One incident dominated the week in Malaysia, and it was not a launch.
The Omoda 5 in Johor Bahru
On October 6, a Chery Omoda 5 lost its complete rear suspension assembly on a road in Johor Bahru. Dashcam images show the torsion beam, suspension and brake components and both rear wheels lying behind the car. No injuries were reported. Dents were visible on the right rear door, but whether they are connected is not established; one report notes a motorcycle behind the SUV in a video and says it is not known whether a collision was involved. At the time of the reports, Johor police had issued no statement and Chery had not commented.
What gives the incident weight is the precedent. An Omoda 5 axle beam broke in Malaysia in April 2024; that led Chery Auto Malaysia to inspect 600 vehicles, and the company attributed the defect to insufficient weld penetration at a supplier. No link between the two cases has been confirmed. See Chery.
Show season offers
The Auto Car Expo runs October 31 to November 1, and brands have announced their offers early:
- Zeekr 7X from RM193,800, with a free wallbox and two years of servicing. See Zeekr.
- Dongfeng 007 at RM161,000, down from RM169,888, also with a wallbox.
- Jetour T2 i-DM from RM162,000, with early-bird packages for the first 2,000 registrations.
Away from the expo, Chery launched the Tiggo Cross Sport Edition at a promotional RM83,800, and GWM opened bookings for the Ora 5 hybrid at an estimated RM115,000 ahead of a November launch.
Signals for later
- Li Auto is recruiting a general manager for Malaysia. The listing does not confirm a launch, but the company said in August it would begin building right-hand-drive cars.
- Geely-badged EX2s were photographed leaving Proton's Tanjong Malim plant, apparently export versions of the eMas 5. The report notes the car's local content may still be below the 40% needed for preferential ASEAN tariffs.
- Rapid Penang began trials of two Chinese electric buses, from Foton and Golden Dragon.
What it means
- Omoda 5 owners have no official guidance yet. Until Chery says what happened, the 2024 campaign is the only reference point, and the two cases are not confirmed to be related.
- Expo prices are tied to the event dates; several include a wallbox, which is worth pricing in when comparing.
- A Li Auto job listing is not a market entry. More at Chinese cars in Malaysia.