We like
Well packaged and a great size for city living; quiet and well mannered on-road; real-world range adheres closely to claim; acceptable ride/handling blend and acceleration/braking performance

Room for improvement
Odd drive mode selector, cruise control stalk and front cup holder placement; omission of some key features; expectedly tight rear centre seat; fussy infotainment and climate control menu system; high-set brake pedal

Overview

 

GREAT Wall Motors (GWM) recently announced pricing for its Ora all-electric hatch, which is available from $39,990 drive-away. The model vies with other affordable Chinese-sourced offerings, including the MG4 Excite 51 ($39,090), and BYD Dolphin (e6, from $38,990), as among the most affordable battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in the country.

 

First shipments of the five-door model – which is sold in other markets as the Ora Good Cat – are now in showrooms, the model available with two battery options, a 48kWh unit offering 310km driving range (WLTP) or a 63kWh unit offering 420km (WLTP). The Ora may be charged from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 41 minutes. On test, we managed bang on the manufacturer’s range claim.

 

Power outputs are listed at 126kW and 250Nm, delivered to the front wheels, with selectable one-pedal operation. For comparison, the MG ZS EV sends 130kW and 280Nm to its front wheels and has a 320km claimed range.

 

The GWM Ora is comparable in size to the Nissan Leaf ($50,990 +ORC and with outputs of 110kW/320Nm and 270km claimed range), measuring 4235mm long, 1603mm high, 1825mm wide and with a wheelbase of 2650mm.

 

Offered in three grades – Ora Standard Range, Ora Extended Range and Ora GT (to be available at a later time) – the line-up includes a long list of standard equipment and “almost every conceivable safety feature” as standard, says GWM Australia. The GWM Ora is offered with a five-star ANCAP crash rating.

 

Safety equipment across all variants includes seven airbags, rear parking sensors, auto emergency braking (with pedestrian, cyclist and crossing detection), adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go function, blind-spot monitoring and lane change assist, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane centre keeping, emergency lane keep, rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition and camera-based driver drowsiness detection.

 

Standard equipment levels on the Ora Standard Range and Extended Range include 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and daytime running lights, dual 10.25-inch instrument and infotainment screens, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, wireless device charging, leatherette upholstery, electric six-way driver and four-way passenger front seat adjustment, self-dimming rear-view mirror, heated and power-adjustable wing mirrors, and a 360-degree camera system.

 

The Ora GT ups the ante with 18-inch GT alloy wheels, model-specific bumpers and grille, electric hands-free tailgate, a panoramic sunroof, red-painted brake callipers, six-way electric driver’s seat with memory, heated steering wheel and automatic parking.

 

The GWM Ora range is available in a choice of five exterior two-tone colours: Hamilton White, Sun Black, Glacier Blue, Mars Red and Aurora Green. Except for Hamilton White, all paint hues attract a $595 premium.

 

Like all GWM products, the Ora range is backed by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty with five years of roadside assistance and capped-price servicing. The battery receives warranty coverage for eight years.

 

Full pricing information including state-by-state drive-away terms is available here.

 

Drive Impressions

 

When you consider the list price of the GWM Ora against EVs of a similar size – and with similar specification and equipment levels – you will find that it is quite impressive in terms of bang for your buck.

 

Off the bat, we have to say there are a couple of omissions from the kit list, namely a rear windscreen wiper, digital radio reception and seat heaters on the model tested, but in considering the price we think the level of equipment offered is still very generous – especially when you factor in how well it all works.

 

We are pleased to report that the production version of the Ora arrives with far fewer compromises than those noted during our pre-production drive of the model earlier this year. The driver assistance technologies no longer jump at shadows, even if they still err on the side of caution, and, rightly, appear better suited to Aussie conditions than the left-hand drive car we sampled previously.

 

Despite the Ora’s smaller dimensions, we found the cabin to be surprisingly spacious with comfortable seating for four adults, and well positioned controls and amenities, excusing perhaps the front-seat cupholders which are set too low on the forward end of the centre console.

 

Cargo space is about what you’d expect for a car of this size and the fold flat seats help a great deal in accommodating larger packages. GWM quotes a seats-up capacity of 228 litres with 858 litres available all told.

 

But perhaps most importantly is that this is a vehicle that drives rather well. It is a commuter car with a commuter personality, meaning it is very easy to live with in the cut and thrust of city traffic, a delight to park and impressively quiet – even when compared to other EVs on the market that are double the price.

 

The narrower and higher profile tyres do not transmit as much road rumble as some others we have experienced, and of course, there is no mechanical noise to speak of. Barring a very quiet high-pitched motor tone at freeway speeds, the GWM Ora is as quiet as a tomb.

 

Given the commuter focus of the Ora we were pleased to note purposeful acceleration and hill climbing prowess, even with a full complement of passengers on board. That said, we were frustrated on occasion by the peculiar placement of the drive mode selector which sits above the driver’s knee on the lower right-hand side of the dashboard.

 

Similarly, the cruise control stalk – located on the lower left-hand side of the steering column – is obscured from view when the steering wheel is positioned straight-ahead, meaning some familiarity with the controls is required before use becomes ‘natural’.

 

The Ora rides exceptionally well and does not feel as heavy when challenged as its on-paper figures might suggest. The adjustable (three-mode) steering is reasonably direct and quite honest in communicating with the driver. We found the one-pedal throttle a joy to use and very easy to acclimatise to – we soon found ourselves using the system almost exclusively when coming to a stop. It really is that good.

 

Of course, the hydraulic brake pedal is still available for those times when more rapid deceleration is required and, again, unlike many in the segment, we found the Ora’s brake modulation to be progressive and well assisted, even if the pedal itself sits a fair bit higher than the throttle.

 

The vehicle’s handling is better than we expected, and it is not easily upset by pockmarked corners and sudden undulations. The Ora tracks tidily on its skinny rubber and remains committed to a curve long before the stability control is required. There is enough grip to be found on greasy, damp roads, but not so much that you can’t spin the tyres on a hasty dash from the lights.

 

We found the infotainments and instrumentation displays reminiscent of those offered in many competitors, and to that extent the layout is rather straightforward. But we did find the positioning of the speedometer could be obscured by the steering wheel rim and that the infotainment and climate menu settings were fussier than required. Seemingly straightforward adjustments, like switching the air vent to recirculate, for example, are anything but.

 

Of course, one of the biggest questions we got during our time with the car – straight after: what is that? – is what’s the quality like? And to be perfectly honest about it, it is far better than it deserves to be. Again, considering the price, the GWM Ora is well presented with consistent shut lines across its panels and a lustrous paint finish.

 

The cabin quality is likewise neatly presented with very good finishing throughout and a better standard of materials than even some of the bigger name models we could mention. There are fewer hard plastic surfaces than you might expect for the money, and no crude edges to speak of.

 

Which in our view says a lot about where GWM is headed as a brand. With each new model, the quality is improved and the drive experience another step ahead. For the Ora specifically, we reckon the fact you can hop into a safe, well-equipped, and enjoyable city-centric EV for less than $40K is a sure sign the brand is going places fast.

 

Let’s hope the momentum continues.