2025 ORA Good Cat GT Review

Entering 2025, the competition in Malaysia's B-segment electric vehicle market is becoming increasingly intense. Consumers are no longer just looking at mileage figures but are more concerned about the balance of design distinctiveness, practicality of features, and driving quality. The ORA Good Cat GT, as the sporty version of the ORA family, retains its rounded retro design genes after this refresh while also upgrading intelligent features and power calibration. Many young families and value-conscious users are paying attention to whether it can become a "jack-of-all-trades" contender in its class. The main objective of this test drive is to verify whether its actual performance justifies its RM119,800 price point and its suitability for everyday commuting, weekend family outings, and other scenarios.

From the exterior, the Good Cat GT continues the family’s signature rounded lines while incorporating more sporty details. The closed-front grille paired with rounded LED headlights on each side makes for high recognizability. The honeycomb-shaped air intake and red accent strip on the lower front bumper give the front end a more aggressive look. The side body line extends from the front fender to the rear, complemented by 18-inch alloy wheels and 215/50 R18 tires, making the side proportions appear compact and well-balanced. The rear design is relatively simple, with a full-width LED taillight providing good recognizability when lit. The diffuser design of the rear bumper and hidden exhaust (characteristic of electric vehicles) further enhance the sporty feel. The overall design combines retro charm with a youthful aesthetic, standing out among vehicles in the same class.

Sitting inside, the interior design leans towards a simple and cozy style. The dashboard is wrapped in soft-touch materials, offering a good tactile feel. The 10.25-inch touchscreen is positioned above the central console, featuring a clear operating logic and relatively fast responsiveness. Below, some physical buttons are retained for convenient blind operation of the air conditioning and volume controls while driving. The instrument cluster is a fully digital display, showing information such as range, speed, and driving modes with a clean and easy-to-read interface. In terms of features, the front seat performance is noteworthy: the driver’s seat supports 6-way electric adjustment with memory and massage functions, effectively reducing fatigue during long drives. The passenger seat has 4-way manual adjustment, which is sufficient for daily use. The rear seats support a 60:40 split-folding configuration, enhancing storage flexibility. Additionally, features like a single-pane sunroof, PM2.5 filtered air conditioning, and reminders for unbuckled seat belts are standard, maximizing practicality.

In terms of spatial performance, the vehicle dimensions are 4254mm × 1848mm × 1603mm, with a wheelbase of 2650mm, hitting the mainstream level within the B-segment. The front row offers spacious seating, with a 175cm passenger having a headroom clearance of over a fist and two fingers when adjusting the seat properly. The rear legroom is about two fists, and headroom is about one fist, ensuring that even three adults seated in the back would not feel cramped. For storage capabilities, the center armrest box and door panel pockets in the front provide sufficient room to store items such as phones and water bottles. The trunk offers standard capacity, which can be expanded by folding down the rear seats, meeting the luggage needs for short family trips. The rear row is also equipped with air conditioning vents and USB ports, adding to the comfort of rear passengers.

Powertrain: The Good Cat GT is equipped with a front-mounted permanent magnet synchronous motor, delivering a maximum horsepower of 171PS and peak torque of 250N·m, paired with a single-speed transmission. During daily driving, the power response is very direct, especially in Eco mode where the car feels light and agile, making it suitable for urban commuting. Switching to Sport mode provides a more pronounced acceleration, and stepping hard on the accelerator during overtaking offers a noticeable push-back sensation. Its 0-100km/h acceleration performance is fully adequate for household use. When switching driving modes, the steering wheel's heaviness adjusts accordingly; the Sport mode offers more stable steering, whereas Eco mode feels lighter. The chassis combines a front MacPherson independent suspension and a rear torsion beam non-independent suspension. It is tuned for comfort, effectively filtering most small vibrations when passing speed bumps or bumpy roads. However, slight body roll can be felt during high-speed cornering, aligning well with the positioning of a family car.

Range and charging: The official pure electric range is stated as 460km. In our tests, with a balanced driving scenario of city roads and highways, the actual range reached around 390km, a rate of approximately 85%, which is fairly average. Fast charging takes 1 hour (from 30% to 80%), while slow charging requires 9 hours, which fully meets daily charging needs. In terms of energy consumption, city commuting averages about 13kWh/100km, while highway driving increases this to approximately 16kWh/100km. Overall, this performance is within the normal range for electric vehicles in the same class.

Driving assistance features are one of the highlights of the Good Cat GT, which comes standard with ACC adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, active braking, 360-degree panoramic cameras, and automatic parking functions. When ACC is turned on during highway driving, the vehicle can maintain a stable following distance, reducing driver fatigue. The 360-degree panoramic cameras prove very practical when reversing or maneuvering in narrow spaces, and the image clarity is quite good. In terms of noise control, some tire and wind noise can filter into the cabin during high-speed driving, but it remains within an acceptable range and does not interfere with normal conversations. The seats offer good wrap-around support and cushioning, ensuring comfort even on long rides.

In summary, the ORA Good Cat GT's core strengths lie in its balanced performance: a distinctive design, rich configurations (especially in safety and smart assistance features), adequate family space, and enough power for daily use. Compared to competitors in the same segment, its price is slightly lower than the BYD Atto 3, with each having its own standout features—Good Cat GT scores extra points for its seat massage and memory functions, whereas the Atto 3 may offer a more spacious rear cabin. Considering its price of RM119,800, the Good Cat GT offers strong value for money.

The target audience for this car is very clear: young family users who value cost-performance and feature-rich options, or office workers with longer daily commutes looking for an electric vehicle to save on costs. It not only meets the daily commuting needs but also handles weekend family outings well. With no obvious shortcomings in its overall performance, if you're in the market for an electric vehicle around RM120,000 that's well-equipped and easy to drive, the ORA Good Cat GT is worth considering.