A car for Gen Z, with Lambo looks: Striking new Omoda C3 confirmed for South Africa

The new Omoda C3 is an outlandish looking compact SUV by anyone’s definition, and it’s coming to South Africa in 2026, the local importer has confirmed.

Revealed at the recent Shanghai Auto Show, the entry-level crossover was purpose-designed for Gen Z, the generation born between 1997 and 2012. Unsurprisingly, the average age of the C3’s design team members is 28.

Its exterior features sharp, geometric lines inspired by interstellar battleships, and there are more than a few hints of Lamborghini’s Urus in its striking lines and shark-nosed front end.

The cabin, not yet revealed, was also designed to resemble a starship, Omoda says, and the vertical touchscreen and digital instrument cluster have numerous display themes. In a break from the digital norm, it features physical switchgear as well as jet-fighter-inspired instrumentation, Omoda says, creating an “immersive” cockpit experience.

But check this out kids: Not only does the centre console have slots for portable gaming devices, but occupants will be able to play games on the touchscreen using wireless controllers.

Omoda has not released specifications yet, but says it will be available with both petrol and ‘new energy’ powertrains to cater for a wide range of preferences.

While no concrete details are available as yet, Autocar reports that the new C3 measures 4,420mm in length, making it slightly longer than the current Omoda C5, which will apparently grow in size with the next generation.

Paul Tan further reports that Omoda is working on even smaller C1 and C2 models, and that parent company Chery will also offer equivalently sized Tiggo 1 and Tiggo 2 models.

This is of course good news for South African entry-level consumers as most Chinese models fit into the mid-size SUV segment, with only the ageing Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and MG ZS competing in the below-R300,000 segment.

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