GWM Ora 5 Ultra 2026 Review

The electrified section of the small SUV segment is hotting up. From traditional hybrids and plug-in hybrids to full EVs, there’s plenty of competition for the 2026 GWM Ora 5 Ultra to contend with.

Therefore, the $36,990 drive-away price tag might not be a static fixture. And considering BYD is hitting hard with massive price cuts to its DM-i Atto 2, it might be worth pressing for a deal with GWM, especially given a $599 at-home wall charger (7kW) was initially included with Ora 5 purchases.

There is a $33,990 drive-away Lux version to serve as the entry grade, but paying the extra $3000 to step up into the Ultra seems more than justified when you consider the extra kit. It’s also worth noting that a cheaper hatchback version is coming, too.

Looking outside GWM, electric versions of the BYD Atto 2 are viable alternatives, as is the popular Jaecoo J5 EV at the same $36,990 drive-away price. In comparison, a Hyundai Kona Electric starts from $46,000 before on-road costs.

Aftersales care is notable, with the Ora 5 covered by GWM’s seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and an eight-year/unlimited-kilometre package for the LFP battery. Roadside assistance is included for seven years, too. Servicing is every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first, with the cost of the first seven dealership visits capped at just $1365, or $195 on average. That’s impressive and undercuts its main rivals.

The 2026 GWM Ora 5 Ultra has matured with grown-up aesthetics.

Considering it’s essentially a second-generation Ora, which is also branded ‘Good Cat’ in other markets, adding a 5 to its nomenclature has ushered in a few spec inclusions and upgrades all round.

Not to mention its dimensions have increased and it now looks like a mini-Porsche Macan, with a bit of original Cayenne for good measure. The GWM Ora 5 also comes with LED headlights, thankfully not halogen, daytime running lights and LED taillights.

To retain some of the quirky vibes, the Ora 5 offers a few vibrant paints like Flamingo Pink and Cute Cyan. However, our Emerald Green tester is a little more demure and ties in with the dark ‘cloverleaf’ 18-inch alloys, as do Crystal Black and Mystic Grey. The only included hue is Pepper White, while the premium selections are $595.

Inside, the Ultra offers the choice of black or cream leatherette, while both front seats are powered, with six-way adjustment and memory for the driver and four-way adjustment for the passenger. Both front pews are heated and ventilated, too, and there’s dual-zone climate control, heated and power-folding exterior mirrors and keyless entry for the driver only.

Features you don’t expect to see at this end of the market are a heated steering wheel, 64-colour ambient lighting, a panoramic glass roof with a blackout sunshade, comfort access and a powered tailgate, which now comes with a windscreen wiper.

The 2026 GWM Ora 5 Ultra is yet to be crash-tested and doesn’t currently hold an ANCAP safety rating. However, the brand is confident of attaining the full complement of stars.

Bolstering this belief is a host of active safety kit. It comes with autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist and crossing detection, Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC), lane-departure warning with active lane keeping, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, driver-attention monitoring and road-sign recognition.

While the diminutive dimensions and clear outward vision aid parking, there are also rear parking sensors and a clever 360-degree monitoring system. Not only is the quality of the live feed high, but the range of angles is appreciated. A see-through view is also included.

Even the pesky driver monitoring isn’t too annoying… most of the time. It can throw some warnings at you, but it’s also relatively easy to switch off via a tiny camera shortcut at the top of the central touchscreen. The ICC does introduce steering intervention for lane keeping, but its calibration is better than that of other Chinese offerings.

What is great to see is that you can permanently disengage ‘Intelligent Cornering’. Despite the name, it’s anything but intelligent and overzealously slows the Ora 5 through slight bends on a country road while using ICC.

There are seven airbags, dual ISOFIX points and three top-tether anchorages.

There’s no skimping on tech despite the 2026 GWM Ora 5 Ultra’s low drive-away pricing.

Sitting proudly within the dash is a large 14.6-inch touchscreen that runs GWM’s latest Coffee operating system (OS). Joining it is a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster ahead of the driver with three customisable themes, one of which includes a full-size map view.

The infotainment screen is responsive to inputs and it’s nice to see a menu docked constantly to the bottom of the screen for HVAC. However, the OS isn’t immediately intuitive. And the small icons can be hard to locate while driving.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, although some carsales staff experienced dropouts with the former, or even a refusal to connect at all. A 50W ventilated wireless charging pad is a nice inclusion.

The inbuilt satnav has handy range predictions for your destination and can list charging sites. Other kit includes Bluetooth, AM/FM and DAB+ digital radio, a voice assistant, USB ports and a nine-speaker sound system, two speakers of which are in the driver’s seat head restraint for voice calls.

The Ora 5 also gains connected services with an app for remote access.

Electric powertrains have transformed the SUV landscape. No longer do we have to suffer slow faux-wheel drives that lug big frames around with underpowered naturally aspirated four-cylinder engines.

There are no such issues with the 2026 GWM Ora 5 Ultra, with the single-motor, front-wheel drive layout producing 150kW and 260Nm. Those are relatively healthy figures and, when you consider the 1685kg kerb weight, it’s little wonder the Ora 5 accelerates from 0-100km/h in 8.0 seconds.

That’s pretty perky for a small SUV, and it generates an energetic nature behind the wheel. Nipping in and out of traffic is a breeze with the instant EV nature, while it won’t run out of puff if you need to make a swift overtake on a single-lane country road.

However, the Prinx tyres do have limitations, which we’ll get to below.

