The just launched GWM Ora 5 city-sized SUV range will be bolstered later this year by the addition of a hatchback variant. While not a direct replacement for the now discontinued GWM Ora hatch, the city-sized hatchback will be priced under the $33,990 entry point of its SUV counterpart.

Speaking to assembled media – including Whichcar by Wheels – at the launch of the Ora 5 SUV, a GWM Australia’s spokesperson said “It’s a new car. Certainly some of the same retro-futuristic styling cues that you saw on the original Ora hatch have come through, but ultimately it’s an all-new car.”

Stylistically, there will be little to differentiate the Ora 5 hatchback from its SUV counterpart (pictured below).

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“The hatchback is a little bit lower, and it will lose a few little things here and there, and we’re also considering a smaller battery pack,” said GWM’s spokesperson.

Early photos, seen by Whichcar by Wheels, indicate the OIra 5 hatchback will sit on smaller wheels while the prominent roof rails of the SUV have been deleted.

A smaller battery would keep costs down, allowing GWM Australia to offer a rival to the similar-sized offering from BYD (Dolphin Essential, $29,990 before on-road costs) and MG (MG4 Urban, from $31,990 drive-away).

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The GWM Ora 5 SUV has been launched with a 58.3kWh battery offering 435km of range based on the Worldwide Harmonised Light-Duty Vehicles Test Cycle (WLTC). Two variants will be offered at launch, the entry-level Ora 5 Lux, priced from $33,990 bedford-on-road costs and the range-topping Ultra ($36,990, plus on-roads). The hatchback is expected to be “a cheaper vehicle,” According to GWM’s spokesperson. It’s due in Australian showrooms later this year.