Chinese brand cars are still not so readily accepted in Malaysia but in the electric car scene they seem to have the lead when it comes to supply and if the Ora Good Cat is anything to go by, they also have a leg up in terms of the technology. This is due to the fact that the Chinese Government has been a major driver of the EV market offering bug subsidies and easier access to limited city roads.

When we had our first look at the Ora Good Cat in 2021, it was a big surprise in terms of build quality, materials quality and even fit and finish because it was a big jump from where we last saw them.

While their quality has improved, their brand image continues to lag behind but this is normal, Korean cars achived global levels of quality in the late 1990s but their brand image did not catch up until a decade later when their design began taking on a more global outlook with talent pinched of established European carmakers.

The Ora Good Cat is a curious looking car, in the sense that it successfully applied a retro style that does not look cheesy, in fact it is firmly in retro modern without any sort of irony.

That may be down to the fact that the car is designed by a former Porsche sketcher Emmanuel Derta.

The exterior aesthetics is reflected in the cabin as well with generous use of suede-like materials and diamond cross stitching upholstery and door padding, which somehow manages to look like a modern interpretation of a luxury car cabin from days of yore.

All very cool but it doesn’t really stop there as the drive technolgy is also at par with most other EV OEM, offering spirited acceleration and very decent range.

With the principal Great Wall Motors Malaysia throwing their weight behind this market incursion, Malaysian buyers may look at the brand more favourably and have more confidence making a committment to a non traditional product from a non traditional brand.

The pricing of the Good Cat 400 PRO at RM139,800 and Good Cat 500 Ultra at RM169,800 makes it the most affordable electric car in Malaysia.