GWM Ora 03 review

Is the GWM Ora 03 a good car?

The GWM Ora 03 (formally known as the Ora Funky Cat) is a small electric car aimed to challenge the likes of the BYD Dolphin and MG4. It’s pricier than the MG, but it’s being marketed as a more luxurious EV loaded with safety and convenience features.

Like the popular MG4, interior quality could be better, and while it does come in five-door form, the practicality of the 03 is hampered by a small boot. The 03 isn’t all that much fun to drive, with a fidgety ride and uninvolving steering. It is very safe according to Euro NCAP, though, so it should be a reassuring place to put your children. And they’ll probably like its cute looks.

Ora 03: model range, specs and rivals

Making any new car stand out against more established competition is hard, especially when launched by a new-to-market brand trying to secure a foothold in the industry. But it’s fair to say that the GWM Ora Funky Cat caught its fair share of attention just from its name alone. Well, you might have said that, but its rather odd name has now been consigned to the bin, with the tamer title of 03 now being applied to the smallest GWM Ora model. But without an attention-grabbing moniker, what’s left to make you take notice of the 03 over the popular MG4?

To most UK buyers, the car manufacturer GWM Ora will seem unfamiliar. It is, in fact, a sub-brand of Great Wall Motors (hence the GWM part of GWM Ora), the company that brought us the Great Wall Steed pick-up truck back in 2013. Since then, it has diversified from simply being a leading manufacturer of pick-up trucks and SUVs in China to include Ora, a specialist in making fully electric cars. GWM will also introduce the Haval brand to the UK with the hybrid-powered Haval Jolion Pro mid-size SUV.

But back to the electric 03, which has a battery capacity that ranges from 48kWh (45.4kWh useable) for the Pure to 63kWh (59.3kWh useable) for the Pro and GT models. The entry-level model has a range of 193 miles, while the Pro gets up to 260 miles. The top-of-the-range GT cuts this down to 248 miles. Unfortunately, these driving range figures are below what an equivalent MG4 can achieve.

At least you get plenty of standard equipment for your money, because even the base 03 Pure comes with 18-inch alloys, electric front seats, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, a 360-degree camera system, rear parking sensors, and wireless phone charging. Stepping up to Pro adds heated front seats, front parking sensors, plus an auto park system and an electric tailgate.

The sporty-looking GT variant adds a unique set of diamond-cut 18-inch alloy wheels, sportier exterior styling treatment, ventilated front seats, a panoramic glass roof, and an all-important heat pump that gives more efficient interior heating in colder weather by utilising waste heat from the electric drive motor.

How much does the Ora 03 cost?

Along with a change of name and a broader range of trim levels, the 03 has had a price cut. The entry-level Pure starts at just under £25,000, while the bigger battery 63kWh Pro trim starts at just under £29,000. Meanwhile, the top-of-the-range GT trim with a heat pump and panoramic glass roof comes in at around £32,000.

Our network of trusted dealers is currently offering discounts on the recommended retail price of a new Ora 03 via our Find a Car service. Alternatively, you can lease an Ora 03 or buy a used Ora 03 (or a used Ora Funky Cat – as it was formally known), all on Auto Express.

Both the 48kWh (45.4kWh useable) Pure and 63kWh (59.3kWh) Pro and GT Ora 03 models use exactly the same 169bhp electric motor. All 03 models, like the BYD Dolphin, have front-wheel drive, while its MG4 rival has rear-wheel drive.

What is the Ora 03 like to drive? 

In town

From its cute looks and small size, you’d expect the 03 to be a good town car. However, the suspension fidgets a noticeable amount when driving at low speeds, compromising comfort around town. At higher speeds, that feeling persists, although the overall set-up itself doesn’t feel unduly harsh or firm; it’s certainly no worse than in some electric rivals like the MINI Cooper or Renault 5.

A single-pedal driving mode is available, and three further energy recovery modes are selectable via a sub-menu on the touchscreen, while there’s a smooth transition between regeneration and mechanical braking.

On A- and B-roads

There isn’t much compensation for the 03’s firm ride in terms of driving fun beyond the city limits. Look beyond the lack of body lean, and the 03 feels a little lazy and lumpen through the turns and isn’t helped by steering, which offers little to no feedback. It will be fine for most buyers, but ‘fine’ isn’t good enough compared to the MG4 or MINI Cooper. The Pro and GT versions get variable power steering, although we found it to be as light and vague as the standard car’s setup. 

