More than the sum of its parts
In the coming weeks, South African consumers will begin seeing major changes at their local Haval dealer. The company is undergoing a major brand refresh, and vehicle buyers will begin seeing these dealerships change colour with new logos and a new hierarchy. The dealerships will now have a gloss black appearance and will feature new logos for the brands that they carry from the Chinese manufacturer within. With this global refresh, these outlets will now be GWM-branded dealerships, and the various brands offered by Great Wall Motors will display their flashy new logos on the boards outside.
Related: GWM ORA 03 (2023) - First Drive Review - Electrifying Charisma
One of these new logos one will find next to the Haval and Ora nameplates is Tank, GWM's flagship 4x4 offering. The Tank 300 has finally touched down in SA is now ready for sale through these new dealerships. GWM invited us to the inland launch of these fantastic new models and after a 500km round trip this is what we found.
Check out AutoTrader Car Subscription Service here
Styling
It is well documented that Chinese car companies often borrow design elements from other brands and it would be easy to say that if one were to take a Land Rover Defender 110, a Jeep Wrangler and a Lada Niva, sprinkle with Toyota FJ, then throw that mix into a blender and pour out into a Ford Bronco-shaped mould, you would get the approximation of what the Tank 300 comes across as. Although one can pull the various styling elements out, the Tank manages quite seamlessly to be all these things and none of them at the same time, carrying an air of individuality that we have seldom seen, from Chinese carmakers.
The more time you spend with the Tank, the more it grows on you, and the easier it becomes to look past your first impressions and see what the designers were trying to get across.
Tech and Features
When it comes to the exterior, the Tank 300 is fitted with full LED lighting front and rear. There's an offroad biased front bumper with integrated fog lamps, and at the rear, a bumper with an integrated tow bar. All models get 18" diamond cut wheels in black with Michelin tyres.
The show is inside, though, with a beautiful and lush full leather interior with embroidered seat designs in perforated leather. ambient lighting illuminates the cabin and highlights the brushed chrome trim and air vents which sit just below the 12.5" TFT split-screen for the infotainment and drivers binnacle. This touchscreen is the control hub for all the tech in the car from the climate control to the smartphone connectivity to the array of driving modes and settings therein.
A neat feature is the pull and drag functions, which allow you to drag a window from the infotainment side of the screen to the driver's instrument side, a very handy trick when you're dealing with navigation or entertainment.
Power is no problem either with multiple USB-A and USB-C outlets as well as 12v and 220v plugs for device and equipment charging. With the rear 60/40 split rear seat up you get 400l of bootspace, enough for two people's luggage but drop those seats and you can expand that into an area large enough to sleep in if you so desire.
There is a full complement of safety systems garnering a 5-star ANCAP safety rating for the Tank 300. a full driver's assist bouquet, and no fewer than seven airbags, and ISOfix to keep the family safe.
Is the GWM Tank 300 a safe car?
Let's Drive!
Our launch drive started in the Cradle of Humankind west of Johannesburg and proceeded North via freeways and back roads to the DeWildt 4x4 Experience. Here, we put the AWD and 4 Low to the test, tackling various obstacles that would make an offroad enthusiast drool. The Tank handled these with barely a hiccup, even taking on one of the trail's hardest obstacles, Gert se Kilp, a 30-degree rock wall climb.
After the 4x4 activity was completed, it was back on the road again, taking on a series of gravel backroads and long-lost sections of tar before finally ending up just outside Bela-Bela. The Tank handled all surfaces with ease and minimal NVH transfer into the cabin, even while barreling down a gravel road at speed. The ride was very comfortable and the various amenities inside the cabin made the long drive very enjoyable with outside temps hovering at 34 degrees.
The Tank 300 HEV model that we drove on launch is equipped with a 2.0 petrol engine coupled to a 9-speed DCT transmission and hybrid drive system. The 78kW electric motor assists the rest of the AWD drivetrain to deliver an astounding 255kW and 648Nm to the wheels. This was felt during overtaking maneuvers on the freeway and on the slow crawl during the 4x4 activity. Manufacturer claims for fuel consumption were a hot topic, with GWM claiming 8.4l/100km on the HEV model. Our experience was somewhat different, with us returning only 11.2l/100km average on the road and an eye-watering 19l/100km during the 4x4 course.
Consumption figure disappointment aside, The Tank 300 is a superb drive. It's comfy and quiet, and the touch and feel of the interior is first-class. The all too familiar bings and bongs from the various safety system alerts had also been quieted down or switched off, a welcome addition to the software! In short, it is a very enjoyable and leisurely drive with almost no complaints in a very well-built vehicle.
GWM Tank 300 driven, Down Under
Models and Pricing
| Tank 300 2.0T 8AT 4x4 Super Luxury | R 725 950 (Available Late Q1) |
| Tank 300 2.0T 8AT 4x4 Ultra Luxury | R 775 950 (Available Late Q1) |
| Tank 300 2.0T 9HAT 4x4 Super Luxury | R 851 950 |
*All Tank models are sold with a 7 year/200 000km warranty and 5 year/75 000km service plan
** The HEV model has an additional warranty that covers the complete high-voltage system and vehicle battery for a full 8 years/150 000 km.
Verdict
The Tank 300 is a brilliant motor vehicle. It is a highly capable 4x4, a premium family SUV and a fantastic drive, but there is fear that SA consumers will not be able to see past the Made in China tag. Yes, the Tank is a Chinese product, but these manufacturers have gone to great lengths to pull themselves past that moniker and are delivering truly amazing and quality products.
The real fear here is that consumers will see the price tag and only see its country of origin and immediately start looking elsewhere to spend their money. A lot comes close in that price bracket but very little that actually compares. The Tank 300 is one of GWM's best products yet, and we highly advise heading down to your newly branded GWM dealership and taking one of these for a drive if you are in the market for a very well-specced 4x4 family SUV... you won't be disappointed.
An in-depth road test will follow soon wherein we will take a closer look at the laundry list of standard equipment fit to the Tank 300, so stay tuned to our reviews section if you want more info.