For some reason, when we jumped in the 2026 GWM Ora 5 Ultra, the trip computer was stating a claimed range of more than 500km…

Either the previous driver had the deft right foot of an angel or there’d been a glitch in the matrix, because that isn’t possible. With a 58.3kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, the Ora 5 is rated at 435km of range according to WLTP metrics, with an energy consumption of 15.5kWh/100km.

For a $37K EV, those are good stats.

However, our numbers don’t add up as favourably, with an average of 17.5kWh/100km equating to a real-world distance of little more than 333km, although that isn’t unexpected with our driving ledger leaning more towards country and highway scenarios.

A dedicated city route saw figures closer to GWM’s projection, but still greater than 15.5kWh/100km.

As for charging speed, the Ora 5 Ultra is better than average. It accepts a 120kW DC rate for a 10-80 per cent charge in about 30 minutes, while 0-100 per cent charging takes 6.5 hours when hooked up to a 6.6kW AC connection. There are also three levels of regenerative braking.

Another boon is the support for vehicle-to-load (V2L) of 6kW, meaning you can run electric appliances via the car. That’s pretty neat at this price point.

Drive the 2026 GWM Ora 5 Ultra sedately and it’s fit for purpose.

Essentially, it’s a competent city runabout with a cohort of cameras to help you out when it comes to shopping-centre car parks, an awkward driveway or a tight garage space. And again, the instant performance from the e-motor makes the Ora 5 ideal in traffic, while there’s a tight 10.9m turning circle.

However, the low-speed ride quality doesn’t totally settle over sharp potholes, making the Ora 5 slightly restless. It isn’t uncomfortable, but it is noticeable. And considering this is going to be an urbanite, the fact the GWM is confident on a country road is a bit unexpected.

OK, there is some body roll, and it is slightly underdamped through undulations, but the Ora 5 steers as well as you’d hope for a $37K small SUV. This is largely due to some Aussie know-how, with GWM harnessing the fruits of the AT-1 program for revised suspension and steering settings.

The latter is noticeable, too, with the ratio and weight feeling more natural than those of a lot of its Chinese rivals. There are self-explanatory modes, those being Light, Comfort and Sport. Just keep it in Comfort for a happy medium, as there’s already organic heft.

Although, when it comes time for new tyres, moving away from the factory-fitted Prinx rubber, no, we hadn’t heard of them either, is advised. They don’t offer the most grip in the wet… or the dry, for that matter. Applying steering lock and an ample dose of throttle out of a 90-degree corner will have the front tyres slipping before the traction control kicks in.

In turn, the electronic nannies also make the power delivery feel inconsistent, as it’s constantly curtailing power to manage traction. Of course, this is when you’re being heavy-footed in slippery conditions. On the odd occasion, there can be some torque steer, too.

Backing up the theory that the Ora 5 is a CBD-dwelling SUV is the inclusion of City mode, joined by Eco, Normal and Sport. Its purpose is to reprofile the accelerator, meaning you can pull away from a standstill smoothly and not disturb passengers. It certainly works better than Eco, which renders the throttle pedal overtly lethargic.

There is some wind noise and tyre roar on coarse surfaces on the highway, but it’s very quiet around town. Despite having 175mm of ground clearance, 40mm more than the upcoming hatch, it isn’t an off-roading SUV. And if you’re interested in towing, there’s 750kg of braked towing capacity.

There’s an art to making something built to a budget not feel like it has been built to a budget. And the 2026 GWM Ora 5 Ultra nails this brief.

Its design is a nicely balanced mix of detail and minimalism. The former is seen in the MINI-inspired switchgear, a nod to the fact that GWM builds the EV version of the Cooper, while the latter is reflected in the clean aesthetics and a dash that’s all about the big screen.

The infotainment does take some time to gel with, though. Finding the swipe-down menu helps, as it provides customisable widgets that allow you to quickly access things like the sunblind control, volume and display brightness.

It’s a shame the retro physical dials are for pointless applications. Why can’t they be for fan speed or temperature? And while everything is nice to look at with bronze accents and cool 64-colour mood lighting at night, storage areas are left wanting. And that’s even with the gear selector moving to the steering column.

Still, for an SUV measuring just 4471mm long, 1641mm wide, 1833mm tall and with a wheelbase of 2720mm, interior space is generous. Especially in the back. Legroom is spacious, while the panoramic glass roof doesn’t encroach on headroom. And the powered sunblind is appreciated in hot weather.

There’s only one central air vent for the rear seats, which is odd. That’s sure to ignite tensions with kids in the back. And while room is abundant, not having a central arm rest is annoying. But there are dual map pockets, a USB port, bottle holders in the door cards and a central storage drawer.

Against direct rivals, the 362-litre boot is on the smaller side. That figure expands to 1060L with the 60/40-split rear seat stowed flat, while a two-position floor hides a space-saver spare wheel. There is no ‘frunk’.

No, the 2026 GWM Ora 5 Ultra isn’t perfect. But importantly, there isn’t a true ‘catch’.

Ultimately, it’s more than good enough without factoring in the resounding value equation. And it should have legacy brands burning the midnight oil on calculators, trying to formulate ways of cutting prices.

Yes, there are some niggles and it’s hard to match the 435km range claim, but the Ora 5 Ultra manages to straddle the line between fun, cutesy and premium. And if you can afford the $3000 premium, don’t hesitate to skip past the entry-level Lux.

With faster charging and cheaper running costs, the GWM Ora 5 Ultra makes a strong case as a small, affordable EV SUV.

2026 GWM Ora 5 Ultra at a glance:
Price: $36,990 drive away
Available: Now
Powertrain: Single permanent magnet synchronous motor
Output: 150kW/260Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 58.3kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP)
Range: 435km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: 15.5kWh/100km (WLTP)
Safety rating: Not tested

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