GWM Ora Good Cat Malaysia: This cute Chinese EV is the cheapest in Malaysia, priced under RM140k

After a year of speculation and teasers, Great Wall Motor has finally held its relaunch in Malaysia with the introduction of its new electric car, the Ora Good Cat. As the name suggests, this cutesy hatchback is part of the Ora sub-brand, separate from the GWM and Haval models previously sold here. It’s got an attractive look, ultra-competitive pricing, plenty of toys and some bold claims about range, but do they truly make the Good Cat the bargain it’s being made out to be?

Ora Good Cat pricing and availability

The Ora Good Cat is available in just two variants, the 400 Pro and the 500 Ultra, the numbers corresponding to the purported range in kilometres. The two models also feature minor differences in equipment, which explains the disparity in price:

• Ora Good Cat 400 Pro – RM139,800
• Ora Good Cat 500 Ultra – RM169,800

This makes the 400 Pro the cheapest electric vehicle in Malaysia, undercutting the Hyundai Kona Electric e-Lite by some margin. All prices are on-the-road without insurance, inclusive of a five-year/150,000km warranty, an eight-year/180,000km battery warranty and five times free maintenance. Astoundingly, they also include a 7kW AC wallbox for use at home.

Ora Good Cat power output and charging

All Good Cats use the same front-mounted electric motor, producing 141 hp and 210 Nm of torque. This gets the car from zero to 100 km/h in 9.3 seconds on its way to an electronically-limited top speed of 152 km/h.

The main difference is in range. The lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery in the 400 Pro has a 47.8kWh capacity, while the 500 Ultra has a more energy-dense ternary lithium battery with a 63.1kWh capacity. As the names suggests, these variants have a claimed range of 400km and 500km respectively.

Both models are capable of up to 6.6kW of AC charging through a dedicated wallbox charger, taking eight hours to fill the battery of a 400 Pro and ten hours for the 500 Ultra. They can also support up to 60kW of DC fast charging, enabling you to charge the 400 Pro from 30 to 80% in 32 minutes and the 500 Ultra in 40 minutes (46 and 60 minutes respectively to get from zero to 80%).

As is typical for an electric vehicle sold in Malaysia, the Good Cat comes with a CCS2 charging port that will also accept a Type 2 AC charger. A three-pin domestic charger is included with every purchase.

A note about range

The quoted range figures seem optimistic for the amount of battery capacity the Good Cat variants have, and for a very good reason. For some reason, GWM uses the defunct New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) for measuring range, whereas other carmakers use the stricter, more realistic Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP).

In reality, even the most determined driver would struggle to reach the numbers GWM is claiming. As such, you should take around 100km off the quoted range for more accurate figures—meaning that the 400 Pro is capable of around 300km in the real world, and the 500 Ultra around 400km.

Ultra-cute design, funky colour choices

The Good Cat’s design is just as adorable as its name, what with its expressive round LED headlights, curvaceous compact body and an available contrasting roof colour. It also differs from styling conventions at the back, thanks to the LED taillights being imprinted directly into the rear windscreen—giving the car a very clean look. Completing the aesthetic are the 18-inch five-spoke alloy wheels with large grey centrecaps.

A total of six colour options are available, including Coral Blue, Hamilton White and Sun Black. Another hue, Mars Red, can only be had with a black roof option, something that’s also available with the Hamilton White paint. The 500 Ultra is also offered in two exclusive colours, these being Verdant Green with a white roof and Hazel Wood Beige with a brown roof.

Surprisingly plush interior for the price

Considering the Good Cat’s price, its interior is surprisingly swish, with a Mercedes-Benz-style widescreen display panel, Mini-esque chrome toggle switches, a suede-like dashboard covering and quilted leather trim. As with the exterior, the 500 Ultra gets exclusive interior colour choices—green and grey for the Verdant Green model and brown and beige for Hazel Wood Beige. All other variants receive a full black interior.

The differences between the 400 Pro and 500 Ultra are relatively minor. Both models get keyless entry, a buttonless quick start system, single-zone automatic climate control, a seven-inch instrument screen (the displays for battery and power use are simple LCD readouts), a 10.25-inch infotainment display, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a 360-degree camera system and even a panoramic glass sunroof.

The Pro is equipped with manual seat adjustment and four speakers, while the Ultra receives a six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat—replete with memory and massage functions—and six speakers. The manual tailgate reveals a relatively tiny 228-litre boot with negligible underfloor storage. There’s no front boot, either, meaning that the charging cables have to be placed with the rest of your luggage.

Full suite of driver assistance systems as standard

Impressively, the Good Cat comes with plenty of safety kit as standard, including six airbags, stability control, autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop and go and lane centring assist. There’s also a Wisdom Dodge System (WDS) that will give more space when passing lorries and other large vehicles.

The extra kit on the Ultra is relatively minor and includes Emergency Lane Keeping (ELK), Lane Change Assist (LCA), blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and rear collision warning. The car also adds front parking sensors in addition to the standard rear sensors, as well as an automated parking assist feature.

Ora Good Cat in Verdant Green