“Nippiness and agility:” GWM Ora Funky Cat wins best buy awards

UK consumer organisation Which? (equivalent to Australian consumer organisation Choice) has just given the Ora Funky Cat a Which? Best Buy 2023 award in the UK ‘medium-sized car’ category.

The Ora here, by the way, equates here to a ‘Small passenger Vehicle’ according to the VFACTS classification scheme. Also by the way, if you are confused by the naming and wondering if I am using the Funky Cat and Ora names oddly: this is the same car sold here as the GWM Ora.

To explain that naming issue: GWM have been a bit indecisive in their marketing around the world, alternately selling their EVs either directly as GWM models or under their Ora sub-brand. To add to the confusion, it is also called the ‘Good Cat’ in China. By the way – if you’re not totally lost yet: for 2024, GWM are rebranding the Funky Cat in Europe as the GWM Ora 03.

Anyway, to return back to the topic: the Ora Funky Cat first went on sale in the UK around 12 months ago and until now has been receiving mixed reviews. Some have loved it, some have panned it as coming across as a budget car with areas to improve on.

Perhaps the latter comments stem from the pricing strategy used by GWM in the UK, as the Funky Cat is set at considerably ‘more than budget EV pricing’ there.

UK buyers will pay £32,000 (AU$61,000) for the smaller and £33,795,000 ($A64,500) for the larger battery version. Here, it sells for around $42,500 and $49,000 (Victorian on-the-road price, without subsidies). Perhaps the less-kind UK reviewers might have been more lenient if they were paying Australian prices for them?

Anyway, harking back to the Which? awards for the car: they gave it an overall test score well above the average for other new and used cars tested by the organisation. They also rated it as the ‘best new electric car’ for under £35,000 (AU$67,000). Additionally, the Funky Cat was ranked as the fourth best medium-sized car overall, across all fuel types.

Commenting on the driving experience, Which? reported: “ORA Funky Cat’s performance is ideal for easy everyday driving. In typical EV fashion, it feels especially spritely at low speeds, and has sufficient reserves for safe overtaking and acceleration even at higher speeds.”

The reviewer went on to say: “During cornering, the ORA Funky Cat feels both agile and predictable, and the steering is responsive.”

Which? then rounds off its review of the Funky Cat by saying it “is a credible new addition to the UK EV market from a fledgling manufacturer, and a worthy Best Buy model. It will appeal in particular for its nippiness and agility.”

Australian GWM Ora history, specifications and pricing:

Arriving here in mid-2023, it is the first full battery electric vehicle (BEV) from GWM. It was also one of the first BEVs in Australia to break the ‘under $40k’ price barrier with a July 2023 starting price of $39,990 (before on-road-costs or applying subsidies) for the 43 kWh standard range version.

Offered with two battery sizes, Standard Range at 46 kWh (45.4 usable) and Extended Range at 63 kWh (59.3 usable), its driving ranges under the old European NEDC (and current Australian test standard due no new Fuel Efficiency Standards here since ADR 81/02) and the more real-world new European WLTP standards are given below. (Note, there are no US EPA test standard results due to the car not being sold in the US).

Table 1: Driving range estimates for the GWM Ora. Source: aeva.au/fact-sheets

All up, it would seem that provided GWM maintain their sharp pricing here, the Ora/Funky Cat/Good Cat/Ora 03 … or whatever they call it next year … might give the MG4 and/or Atto EVs a run for their money as the ‘budget choice with the most’ EV in 2024.

Australian specifications for the GWM Ora:

Seating: 5

Boot volumes in litres (1 litre = 10 x 10 x 10 cm)

• Boot under parcel shelf: 228
• Rear seat folded: 858

Dimensions:

• Overall length: 4,325 mm
• Overall height: 1,603 mm
• Ground clearance: 120 mm
• Overall width (edge of doors):  1,825 mm
• Overall width (edge of mirrors): not specified

Battery:

• Standard Range: 46 kWh (45.4 kWh usable)
• Extended Range: 63 kWh (59.3 kWh usable)

Energy consumption: (WLTP)

• 16.7 kWh/100 km (46 kWh battery)
• 16.5 kWh/100 km (63 kWh battery)
• 16.8 kWh/100 km (63 kWh GT version)

Kerb weight:

• 1,540 kg (48 kWh)
• 1,580 (63 kWh)

Charging:

• 1 phase AC: 7.2 kW max.
• 3 phase AC: 11 kW max.
• DC: 80 kW max

Charge port location:

• Rear of left-hand front guard.

Drive configuration: 

• Front-wheel drive

Towing:

• Not rated for towing

Performance: 

Bryce Gaton

Bryce Gaton is an expert on electric vehicles and contributor for The Driven and Renew Economy. He has been working in the EV sector since 2008 and is currently working as EV electrical safety trainer/supervisor for the University of Melbourne. He also provides support for the EV Transition to business, government and the public through his EV Transition consultancy EVchoice.