GREAT Wall Motor (GWM) knew exactly what it wanted from its flagship electric vehicle (EV) and it shows in the Ora Good Cat's popularity.
Since its launch, the Good Cat has captivated the attention of almost everyone who has seen it. Our first impressions were that its design was fashionably cute and on point.
Its appeal extends beyond just car enthusiasts — even those who don't own a car have asked about it, which is a testament to its allure.
But it's not just a pretty face. The Good Cat has substance to match its style. Though being really cute doesn't hurt either.
FELINE FASHIONISTA
The Ora Good Cat is available in two variants: 400 Pro and 500 Ultra.
Both sport an intelligent LED headlamp system shaped like cat-eyes, sporty 18-inch alloy wheels, and LED taillight strip embedded throughout the rear.
The 400 Pro has a lithium iron phosphate battery capacity of 47.8kWh and an electric driving range of 400km.
Battery life cycle is up to 3,000 times and can be charged from zero to 80 per cent in 40 minutes with DC fast charging — eight hours with AC normal charger.
It has a maximum power of 105kW and maximum torque of 210Nm. The maximum speed is 152kph.
The cabin is equipped with a seven-inch Cluster Display, an electronic driver massage seat, 10.25-inch Multimedia Touch Screen Display compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an electronic rotary gear shifter located at the centre console, a fully electric panoramic sunroof, as well as foldable leather seats that can accommodate up to 858 litres of storage space.
The more premium 500 Ultra variant has a battery capacity of 63.1kWh and an electric driving range of 500km from a single charge. Its performance is largely similar to that of the 400 Pro except that it has five driving modes, which are Normal, Sport, Eco, Eco+ and Auto.
The Sport mode enables the car to sprint from zero to 100kph in 7.9 seconds. Its larger battery gives it a DC charge time from 30 per cent to 80 per cent in 40 minutes and 60 minutes from zero to 80 per cent. It will take 10 hours to hit 80 per cent with AC charging.
The 500 Ultra also comes with an integrated intelligent parking system, high definition 360-degree cameras, a wisdom dodge system that can detect and avoid large vehicles within its proximity, and an auto emergency braking system.
The more affordable 400 Pro is priced from RM139,800 while the higher-spec 500 Ultra comes at RM169,800. Both come in two-tone and mono-tone colours.
The colour options are Coral Blue, Hamilton White, Sun Black, Mars Red with black Roof, and Hamilton White with black roof.
The Verdant Green with white roof and Hazel Wood Beige with brown roof options are exclusive to the 500 Ultra.
The interior comes in either two-tone green with grey or beige with brown, or single tone black.
Ora Good Cat buyers can enjoy a four-in-one "Purr-fect" package that includes a complimentary portable and home charger, a five-year or up to 150,000km warranty, an eight-year or up to 180,000km battery warranty, and five times free service labour maintenance.
Additionally, customers have access to a 24-hour roadside assistance through their appointed panel insurance company as well as a spare parts warehouse located in Shah Alam.
STREET STRUT
Move aside luxury sports cars and performance-driven machines as the Ora Good Cat is proof you don't need radical or exotic designs to turn heads, especially the ladies.
Even at first sight, this writer knew there was something special about the compact battery electric vehicle's (BEV) overall design.
In a winning move, the Ora Good Cat hits a sweet spot by combining design elements from Volkswagen's discontinued Beetle and BMW's MINI models.
From personal experience, I've never been in a car where random women on the street whip out their phones to snap a photo of the car with me in it. The bashful moment is not an exaggeration and has happened on multiple occasions.
It's just that the combination of Hazel Wood Beige with a brown roof colour scheme (which I was fortunate enough to have for this review) and cute cat motifs across the car resonates with someone looking for something different in the market.
In an industry that is very male-oriented, where every product aims to be sporty, exotic, masculine, fierce, futuristic or aerodynamic, the Ora Good Cat stands out and practically sells itself.
What I like about the Ora Good Cat is how the feline theme gracefully blends with a tinge of sporty-functionality instead of being over-the-top or too in-your-face about it.
From personal experience, I can attest to the fact that the car's appeal extends beyond women and cat lovers. Its unisex appeal means that men don't have to feel shy about liking the Ora Good Cat. Let's all just admit that it's a good-looking car.
The cream-coloured leather interior, filled with leather, is equally charming, chic and uplifting, especially with the two-tone beige with brown that I had. Once again, the cat theme is a delicate mix of the literal and the subtle.
Surprisingly, the car looks and feels a lot more spacious inside by design than what the outside would have you believe. If it were a house, you could say that it doesn't feel cramped at all, and there's a lot of light coming in to brighten up the space.
It gives off that pleasant "going to the mall or cafe on a lazy sunny Sunday afternoon to have a chocolate sundae" vibe, which is a real treat when you consider that not many cars radiate such energy and emotion.
Driving home the point is the car's performance. As with most EVs, it is as smooth and quiet as a cat on the road.
Acceleration is fine, as with all EVs, so there's no issue there. But the car was not built to be a sporty racer, which is something to keep in mind.
Also, as with most EVs, there's a hiccup or jerk when lifting the pedal, which means pressure control has to be extra delicate.
Not a deal breaker by any means but the Ora Good Cat can be considered more domesticated than wild. While acceleration is fine like with all EVs, the car was not built to be a sporty racer.
The spacious interior gives the car a larger feel than it actually is, but the steering turning radius could be improved for a car of its size.
The Ora Good Cat is suitable for zipping through city streets, but high-speed manoeuvrability is better left to the straights given the combined handling, platform and the car's body frame.
The biggest issue I have with the car is the reverse camera, and possibly just the 360-degree camera in general, which has an odd zoom and spacing view. This makes it even harder to judge the car's positioning, on top of the odd dynamic of feeling larger than it actually is from the inside.
Think leisure luxury over nimble and the car becomes your best companion.
VERDICT
If there was a car that sold on personality alone, then the Ora Good Cat would be a perfect candidate. Since its global launch, sales and demand have proven how successful it is in capturing a slice of the automotive market.
One of its strongest assets is the price, with the 400 Pro variant being the cheapest EV currently available in the Malaysian market.
At RM139,800, you're already getting a lot and you could easily omit more premium and expensive competitors if all you want is an EV with a lot of character.
The car is actually so good that it is easily the best value for money EV to recommend right now, barring some specific competitors that come later.
Arguably, the car's only true rival is in the drive performance department. However, if you're in the market for an EV with a fashion statement, then you can't go wrong with the Ora Good Cat.
