Black-on-black is back, according to Chinese car firm Omoda

► Omoda 9 gets chassis upgrades and more ► New Black Noble tops the range, with menace ► ‘Enhanced composure’, greater premium feel

Omoda has announced a small round of updates for its flagship plug-in hybrid SUV, the Omoda 9. These are focused on increasing comfort and improving the ‘everyday’ experience for buyers, but also culminate in a new range-topping Black Noble variant.

And when Omoda describes this as black-on-black, it’s not kidding…

What’s new for the 2026 Omoda 9?

Sticking with the core revisions for a moment, the most significant upgrades are likely to be the ones to the chassis.

Omoda says the suspension has been ‘retuned’, with adjustments to the continuous damping control system that constantly adapts to driver inputs and road conditions ‘in real time’ (we should hope so – not much point if it makes changes the following week) to ‘enhance composure’.

The Omoda 9 is a car we described as ‘almost premium’ when we reviewed it in 2025, but in so doing we did take issue with the choppy ride and unrelenting body roll. Hopefully the above changes mean these issues have been redressed.

At the same time, the ‘steering programme’ has been updated in an effort to ‘maximise driver feel’. We shall see how that works out in due course…

What about under the bonnet?

The only alterations announced to the 443bhp SHS-P plug-in hybrid system are an improved 6.6kW vehicle-to-load functionality – allowing the car to power a wider range of stuff when parked.

No complaints from us about that, as the nine-mode SHS-P with its 4.9sec 0-62mph time, 90-mile electric-only range and 700-mile total range (WLTP) was already one of the car’s standout features.

Any changes on the inside?

New suede headlining and extra electric seat adjustment in the front are intended to boost the premium ambience in the cabin.

The driver now gets eight-way adjustment, the passenger six-way – and both benefit from a new massaging function.

And finally… that Black Noble edition?

Ah, yes. Sitting at the top of the range, this is finished in matte Iced Jasper Black with full brightwork delete: everything that was shiny on the outside is matte black as well. This includes the formerly chrome roof rails and bumper trims, with black alloy wheels as the final touch giving it the full menace.

The inside also gets the black-out treatment, with trim elements and new black suede cloth detailing ‘further reinforcing the darker aesthetic’. We still can’t really see Bruce Wayne going for it, but if you want to worry the neighbours we can think of few better factory choices right now.

What price all this Omoda?

The standard 2026 Omoda 9 costs from £44,995, while the Black Noble retails at £46,495. Both are available for pre-order now ahead of first deliveries in August.