GWM Tank 300 vs Honda ZR-V

What's the difference?

So, there you have it. The new Tank 500 hybrid. It’s got the space, the 4x4 capability, the features, the pricing and – most importantly – the hybrid technology to make a real mark in Australia.

Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Isuzu, Ford and the rest of the seven-seater 4x4 wagon fraternity really do have something to worry about.

Being first with electrification is one thing, but hitting the ground running with so much ability for so little is something else entirely.

Should you consider the Honda ZR-V if you are looking for a new family SUV? Absolutely, it offers the right blend of practicality, panache and poise to make it a serious consideration over the hot-selling Mazda CX-5.

What might dissuade some buyers is the smaller dimensions, but seriously, the ZR-V is a poster child for ‘making the most of what you got’. There are a few other nit-picky things about the new Honda, but those cons (collectively) aren't a deal-breaker.

Sorry, Civic Type R, the 2023 ZR-V might be the best car Honda Australia has in its line-up right now, and it deserves at least your attention and consideration, even if that doesn’t evolve into your outright commitment.

If “derivative” and “reminiscent of the outgoing Patrol” means interesting in your book, then you should find the Tank 500 tantalising.

Not us, though. We reckon if you asked AI to render a large 4x4 wagon in the mould of a 2000s-era LandCruiser or the Nissan, it might look like this. Beyond the PR nonsense of the grille being inspired by “ancient Chinese eastern architecture”, this could be any 4WD.

At least the old-looking new Tank has presence. And, despite what its name implies and the fact that this is deceptively big, we’re grateful that the 500 doesn’t look at all bloated.

In fact, dimensionally, with a length/width/height/wheelbase of 5078/1934/1905/2850mm respectively, it is actually longer than the Toyota siblings but a little narrower, splits them for height and sits on the same wheelbase size.

Finally, there’s the badge. Tank 500. If you’re into history or just really old, you might remember the Ford Fairlane 500 "Tank" of the late 1950s. Fun fact: besides the name, they also share body-on-frame chassis construction. And plenty of chintz.

Are we about to indulge in a similar level of Donatella Versace opulence inside? Let’s find out.

Honda is on a bit of a tear in terms of design, at least to my eye.

All models in its line-up look modern, sophisticated and properly upmarket. And yes, that’s counting the Accord mid-size sedan, too.

The ZR-V is certainly no different, and while it does crib more than a few design cues from the likes of the Porsche Macan and Maserati Grecale, for a mainstream mid-size SUV, that’s not necessarily a criticism.

The front end is characterised by tall headlights and a chiselled bonnet, but the component that draws the eye the most is the front grille.

With a trapezoidal shape and vertical slats, at first glance the ZR-V’s toothy grin sort of looks like the aforementioned Grecale, and it's a departure from the face of the Civic (on which it is based).

I’m still not one hundred per cent sold on the front styling of the ZR-V. It doesn’t look too cohesive or consistent with the rest of the Honda Australia line-up (the HR-V and CR-V SUVs have a horizontal-themed grille), but it’s not ugly.

Step to the side and there are shades of Macan thanks to its long bonnet, bulbous bodywork and short overhangs.

I like the top-spec VTi LX’s body-coloured wheel arches, too, invoking a little BMW vibe to make the ZR-V feel a touch more upmarket.

However, the rear is my favourite element of the ZR-V, thanks to a funky tail-light design, nicely-sized spoiler and a subtle contrasting diffuser with integrated twin exhaust outlets.

Step inside, and those familiar with the new Civic will feel right at home thanks to a honeycomb dashboard insert that hides the air vents, floating multimedia touchscreen and perfectly girthed steering wheel.

Everything about the cabin is laid out in a clear and sensible manner, but the soft-touch materials and contrast stitching throughout just elevate it from something you might expect from Honda.

And build quality in the ZR-V is excellent. Everything feels so solid and well put together, with nary a sign of squeak or rattle.

Is it the best-looking mainstream family SUV out there? It certainly comes close, but to my eye, Mazda’s CX-5 just edges it out due to a more consistent overall design. 

If the samey styling isn’t your cup of tea outside, then the Tank 500 makes a strong – and surprisingly restrained – case for your cash inside.

