Photos by RAJA FAISAL HISHAN
CHINESE automakers are quickly gaining enthusiastic customers here with cars that are attractively designed, packed with premium features and deliver high value propositions.
With the Ora 07 premium electric sporty fastback sedan, Great Wall Motor (GWM) is offering a stunning winner which looks, feels and drives like luxury cars that are at double or more than its asking price tags of RM169,800 (front-wheel-drive Long Range Ultra) and RM189,800 (all-wheel-drive Performance).
Ora (stands for Open, Reliable and Alternative) is GWM's electric car marque.
The Ora 07 competes against the likes of the Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal, and GWM has packed a barnful of top-notch comfort features and safety technology in this D-segment sedan which has an eye-catching, Porsche-inspired exterior styling as well as an electrically retractable rear spoiler.
Here, the fastback-style roofline means some compromise, translating into a smallish 333-litre rear boot.
We had the Ora 07 (Long Range Ultra) for a few days, and was charmed by its beguiling cocktail of all-electric muscle, tonnes of safety and cabin features, as well as composed ride quality and road handling qualities.
Flush pop-out door handles and frameless doors add to the style quotient, and you are greeted by an upscale interior with a tasteful mix of metallic surfaces, leather seats and Alcantara trim on the doors and dashboard.
Soft faux fur floor mats further enhance the premium feel of the interior.
Welcoming you is a short and cutesy animated video played across both the digital instrument screen and infotainment touchscreen, featuring an affectionate fish and cat, which ends with a soft-sounding cat "meow" and adds a touch of whimsy.
It's worth noting that the Auto Hold function will only dis-engage once the driver's seat belt is fastened (otherwise you won't be able to get the car on the road even if the D drive gear is selected).
Once you are parked, just press the Power Off switch located near the front reading lights.
A pleasant musical chime plays when you exit and lock the doors.
To charge our mobile devices, we found three USB-A ports in front as well as a USB-A and a USB-C port for rear passengers.
There are illuminated vanity mirrors for both front occupants, as well as front powered seats, with memory and welcome functions for the driver’s seat.
Front seats are ventilated and equipped with a massage function (five massage type options and three intensity levels).
There is ample rear legroom, although rear headroom is barely adequate for 1.7-metre adults (when we recline).
The panoramic glass roof is tinted, and Ora provides two foldable fabric ceiling covers with detachable clips to hold them in place.
While somewhat inconvenient compared to a retractable sunshade, these covers are lightweight, inexpensive, and easily stowed away when not in use.
The Ora 07 offers a few amusing features including a selection of simulated racing sound effects - Multi-cylinder, Sport or Racing Car - that intensify in volume as you step harder on the accelerator pedal.
This was something we quickly grew bored with.
The car's infotainment system also has an "I Space" feature which plays "Relaxation/Sleep" and "Romance/Lovebirds" musical videos, for unwinding during charging stops or creating a romantic ambiance.
Select the Relaxation/Sleep option, and the driver’s seat will automatically adjust and lean backwards for a optimised sleeping position.
There is ample power on tap with a front-wheel-drive, single motor setup with 204PS and 340Nm of torque, and a 0 to 100kph sprint time of 7.9 seconds.
The Ora 07 has a 83.5kWh ternary lithium battery, and GWM claims a 640km travel range on the NEDC standard, although a more realistic figure (using the WLTP cycle) would lob off 20% for a 512km range estimate.
We found breathtaking acceleration to high speeds, with the typical instant torque delivery of battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
A comfort-biased suspension setup, with front MacPherson struts and a rear multi-link configuration, effectively absorbs road bumps and irregularities, thus ensuring a smooth and comfortable ride.
However, on twisty routes, we still had some fun as the Ora 07 also handled quite well during spirited driving and tackled corners at speed with confidence, thanks to its well-tuned suspension and grippy Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 tyres.
The Ora 07 is designed with a focus on motoring comfort and a quiet cabin environment.
Acoustic glass for the front doors and windscreen help to muffle road and traffic noise, resulting in a cabin that's well-insulated from external din.
The chassis feels impressively solid, and we enjoyed the smooth and serene motoring experience.
We drove a lot in Eco mode, and occasionally in Normal or Sport mode.