Traction isn’t an 03 strong suit because it is all too easy to light up the front tyres, even on a dry road. That also means you’ll find the available front end grip subsides quickly if you try to push on, which is particularly disappointing in the case of the supposedly sporty GT version, because it isn’t any better to drive than the much cheaper Pure or Pro trims.

On the motorway

Thanks to its electric powertrain, very little noise comes from under the bonnet. Unfortunately, this highlights a fairly pronounced level of tyre roar at higher speeds, which is more audible than in the MG4. 

0-62mph acceleration and top speed

At 8.3 seconds, the 0-62mph time for the 03 48kWh Pure is 0.4 seconds behind the Standard Range MG4. That’ll be barely noticeable in the real world, because electric cars tend to feel sprightly enough around town anyway, thanks to instant power from the electric motor, while the throttle has enough progression in Normal mode to feel easy to modulate. At speeds above 50mph, the acceleration tails off more than in its rival.

The 63kWh Pro and GT models are a little bit quicker at 8.2 seconds despite having no more power compared with the Pure, and a 40kg weight penalty due to additional equipment and a larger capacity 63kWh battery pack. That’s a little bit quicker than the 9.0 seconds it takes an Urban Range Renault 5 to get from 0-62mph, but slightly slower than the more powerful Comfort Range R5, which takes 7.9 seconds to do the same acceleration sprint.

The electric range of the GWM Ora 03 Pure with the 48kWh battery pack is officially 193 miles, which is somewhat shy of the 218 miles the cheaper Standard Range MG4 can manage. That rival does have a larger battery pack than the 03, so it’s a given that the MG4 should go farther. The larger capacity 63kWh 03 Pro manages a more respectable 260 miles, but even this comes up short against the 64kWh Long Range MG4, or even the marginally more expensive 77kWh Extended Range MG4 with 323 miles of range.

The electric range of the Ora 03 Pure with the 48kWh battery pack is officially 193 miles, which is the same as the entry-level Renault 5 and somewhat shy of the 218 miles the SE Standard Range MG4 can manage. That rival does have a larger battery pack than the 03, so it’s a given that the MG4 should go farther. The larger capacity 63kWh 03 Pro manages a more respectable 260 miles, but even this comes up short against the 64kWh Long Range MG4, or even the marginally more expensive 77kWh Extended Range MG4 with 323 miles of range.

We tested the 48kWh Funky Cat (which uses the same battery as the 48kWh 03 Pure) in winter, and during our week of testing, temperatures frequently dipped below zero – the worst conditions for an EV, and especially one like the 03 where a heat pump, which provides a more energy efficient way of heating the interior of a car in cold weather, is only available on the most expensive GT trim. Without such a device, this resulted in a highly unflattering efficiency rate of 2.8mi/kWh. We calculated that the real-world range in cold weather would be 134 miles.

We’ll have to reserve full judgment on its efficiency until we can test it in warmer weather, but given that the MG4 we tried at the same time managed 3.1 mi/kWh (or an extra 57 miles on a fully charged battery), we anticipate the 03 will still lag behind its rivals. Those looking for greater efficiency should consider the Kia Niro EV. During our MG4 vs Kia Niro EV twin-test conducted in warmer weather, the Niro EV managed 3.9mi/kWh versus the MG4’s 3.5mi/kWh.

The charging speed for the 03 isn’t all that impressive compared with its rivals. A peak charging rate of 64kW is some way behind the 90kW the standard range MG4 can take. This means rapid charging from 10-80 per cent in an 03 (going from around 20 miles of remaining range to just over 150 miles of range) takes 45 mins, whereas going from 10-80 per cent charge in an MG4 takes a little over 30 mins. What’s more, the peak charging speed for the larger battery 63kWh 03 has only been increased to 67kW, so the same top-up will take just under an hour. The Long Range MG4 gets a much faster charging speed of 140kW, cutting its charge time to around 25 minutes.

A much more sensible way of charging the 03 would be to use a 7kW wallbox charger at home and take advantage of cheaper overnight electricity rates. It’ll take just over seven hours to completely charge up a 48kWh 03 model from flat to full, while the 63kWh model will take 9.5 hours.

Tax 

At least until April 2025, the Ora 03 doesn’t attract any VED charges. Beyond this point, it’ll cost £10 for the first year, followed by £190 thereafter. At least all models cost less than £40,000 when new, so you won’t have to pay the additional luxury car tax charge.

Due to zero tailpipe emissions, the company car tax or Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) of an EV like the Ora 03 is charged at two per cent, although this will increase year on year beyond the 2024 tax year to five per cent by 2027/2028. That’s still lower than most petrol, diesel, or hybrid cars.

The Ora 03 is also exempt from the ULEZ and Congestion Charge in London, at least until towards the end of 2025.