For starters, there’s probably more space than the exterior dimensions suggest, offering sufficient accommodation including headroom for most adult-sized occupants. The front seats provide ample support and the driving position should find favour with most people. And vision out is actually pretty good.

In the Ultra grade we drove, there’s a pleasing attention to detail evident throughout, starting with the horizontal symmetry of the dashboard, wide lower centre console and 14.6-inch central touchscreen. It looks and feels good.

As with most new cars today, the instrumentation is digital and configurable, there are fast keys for most climate control settings (though weirdly not for temperature control – you’ll need to resort to the fiddly touchscreen) and most switchgear is within easy reach.

However, while owners should become used to them quite quickly, the touchscreen-sited access for most vehicle control settings is fiddly; our car had an annoying buzzy rattle from the dashtop. The driver-assist systems glitched a few times, calling out driver attention issues when they weren’t there, and there is no volume control knob, just the toggles on the (attractive) steering-wheel spokes.

Meanwhile, the middle row benefits from a well-padded cushion and a 70/30-split backrest that reclines a fair amount. There’s a separate climate-control zone with good old-fashioned knobs and toggles, as well as four vent outlets, USB-A and -C ports and the windows wind all the way down. And that panoramic sunroof really showers the cabin with light.

Third-row access is compromised by LHD-centric access, meaning that only the road side of the middle seat lifts and slides forward for less-impeded entry/egress. Once sat, the cushion itself seems fine and is OK for adults as long as the middle-row occupants are happy to compromise. Roof-sited air vents are helpful, but the lack of USB outlets is disappointing.

With all seats up, there is just 98 litres of cargo capacity, ballooning out to 795L in five-seat mode and 1459L with the middle-row folded down. These are well below the LandCruiser 300’s corresponding volumes.

Of course, unlike most hybrid SUVs, this hybrid 4x4 wagon carries a full-sized spare wheel slung on the back door, old-school style.

Measuring 4568mm long, 1840mm wide, 1620mm tall and with a 2655mm wheelbase, the ZR-V is one of the smallest mid-size SUVs in Australia.

But don’t let the figures fool you, as this pint-sized family hauler has a few tricks up its sleeve.

From the front row, there is ample room to get comfortable, while storage options extend to door pockets, a glove box, a generous wireless smartphone charging pad, two cupholders and a handy storage shelf under the shifter.

However, the front seats found in the VTi LX grade of ZR-V feel insufficiently bolstered and flat, at least to my back and bottom.

I found myself sinking and sliding around in the seat more than I would have liked in my time with the car, so this could be an area of concern for slimmer people like myself.

In the second row, there is sufficient space behind the driver’s seat, set for my 183cm frame, while map pockets and a fold-down armrest also come into play alongside the door’s bottle holder.

Worth noting, however, that while there's plenty of space to fit a forward-facing kids car seat and a front passenger, the door trims are a little chunky and leave little room for my toddler to slide in and out of said safety seat.

Open the boot and you will find enough room for 370 litres of volume, which can expand to 1302L with the rear seats stowed.

Although this isn’t close to class-leading (even the CX-5 manages a 438L/1340L rating), the flat floor and easy-to-remove cargo blind make it a breeze to throw a pram, shopping or any sort of gear into.

I think boot space is one of those stats that will always sound good on paper, but how you use that space in reality is a better indicator of practicality, and in this regard, I was never wanting for more space in my week with the car.

Honda’s 2023 ZR-V line-up can be had from as little as $40,200 drive-away for the base VTi X, while the top-spec e:HEV LX hybrid will set buyers back $54,900.

What we have is the highest grade available exclusive with petrol power, the VTi LX, priced at $48,500.

And for this sort of spend, you can expect a long list of equipment, similar to the fit-out you would usually see on luxury models wearing a German badge.

There’s a leather interior, heated and power-operated front seats, a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, dual-zone climate control, a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, rear privacy glass, LED exterior lighting, a wireless smartphone charger and two-tone 18-inch alloy wheels.

Handling multimedia is a 9.0-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay support, as well as in-built satellite navigation and digital radio.

