What's the difference?
GWM’s second attempt at launching the Ora brand in Australia seems much better planned than the first.
While the electric Ora hatchback wasn’t expensive, divisive styling and some messy ergonomics plagued what felt like an undercooked model both in terms of dynamics and packaging.
So this, the 2026 GWM Ora 5 SUV, is ‘take two’.
It arrives with similar pricing but updated tech, more features and an Australian ride and handling tune.
Can this ensure GWM’s cutesy electric car brand is taken seriously and help it catch up to its cousins Haval, Tank and Cannon?
We drove a Flamingo Pink example from inner-Melbourne out into the scenic Yarra Valley for its Australian launch to find out.
If you’re in the market for a seven-seat SUV these days, you really are spoiled for choice.
Of course, you always have your obvious options like the Nissan X-Trail, Mitsubishi Outlander, and Honda CR-V, but what if you’re a big family on a relatively small budget.
Well, Chinese player Chery has just introduced its Tiggo 8 Pro Max into the seven-seat mid-size SUV space. I’m guessing the name means if you’re a professional, maximum-sized family, then it’s designed to be the best option for you.
But does it have what it takes to challenge such established seven-seat rivals? We tested one at its Australian launch to find out.
While the Ora 5 still has a relatively divisive design that will turn off a chunk of those looking for a small electric SUV, the improvements made when compared to the hatch launched years ago make it worth a second look.
The interior is much more user-friendly, there are more features and a more sensible variant line-up, and the ride and handling localisation means you might actually want to drive it out of the city on occasion.
Regardless, the Ora 5 needs to be a lot more competitive than the Ora hatch was, because the market is so much busier with affordable rivals now. Fortunately, the value proposition is indeed much better than before, especially given the Ultra is only $3000 more than the Lux.
This mid-sized seven-seat SUV segment is dominated by just a handful of nameplates, and it’s easy to see how some of them might be under threat by something like the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max.
There are a few areas where it could use some fine-tuning, but these are mainly restricted to being pedantic about the drive experience. There are no dealbreakers here as there often can be for low-cost alternatives, and so long as you’re primarily putting kids in the back seats, this Tiggo is well equipped, comfortable, plush, and surprisingly refined.
With a robust ownership proposition as well, it’s hard to see why you wouldn’t consider one of these if you’re shopping in the seven-seat SUV space - and that's why this could be Chery's shot at the big leagues.