GWM ORA News

GWM was here before the multitude of other Chinese car brands arrived, which allowed it to build a reputation that could soon see it become a brand as ‘Aussie’ as Toyota with just a few more models — and it’s so obvious what they are. Now you might think that’s ridiculous, but once Australians would have laughed at the idea of swapping their Holdens and Fords for a Toyota, but models such as the LandCruiser, HiLux and Corolla changed their minds, forever.GWM is poised to do the same, but it’ll take more models and the right ones — these ones.GWM’s year-to-date sales (until the end of August) were 34,398, and while Toyota is a long way ahead as expected with 163,491 sales, GWM’s results make it the seventh most-bought brand in Australia. If GWM’s sales keep tracking upwards at the present rate it will overtake Mitsubishi (currently sixth place for year to date sales) in 2026.Catching Toyota is highly unlikely in the next decade if ever, but GWM doesn’t need to beat Toyota to be a successful and loved brand in Australia. If it can aim for what Kia (55,554) and Hyundai (51,957) have now it’ll be safe… well until its Chinese rivals start pecking away at its lead. GWM has an excellent model portfolio already and they are all doing big numbers.The Haval Jolion small SUV has reached 12,278 this year already, the Haval H6 mid-sized SUV is at 9224, the Tank 300 has reached 3271 and the Cannon 4x4 ute has reached 4428 sales. Adding to the overall number are decent sales of the Cannon Alpha ute with 1549 sales and the Tank 500 large SUV with 1021 sales.It would seem that GWM doesn’t really need any new models at all as it has utes and SUVs, which is the way to Aussie sales success. But the models it doesn’t have are so obvious you might not have spotted it and not having them is very ‘un-Chinese’. GWM doesn’t have electric vehicles.Well it has the little Ora hatch, which is cute, but lacks the outstanding refinement, cutting edge EV architecture and dazzling cabin tech Aussies have come to expect from Chinese EVs. Still 432 have been sold this year.GWM has won Australia over already with its regular combustion cars and now it must add good electric models to its range.Fellow Chinese brand MG has done just that and if GWM dawdles with EVs then MG will surge ahead, especially with the launch of its MG S5 and new MG4 Urban electric cars.The electric models GWM needs now are a Jolion EV, a H6 EV, a medium-sized electric sedan to rival the Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal and a new-gen Ora that’s better than the current version.    Chinese EVs are known to be exceptional both in technology and value and GWM launching an electric line-up of at least four battery electric vehicles will ensure it can overtake Mitsubishi and possibly even Hyundai, Kia, Ford and Mazda for yearly sales.GWM’s footprint in Australia is now huge with more than 120 dealerships already operating in Australia. The hard part is done, and EVs will be the final piece of the GWM puzzle.Does GWM have the EV know-how and the models? That’s a good question and the company’s Chief Operating Officer John Kett said it does, but we’ll believe it when we drive it.When asked earlier in 2025 where GWM’s EVs are, Kett said they were coming with two or three new ones to arrive in 2026.“Should we do better? Certainly. Are we happy with the progress? Yes. Have we got more Oras and other EV platforms in our plan going forward? Yes, definitely,” he told CarsGuide.Whether GWM can do electric cars as well as MG and BYD really remains to be seen, but if the company is able to produce not only affordable EVs but good ones even then it might even cause Toyota to start looking over its shoulder.

After more than two years in market here GWM’s compact, pure-electric Ora hatch has been upgraded with improvements to battery power, additional tech, revised pricing and a ground-breaking switch in production from China to Thailand.

GWM will build cars in its ex-Holden factory for the Australian market once again after five-year wait.

GWM has revealed a significant facelift for its diminutive Ora hatchback in China, as it looks to better compete with its more successful key rivals.

Did we just drive Haval's electric Jolion before it's even finished?

Why GWM is committed to staying affordable despite rivals increasing in price.

When will GWM launch more EVs to challenge BYD and MG?

Could Australia’s EV wars be about to hit another major milestone?

