Ora Funky Cat review

By Sam Phillips

16 Nov 2022

Move Electric rating: four stars out of five

Sell it to me in a sentence…

The new Ora Funky Cat is an ever-so-cute Chinese hatchback that's landed in the UK aiming to take on the likes of the Cupra Born and Volkswagen ID 3 with retro-charm and a premium feel.

Paw-don me, I’ve not heard of Ora before

The Ora Funky Cat is the first model from the Chinese brand to arrive in the UK. Since you might not know, Ora is owned by Great Wall Motors, which is one of China's biggest privately owned car companies.

Ora produces an assortment of electric cars for the Chinese market, from a mid-sized saloon to the Big Cat SUV. Responsible for bringing the Funky Cat to the Uk is International Motors, importer of the Subaru and Isuzu. Pitched as a premium electric hatchback, Ora is aiming to rival the offerings from Volkswagen, Cupra and Hyundai.

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You get a sense from Ora that, considering its sales target of 5000 cars by the end of 2023, a level headed approach where the brand solidifies itself as a go-to brand is how it wants to operate. Which might help the Ora Cat gain nine lives instead of one in the UK.

Come on then, let's get all the Funky technical details…

The Ora is equipped with a 48kWh battery, which is paired to a modest 126kW electric motor mounted on the front axle. Although a relatively small battery pack, the Funky Cat is still good for up to 193 miles of range and can charge at up to 100kW.

Still, compared to electric hatch rivals the Funky Cat does fall short of the mark. The MG 4 can do up to 289 miles if you opt for the trophy trim, while the related Peugeot e-208 and Vauxhall Corsa Electric can travel 222 miles between chargers.

That said, a near 200-mile range is nothing to be ashamed of, with enough mileage on tap to cover school runs and commutes the Ora was designed to tackle.

Plug the Funky Cat into a public DC charger and it will take around 42 minutes to replenish the battery from 15-80%, while a 7kW home wallbox charger should recharger the car in just shy of five-and-a-half hours.

Does the new EV have purr-sonality on the road?

Around town the Funky Cat offers a trouble-free experience in built-up areas. The turning circle is impressive, helped in part by the smaller proportions of the Ora; city back streets and sub-urban roads don’t trouble it either.

The Next Ora Cat will reach UK in 2023 to take on the Tesla Model 3

Present it with speed bumps or pockmarked side-streets and the Ora soaks up jolts and bumps, competently riding over rough surfaces with minimal disturbance to the cabin.

Rural journeys needn’t be of concern either, because the Ora’s capabilities extend further than town driving. Press on down a country road and the abrasive road surfaces do little to unsettle the Funky Cat, carrying itself well through bends - albeit with a reasonable amount of body roll as a result of the Ora’s height.

Unfortunately the same can’t be said about the Ora’s steering. It’s vague and lacks a bit of accuracy through the corners, particularly when the steering is set to Light mode through the infotainment screen.

Comfort mode does little to assuage the lack of feel. Switch to Sport mode and the steering weights-up, providing more feedback from the road. On the motorway the Funky Cat is as relaxing to drive as many bigger and more expensive EVs. There is a bit of road noise intrusion but it doesn’t upset the overall driving experience.

The regenerative braking system is controllable through the Ora’s infotainment screen, allowing you to choose the level of braking assistance. A one-pedal function means you don’t need to brake at all, the car simply does it for you.

During our time in the Ora, the regenerative braking in its strongest setting slowed the car down well, without being aggressive or imposing.

Three driving modes can be selected: Auto, Sport and Eco. Auto and Eco mode are similar in nature, with Eco adjusting the car to promote battery saving. Sport sends more power to the front wheels for a more entertaining sprint from the line. Sure, the Funky Cat isn’t set up to be a dynamic EV on the road but the performance is there when you need it.

Will the Ora Funky Cat interior leave me, ahem, feline good?

Open the door of the Ora Funky Cat and you’ll immediately be impressed by the level of quality the cabin has to offer. The leatherette seats are comfy, offering a reasonable amount of support, while the suede-effect finish on the dashboard is a neat addition. Not bad for a car that costs just over £30,000. Of course, reach lower down and scratchier plastics reveal themselves, but this is to be expected.

