GWM Ora Funky Cat review - Electric motor, drive and performance

For now, there’s only one Ora Funky Cat. It has a 48kWh (45.4kWh useable) battery pack and a 169bhp electric motor. In other markets, there’s a less powerful version and a larger 63.1kWh (59.3kWh useable) battery pack for greater range, but we’ll have to wait and see if those versions come to the UK. All Funky Cats are front-wheel drive, unlike the rear-wheel drive MG4.

You’d expect the Funky Cat to be a good town car from its cute looks and small size. However, there’s a noticeable level of fidget from the suspension 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.

However, there isn’t much compensation in terms of driving fun. Look beyond the lack of body lean, and the Cat 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. 

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

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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 Funky Cat’s 0-62mph time is 0.4 seconds behind the MG’s, which is barely noticeable in the real world. For a car like this, it’s more than sprightly enough around town, 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.