GWM is preparing to relaunch its Ora sub-brand with a compact SUV that closely follows the design of the brand’s compact hatch.
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GWM’s first Ora SUV has been exposed in China, thanks to a filing with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
Set to be called the Ora Cat in China, but likely to adopt the Ora 05 or Ora i5 name in international markets, the new SUV keeps the rounded styling of the Ora Good Cat hatchback (sold in Australia under the simpler GWM Ora name).
CarNewsChina reports that GWM’s electric car division has struggled to gain traction in its domestic market, with the Ora brand recording just 14,781 sales from January to August 2025.
In Australia, year-to-date figures for the GWM Ora see it sitting at 432 sales compared to 2048 BYD Dolphins and 2533 MG 4s sold over the same period.
The Ora Cat comes as the first new model from GWM’s Ora brand since 2022, following slow sales of the retro-styled Ballet Cat and larger, high-performance Lightning Cat.
As part of a strategic rethinking for the Ora division, the Ora Cat will be the first of four new models.
Despite being the first SUV from the Ora brand, the Ora Cat maintains a close family resemblance to the Ora hatch.
The overall profile is clearly taller, and the rear window treatment is more vertical, with a squarer C-pillar shape, but other details look almost interchangeable with the hatchback.
At the front, the Ora cat keeps a pair of simple round headlights and a bonnet that sits slightly lower than the outer edges of the front guards.
A smooth finish to the upper front bumper features a stronger horizontal crease line, while the lower bumper boasts a more prominent air intake and tall side inlets.
From the rear the styling is almost interchangeable between the hatch and the new SUV.
A clamshell tailgate straps over the rear with no cutouts for lighting units, which are instead placed under the rear window glass.
Secondary lighting units are placed low in the rear bumper, and rather than a chunky or aggressive SUV look, the Ora cat sticks with gentle curves and minimal black plastic cladding.
Details of battery capacity and range are yet to be revealed, but the filing does detail a single 150kW motor.
Dimensions are listed at 4471mm long, 1883mm tall and 1641mm wide with a 2720mm wheelbase.
That makes it a set-up in size compared to the Ora hatch sold in Australia at 236mm longer, 58mm wider, and 38mm taller with a 70mm longer wheelbase, and similar in length to a Toyota Corolla Cross.
Full details and specifications of the Ora Cat will be revealed closer to the new model’s official introduction.
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Kez Casey migrated from behind spare parts counters to writing about cars over ten years ago. Raised by a family of automotive workers, Kez grew up in workshops and panel shops before making the switch to reviews and road tests for The Motor Report, Drive and CarAdvice.