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The dashboard is well-appointed and features a 10.25-inch touchscreen display which operates the infotainment, navigation and climate controls. This is paired to the 10.25-inch instrument display.

If you’re a tech fanatic then you’ll be smitten with the Funky Cat, as the new EV is equipped with a host of innovative new features. The ‘Hello Ora’ voice recognition system is an intelligent in-car assistant which responds to numerous commands.

Simply say ‘Hello Ora’ and a small animated character pops up on the screen waiting for your command, which can be anything from “navigate to home”, to “lower my window”.

You have to be quite clear as it might not hear your voice the first time round, but it's an intriguing addition that in our experience worked well.

The sat-nav isn’t as good as some rivals, with the map being too small to see exactly where you’re going. You’ll have to wait for Android Auto and Apple Carplay phone mirroring too, which will come as an over-the-air-update in the first quarter of 2023.

Even at 10.25 inches, the screen felt a little on the small side and seemed to be quite a distance away from the driver's seat. Each time we went to adjust something on the screen we had to lean forwards in order to use it. And due to the screen's smaller buttons, it was a bit of a challenge to negotiate the touchscreen, especially when driving.

In fairness, the Ora does have some physical buttons for the climate control below the touchscreen, which makes it easier to control the cabin temperature.

The Ora also features a facial recognition system to monitor the driver when on the move. If you yawn, for example, the assistant in the car will command you to take a break. It was very intelligent, but at times was a little hasty in its efforts to rebuke harmless acts while driving.

Look out of the window when cruising along the motorway or stare too long at the touchscreen while adjusting the climate controls, and the in-car assistant will jump in to warn you and keep your eyes on the road.

This can get a bit tedious and would benefit from some finer tuning, especially when you’re operating the car’s various systems.

The Funky Cat is packed full of safety kit too: lane keep assist, auto emergency braking, lane change assist and traffic sign recognition are just some of the features. And on the subject of safety, the Ora gained a commendable five-star Euro NCAP rating and was one of the top performing EVs on sale.

Is there enough room for the kids and the family cat?

We were very impressed by the spacious and airy cabin of the Ora. There is plenty of room upfront and thanks to the electrically adjustable seats it’s easy to get comfortable.

Things are good in the rear too, with more than enough head and leg room for occupants more than six feet tall.

Perhaps the only compromise for interior space is the boot, which at 228 litres isn’t anything to write home about. Still, it should be enough for a weekly shopping trip.

Before I sign on the dotted line should I consider any other electric cars?

Although Ora themselves highlight that the MG 4 isn’t a rival, we can’t ignore the fact that the similarly sized machine is cheaper and can go further between charges.

The MG 4, in SE trim, has a range of up to 281 miles and starts from £28,495 presenting itself as a solid alternative to the Ora. That being said, the Funky Cat trumps its Chinese counterpart in terms of perceived interior quality and refinement while boasting a similar if not slightly greater level of in-car technology.

Another option would be the pricer Volkswagen ID 3 which starts from £36,990, but gets a bigger 58kWh battery offering 265 miles of range. It’s also well-equipped and has a spacious interior.

If the Ora isn’t to your liking then the ID 3’s cousin, the Cupra Born, would also be a solid choice. With a 58kWh battery and 264 miles of range the Cupra is an excellent all-rounder that is both good to drive and easy to live with. Prices start from £36,495.

Verdict

A welcome addition to the electric hatchback segment, the Ora Funky Cat is a well-polished, premium EV that brings just enough joie de vivre to make some European marques sweat. Its retro-styled charm is a breath of fresh air and there’s no denying it's a good electric car that offers excellent value for money. Attainable, clever and usable - we’d recommend the Ora Funky Cat to any prospective buyer.

Ora Funky Cat First Edition specification

Price from: £31,995
Motors: Permanent magnet synchronous motor
Gearbox: Automatic
Driven wheels: front
Power: 126kW
Torque: 184lb ft
0-62mph: 8.3 seconds
Top speed: 99mph
Electric range (official): 193 miles
Kerb weight: 1540kg
Length: 4235mm
Height: 1603mm
Width: 1825mm
Wheelbase: 2650mm
CO2, tax band: 0g/km, 2%
Boot capacity (seats up): 228 litres