GWM Tank 700 2025 review: International preview drive

In the pantheon of mega off-road SUVs there are a few big names.

The Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen, Land Rover Defender, Toyota LandCruiser, and Nissan Patrol instantly jump to mind.

Now, though, it might be time to add a new name to that list: The GWM Tank 700. It’s huge, it’s powerful and it’s a hybrid. It’s one of a range of new products designed to give Chinese brands a more aspirational edge as they move to shake off their budget beginnings in this market.

So, does this imposing new SUV have what it takes to put GWM in the top rank of heroic global off-roaders? We’ve preview driven one in its Chinese home market to get a taste.

Is the Tank 700 coming to Australia?

Yes. At least, that’s what it looks like. GWM has made no secret of its plans to move upmarket in its comments to the Australian media, with the brand’s communications and marketing boss Steve Maciver telling CarsGuide in 2024 “100 per cent we could have a car with that level of technology, with that powertrain in that price bracket.

“The question is whether we think we can make a business case for it. I’d like to think we can,” he said, indicating the Tank 700 would make an ideal flagship for the brand’s range in Australia.

However, more recently the brand’s representatives told us it’s now likely the 700 would begin right-hand drive production coinciding with a mid-life update, which may bring some other significant changes like new powertrain options. If it is arriving, we’re told it won’t be until the latter half of next year at the earliest.

How much will the Tank 700 cost?

Expect pricing in the truly premium realm. This is, after all, a 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo plug-in hybrid with a huge battery and luxury trimmings. The brand’s representatives have told us as much, saying pricing would easily be in excess of $100,000 if it arrives to top-out the local range.

For a more accurate clue, export versions of the current model cost as much as the equivalent of AU$180,000 for the plug-in hybrid. In some markets it even exceeds the $200K mark for certain variants.

A non-hybrid 4x4 version also exists, starting from closer to $130,000. However, this version is unlikely to see Australian shores thanks to our new emissions laws which will see GWM’s range include more PHEVs and EVs.

For that money expect an ultra high-end offering, though, including real leather seats with heating, ventilation and message, suede headlining, big touchscreens with a premium audio system as well as air suspension and noise suppression in the cabin.

It also seems it won’t be the only ultra-premium offering from China in this space, with BYD frequently hinting a right-hand drive version of its $200K-plus U8 off-roader could be on the way.

What engine does the Tank 700 have?

Here’s where the Tank 700 gets really interesting, because it has GWM’s most sophisticated powertrain.

It’s a 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 which produces 265kW/560Nm, paired with an electric motor in the nine-speed transmission which produces an additional 120kW/400Nm. The two power sources combine for what GWM says is a maximum output of 385kW/800Nm.

In addition, this plug-in hybrid is capable of maintaining its low-range gearing and differential locks thanks to GWM’s 'Hi4-T' system, which is also deployed in a less powerful form in the Cannon Alpha PHEV.

The Tank 700 is also equipped with a huge 37.1kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery pack which grants it up to 100km of fully electric driving range according to the NEDC standard.

It can charge from 30-80 per cent in a claimed 24 minutes on a fast DC charger (rare for a PHEV), or 5.6 hours on a slower AC charger.

The plot thickens, though, because GWM tells us there could be big changes to the Tank 700 for its next update, which should herald right-hand drive production.

For example, we understand the 3.0-litre six-cylinder is currently a left-hand drive powertrain only. But the brand’s just-revealed 4.0-litre V8, with even more power, specifically designed for towing and off-road demands, could be the unit headed to our market. Stay tuned.

How much fuel does the Tank 700 consume?

Thanks to its hybrid system the Tank 700's official fuel economy claim is as low as 3.0L/100km in its Chinese domestic market. But GWM says it will consume 10.9L/100km even when the battery is depleted. While that’s hardly an impressive number today, it’s pretty good considering the size and capability of the Tank 700.

It has an 85-litre fuel tank and its turbocharged engine demands mid-shelf 95RON unleaded.

What is the Tank 700 like to drive?

Ridiculous is the first word that comes to mind. It feels about as massive and on stilts as it looks. The ride and seating height combine with the suspension to seemingly remove you from the road in a luxury car way.

We haven’t had a chance to drive it on the road, but I have now sampled this car on two different occasions in two different driving scenarios - initially high-speed slaloms and now through off-road simulating obstacle courses.

In the simulated off-road scenario, the Tank 700 sailed over the articulation challenge, step climb, and uneven suspension-testing surface with relative ease.

Visibility out of the cabin is only okay in these situations due to the boxy design, however confidence is boosted by a superb array of surround cameras, which also look under the front of the car so you can be precise with wheel placement.

The electric drive systems are smooth and powerful, pushing the huge Tank with ease, and the traction system is quick to work out when lifted wheels are spinning.

How well these systems behave on pre-set courses versus the real world, where there’s more likely to be varied grip, however, will be night-and-day.

On the higher-speed stuff, the Tank 700 is alarmingly quick, as you might imagine with its power figures. It’s easy to steer, too, thanks to lots of electrical assistance on the rack, but feels a tad clumsy in the corners and under heavy braking with lots of body roll and tyre torture.

The cabin has a luxurious ambiance, though. While our impressions are limited we’re keen to get it on real roads to learn more. The Tank 700 is, if nothing else, shaping up to be a unique offering.