Review: Retro design meets the latest tech in the Ora Funky Cat, a well-equipped, keenly priced electric car

The Chinese carmaker’s new model is a fine family electric car with a beautiful interior, five-star safety rating and decent battery range

The Ora Funky Cat 400 PRO+ — Ora stands for Open, Reliable and Alternative

The Ora is available in seven different colours, and you can also choose the interior and roof colour

The Ora Funky Cat 400 PRO+ — Ora stands for Open, Reliable and Alternative

The Ora is available in seven different colours, and you can also choose the interior and roof colour

The Ora Funky Cat 400 PRO+ — Ora stands for Open, Reliable and Alternative

Geraldine Herbert Twitter

March 19 2023 02:30 AM

The global success of cars such as the Ford Focus or the Volkswagen Golf confirms that the holy grail for carmakers is to produce something that appeals worldwide. But coining a name that conveys the same amount of allure and panache across different cultures is something entirely different.

Over the last few decades, consumers have been treated to cars named after the Jet Stream, (Jetta); a city in New Mexico (Santa Fe), a ring of petals (Corolla), a Greek goddess (Yaris) and a trade wind (Passat) to name but a few. Generally, car naming has followed predictable routes; with fast animals — the Mustang, Cougar, and Jaguar — or insects, such as the Alfa Romeo Spider or the Volkswagen Beetle.

Then there is a host of meaningless names ending with an “o”, a feature particularly of Asian car companies, who seem to struggle the most in this area. There is the Kia Sorento and Niro, Ssangyong Korando and the Toyota Aygo.

The Ora is available in seven different colours, and you can also choose the interior and roof colour

But this week’s test-car name defies all naming conventions —meet the Ora Funky Cat.

Part of the Great Wall Motor group, Ora is a Chinese car brand that has just launched in Ireland and the Funky Cat is a small all-electric hatchback. It certainly lives up to the name and is funky, retro and very cute. While the exterior styling clearly looks to the past, inside is a beautiful, modern, light and airy interior.

Everything feels good quality and there’s plenty of room in the front and a reasonable amount in the back. The dashboard features a smart two-screen set-up but the boot is small at 228 litres and the touchscreen only controls some of the functions; the rest are controlled via the steering wheel. For now, neither Android Auto nor Apple CarPlay is available.

Two battery packs are offered. The entry-level 48kWh battery has a claimed range of 310km, while the 63kWh battery option promises 420km. Our test car came with the bigger battery pack and, overall, the range proved accurate — on a mix of urban and motorway driving, the 400-plus range was easy to achieve. Around town, it is light and responsive and is pleasant to drive, but on motorways or twisty roads the steering is vague and tells you virtually nothing about what the wheels are doing.

In terms of safety, it not only scored an impressive five stars in the Euro NCAP tests but was also awarded best-in-class for 2022 in the small family car category.

Prices start from €31,995 for the 300 PRO and it comes equipped with quilted leatherette seats, electric front seats, power folding mirrors, 18in alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control, 360-degree surround camera and wireless phone charging.

Rivals include the MG4 (€27,495), Volkswagen ID3 (€42,212), Cupra Born (€40,080), Mini electric (€35,615) and small crossovers such as Hyundai’s Kona (€34,995) or Renault’s Megane E-tech (€37,495).

There’s plenty to like about the Ora Funky Cat; the styling is fresh and cheeky inside and out, and it’s very well-equipped. The range, price, and safety rating are all impressive — it’s just a pity it doesn’t drive better. But, hey, it’s a funky car for funky people; most will find little to complain about.