GWM ORA 5 Review: Bold Styling, Luxurious Interior & Great Value!
By: Dylan Naidoo
Like the hot hatches in my previous Golf GTI article, quirky cars with fun designs and interesting features are somewhat of a dying breed. French cars used to dominate this segment of vehicles, especially Citroën and Renault. However, many automakers have started playing it safe with the same mould: A crossover SUV where the software does the talking. That isn’t the case with our latest review unit, the GWM ORA 5, as this quirky crossover has a bit of personality. And honestly, a car like this is very refreshing.
Engineering and Technology
While our test unit is the 1.5L turbocharged 4-cylinder, the ORA 5 is also offered as a Hybrid and fully electric, which sets it apart from its Haval Jolion sibling. Our combustion variant delivered 105 kW of power, which we felt during testing. The power is decent, and Sport mode boosts acceleration quite substantially. This petrol variant utilises a Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT), providing smooth shifts and minimal engine noise. Overall, the engine is what you'd expect, and GWM clearly played it safe.
Like GWM’s other vehicles, the tech onboard could probably fill out a job application. As standard, the ORA 5 has a large 14.6-inch infotainment system, with effortless wireless integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Playing music through those funky speakers yielded fantastic results, with bass-heavy songs performing phenomenally. We also see many other comfort features such as lane assist (which we could easily turn off!), a 360-degree parking camera, and a wireless charging pad, and let's not forget about the adaptive cruise control. The car has all the bells and whistles, like many Chinese crossovers, but it's more than the tech that makes it stand out.
Design & Interior
Lots of opinions on the design of the ORA 5, that's for sure. My colleague, Chelsea Morford, described it as looking like a Fiat 500. A couple of others pointed out that it looks like a MINI. As for me? Oh, I see that Porsche-inspired front, but the back made me think “alien drop-pod”. In all honesty, though, the design looks timeless. Looking back, the retro-throwback-looking MINI Cooper and Fiat 500 have aged beautifully, so I see something similar in this ORA 5.
The funky design translates to the interior as well, with a very MINI-Esque design. The rose-gold accents peppered around the interior clearly complete the look. You see that retro-inspired design they were going for with the interior mixed with modern interior design, and I think this is a knockout of the park. The seats are plush and soft, making for a comfortable ride in both the front and rear seats.
Ride Quality, Boot Space & Warranty information
Like the GWM Haval H6 PHEV we tested, the ORA 5 proves again that GWM knows what they are doing with ride quality. “Like floating over potholes”, as I would say, the ride quality, mixed with the very comfortable seats, makes for a rather enjoyable ride. As for the boot, according to Ntsako Mthethwa from Top Gear South Africa, boot capacity is rated at 362 L, which is to be expected for this crossover segment. As standard, the ORA 5 is backed by GWM’s 7-year/200,000km warranty, including roadside assistance, and a 7-year/75,000km service plan, showing GWM’s confidence in the ORA 5.
Price & Overall Thoughts
The GWM ORA 5 starts at R364,900, with our Ultra Luxury variant priced at R409,900. I must say, the GWM ORA 5 is a very competitive package. This luxurious-feeling crossover SUV has funky looks, cool tech and a fantastic overall driving experience. The base model is the clear winner, offering many features at a very competitive price and competing directly with the handsome Citroën Basalt.
