Skip advert
Advertisement
In-depth reviews

GWM Ora 03 - Electric motor, drive and performance

The GWM Ora 03 is nippy enough, but doesn’t shine on the road with a choppy ride and lazy handling

Electric motor, drive and performance rating

3.0

How we review cars
RRP
£31,995 £34,995
Find your Ora 03
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car
Advertisement

For now, both the 48kWh (45.4kWh useable) Pure+ and 63kWh (59.3kWh) Pro+ GWM 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.

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 Electric or Renault Zoe.

Advertisement - Article continues below

However, there isn’t much compensation in terms of driving fun. 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 Electric. The Pro+ version gets variable power steering, although we found it to be just as light and vague as the standard car’s setup. Traction isn’t an 03 strong suit either, because it is all too easy to light up the front tyres, even on a dry road.

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

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

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.

Supposedly, the 63kWh Pro+ is a little bit quicker at 8.2 seconds, but we’re suspicious about that, given its electric motor has no more power compared with the Pure+, and the Pro+ weighs 40kg more due to the extra equipment it has and its larger capacity 63kWh battery pack.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Our latest car deals

Omoda 5

Omoda 5

RRP £25,235Avg. savings £1,836 off RRP*Compare Offers
Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai

RRP £29,735Avg. savings £5,267 off RRP*Compare Offers
Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen Golf

RRP £27,565Avg. savings £2,749 off RRP*Compare Offers
Nissan Juke

Nissan Juke

RRP £23,500Avg. savings £4,311 off RRP*Compare Offers
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Suicidally, Jaguar is opening the door for Tesla and BYD to pick off the best of its dealerships
Opinion - Jaguar

Suicidally, Jaguar is opening the door for Tesla and BYD to pick off the best of its dealerships

Mike Rutherford thinks it's been a difficult few months for the British car industry
Opinion
8 Dec 2024
Skoda Elroq review
Skoda Elroq - front

Skoda Elroq review

The Skoda Elroq is even more appealing than the bigger Skoda Enyaq, and just as brilliant
In-depth reviews
9 Dec 2024
Car Deal of the Day: Ford’s Capri coupe-SUV is a great fit for families at this price
Ford Capri - front action

Car Deal of the Day: Ford’s Capri coupe-SUV is a great fit for families at this price

Ford’s Capri has been revived, this time as a family-friendly coupe-SUV. It’s our Deal of the Day for 8 December
News
8 Dec 2024