based on 2022 testing.

Chery hasn’t confirmed all the safety features of the upcoming Omoda E5 has, however, it has confirmed the following:

Standard equipment

Both electric vehicles share some similarities in their spec lists, but much is still unconfirmed for the Omoda E5.

Both Atto 3 variants, Standard and Extended Range, share the same standard features. It is unclear whether the Omoda E5 will come with a spare wheel of any kind, as this is rare among EVs.

Which of these EV crossovers would you choose? Let us know in the comments!

BUY: Buy a BYD Atto 3
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BUY: Buy an Omoda 5
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