From 4x4 SUVs to utes, Australians are in love with adventure vehicles, and that love has only grown in recent years. There are plenty of off-road-capable large SUV options, but their prices can quickly stretch to close to $100k.
That’s where GWM comes in. Launching its Tank sub-brand earlier this year, the Chinese automaker is tackling the more affordable end of the 4x4 wagon segment with its 300. And after waiting nearly a year, the petrol-electric hybrid version is finally on sale. It represents a unique proposition for buyers wanting capability but also efficiency.
GWM Tank 300 2024: Ultra Hybrid
| Engine Type | Turbo 4, 2.0L |
|---|---|
| Fuel Type | |
| Fuel Efficiency | 10.3L/100km (combined) |
| Seating | 5 |
| Price From | $60,990 |
| Safety Rating |
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Price and features – Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with? 9/10
Much like the petrol-powered Tank 300 that’s been on sale for a while now, the Hybrid is available in two model grades - Lux from $55,990 drive-away and Ultra at $60,990 drive-away. That’s a $9000 and $10,000 premium respectively over the petrol grades. For this review, I tested the Hybrid Ultra.
As with GWM’s other products in the market, the pricing is competitive. There are not too many SUVs with a ladder-frame chassis in this price bracket that have this level of kit.
The obvious ute-based rivals include the Ford Everest which is priced from $53,990 to a lofty $79,490, the Isuzu MU-X from $48,900 to $65,990, and the ageing Mitsubishi Pajero Sport from $44,940 to $62,440 - all before on-road costs.
The closest rival to the Tank 300 in terms of execution is the Jeep Wrangler, but ever since Jeep decided it was a premium brand, Wrangler prices have skyrocketed and it now starts at $83,950 BOC.
Of course, none of these rivals have a hybrid option.
There are hybrid versions of the Land Rover Defender and there’s now a plug-in hybrid Jeep Grand Cherokee, but these models list for about $120,000. That’s double what you would pay for a GWM Tank 300 Hybrid.
The GWM is also packed with standard gear like an eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat with a massage function, heated and ventilated front seats, synthetic Nappa leather seats, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 12.3-inch colour touchscreen with DAB digital radio, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a nine-speaker Infinity sound system, keyless entry and start, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, privacy glass and a long list of standard safety gear - but more on that later.
So purely from a value perspective, this Tank is hard to beat.
Design – Is there anything interesting about its design? 7/10
GWM is not the first carmaker to build a boxy, rugged off-roader, so the design is hardly original or ground-breaking, but it is still cool.
At more than 4.7 metres long and close to two metres wide and tall, it’s a big vehicle in the metal. And that classic boxy look works, as does the tailgate-mounted spare wheel.
GWM has given its own spin on the genre with unique front-end and tail-light treatments and the Tank 300 certainly gets a lot of attention from other road users.
Inside, the aesthetic is best described as rugged, yet refined. The dash design is a basic rectangle, but it works well.
GWM has razzed up the cabin with contrast seat and interior stitching, chrome circular air vents and an interesting aluminium-like motif on the passenger side dash.
Our time in the car was brief, but I still got a sense that the build and materials are of a high quality. It’s a much more pleasant interior than that of the Wrangler, for example.
Practicality – How practical is its space and tech inside? 7/10
So those dimensions ensure that the Tank 300 is spacious enough without venturing into Ford Everest territory. But there is space aplenty.
Up front, the go-anywhere vibe is amplified by the grab handles on the passenger-side A-pillar and roof.
The seats have excellent levels of side and under-thigh support and bolstering, and the driver’s side is more than comfortable, and looks great as well.
I like the chunky steering wheel but don’t like that one of the spokes hides the cruise control stalk. I wish manufacturers would just put cruise controls on the steering wheel - it is so much easier to access and you don’t have to manoeuvre yourself while driving to check you’ve selected the correct button on the stalk.
There’s a big central storage compartment with a concealed sliding tray, a biggish glovebox and room for tall bottles in the doors. Up front you also get a wireless charger, a pair of cupholders, a sunglasses holder, USB-A and C ports and more.
The weird gamer-esque gear shifter is unique and will appeal to some but seems like overkill to me.
Despite the chunky pillars, visibility out the front and rear is good, but there are a couple of blind spots created by the B- and C-pillars.
The digital instrument cluster is clear but could have larger icons, and GWM’s multimedia setup has improved significantly in just a few years. It’s a fairly simple setup with appealing graphics. It has a voice activation setup, ‘Hey GWM’, which was patchy.
The Tank has side steps as standard, and while they will likely help smaller kids getting in and out, they are a bit annoying when exiting the car.
On that, the door aperture is not super big, so taller folks might need to duck when getting into the car.
In the second row you’ll find even more grab handles, as well as map pockets, lower air vents, two USB-C ports, a central armrest with two cupholders and ISOFIX points on the rear outboard seats.
You’ll also find a solid amount of head and foot room, as well as ample headroom. Three kids would fit across the rear pew with no problems, but three adults would be a bit squishier.
The five-seat Tank 300 has 60/40 split-fold seats and to fold the rear seats flat, you must raise the rear seat bases first.
As mentioned, the full-size spare wheel is housed on the tailgate, but that doesn’t mean you get extra luggage space as a result, as some of the hybrid mechanicals live under the boot floor. The total capacity for the hybrid and non hybrid models is 400 litres.
There’s a 12-volt and a household plug outlet in the boot but no cargo blind.
The carpeted boot means it wouldn’t be as easy to hose out as say a Wrangler.