Now, some might look at the ZR-V VTI LX’s near $50,000 price tag and think ‘Well, that’s just too expensive for a Honda’. But keep in mind that’s the drive-away price.

A similarly-priced Mazda CX-5 for example, the $44,300 before on-road costs Touring, misses out on features like rear heated seats and a powered tailgate, but also has a larger engine and all-wheel drive traction.

As for the Toyota RAV4, the equivalent variant would be the one-from-the-bottom $43,310 GXL that has a cloth interior, manually adjustable seats and an 8.0-inch multimedia screen.

All things considered, the ZR-V VTi-LX offers plenty of bang for buck for a family buyer, with enough of the modern conveniences that means you won’t be feeling the FOMO for many years to come.

Behind that chromey grille is a 1998cc 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine, delivering 180kW of power at 5500-6000rpm and 380Nm of torque between 1700-4000rpm.

Mated to a 78kW/268Nm electric motor, GWM reckons the combined power and torque outputs are 255kW and 648Nm respectively.

That torque figure seems very optimistic.

Anyway, it’s all sent through to either the rear or both axles via an in-house nine-speed torque-converter automatic transmission. There are your usual 2WD and 4WD high and low ranges.

Nine driving modes are offered as part of an all-terrain response system, with four on-road and five off-road settings, while low-speed off-road cruise-control and ‘Turn Assist’ function also aid manoeuvrability. The latter essentially cuts torque to the inside rear wheel during a turn to tighten the radius, hand-brake style.

Still off the beaten track, the Tank 500 offers 30 degrees of approach angle, 22.5° breakover angle and 24° departure angle. Ground clearance is 224mm, while water wading-depth capability is 800mm.

Don’t forget, the GWM uses body-on-frame construction, with a double-wishbone independent coil sprung set-up up front and multi-link live-axle coil-sprung suspension out back. Kerb weight is at least 2605kg.

Towing capacity is 3000kg braked and 750kg unbraked. LandCruiser’s is 3500kg.

Powering the ZR-V VTi LX is a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine, the same one available across the model line barring the top-spec e:HEV hybrid.

The engine produces 131kW/240Nm, which isn’t all that much compared to larger engine rivals in the same segment.

Paired to the engine is a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that drives the front wheels.

And while a mid-size family SUV is never about outright power, and Honda’s powertrain options aren’t exactly plentiful at the moment, know that you aren’t getting the spiciest SUV with the ZR-V.

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo hybrid powertrain is rated at Euro-5.

Now, GWM makes a point that the Tank 500’s hybrid system is to improve overall driveability and performance, rather than strive for outright economy.

Keeping this in mind, with standard 91 RON unleaded petrol in its 80-litre fuel tank, the official figures are 8.5L per 100km (versus 8.9 for the LandCruiser 300), for a carbon dioxide emissions rating of 199g/km.

This should mean an average of over 940km between refills.

Speaking of which, we didn’t get a chance to refuel during our test drive on the launch program, however; and remembering that there was quite a bit of thirsty off-roading work done, our trip computer read out a disappointing 12.3L/100km.

Still, that’s nearly half that we witnessed on the trip computer in similar circumstances driving the Patrol with its big thumping V8.

Officially, the ZR-V VTi LX returns a combined cycle fuel economy figure of 7.4 litres per 100km, but in my week with the car I managed 9.8L/100km.

This figure is much closer to the city consumption number of 9.3L/100km and, given I only drove the car in Melbourne’s inner city, that explains why.

The ZR-V VTi LX needs just 91RON petrol at the bowser, helping to keep refill costs down.

The Tank 500 hybrid represents another step up for GWM, with a broad array of abilities.

Initial impressions are positive, mainly due to the overall quietness and smoothness of the 2.0-litre four-pot turbo’s performance.

Considering there’s over 2.6 tonnes of 4x4 to haul around, it moves off the mark fairly smartly, and – with the aid of hybrid electric assistance quite seamlessly kicking in to provide that extra bit of boost – delivers more than enough speed and muscle when you need it.