Our preferred drive settings was "Sport" mode for steering, which provides a firmer feel, and choosing "Off" for Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) as we found the steering intervention to be quite annoying (yes, we know the Driver Assistance feature is trying to do the right thing and keep us safe).
We also like driving using the one-pedal or E pedal mode, which meant we hardly had to step on the brakes, and just lift our foot off the accelerator pedal when we need to slow down the car - very convenient in slow-moving, stop-and-go traffic.
In summary, the Ora 07 comes with a generous suite of safety and driver-assistance features, and an impressively luxurious interior with a barnful of infotainment and occupant comfort features that should tick most checkboxes for D-segment car buyers.
It's another welcome addition to an increasing number of Chinese cars that deliver an upscale, refined motoring experience at a more accessible price point.
Additionally, GWM Malaysia offers an attractive warranty package for the Ora 07 and battery.
The first 500 customers also get a free home wallbox charger, and 8-year or 180,000km warranty (whichever comes first) for the vehicle.
SPECIFICATIONS
GWM Ora 07 (Long Range Ultra)
Motor: Single permanent magnet synchronous motor, Front-wheel Drive (FWD)
Maximum power: 204PS (150kW)
Maximum torque: 340Nm
Battery: 83.5kWh ternary lithium
Range: Up to 640km (NEDC)
DC fast charging (30% to 80%): 32 minutes with 88kW
AC charging (0% to 100%): 15 hours with 11kW
V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) function: 3.3kW
Acceleration (0-100kph): 7.9 seconds
Top speed: 170kph (electronically limited)
Suspension: Front MacPherson struts; rear multi-link
Rear trunk capacity: 333 litres
Features: Leather upholstery, Disc brakes (all wheels), 235/50 R18 tyres, Single Pedal Control, Regenerative Braking (Low, Normal and High), Acoustic Glass (front door windows, windshield), Electric Retractable Spoiler, flush pop-out door handles, Inductive Electric Tailgate, Active Air Intake Grille, Panoramic Glass Roof, automatic wipers, LED Headlamp, Auto Headlight (Follow Me Home function), High Beam Assist (HMA), Auto-dimming Rear View Mirror, Sunvisors with Mirror and Beauty Lamp, PM 2.5 Dust Filter, powered front seats (6-way for driver, 4-way for passenger), driver seat with memory and welcome function, ventilated front seats with massage function, 6:4 Rear Folding Seat, Rear air conditioning vents, automatic air-conditioning, Ambient Light with Multicolour Rhythm, 11 Infinity audio speakers, 12.3-inch coloured multi-touch screen, Apple Carplay and Android Auto (Wired and Wireless), 3 USB-A and 1 USB-C ports, USB Port For Driving Recorder, 50W wireless charging
Safety and driver assistance features: Six airbags, Event Data Recorder, Electronic Parking Brake, front and rear parking sensors (12 ultrasonic sensors), 360-degree surround view camera, Integration Intelligent Parking (IIP) and auto reversing assistance (ARA), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Intelligent Cruise Assistance (ICA), Traffic Jam Assist (TJA), Front Collision Warning (FCW), Auto Emergency Braking (AEB), Auto Emergency Braking-Pedestrians (AEB-P), Auto Emergency Braking-Bicycle (AEB-B), Parking Distance Control (PDC), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Rear Cross Traffic Braking (RCTB), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Emergency Lane Keeping Assist (ELK), Intelligent Evade (IE), Lane Change Assistant (LCA), Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR), Overspeed Alert, Intelligent Speed Alerting (ISA), Secondary Collision Mitigation (SCM), Auto Collision Unlock, Emergency Signal System (ESS), Adaptive Brake Assist (ABA), Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), Rear Collision Warning (RCW), AEB Junction Assist, Emergency Braking at Low Speed (L-AEB), Front Radar Auto Turn-on at Low Speed, Blind Spot Detection (BSD), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Roll Movement Intervention (RMI), Hill Assist Control, Brake Electronic Booster, Auto-hold, Car Wash Mode (Auto Close all windows, side mirrors, spoiler), tyre repair kit
Price: RM169,800 on the road without insurance
Warranty: 6-year/150,000km whichever is first (vehicle), 8-year or 180,000km warranty (whichever comes first) for battery, electric motor and electric motor control unit, 1-to-1 battery replacement if state-of-charge (SoC) fall below 70% within warranty period, 12-year rust and corrosion warranty
