Great Wall Motor’s Tank brand of rugged off-roaders has arrived in Australia, though these vehicles will be sold under the GWM banner.
The GWM Tank 300 is on sale now, priced from $55,990 drive-away.
It was the first vehicle sold under the Tank nameplate in China. The 300 is a rugged, body-on-frame SUV smaller than ute-based models like the Ford Everest and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport.
Unlike those models, there’s also no option of a third row of seating.
The only powertrain – at least at first – is a turbocharged hybrid four-cylinder, something no other body-on-frame SUV can offer in Australia. Hybrid leader Toyota offers an electrified Tundra-based Sequoia overseas, but has no hybrid versions – yet – of its Fortuner, LandCruiser Prado or LandCruiser 300 Series.
It’s expected to be joined by the larger GWM Tank 500 in due course, which is sized between the Toyota LandCruiser Prado and 300 Series but has an available plug-in hybrid powertrain.
The latter could be one of the six or seven electrified models CarExpert understands GWM will introduce in Australia by the end of 2023.
The Tank 300 was originally revealed as a product of GWM’s upscale Wey brand, before the company decided to spin Tank off into its own brand.
In Australia, however, GWM is consolidating around its namesake brand. Haval products are now badged as GWM Havals, and vehicles from the Ora electric vehicle brand will likewise be sold as GWM Oras.
Pricing
- 2023 GWM Tank 300 Lux Hybrid: $55,990
- 2023 GWM Tank 300 Ultra Hybrid: $60,990
All prices are drive-away.
Drivetrains
The 2023 GWM Tank 300 uses a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 180kW of power at 5500-6000rpm and 380Nm of torque at 1700-4000rpm, paired with a 78kW/268Nm electric motor.
While GWM hasn’t published total system outputs in Australia, the company’s global site claims outputs of 224kW and 640Nm and a 0-100km/h time of 7.9 seconds.
Power is sent to all wheels through a nine-speed ‘Hybrid Automatic Transmission’ to a ‘torque-on-demand’ full-time four-wheel drive system.
The Tank 300 also comes with electronically controlled mechanical front and rear differential locks, a Tank Turn function to reduce the turning circle, and a crawl mode.
Efficiency
GWM Haval Australia has yet to publish fuel economy ratings for the GWM Tank 300. We’ll update this article once these are made available.
The global site says fuel economy will be between 9-10L/100km.
Dimensions
The 2023 GWM Tank 300 measures 4760mm long, 1930mm wide and 1903mm tall.
It rides a 2750mm wheelbase and has 224mm of ground clearance. Its approach angle is 33 degrees and its departure angle is 34 degrees.
Braked towing capacity is 2500kg.
Government approval documents list a tare mass of 2331kg and a gross vehicle mass of 2725kg.
Servicing and Warranty
The 2023 GWM Tank 300 will be backed by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty and five years of roadside assistance.
There will also be five years of capped-price servicing, though prices have yet to be announced.
Safety
The GWM Tank 300 has yet to be assessed by ANCAP.
Standard safety equipment includes:
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Lane-departure warning
- Lane-keep assist
- Traffic sign recognition
- Rear cross-traffic alert with brake
- Adaptive cruise control
- Seven airbags (front, side, curtain and centre)
- Surround-view camera with ‘Transparent Chassis Function’
Standard Equipment
The Lux Hybrid features:
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- Auto-folding, heated exterior mirrors
- LED headlights and tail lights
- Daytime running lights
- Sunroof
- Two-piece under-body guard
- Tyre pressure monitoring
- Crawl Control
- Tank Turn
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Power driver’s seat
- ‘Comfort-Tek’ leather upholstery
- Microfibre and leather steering wheel
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Front and rear USB ports
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Nine-speaker audio system
- Ambient interior lighting
- DAB+ digital radio
- 12V power outlets (front and luggage cabin)
The Ultra Hybrid adds:
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Nappa leather seats
- Heated and cooled front seats
- Power’s driver seat with massage function
- Heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Wireless phone charging
- ‘Infinity’ branded nine-speaker sound system
- More ambient lighting colours
Colours
Fossil Grey is standard, with the following finishes a $595 option:
- Dusk Orange
- Lunar Red
- Crystal Black
- Pearl White
MORE: Everything GWM Tank 300
