FUNKY TOWN (some text hidden)

By Jonathan Crouch

Urban folk have yet another fashionable small SUV option. Jonathan Crouch checks out GWM Ora's Funky Cat.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 36

Funky Cat. Strange name. Remarkably appealing car. This trendy little Chinese EV comes from freshly created Great Wall Motors brand Ora and aims to offer people seeking a small, fashionable all-electric hatch a refreshingly different option.

Backgroundword count: 189

Would you choose a car called the 'Funky Cat'? Read on before you make up your mind. You might well change it. This is a small EV from Chinese maker Great Wall Motors, who sold the cheap but uncompetitive Steed pick-up here between 2012 and 2016. They've returned with this 'Funky Cat', a much more credible offering sold under a newly created sub-brand called Ora, which has the ambitious goal of selling up to 50,000 versions of this car a year in the UK, using a combination of selected dealers, shopping centre outlets and online selling. Initially, it's hard to get past that name; the same car is known as the 'Cat 01' or the 'Good Cat' in China. Where it's also joined in the showroom by three other variants - the 'Pink Cat', the 'White Cat' and the 'Black Cat'. Yes really. Anyway, this is just the first of a horde of Chinese EV imports bound for Europe. MG and Volvo are already basically Chinese brands, Nio has just launched in Norway and iPhone maker Foxconn will shortly follow. So, can the cat cut it? Let's find out.

Driving Experienceword count: 172

You should find the Funky Cat to be a perky little thing. Power is sent to a 169bhp motor on the front axle with 250Nm of torque, which in the 'First Edition' variants is powered by a 48kWh battery. The sprint to 30mph is dispatched in just 3.8s and 62mph in 8.5s, en route to a limited top speed of 99mph. Drive with less abandon and you might get somewhere close to the claimed 193 mile EV range. If that's not enough, wait for the forthcoming 63kWh bigger-battery variants. Great Wall Motors has invested heavily in driver assist technology for the Ora brand and the result is that this car has 12 ultrasonic radar sensors and multiple exterior cameras that together provide for level 2.5 semi-autonomous driving. It works in town too, where a Traffic jam assist system can take care of braking, throttle and steering at low speeds for you. The confection shouldn't fall apart beyond the city limits either, thanks to the stiffness of Great Wall's latest dedicated EV platform.

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