Insurance

Insurance for the 03 starts in group 26 for the Pure trim, which is one group less than the MG4 SE. Stepping up to the larger battery Pro increases this to group 30, which is above the MG4 SE Long Range in group 28. Both are likely to be more expensive to insure than the Renault 5, which starts in group 18 for the least expensive Urban Range models, and only goes up to group 22 for the bigger battery Comfort Range versions.

GWM Ora, as a brand, has noted in the past that owners have had restricted insurance options when getting quotes. However, the manufacturer has been working to improve the situation and reduce the time and cost of repairing their cars. As always, we’d advise you to shop around for car insurance and follow the advice in our handy car insurance guide to find the best price.

Depreciation

We don’t have the latest depreciation data that has been adjusted for the recent price cuts, so we anticipate the rather poor 30 - 32 per cent retained value after three years or 36,000 miles of the older version under the previous pricing structure will improve. 

It may still have a way to go to match the near 50 per cent resale value of the Renault 5, an EV which also happens to start at a lower price point than the 03.

To get an accurate valuation for a specific model, check out our free car valuation tool... 

The Ora 03 comes in four colours, none of which is dull silver. Nebula green and Starry black are both single colours with a black interior theme, whereas Aurora green and Mars red are two-tone, with similar bi-colour interiors: green and beige for the former and red and beige for the latter.

GT trim models have sportier exterior details and a model-specific set of diamond-cut alloy wheels. Inside, there are plenty of red trim highlights, but the most valuable extra is the large panoramic glass roof that floods the interior with light.

What is the Ora 03 like inside?

To go with the retro two-tone colour scheme inside the Ora 03, you get some chrome-effect toggle switches, which look similar to what you’ll find on a MINI Cooper, but feel a little flimsy. It isn’t all retro because there are plenty of screens, from the 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster to the 12.5-inch central touchscreen – we’ll discuss how the latter works later. The former can show you quite a lot of information, but it isn’t intuitive to use and can be hard to read at a glance with its light background and small font.

What is the interior quality like? 

Besides the soft-touch materials on the top of the dashboard, the rest of the 03 interior is made of hard plastics. They’re not all that impressive to the touch, and neither is the flimsy-feeling centre console. Then there are the touch-sensitive “lit-when-on” steering controls that are very similar to what you’ll find on a Volkswagen ID.3 and aren’t as easy to use as the physical buttons and toggles you’ll find on the wheel of an MG4.

Also, the two-tone colour scheme of some versions of 03 will show marks and quickly look grubby if you don’t clean the interior regularly. Then there’s the rotary gear selector, which rotates freely like the volume switch on a cheap hi-fi; you need to rely on the illuminated indicator to be sure of the gear you’re in.

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

The infotainment system comes with a DAB radio and sat-nav as standard. The latter works quite well, while the six-speaker audio system sounds fine – although, being an electric car, it doesn’t have to contend with the extra noise of an engine. Full smartphone connectivity in the form of wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but we didn’t find it to be all that impressive when we tried an early Beta version of it because it frequently disconnected from our Android test phone. Wireless phone charging is provided as standard.

The infotainment screen has been refreshed, although it uses the same menu layout. For the most part, it responds swiftly enough to inputs, but it still uses small fonts and icons that are hard to read at a glance. That’s not great if you need to check the sat-nav while driving, or change the climate control temperature. Speaking of the air-con system, it could be easier to find in the infotainment screen. The driver’s instrument cluster, like the central infotainment screen, can be awkward to read due to the small font it uses.

There are some odd features in the 03, such as the child mode setting on the infotainment screen. It seems a little creepy when it starts rolling up the windows, increasing the fan speed of the air-con system and playing the sound of a wind-up music box on the stereo. However, it's all done to keep children cool, their attention occupied, and out of the sun if you have to leave them in the car. 

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Five doors already make the Ora 03 more practical than the three-door-only MINI Cooper electric. 

Relatively thin front and side roof pillars allow for fine visibility, but the small rear window and no wiper can make reversing more awkward than it should be – especially when it’s raining. Instead, the 03 offers standard rear parking sensors and a 360-degree camera system on Pure models, while the top-of-the-range Pro adds front parking sensors. Bright LED headlights with high beam assist are standard across both trim levels. 

Dimensions and size

At 4,235mm long, 1,603mm high, and 1,825mm wide (2,010mm including the mirrors), the 03 is a little shorter than compact family cars like the Volkswagen ID.3 or MG4, but longer than the MINI Cooper and other small electric cars.

How practical is the Ora 03?

