New GWM Ora 5 makes SA debut

Double Apex was invited to drive the all-new GWM Ora 5 at its South African national ride-and-drive event recently held in the Western Cape. We went along to learn all about the newcomer.

GWM is one of those Chinese brands that arrived in South Africa about twenty years ago. Unlike many others from its homeland, GWM remained, slowly building up over time. The result has been brand recognition with the offshoot being sales success. In fact, GWM is now a regular occupant in the top five of the sales charts for any given month. Of course, brand recognition alone isn’t enough.

GWM has been providing viable and attractive alternatives for South Africa new car buyers. Its range includes small- and medium-sized SUVs and bakkies (a firm SA favourite). This week the automaker added a new nameplate to its line-up, called the Ora 5.

What is it?

The Ora 5 is a small crossover that measures under 4,5 metres in length, casting roughly the same footprint as others in the segment from Chinese rivals as well as legacy brands. Stand-out styling is going to be one of the Ora’s USPs. The bulbous shape has a friendly face that, some say, has more than a passing resemblance to the sporty SUVs from Stuttgart. The rear end, however, comes across as a little awkward with a large swathe of metal low down and a high-mounted, body-wide taillamp. A long-ish wheelbase and high roof means that it has plenty of space inside.

What’s it like inside?

The Ora 5’s friendly external demeanour is echoed in the cabin with a two-spoke steering wheel, cat motif on the sun visor and generally neat and tidy layout. Helping to make the cabin more user-friendly are a few physical switches below the large central touchscreen. In addition there are regular old mirror adjusters sited near the window switches on the driver’s door – nice.

Standard specification across the board is pretty impressive. Dual digital screens are standard, as is mobile phone connectivity. Add to that climate control air-conditioning as well as synthetic leather upholstery and a few other niceties. Opt for higher-spec Ultra Luxury version and you’ll enjoy electrically adjustable front seats with heating and cooling, a mobile phone charger and a full-length panoramic roof, among others.

What powers it?

GWM has taken an interesting decision when it comes to powertrain options. The Ora 5 debuts with the three alternatives. The first is a traditional petrol engine (ICE). This 1,5-litre turbocharged unit produces 105 kW/210 N.m, all of it delivered to the front wheels via a dual-clutch transmission. It’s pretty standard fare in this segment.

Next up is a similar petrol engine, but this time it is mated with an electric component to create a hybrid drivetrain. The two sources of power combine for 164 kW of power and 476 N.m of torque. The transmission here is of the two-speed variety thanks to the electric drive’s low-down torque delivery. GWM says this combination sips fuel at a rate of 5,1 L/100 km.

The third option, which we suspect will make up the smallest slice of Ora 5 sales, is a full battery electric vehicle (BEV). A 150 kW/260 N.m electric motor drives the front wheels through a single-speed transmission. It is powered by a 58 kWh battery pack that, according to GWM, allows for 520 km of travel.

How does it go?

The planned route for the Ora 5 launch took us from Cape Town International Airport towards the Hermanus region, with a brief detour through the Grabouw valley. We drove the two petrol-fed versions, both in higher-spec ‘ultra luxury’ guise. We were impressed by the ride quality from the fully independent suspension, as well as the fairly well insulated cabin.

We started off our 150 km round trip in the ‘regular’ ICE version. My co-pilot and I challenged each other to set a ‘low score’ on the car’s on-board fuel consumption meter. As a result we took it easy, enjoying a bright sunny winter’s day. The Ora 5 proved to be a comfortable companion, soaking up the bumps of arterial roads in the winelands. Post-lunch we hopped into the hybrid version and continued our light-foot adventures. As a result the HEV returned just over 5,5-litres/100 km, showing an impressive 1 100 km of range at a point.

What does it cost?

The GWM Ora 5 range has the aforementioned three powertrains and two trim levels, which makes for the six-derivative line-up. Incidentally, the ‘entry-level’ HEV is now South Africa’s cheapest hybrid car, which may help it earn a few more sales from the budget conscious.

Super Luxury DCT – R364 900
Ultra Luxury DCT – R409 900

HEV Super Luxury DHT – R424 900
HEV Ultra Luxury DHT – R474 900

BEV Super Luxury BEV – R549 900
BEV Ultra Luxury BEV – R599 900