If at first you fail, try again. A phrase that most know, understand, but rarely relate to because of the lack of going through the trouble of doing, but this is not so for GWM. The Ora 5 recently received a revamp and it offers up more tech, more style, and most importantly, more engine options, which may have been its kryptonite the first time it launched in Mzansi.
If you will remember, the car first made its debut along with other GWM products as the brand's first and only all-electric model at the time. The car unfortunately launched at a time when the South African market had no idea about EVs and wanted nothing to do with the idea of a car not being able to pull up to a fueling station for a quick fill-up and, oh yeah, of course, having an engine.
This, coupled with an eye-watering price or rather a bracket that meant you could get more car elsewhere, and with the addition of an internal combustion engine, meant that not buying the car was a literal no-brainer. Now, fast forward not more than five years later and cue tensions between two world suppliers of important crude oils and a pathway that allowed for the said oils to be transported, and suddenly a car with more than wireless charging and mild hybrid technology is the talk of the town.
This is where now the Ora, which was practically made for this, enters the chat with a more diversified lineup of engines set to cater to not one kind of client but every kind since the car offers up an ICE, HEV, and PHEV setup. Finally, the reimagined Ora 5 made its way to our iMoto Garage and it was time to see if we were missing out or if we are better off without an Ora 5 in our lives.
The Ora 5 Super Luxury HEV
From launch, GWM catered to every kind of customer by offering up ICE, HEV and PHEV solutions for all. The specific model and trim that pulled up our driveway is the HEV Super Luxury which serves as the entry-level hybrid model in the lineup, striking a balance between high-end premium features and value. By contrast, the Ultra Luxury HEV is the flagship model that builds on top of the Super Luxury's foundation.
Does the Ora have an Aura?
Firstly, it is quite reminiscent of the first Ora Cat iteration but with a more modern finish. The car generally looks jolly in its appearance, but thanks to bulky tires, an edgeless pillar, and a raised ride height, it gains a sense of premium-ness. Beginning at the front of the car, it almost looks like a Porsche Macan when you tilt your head and squint your eyes. That 's because it features circular light fixtures which, like the Porsche, house the main beams, DRLs, and turn signals all within them.
The front is further closed off to suggest that there is some electric trickery happening somewhere beneath the skin of the car, with just the lower air openings doing all of the cooling. An Ora-specific emblem pasted onto the long sloping boot lid finishes off the front of the car, giving it an unmistakable fascia.
The side profile is one of a typical crossover SUV, but still somehow continues to look like a Macan at a quick glance - not a bad thing at all if you ask me. Here, you have these beautiful two-tone flower-pattern semi-closed-off wheels, which look quite nice and unique from any other car on the road. The new GWM Ora 5 crossover is larger and taller than its predecessor, the Ora 03 hatchback at 4,471 mm in length, 1,641 mm in height and complete with a wheelbase that measures at 2,720 mm.
The rear is where things just get very, very strange . The lights, which are normally located somewhere on the boot lid or, in the case of a Hyundai Santa Fe, somewhere in the lower bumper, are not the same for the Ora 5. The lights here are integrated into the vehicle's rear windshield to form what GWM calls "The Smile," a LED lightbar that spans the entire width of the windshield while integrating the brake lights and turn signals. This gives the car an appliance-like appearance from afar, but it might very well be what sets the car apart from its rivals and makes it unmistakable.
The Ora does have very good looks ; I just personally have a hard time getting over the styling used at the rear of the car. I just cannot understand why they would make it look like that, but I guess it will work somehow in their favor.
Does the Ora's cabin have Aura?
The interior space and its spacious nature are well received, but like most cars, it too suffers from biting off a bit more than it can chew by overdoing it with some pet peeve -worthy stuff and the newly adopted minimalistic theme. The driver's seat is where the love - hate story begins because I had just one issue with it. I could not, for the life of me, manage to find a driving position that worked for me, having to almost always adjust the seat and steering every time I got into the car for a drive. Although the seats are both electric and on the supportive side, I couldn't find the sweet spot.
The 12-inch screen houses everything, which can be a pain to use, especially when you're in transit. Yes, the writing is bold, and the screen is quite responsive and crisp, but there will always be a bit of hassle operating something on screens as opposed to using buttons. Not all bad, though ; GWM has left physical buttons shaped like switches to handle your air conditioning, which is fast-acting and configurable.
The rest of the dashboard and central panel are clutter-free too , since the gear and handbrake are located on the steering column , which opens up space for a wireless charging area that is only available in the top-of-the-range model variants. The quality of the materials used in the Ora seems to be quite high ; it feels very strong and gives me a sense of durability, as if a smidge of something would come right off with a wet rag and some sunlight, no problem!
I sat in the back seat to have a feel of what it would be like to be a passenger, and I must say, finding a completely flat floor with a minor gearbox hump was quite refreshing; however, it was a bit too high, making your knees angle upwards and leaving your thighs unsupported, which is a bit ouchy. Nonetheless, the flat floor told me that fitting four people in the car would not be much of a hassle, as everyone might have room to fit and rest their feet.
Engine setup of the Ora
The GWM Ora 5 1.5T HEV Super Luxury utilizes a highly advanced, self-charging full hybrid system built on the GWM ONE platform. It pairs a turbocharged internal combustion engine with an electric motor to produce 164 kW and 476 Nm. Because the engine and electric motor work simultaneously under hard acceleration, the Ora 5 HEV generates more torque than many performance hot hatches, pushing it from 0 to 100 km/h in just 7.7 seconds.
GWM has a claimed fuel consumption of 5.1 L/100 km and I am glad to report that I was swing around the figures of 5.8 L/100 km and I am sure with a bit more lenient driving and a kinder feather weight foot that the claim figure is within reach.
A relatively quite and smooth drive
The drive of the Ora is very smooth especially since the car is a Hybrid. However the biggest pet peeve in this department would have to be the brake pedal feel, it is HIGHLY sensitive, if so much as a dogs hair lands on it, you might fly out the windshield.
The heavy battery back located at the centre of the vehicle gives it a much needed weight that helps the car feel more composed and grounded. Visibility is also a good thing about the car, maneuvering the vehicle was swift and east like its compact size suggests it should be. Road and wind noise was on the minimal as well, a product of the new acoustic glass that improves NVH quality.
You know what i am not a fan of though? The indicators found in the car, these stalks don’t hold into one place when you flick them to indicate towards a certain direction but instead they just stay there. This is not ideal when you just wanted momentarily indicate but switching it off means you accidentally open the right turn signal and trying to rectify that turns on the left turn leaving you causing a case of mixed signals for other commuters and being “that guy”.
To drive this car on a practical sense is quite easy to do, this coupled up with the quietness of the EV embedded technology that helps seamlessly propel you forward and top feature like lane keep assist, 360 degree cameras to help you monitor your blind spots and general surroundings, the Ora 5 is certainly a good car to have in your shortlist of cars to look at before choosing the one for you.
Pricing and warranty
My test unit was the entry level Super Luxury which is priced from R424 900. Every Ora 5 hybrid comes standard with a highly competitive coverage plan directly from GWM South Africa :
- Vehicle Warranty: 7 years / 200 000 km
- High-Voltage Hybrid Battery Warranty: 8 years / 150 000 km
- Service Plan: 7 years / 75 000 km (with intervals every 12 months or 15 000 km)
- Roadside Assistance: 7 years / unlimited km
Final verdict
It has Aura. Feel free to try out a test drive as most GWM dealerships offer that service and you may very well fall for the little quirky SUV's personality, charm and looks.