Under the bonnet – What are the key stats for its engine and transmission? 7/10
Powering the GWM Tank 300 Hybrid is 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine paired with an electric motor and lithium-ion battery, all making for a combined output of 255kW of power and 648Nm of torque.
Compared with the regular petrol 300, the hybrid is 106kW more powerful and has 268Nm more torque. It’s also more than the 184kW/600Nm outputs of the meaty V6 turbo-diesel Everest. Not bad!
It has four-wheel drive and the powertrain drives those wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission.
The Tank has ground clearance of 224mm, and the approach and departure angles are 33 and 34 degrees respectively. Towing capacity is 2500kg for the petrol and hybrid grades.
Efficiency – What is its fuel consumption? What is its driving range? 6/10
It may be a hybrid, but this Tank 300 is still somewhat thirsty. The official combined cycle fuel use figure is 8.4 litres per 100 kilometres, which is better than the 9.5L claim of the petrol model.
After my brief but spirited drive, I recorded a figure of 12.6L/100km. That’s higher than the official claim of the non-hybrid, petrol-powered Jeep Wrangler (10.1L).
The 300 has a 75-litre tank and uses 91 RON petrol. It has a theoretical range of around 900km.
Driving – What's it like to drive? 7/10
The Tank 300 is based on the same chassis as the GWM Ute, but it is a fair bit more civilised on the road than the ute.
The hybrid powertrain is evident in low-speed driving, say in an apartment car park. It’s whisper quiet before the petrol engine kicks in, but that engine is then present the vast majority of the time.
There’s quite a bit of hesitation taking off from a standing start. Once the powertrain works out that you want the vehicle to move, it really gets going, but not in a smooth linear manner. The throttle response is erratic and it feels very much 'all or nothing'.
I noticed a lengthy hesitation in the transition from electric to petrol power. So with all this in mind, the powertrain could do with some extra calibration to smooth out that uneven power and torque delivery.
There’s definitely a bit of punch higher up the rev range, however, so once you’re on the go, the 300 is a handy performer.
We tested the Tank 300 on a particularly windy day, and the vehicle did not feel tied down in these conditions. It was far from unwieldy, however.
Steering is on the lighter side, but a little vague, which is not unexpected or unwelcome in an off-roader. Turn the wheel and the bonnet eventually follows.
It is a tall, heavy vehicle (2305kg kerb weight) and it feels top-heavy in corners. But again, that’s to be expected.
It does offer impressive grip, however, from the flash Michelin 18-inch tyres. It held the road flawlessly on a notorious uphill sweeper on my drive route.
Ride quality is a mixed bag - it soaks up potholes and big obstacles with absolute ease, but it is also jittery on your average, uneven b-road.
The Tank 300 impresses when it comes to cabin refinement and quietness. It’s a super hushed cabin and puts rivals like the Wrangler to shame for cabin noise.
I did not take the 300 off-road - we will save that for an AdventureGuide review by the wonderful Marcus Craft early in 2024 - but I did find as many unsealed roads as I could, and the all-paw Tank handled them all with ease. The ‘see-through’ off-road monitor that shows you what’s happening under the vehicle, is a nice touch.
Warranty & Safety Rating
Safety – What safety equipment is fitted? What is its safety rating? 8/10
The GWM Tank 300 was tested by crash safety watchdog ANCAP in 2022 and was awarded a maximum five-star rating.
It has a long list of standard safety features, including a centre front airbag to help avoid injuries between the driver and front passenger in a side crash, tyre pressure monitor, hill-start assist and hill-descent control.
Driver aids include auto emergency braking (AEB), a forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane-keep assist and emergency lane keeping, lane centring, door opening warning, adaptive cruise control and rear cross-traffic alert.
Some gear that is standard on the hybrid grades but not in the petrol include rear row occupant monitor, highway assist, and a front cross-traffic alert, while the Ultra Hybrid gains reverse assist and auto parking assist as well as six parking sensors front and rear instead of four in other grades.
On the road, the lane keeping aid is a little too sensitive. It vibrates when you're still a bit of a distance from the line marking. The lane keeping is a little jittery and bounces the car from line to line.
The driver attention alert is also very sensitive. It kept warning me to stay awake or have a break and it was overkill.
You can alter the sensitivity of most of these driver aids, which is good. The systems are a step up from the GWM Haval H6 I drove earlier this year.
Ownership – What warranty is offered? What are its service intervals? What are its running costs? 9/10
When it comes to ownership costs, GWM is ahead of a large number of its mainstream rivals.
The Tank 300 comes with a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, five years of roadside assist, an eight-year/unlimited-km battery pack warranty, and five years of capped-price servicing.
The servicing schedule starts with the first year or 10,000km, but then increases to a more standard 12 months/15,000km from year two. The prices range from $300 to $550 per service.
Verdict
The GWM Tank 300 Hybrid stands in stark contrast to the much more expensive Jeep Wrangler. It is far more refined and feels just as at home driving around town as it does on the open road.
It’s far from perfect. That powertrain needs further work, the ride is patchy and the fuel savings are minimal.
But when you consider how much car you get for your money, the Tank 300 Hybrid starts to make a lot of sense.
Pricing Guides
Range and Specs
| Vehicle | Specs | Price* |
|---|---|---|
| LUX Hybrid | 2.0L, 9 SPEED AUTOMATIC | $55,990 |
| LUX Petrol | 2.0L, Unleaded Petrol, 8 SPEED AUTOMATIC | $46,990 |
| Ultra Petrol | 2.0L, Unleaded Petrol, 8 SPEED AUTOMATIC | $50,990 |
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