Omoda and Jaecoo Philippines (OJP) recently invited several members of the motoring media to test out its lineup around the Batangas Racing Circuit. Laps around the track were a given, but the day also included a few driving tests to really get a feel of each vehicle.
These tests included hard-braking courses and slaloms that all started with the driving instructors saying, “floor it.” We were meant to push these cars to their (reasonable) limits, to verify their conditioning for day-to-day driving and in emergency situations. But I must confess, as a newbie in this industry, OJP ended up putting me through the wringer.
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I joined Top Gear Philippines in October 2024, and these past four months have been a wild ride, to say the least. On my third week on the job, I plunged into the hectic media room of the Philippine International Motor Show, and then a couple of weeks later I was off to China for another assignment.
However, those assignments never had me behind the wheel. I was truly excited for OJP’s track day as then I could finally have my own driving experiences to share with my fellow journalists. While these cars needed to go through the trials and opinions of the Philippine media, I also felt like this was my rite of passage to be an active part of the industry.
That excitement then turned to fear and nervousness as I put on my helmet, and strapped into the driver’s seat of an Omoda C5. I was nervous about making a fool of myself in front of the editors and seasoned journalists who were also present. And, I was obviously mortified about the possibility of wrecking the car.
The first test had me drive up to about 50-70kph, and quickly slam on the brakes to engage the Automatic Emergency Brake (AEB)—immediately, it felt unnatural. The tracks were wet from the morning rains which made things feel more slippery and loose. To my driving instructor, that made the test more exciting, but for me it was more daunting.
On my first couple of tries, I couldn’t bring myself to get up to the right speed and hit the brakes at the hardest pressure. I was scared of possibly snapping the car’s brakes, or tearing a tire. “Any good owner wouldn’t stress-test their new purchase,” I thought to myself. The instructor reassured me that it it’s an ‘icky’ feeling, but a necessary one as these tests are important for cars that are in the public market. What comes out of these is integral to the safety and purchasing decisions of interested car buyers.
I breathed in, and on the advice of my instructor, I floored it. Its 230Nm of torque launched me, and at a little over 70kph, I finally floored the brakes. The hazard lights fired away, the car jerked as the AEB kicked in, and then came to a full stop—all in a matter of seconds. I breathed out with relief, feeling as if I evaded an actual emergency. After that, I went for a few more rounds, feeling that sense of relief over and over again. The Omoda C5 passed my test, and I think I passed its test, too.
The slalom test was the one I feared the most. Slinging and sloshing around some cones at a high speed had my hands sweating more than usual. The Omoda E5, the C5’s electric counterpart, was up and so was I. Thankfully, the instructor was gracious enough to let me do a slow round first around the course to get familiar, but ultimately those frightful two words were uttered—“floor it.” And floor it, I did.
Omoda’s electric crossover handled just like its ICE sibling. It was oddly reassuring as it twisted and turned around the track. Maneuvering was on point, adding another layer of reassurance to its overall drive. There isn’t a big learning curve to Omoda’s models, which made my job a lot easier. The Omoda’s quickness and ease of use allowed me to focus on the task at hand as there weren’t any kinks to its driving experience.
Now, the Jaecoo EJ6 had said big learning curve I was willing to climb. Jaecoo’s electric off-roader took us to the muddy slopes just outside of the racing circuit. It was my first time reverse-steering outside of video games, as I slid around the mud trying to get a hold of the car.
However, with a few clicks on the knob on the center console, I switched to the ‘Muddy’ driving mode. I could feel the rear motors tense up, as the car’s traction control stiffened and the front motor confidently took us through the mud. It was serious business. But the EJ6 has a funny sound effect when the EV goes into Muddy—like a squishy sound of tires running over a mud cake. So maybe it wasn’t that serious.
As we drove back to the track, my driving instructor engaged the ‘Whirl’ feature on the EJ6, which once again tightened the rear motors on the car, allowing us to do a full and confident u-turn on the mud. That’s when things got really playful, as mud and dirt flew all over our turning radius further dirtying up the call. Before getting into EV, our lead instructor told me that there was no way you could exit the EJ6 without a big smile on your face, and man, was he right.
After a thorough rinse, I took the EJ6 onto the track for a lap around and it might’ve been just as fun as the mud. For its size and boxy shape, the EJ6 handles a lot smoother than you’d assume. Carving those turns around the track was easy and strong. It was such a weird experience, considering all the tightness I felt from the traction control on the mud. I did not expect the EJ6 to translate too well on the asphalt. It’s no wonder why this is the most sought-after product from OJP.
Again, it was my first time going through an actual race track, and at the end of the day, I was thankful it was with the Jaecoo EJ6. I got to take the Omoda C5 and E5 for more laps after, and they drove the way I expected them to. No frills and fads, just a confident and comfortable driving experience.
And for a first-timer like me, that sure is a lucky thing. It was a great first experience that now gives me more confidence in my ability to write these words. I’m sure there will be more rites of passage along my career, as I’m sure the young OJP will have more trials to prove itself within our competitive and emotionally charged industry. But if this day was any indicator of how things will go, then OJP is definitely up for the next challenges.
