Fast-growing electric car sales in Australia and China are the driving force.
The Tesla Model 3 And Model Y Made in Shanghai, BYD Atto 3 made in Changzhou, the MG ZS EV produced in Zhengzhou, while pole star 2 And Volvo XC40/C40 made in Chengdu – and that’s just the beginning.
Not content to let the opponent have fun, Chinese brand GWM ready to launch an electric attack on Australia.
The face of that attack, at least to begin with, was Ora hatchback car. Yes, we know it has a funny name overseas, but this is the only time we write the words Good Cat…maybe.
Looking through its unique design, both classic and futuristic, you’ll find a city hatch with a competitive range claim, a modern interior and a price tag high enough to make it one of the nation’s most affordable electric cars.
With its competitive strength, 2023 GWM Ora It can’t just be affordable – it also needs to be polished.
For the most part, it does.
How much does the GWM Ora standard range cost?
You’re looking at one of the very few cars to see a price drop in 2023. mg 4 And Dolphin BYD forced GWM to rethink its pricing of the Ora for Australia, and as a result prices started at under $40,000 prior to launch.
Price GWM Ora 2023:
- GWM Ora Standard Range: $39,990 (-$4000)
- GWM Ora Extended Range: $45,990 (-$2000)
- GWM Ora Ultra Extended Range: $48,990 (NEW)
- GWM Ora GT Extended Range: $51,990 (-$2000)
Price does not include road costs
Drive-away prices are also available for the Ora. It varies from state to state, due to the range of offers on offer – for a complete list see our price and specs story.
The MG 4 is conceptually similar to the Ora. It’s a small electric hatchback and starts at $38,990 before hitting the road – making it the second cheapest electric car in Australia right now, behind the BYD Dolphin at $38,890 before hitting the road.
How’s the inside of the GWM Ora Standard Range?
A lot of affordable electric cars feel as though all the development money has been spent on batteries, with the cabin being an afterthought. That’s not the case with Ora, which has a lot of gallery appeal.
With black (or at least leather-like) leather trim on the seats, blue contrast stitching, a metal effect toggle switch on the dashboard, and dual-screen infotainment setup, the interior has an (unfortunately) premium aura.
It’s not perfect, though. The Ora suffers from the same seating problems as other GWM cars, with the seat cushions leaning too far forward to support the lower thighs, and the confusing decision to put the “ON/OFF” switch on the dashboard for the air conditioning right where you put the start button is confusing.
Turns out you just have to enter Ora and choose to drive to get around, but in vain anyone unfamiliar will try to turn the car on (or off) with the power switch for climate control.
Despite its compact exterior, the Ora offers quite a bit of space up front. The large steering wheel adjusts for reach and tilt, and the wide center console means you don’t have to sit on top of your passenger.
There are plenty of compartments for cups and phones – including two wireless chargers – and every rest on your elbows is comfortably padded.
Infotainment technology remains a mixed bag. The system in Ora still relies too heavily on small icons that are hard to click on the fly.
You can use the toggles on the dashboard to go directly to the climate control, but the settings for the regenerative braking system are buried in a sub-menu that takes too many presses to reach. It’s great that GWM includes a physical button for your driving modes, but it’s much less useful than a keyboard shortcut for driving with one pedal.
Wireless Apple CarPlay worked well during our time behind the wheel, connecting quickly and maintaining a solid connection. Android Auto doesn’t work on the car we filmed in Lang Lang.
Unlike the Polestar 2 or Tesla Model 3, which are switched on immediately when you’re in the driver’s seat, the system in the Ora needs a beat to kick in.
While you can lightly tap Drive and leave while the screen is still black, driving before the toolbox pops up doesn’t provide a particular sense of confidence.
Rear seat space is surprisingly good, given the Ora’s size. Not only is there comfortable headroom, but there’s also enough legroom for adults to sit behind adults.
It’s easy to get in thanks to the wide opening doors and the welcome inclusion of a foldable center armrest.
Although it looks quite small on the outside, Ora feels a bit larger than volkswagen golf course in the second row.
However, the rear vents should improve its usability as a small family car. They’re something we’ve come to expect from small SUVs at this price point.
The trade-off for seat space then? The required boot space is 228 litersextended to 858L with the rear seats folded.
With a substantial load lip and thin opening, it will handle the weekly store, but will struggle with more than a few bags overnight – and certainly won’t gobble up a set of golf clubs.
What’s under the bonnet?
The power in Ora comes from a front-mounted electric motor 126kW power and 250Nm of torque.
Two battery packs are provided. The standard range has a 48kWh lithium-ion unit, while the Extended Range increases capacity to 63kWh.