Just when you thought utes and SUVs were about to completely take over Australia’s automotive scene, small cars are making something of a comeback.And it’s not the usual suspects like the Toyota Corollas and Mazda3s of the world that are bumping up interest in small sedans and hatchbacks. It is also electric cars.According to official year-to-date sales data to the end of November this year, small-car sales are up by 12 per cent compared with the same period in 2023. While that doesn’t sound like a massive increase, it represents the biggest percentage increase out of any SUV or passenger car segment.So what is driving this interest in smaller models? A couple of factors it turns out.The biggest contributor to the rise in sales is the influx of electric cars to the segment. Previously, the only electric small car was the Nissan Leaf which, while it was a pioneering EV model, never sold in huge numbers.Now there are a trio of EVs boosting the segment. The biggest selling small EV in Australia, by some margin, is the MG4 hatch. With 6079 sales, an increase of 140.6 per cent to the end of November, the MG4 is also the fifth best-selling small car.Sharp retail deals on model year 2023 MG4s, including a limited $30,990 drive-away price on the entry-level 51 Excite, helped boost interest in the Chinese-built EV.Another couple of small Chinese electric hatchbacks that are selling well include the BYD Dolphin which has found 1885 homes so far this year, an increase of 174 per cent over 2023.The GWM Ora has also nabbed 1182 sales, up by 175.5 per cent year on year.Two small EVs have seen sales drops, like the Cupra Born which has dipped by 47 per cent to 439 units, as well as the Nissan Leaf, which is down by 30.5 per cent, but that model is in runout in Australia following the end of UK production earlier this year.While EVs are doing the heavy lifting in the resurgent small-car sector, traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) small models are doing their part too.After a serious sales blip due to stock issues, the Kia Cerato is having a bumper year, with sales up by 187.5 per cent to 14,807 units, making it the second best-selling small car behind the dominant Toyota Corolla.The Cerato result is interesting given this generation went on sale in mid-2018. It is also now in runout ahead of quarter one, 2025 launch of its replacement, now dubbed the K4.The Corolla is also having a good run this year with 22,526 sales (up by 24.5%), ensuring a likely top 10 placing in the overall make/model sales chart. The Mazda3 is also in positive territory, up 13 per cent to 9618.A couple of other famous nameplates have seen sales declines, like the Hyundai i30 (11,616, -40.7%) and Volkswagen Golf (2593, -22.6%).At one point in history small cars made up one of the largest sales categories, but now with a 7.7 per cent slice of the overall market, it trails medium SUVs, 4x4 pick-ups, small SUVs and large SUVs.From 2011 to 2015 small cars ruled the top spot of the sales charts in Australia, with the Mazda3, then the Toyota Corolla taking top spot, before the Toyota HiLux ute came along and changed the face of the new-car market in 2016.

GWM is having a near range-wide sale with between $1000 and $6000 cut from drive-away prices until the end of the year. Additionally, the majority of discounted cars sold between now and November 8 get their three first scheduled services thrown in for free, valued between $297-$1870. The only exceptions are the Jolion Premium and Lux grades.Anyone who purchases GWM’s only battery electric car, the Ora, also gets a free charging station installation thrown in, valued at $1690. What’s the reason? Well, like BYD, MG and others with big offers on the table, it's partially about sales bragging rights but mostly clearing excess stock. GWM is on track for a record-breaking sales year in 2024, up 21.8 per cent having delivered 35,143 new cars. In October, it was in 10th spot, just shy of Nissan (37,710) and with a few strong months to round the year out, it could climb into ninth place.The new Cannon Alpha now starts at $49,990 drive-away with a $2000 discount on both the 135kW/480Nm diesel and unique 255kW/546Nm plugless hybrid version. Its smaller Cannon ute sibling with its smaller 120kW 2.0-litre turbo-diesel can be had from as little as $35,490 drive-away, a $3500 discount, while the blacked-out Vanta black-pack is $5000 more affordable at $42,490. The related Tank 300 Jeep Wrangler-rivalling off-roader now wades in at $45,990 ($2000 off) while the hybrid versions get $5000 knocked off the sticker, as low as $50,990 for the Lux. The only model to miss a straight discount is the Tank 500, though it still gets $1870 worth of scheduled servicing thrown in. GWM’s Haval SUV range includes a Kia Seltos challenger, the Jolion, which can be had for up to $3000 less in petrol guise, handily undercutting a Mitsubishi ASX at $23,990 drive-away.The larger H6 is also on offer with up to $3500 off the hybrid version, meaning the rival to Toyota’s in-demand RAV4 can be as low as $38,990 on-the-road. A petrol version can be had for $30,990 drive-away. Finally, the Ora electric car nearly makes its way as low as the MG4, with $2000 knocked off the Standard Range guise making it $33,990. The Extended Range gets a tantalising $6000 lopped from the price at $34,990 — plus a free home charging station.