GWM Ora 3: strengths and weaknesses

Great Wall Motor (GWM) Philippines introduced the Ora 03 electric vehicle (EV) as an enticing option for people looking for a good-looking but also highly capable, emissions-free daily driver. 

Sure, it comes in the form of a tiny hatchback, but small cars have still maintained a strong presence in the local market. 

Additionally, the steady growth and development of local EV infrastructure have been reassuring to folks wanting to dive into the world of electric-powered cars. So, in light of a growing market base, yet another EV model option for prospective buyers is all well and good. 

However, the question now is: what are the strengths and weaknesses of the GWM Ora 03? Let’s find out here in order to help its prospective buyers. 

Pros

Feature-rich

Despite its subcompact form factor, the Ora 03 can delight its owners with its numerous exterior and interior features. 

For starters, the GWM model boasts several bits that can make driving and parking the car easy and convenient. It comes with power-folding side mirrors, LED lighting fixtures, a push-to-start button, an electronic parking brake, front and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree view camera, and a digital guage cluster - among others. 

It likewise comes with loads of advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS), which will no doubt make for a more stress and worry-free driving experience in the ever-busy and often chaotic local driving setting. Its list of ADAS features includes, but is not limited to, the following: 

• Adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist
• Autonomous emergency braking
• Lane keep assist
• Lane departure warning
• Forward collision warning
• Blind-spot monitoring

Additionally, the Ora 03 has a colorful 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system equipped with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Long road trips aboard this EV are likewise made pleasurable thanks to the presence of a panoramic sunroof, as well as a pair of ventilated front seats with massage functionality. 

Peppy with good range

Based on the figures shared by GWM, the Ora 03 has shaped up to be a relatively peppy EV with a decent amount of range. 

For reference, the vehicle’s permanent synchronous motor can generate up to 169 horsepower and 250 Newton-meters of torque. Per the car brand, the said output numbers enable the tiny hatch to accelerate from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in 8.4 seconds. 

It's no race car, mind you, but it is powerful enough to make overtaking on highways easy, seamless, and smooth. Having the said amount of power (and instantaneous torque) distributed to the car’s all-wheel-drive system can also mean enjoyable but stable drives on curvy back roads. 

Concerning range, the Ora 03, specifically the top-spec 500 variant, can cover up to 420 kilometers from a single full charge of its 63-kilowatt-hour battery. The aforementioned range of the hatch means it has the legs to cover daily trips to the office. At the same time, it can be utilized as a road trip chariot to destinations with EV charging facilities, such as Baguio City and La Union. 

Cute but impactful styling

Another strong suit of the GWM Ora 03 is its stand-out styling. In a nutshell, it received a cutesy, roundish shape, which somewhat combines the front face of a Porsche and the curves of a hot hatch. 

As a result, it gets an exterior look that doesn’t really have an equal in the local market. Additionally, it also has a selection of pastel colors, which make it more appealing to the younger demographic of car buyers. For reference, here is a list of its locally available exterior paint options: 

• Blush Beige
• Clear Sky
• Hamilton White
• Pastel Green
• Scarlet Red
• Starry Black
  

Over to its interior, the Ora 03 was fitted with a minimalist-looking dashboard combined with stylish interior door panels and seats that were made more pleasing to the eye by quilted stitch patterns. 

Interestingly, the insides of the vehicle mirror the exterior in such a way that it detracts from using sharp angles and dramatic corners. Instead, it utilizes soft curved design details, resulting in a cozy cabin that can fit a multitude of tastes. 

Depending on the Ora 03 trim, additional style points for its interior can also come from its two-tone color scheme. The top-spec 500 comes with a cream and brown combo, making for a rustic, old-school feel that’s simply oozing with charm. 

Cons

Air-con has no physical buttons

As established above, the GWM Ora 03 was packed with plenty of features. However, its big downside is the lack of physical buttons for its air-conditioning system. 

Drivers can control the vehicle’s temperature and fan speed settings through the vehicle’s infotainment display, but doing the aforementioned can be finicky, especially while driving. 

On the flip side, having dedicated knobs for the AC would be better because, through muscle memory, drivers of the car can adjust the climate control settings without having to divert their attention from the road. 

Final thoughts

Overall, the GWM Ora 03 is specced well despite its tiny size. It has a lot of features, a decent amount of power and range, and a stand-out exterior design. 

As we always say, however, folks who are interested in buying the Ora 03 should give it a test drive first. Doing so will make for a better purchasing decision, and it will help determine if the said model can really fit one’s needs. 

GWM Ora 03 500 specs

Model	GWM Ora 03 500
Exterior
Dimensions (L x W x H, in mm)	4,235x1,825x1,596
Wheelbase	2,650
Wheel size	18-inch wheels
Lighting system	LED
Interior
Material	Leather
Amenities	Ventilated and massage seats Wireless smartphone charging Panoramic sunroof Automatic air-conditioning Push-to-start button 60:40 split-folding rear seat Electronic parking brake Multifunction leather steering wheel USB ports Power-folding side mirrors Power tailgate
Instrument cluster	10.25-inch digital gauge cluster
Infotainment system	10.25-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Seating capacity	5
Powertrain
Motor	Permanent synchronous motor
Range	420 kilometers
Battery capacity	63 kilowatt-hours
Horsepower	169
Torque	250 Nm of torque
Technologies
ADAS	Adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist Autonomous emergency braking Lane keep assist Lane departure warning Forward collision warning Blind-spot monitoring
Safety	Dual front airbags Side airbags Anti-lock braking Stability control Hill-start assist Roll movement intervention Traction control ISOFIX Tire pressure monitoring
Security	Car alarm Engine immobilizer
Price	P1.778 million

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