A complete anatomy of the sleek, tech-packed electric ORA Funky Cat
The ORA Funky Cat is the first in a full range of Ora electric cars that the company will introduce with something new, fun and funky. Ora is a subsidiary of GWM, a large Chinese car company that has been trying to break into the European market with success like MG.
And the 2023 ORA Funky Cat isn’t the company’s first production car—GWM has been around since 1984, and they’ve built everything from trucks to city cars. Today, it has a number of brands other than the Ora, which focus on small luxury cars. Haval makes SUVs , and Tank makes off-road vehicles. BMW also has a joint venture with GWM to develop an electric platform that will support the next generation of Mini electric cars.
Funky Cat is not as small as it appears in the pictures. Although it looks like the MINI Electric or the competing Fiat 500 , it is 4,235 mm long and 1,825 mm wide, making it slightly shorter and slightly wider than the Volkswagen Golf or ID.3. It will be launched in a luxurious First Edition with a choice of four colors and is very attractively priced compared to competitors of the same size as the Volkswagen Cobra Born, Renault Megane and MG4.
The exterior design of the Aura Funky Cat 2023
From a design standpoint, Funky Cat certainly lives up to its name. You are greeted by the friendly face of its front view; It’s more of an SUV than a city car, so you might think it looks more like a Mini, a Volkswagen Beetle, and maybe even a Porsche 911. The 2023 GWM ORA Funky Cat built a different platform exclusive to GWM called LEMON .
The LEMON system is based on light weight. Weighing 1,580 kg, it is only a few kilograms heavier than the smaller electric Opel Corsa. The design of the car clearly draws inspiration from many vintage cars over the past two decades. And unlike the imitations that China was producing 10 years ago, this playful cat presents a refreshing look with a friendly face that blends AMG and M Sports stripes.
Interior cab design of the 2023 Aura Funky Cat
The size gives good passenger space, but comes at the expense of the trunk, making it a less practical option for families. The 2023 GWM ORA Funky Cat’s interior has a mix of chrome, ivory and plastic aesthetics that give it a somewhat unique vibe, and that makes it exciting, as it flirts between two colors in the car’s scheme, with a green finish that echoes the exterior paint that blends with creamy plastic below and subtle use For chrome (plastic).
Interior design quality of the 2023 Aura Funky Cat
The 2023 GWM ORA Funky Cat’s futuristic design continues inside, where cream-colored plastic with a blue satin shimmer gives the cabin a brighter ambiance than most of its competitors.
The layout of the cabin looks good, which is not always the case in Chinese companies’ cars. It may not be as luxurious as the Mini Electric, but it sure is beautiful and might even outpace the MG 4’s cabin.
Dashboard of the 2023 Aura Funky Cat
The large steering wheel may obscure one edge of the infotainment screen. There are controls on it that appear to be touch sensitive but are actually decent buttons. Most of them are unmarked, so you need to learn the functions. There are 5 controls at the bottom of the screen, hazard lights, and some climate control shortcuts.
The chrome paddle shifters look a bit flimsy, the center console’s hard plastic isn’t particularly sturdy, the “lit-on-start” steering wheel buttons are reminiscent of a VW ID.3, and then there’s the rotary gear selector, which rotates freely like the volume knob.
The spaciousness and spaciousness of the Aura Funky Cat 2023
Tall drivers and front passengers won’t have space issues, because this ORA Funky Cat gives them plenty of head and legroom. There is decent shoulder room too, and there are cup holders scattered throughout the cabin.
Door storage spaces are small. Rear legroom is impressive, and the rear seats fit people up to 6 feet tall. Headroom is fairly good, but the sloping roofline cuts through the space above the headrests, so it’s not generous for people taller than 6 feet.
Aura Funky Cat 2023 car seats
The seats are very soft, which makes them inviting on short trips, but they lack lumbar support to relieve pressure on long trips. The rear seats are generally neutral, by small electric car standards.
Child seats in the Aura Funky Cat 2023
Once you have your child’s seat in, there is plenty of room in the front seat, but the position of the rear seats and the ISOFIX points make them difficult to reach.
Ride comfort in the 2023 Aura Funky Cat
Passenger comfort in the 2023 GWM ORA Funky Cat is so excellent for a small electric car, it’s one of the highlights of the entire vehicle. Not only do you get plenty of space, but the seats themselves are comfortable, the only issue being that broad-shouldered passengers in the rear will find themselves a bit trapped by the car’s teardrop-shaped roofline.
Trunk of the 2023 Aura Funky Cat
This impressive cabin space comes at the expense of trunk space. With a capacity of only 228 liters, and the rear seats can be folded in a ratio of 60:40, to increase the capacity to 858 liters, it is not much larger than the Mini Electric, and slightly smaller than the electric Opel Corsa.
There is no place to store the parcel rack underground, the large loading lip makes it difficult to load and unload items, and there is only a small section for a 3-pin plug charger.