However, that said, while there’s plenty of go for fast overtaking, it is difficult to believe that the powertrain is mustering 648Nm of torque; the Tank 500 hybrid just doesn’t feel quite that strong. As does an 8.3-second 0-100km/h sprint time.

Still, there’s an innate eagerness to the way the GWM behaves that is also evident in the steering.

Considering this is a ladder-frame-chassis 4x4, the helm is actually quite responsive and direct – and yet also light enough for easy parking.

Furthermore, the Tank 500 doesn’t quite feel its bulk or heft when attempting tight turns, and it handles quite well, too. Impressive stuff, given the unexpectedly cushy ride, ground clearance and amount of wheel articulation on offer.

This is one of those big 4x4 wagons that seems to shrink around you.

However, GWM still has some homework to do when it comes to the level of interference from the intrusive and at-times even hysterical driver-assist safety systems.

The constant barrage of completely unnecessary warnings and chimes is tiresome even after a short stint behind the wheel, proving that more Australian-road tuning is required before the Tank 500 can truly meet local tastes.

Still, the GWM should win friends over with its comfy suspension, controlled handling and decent turn of speed.

But what about off-road?

Our brief excursion onto a 4WD track showed plenty of promise, with sufficient ground clearance, impressive wheel articulation and the right combination of gearing and diff locks in our Ultra Hybrid version to get through a quite challenging course.

And all the while, the Tank 500 imparts a sense of confidence that it can tackle most off-road tracks with a high degree of skill and capability.

Our only notes are that, at times, this lacks the low-down torquey grunt of a diesel when clambering through really challenging paths.

Otherwise, it seems the GWM has the right stuff to keep up with most of the competition.

For a mid-sized family SUV, the ZR-V proves surprisingly fun and engaging behind the wheel.

A large part of this is due to the fact that the steering feel is just so good.

With enough weight and feedback coming from the tiller, it makes it an absolute delight to thread the ZR-V through traffic, around a roundabout or even a twisty road.

Some mainstream SUVs have opted for overly light steering feel, which ends up straying too close to unnatural. But the ZR-V, at least in this VTi LX form, nails it.

Backing up the steering is a comfortable ride, which is another pleasant surprise in the ZR-V.

The 18-inch wheels fitted are shod with thick 225/55 tyres, meaning there is plenty of sidewall to help soak up the bumps and ruts of Melbourne’s roads.

Don’t get me wrong, we're not talking premium levels of isolation here, but the plush ride is a welcome in a mainstream SUV.

Aiding this feeling of serenity is the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and CVT that is as smooth as they come.

I’ve never really warmed to CVTs in the past, but the ZR-V has a great one, ‘shifting’ smartly to avoid excessive drone, while the engine delivers enough kick to move things along briskly.

And, in a way turning a negative into a positive, the smaller dimensions of the ZR-V mean it doesn’t feel that big on the road, which makes car parks that much easier to navigate despite also offering enough practicality for a small family and some gear. 

Honda’s new ZR-V is yet to be crash tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP and does not have an independent safety rating.

However, standard safety equipment includes forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition and lane keep assist as part of Honda’s 'Sensing Suite'.

The VTi LX adds rear cross-traffic alert and a surround-view monitor to the equipment list.

Rear cross-traffic alert should really be standard across the range and not just on the top-spec model. Its absence is a bit of a disappointment.

In my time with the car, I also found the automatic high beams to be overly aggressive. They were slow to turn off around other cars, leading to a more than a few flashes from oncoming traffic. I ended up just switching the auto high beams off.

Befitting its role as the brand flagship, the Tank 500 Hybrid is the first GWM with seven years of roadside assistance and capped-price servicing, to match the brand’s seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.

However, at the time of recording, GWM had yet to reveal what the pricing would be.

Service intervals are at every 12 months or 10,000km – whatever comes first.

Like all new Hondas sold in Australia, the ZR-V comes with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, matching the period offered by many mainstream brands like Ford, Hyundai, Mazda and Toyota.

And while this falls short of Kia’s seven-year warranty and Mitsubishi’s (conditional) 10-year period, the ZR-V’s servicing costs are among some of the lowest in the segment.

For the first five years or five services, each is just $199, with scheduled maintenance every 12 months or 10,000km.