We should consider this new HEV SUV as the dawn of a new era. Not only has GWM recently introduced several strong contenders for the SUV and bakkie vehicle market, but the GWM Tank 300 HEV is in it for the win.
If the automotive industry was a boxing ring, then GWM just won the fight with their knockout blow by introducing a vehicle that is jam-packed with comfort and safety features, and now with HEV technology, this SUV offers the fuel efficiency of a tiny hatch freewheeling downhill with the wind in its proverbial sails.
Although the Tank has an aggressively robust appearance and all-terrain ability, this vehicle also offers rapid acceleration, comfort and impressive fuel efficiency, features that a tank artillery vehicle is not familiar with.
I have said it before, and I will say it again: GWM is rapidly becoming a market leader. I support this statement by referring to price point versus features as a value-for-money measurable metric, comparing the GWM TANK with its other South African SUV counterparts.
Over the course of a week, I test drove the head-turning flagship model, the GWM Tank 300 Super Luxury HEV 2,0-litre turbo-petrol. The best part of that time was the ridiculously low fuel consumption during my bumper-to-bumper commute.
When you consider the impact that rocketing fuel prices have on any South African vehicle owner’s pocket, the relief of the electric vehicle mode was magical!
Apart from the fuel consumption, the safety features made for a favourable and memorable drive.
This vehicle offers lane assist, a collision prevention programme along with a dashboard illustration of the visible and less visible vehicles surrounding the Tank.
Safety first
I might have upset several road users by slowly, and in a controlled manner, testing the safety features and sensor activations. If those drivers are reading this review, then I do apologise. But the Tank has warning lights, chimes, bells and 360° cameras to prevent the driver from doing anything silly or hitting anyone.
After this, I was reminded by our Farmer’s Weekly editor that this vehicle is not a complimentary staff spoil and needs to be tested for the agricultural market. So that was enough joyriding for now and a test plan was formulated.
We needed to know if this vehicle can handle the dirt road, handle the long road and get us out of a muddy jam, all while keeping us safe. And that is what I did.
A colleague and I drove the vehicle from Johannesburg to Kroonstad to attend an auction.
The adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keep assistance, emergency braking and the speeding alert reminders from the navigation system made the drive an effortless pleasure.
In a vehicle filled with driver safety features, we had loads of uninterrupted time to chat and snack. However, once again, the driver comforts stole the show; the open road was not a test, it was a wonderful experience.
The following day a different colleague and I drove the vehicle to visit one of our farmer friends, which required a long drive on an unfriendly dirt road.
What I was not aware of at the time was that the Tank comes with Crawl Cruise Control in addition to the Multi-Terrain Select and All-Terrain Driving System. Although the Tank is a full-time 4×4 system, there was no need for the low-range gearing.
Every obstacle was an effortless glide.
The Tank was stable and remained unhindered at the respectable 40km/h dirt road requirement. And when the opportunity presented itself and no one was around, we pushed it to test the Tank’s performance at a much higher speed on a dirt road, and it was unphased and just like driving on a tarred road.
The last test, always my favourite when reviewing a vehicle, was when I took the GWM Tank 300 into Sandton for the hated parking test.
Some of my colleagues are of the opinion that if they need to parallel park in Sandton, they would rather uber. Some believe that successfully manoeuvring a large SUV into a tiny parking bay is considered an award-winning performance.
Impressive features
The Tank comes with Tank-Turn Technology, which is a feature that I am not familiar with, but significantly reduces the turning circle of the vehicle, thereby enhancing its manoeuvrability.
Combined with front and rear sensors and 360° cameras, the Tank passed the tricky parking test with flying colours.
The GWM Tank 300 2.0T Auto 4×4 is available in three models: the Super Luxury (R725 000), the Ultra Luxury (R775 000) and the Super Luxury HEV. Each model is sold with a seven-year/200 000km warranty and an eight-year warranty on the HEV battery.
The HEV offers 255kW power and 648 Nm torque, with a hydraulic automatic transmission, and a braked towing capacity of 2 500kg.
With the above features and tests, the most impressive part of my week-long driving adventure was the meticulous consideration for smaller details.
Yes, the Tank is an impressive HEV SUV, but you can tell that just as much effort went into the smaller design elements, such as the LED feature lights that perfectly line and accentuate the dashboard and doors; the refined air vents for the dual zone climate control (air vents are dashboard components that usually feel uninspired in most other vehicles); and the beautifully soft cross-stitched or quilted leather seats and interior, which provide a luxurious feel.
This GWM Tank 300 tested my ability to trust; it is unimaginable to think that a vehicle that has almost every feature available to the automotive industry is priced so well under its competitors!
Based on the price point and the number of features and comfort, I give this HEV SUV a rating of 5 out of 5 sheep.