Seats & space in the front

There is plenty of room in the front of the Ora 03 for two six-foot adults, and all 03s come with electric front seats that make it easy to find a comfortable driving position. Driver memory isn’t available on the base Pure trim, but it is included with Pro trim and above, which is unusual in a small EV of this price range, because even the top Trophy versions of MG4 aren’t available with this feature.

You’ll find a few storage spaces dotted around the front and a pair of cupholders ahead of the gear selector, but the relatively small door bins won’t hold a large bottle of water.

Seats & space in the back

While you do get better access to the back seats 03 thanks rear doors, those doors don’t open all that wide, which could make it awkward getting a child into their child's seat. Once in, though, you’ll find enough room for a six-foot-tall adult to sit behind a similar-height driver. Headroom might be slightly restrictive for taller passengers due to the curved roofline, whereas the squarer Cupra Born and Volkswagen ID.3 are a little more accommodating. 

The flat floor means it shouldn’t be tricky if you need to carry three in the rear; by contrast, the MINI is a strict four-seater. You get ISOFIX points for the outer rear seats as per most of its rivals. The seats are firm, and the squab is short, so those with longer legs might wish for more under-thigh support.

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Boot space 

As we mentioned earlier, the 03 is only slightly shorter than the MG4 and ID.3, but its 228-litre boot is much smaller than either of those cars, being much closer in size to the 211-litre boot in the MINI.

The other downsides are that there’s a very high lip you’ll need to lift items over to load (or unload) anything in the boot, and there's no adjustable boot floor to reduce this. The boot opening is a bit narrow, too, plus the wheel arches intrude into the luggage space itself. The latter might hamper efforts to load a fold-up pushchair, so parents should try before they buy. The rear seats fold in a 60/40 split to increase load capacity.

It’s difficult to gauge the reliability of the GWM Ora 03 because both the brand and car are too new to have been included in the annual Driver Power rankings. Should anything go wrong, there is a long, five-year, unlimited mileage warranty (as discussed below), plus five years’ worth of AA breakdown cover to rely on, if required.

We can comment on safety since the 03 has been put through its paces by crash test experts Euro NCAP. It got a five-star rating when tested in 2022, and received a higher score in the adult, child, and safety assistance categories than the MG4.

Every 03 model has lots of safety tech, including adaptive cruise control to keep you a safe distance from the car in front, front and rear cross-traffic alert (it warns you of vehicles that’ll cross your path), traffic sign recognition and lane keep assistance. The latter is one of the most intrusive systems we’ve ever tried. On roads with undefined borders and fading central lines – in other words, pretty much any British B-road – it regularly panics that you’re straying out of your lane and tugs at the wheel to compensate. Having listened to customer feedback, you can swipe down on the central touchscreen to find a shortcut to turn this off more easily, although you will need to do this every time you start the car because these safety features are a legal requirement.

The 03 also has a facial recognition system that monitors whether you’re paying attention to the road ahead. It'll ping a warning tone if it thinks your attention is wandering or you’ve fallen asleep. This can be very annoying because it doesn’t work all that well, and the system can be confused if you’re wearing sunglasses because it can’t track your eyes, so some may feel the need to turn this feature off.

Warranty

The 03 comes with a standard five-year, unlimited mileage manufacturer’s warranty, which is above average and only bettered at this price by MG, who provides you with seven years of coverage. A separate battery warranty guaranteeing the pack maintains above 70 per cent capacity after eight years or 100,000 miles is typical by electric car standards.

Servicing

You only need to book your 03 in for a check-up every two years/18,000 miles, whichever comes first. This is typical of an electric car because they’re generally more straightforward to maintain than a traditional petrol or diesel model.

Our only note on this is that GWM Ora is a relatively new car company in the UK and, as such, is still building up its dealer and servicing network, so you may find you’ll need to travel further afield to get your car looked over compared with more established brands. The same was no doubt said of MG when it came back to the UK, so we’re sure coverage will improve over time.

Ora 03 alternatives

The 03 (also known as the Ora Good Cat in other markets) was GWM Ora’s debut model in the UK. It’s a five-door, five-seat small electric car that looks set to challenge the likes of the BYD Dolphin, MG4, MINI Cooper, and Renault 5

The biggest rivals the 03 has to overcome are the established MG4 and incoming Renault 5. The MG is more efficient than the 03 and has a greater range of battery size options, which is important for anyone looking for a car with some long-distance ability. The Renault 5 offers a similar range despite having a smaller battery, and along with more affordable insurance costs, it should be cheaper to run than the 03. It can also be had for less money than a 03, with a starting price of just £23,000.