The GWM Ora standard range has a claimed range of 320km in the WLTP test cycle more difficult. Opt in to Extended Range to increase 420km in the same test.
We saw 15kWh consumption per 100 km claimed in our time behind the wheel, which equates to a range of about 320 km in real world from the Standard Range.
How does GWM Ora Standard Range work?
Our takeaway from our quick drive of the Ora on private roads earlier this year was that it felt nicely tied up, almost like a warm hatch. That’s also how it plays out in the real world.
Although it has the same power output as a Golf, the thrust from the electric motor at low speeds makes it feel more powerful.
It’s not capable of outperforming more powerful EVs, but has enough punch at the press to squeak the tires if you find it annoying to move away from traffic lights.
The Ora accelerates smoothly and the most aggressive regenerative brake settings are smart at city speeds. It’s a pity that the single-pedal mode is buried in the submenu and needs to be reactivated every time you start the car.
Single-pedal driving is the key differentiator of electric cars, allowing the driver to use regenerative braking to slow the vehicle without pressing the brake pedal and providing easier access.
The suspension feels firm and the steering is quicker than the GWM Ute or Haval products that we have experienced. Around the center is still quite hazy, but you won’t have to turn your hands as much to get into the tight parking space here as in other GWM products.
Despite going very fast, Ora did not collide and dashed through speed bumps or potholes. It does a solid job of blocking out the outside world and hiding 1540kg Better weight control than you expected.
GWM has also made progress on the active driver assistance front, although more work remains to be done. Driver monitoring is no longer as active as it used to be, but emergency lane keeping is still too concerned with engagement and pre-collision brake warning is prone to crying wolves.
All the aids can be turned off, but again they are buried in sub-menus on the touchscreen. GWM is not alone; A common denominator among Chinese cars sold in Australia is their busy driver support.
Find out how the electric assist system works and the Ora is a relatively comfortable cruiser – but they are hard to ignore because they are so determined to get in on it.
Wind noise and tire roar are well suppressed, which is not always the case in affordable electric cars. You don’t feel like you’re competing against the background when conversing with passengers at high speeds, even on the rougher Australian highways.
What do you get?
Highlights of Ora’s Standard Range + Extended Range:
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- LED headlights
- 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
- 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
- Wireless phone charger
- faux leather chair
- 6-way electric driver’s seat
- 4-way electric passenger seat
- Automatic anti-glare rearview mirror
- Surround view camera
- Adaptive cruise control
- Rear parking sensor
Ora Ultra adds:
- electric tailgate
- Panoramic sunroof
- heated steering wheel
- Driver’s seat memory function
- Heating, ventilating, massaging front seats
Ora GT adds:
- Unique 18-inch alloy wheels
- Unique bumper and grille
- The rear trunk opens hands-free
- Panoramic sunroof
- Red brake calipers
- heated steering wheel
- automatic parking
Is GWM Ora Standard Range safe?
GWM’s electric hatchback received a Five-star safety rating ANCAPbased on the Euro NCAP test to be conducted in 2022.
GWM Ora received an adult passenger protection rating of 92%, child passenger protection of 84%, vulnerable passerby protection of 74% and safety assistance of 93%.
Standard safety equipment includes:
- 7 SRS . airbags
- Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)
- Pedestrian and cyclist detection
- Detecting a vehicle crossing the road
- Blind spot support
- Lane departure warning
- Lane keeping assist
- Rear traffic warning
- Reverse collision warning
- Traffic sign recognition
- Camera-based driver monitoring
How much does the GWM Ora Standard Range cost to run?
GWM Ora is powered by a Seven-year unlimited km . warranty prefer a wider range. The battery is warranted for eight years.
Five years of roadside assistance and five years of limited-price servicing are also offered.
The first five services for GWM Ora are limited to $99. Log service is requested every 12 months or 15,000 km, whichever comes first.
CarExpert takes on the GWM Ora . standard range
There are some strange things about Ora, but it’s not just curiosity.
It is nicely equipped for the price, and has a warm appeal to driving. It’s the best-resolved GWM we’ve looked at, from cruise and handling to safety systems (still overzealous but less overzealous).
However, there’s still a level of gloss that would elevate Ora from compete ARRIVE convince. More polished interior technology, a larger trunk and a more comfortable seating position up front will go a long way in making the Ora easier to recommend.
The gap between Chinese cars and their Korean, Japanese and European competitors is narrowing in the internal combustion engine space, and it’s getting tighter again in the electric car market.
The fact that it appears to be capable of matching its claimed range in the real world is also a tick, though we’ll have to put it next to the MG 4 to see which goes further in real-world conditions.
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THAN: Everything GWM Ora
