Facelifted GWM Ora Good Cat debuts in China – updated looks, more power, less range

In China’s fast-moving EV market, the GWM Ora Good Cat has remained largely untouched since its 2020 debut. It’s a rarity in a landscape where yearly updates are the norm. That changes now with a mid-life facelift, bringing modest visual tweaks, new tech, and mechanical changes. While the updates may not be revolutionary, they aim to keep the quirky electric hatchback relevant amid growing competition.

GWM has taken a restrained approach to the Good Cat’s facelift, preserving its retro-futuristic, Porsche-inspired design. The most noticeable exterior change is a redesigned front bumper, which now features slimmer corner air inlets and a larger central intake with an active grille shutter. Gone are the previous chrome accents, making way for a slightly cleaner and more aerodynamic look.

The rear end remains largely unchanged, with signature full-width taillights embedded in the rear windscreen, while the 18-inch five-spoke alloys also carry over. The sportier GT variant is visually untouched, continuing to wear its more aggressive bodykit, larger rear spoiler, and dual-tone wheels.

Inside, the facelifted Good Cat receives a much-needed infusion of modern technology. The digital instrument display grows from a dated 7-inch unit to a much sleeker 10.25-inch screen, while the infotainment touchscreen has been upsized from 10.25 inches to a massive 14.6 inches. These displays now run on the latest Coffee OS 3 and are no longer housed in a single widescreen panel, instead appearing as standalone “floating” units for a more contemporary feel.

Other cabin enhancements include a new two-spoke steering wheel, updated switchgear, and improved comfort features. The front seats are now heated and ventilated, with memory functions for the driver. These build upon a prior mild update that introduced a steering column-mounted gear selector, a redesigned centre console with USB-C charging, a better-positioned Qi wireless charger, and a 3.3 kW vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability.

Perhaps the biggest mechanical change is the standardisation of the more powerful electric motor previously reserved for the GT. This motor produces 171 PS and 220 Nm of torque, delivering livelier performance than the previous base model’s 143 PS/210 Nm setup.

However, there’s a trade-off. All facelifted variants now use the same lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, which offers just 430 km of range under China’s lenient CLTC standard, a notable drop from the 501 km (NEDC) or 420 km (WLTP) range of the outgoing 63 kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery. While LFP batteries are generally safer and cheaper, the reduced driving range may be a sore point for potential buyers.

Despite the tech and performance gains, the Good Cat maintains its value-focused pricing. The updated range starts at 99,800 yuan (approx RM59,000) for the base Luxury trim and tops out at 112,800 yuan (approx RM66,600) for the GT Premium.

The older, pre-facelift version remains on sale in China in a Classic trim, priced at 89,800 yuan (approx RM53,000). This version retains the less powerful motor and a smaller LFP battery offering 401 km of CLTC range.

There’s no confirmation yet on when or if the facelifted Good Cat will arrive in Malaysia. However, GWM Malaysia has already confirmed that the GT variant will be introduced locally. This could mean the facelifted version is being held back until the sportier GT model is ready for launch.

If and when it does arrive, the Good Cat GT for Malaysia is expected to come assembled in Thailand and may retain its Thai-sourced 57.7 kWh LFP battery, which delivers a claimed 460 km of NEDC range, putting it between the older NMC-equipped models and the new Chinese-spec facelift in terms of range.