Infotainment system in the 2023 Aura Funky Cat
The handsome dashboard is dominated by a pair of 10.25-inch screens, one for infotainment and the other for information and instrumentation. In terms of clarity and brightness, they are certainly on par with most competitors. Both screens are clear and easy to use, and respond quickly to inputs.
Navigating some menus is not intuitive, and you need to learn the menus. And the interface is really poor, with a bunch of issues we’d like to fix in the next generation of GWM’s infotainment software.
Engine of the 2023 Aura Funky Cat
The 2023 GWM ORA Funky Cat uses a 171-horsepower engine to send power to the front wheels and feels nimble and responsive in every driving situation. It may not be a fast sports car—but given the instant torque on offer, it gives you some pep that lasts up to 30 mph. Just be enthusiastic – and you’ll get plenty of wheelspin, which may be interrupted by sudden interventions from the automatic traction control.
How far is the “range” of the 2023 Aura Funky Cat
The Ora Funky Cat comes with two battery options. The first is with a 48 kWh battery with a range of up to 310 km according to (WLTP) tests, and there is a model with a 63 kWh battery that provides up to 420 km of range according to (WLTP) tests. We do not know the battery that will be put in the Arab markets.
Ora says the 2023 GWM ORA Funky Cat has an official range of 193 miles, and it managed a 130-mile wintry range test on a cold day, when most electric cars don’t do well. I think it’s capable of 150 miles, however, the range isn’t class-leading, but it’s better than some of the smaller alternatives. It beats the Mini Electric, but falls short of the Cobra Born, or the Renault Megane E-Tech.
Charging the battery of the Aura Funky Cat 2023
The 2023 GWM ORA Funky Cat can be charged with AC at up to 11 kW, while it can be charged with DC at up to 67 kW. Home shipping is the most cost effective method of shipping. Especially the charging speed is disappointing compared to alternatives that achieve more than 100 kW.
Driving impressions of the 2023 Aura Funky Cat
The best thing about the 2023 GWM ORA Funky Cat is that it gets off the ground quickly, and the suspension is comfortable around town, but the wind noise is annoying at higher speeds.
The speed of the 2023 Aura Funky Cat
When it comes to performance, we tested the 2023 GWM ORA Funky Cat, and it managed 0-60 mph in 8.4 seconds when we tested it. Other tests showed it arriving in 8.2 seconds.
It’s fast enough, for different traffic, and tops out at 100 mph in 25.9 seconds, but the Mini and MG4 Long Range are both a second quicker.
Steering in the 2023 Aura Funky Cat
The steering has three settings with varying degrees of weight, but all are fairly light, the steering is easy to maneuver. The handlebar is also light and makes getting in and out of tight spots easy.
The 2023 Aura Funky Cat performs in the city
It excels in city driving with its compact dimensions and good ride quality, and its suspension absorbs bumps on the road making it one of the most comfortable electric cars in its class.
While the acceleration in motion is fast. And there’s a single-pedal driving mode, which is great when traffic is piling up because it increases regenerative braking and can bring the car to a stop without the driver touching the brake.
Funky Cat’s poor performance in reaching top speed is worth discussing. Its 0-100 mph time of 25.9 seconds is puzzling, since its top speed is supposed to be 99 mph.
The 2023 Aura Funky Cat performs on the highway
On the other hand, Funky Cat is less attractive on highways. The first thing you’ll notice is the wind noise, which quickly becomes annoying.
It’s 10 times faster than its maker says. Achieving that time requires precise throttle control to control traction, and driver-assist technology can be a little intrusive, especially lane-keeping systems because they think you’re close to the edge of the road. It automatically reactivates at 35 mph.
The 2023 Aura Funky Cat performs on a twisty road
Once again, the 2023 GWM ORA Funky Cat is not at its best on the winding road. The steering is the problem here because there is little feedback from the surface so you can’t be completely confident. The slow and light steering takes away any sense of agility from the car.
If you accelerate on a twisty road, it will be like a long electric SUV. Its poor body control results in a lot of body leaning through a corner followed by bouncing back to center and then straightening up again.
Braking in the 2023 Aura Funky Cat
From a speed of 75 mph the 2023 GWM ORA Funky Cat was able to come to a stop after a “60.9 meter stopping distance”.
Funky Cat offers three levels of regenerative braking, plus a true single pedal mode.
In addition to the traction control, it was evident during our braking tests that the ABS system isn’t as strong. When braking from 75 mph, the system would briefly lock the front wheels before kicking in the ABS. After several consecutive stops, there was also a strong smell of brakes, although stopping distances did not increase significantly.
The handling and stability of our Funky Cat 2023
Being in a completely new car on a completely new platform from a completely new factory aroused anxiety within me, and my fears focused on the chassis, as I did not trust the Giti Comfort tires, but I was pleased that everything is good, except for the automatic traction control as we mentioned, and I did not find a fault Seriously how the 2023 GWM ORA Funky Cat handles a bunch of corners or challenging asphalt.
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