Great Wall Motors, or GWM, is consistently expanding its network globally. In the first nine months of 2024, the Chinese automaker achieved 324 200 sales in markets outside China, a 53.16% year-on-year increase. Local sales contribute to these figures, as in December of 2024 alone, according to Lightstone Auto, GWM sold 1 465 units. With 95 official dealers within our borders at the time of writing, it makes sense that more people are embracing the new line-up from GWM and sub-brands Haval, Tank and Ora.
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In December 2024, we got the keys to a GWM P500 in 2.4T Super Luxury 4x4 guise. To really put it to the test, we drove the model over 500km away from the nearest dealer to find out if its reliability can be trusted even in gruelling conditions. But before we get into the details, remember that you can sell your car on our website here and search for new or used GWM P500 models on AutoTrader here.
The trip
Considering that this is a bakkie ready to take on the market leaders, we decided to test it in various environments where it will be used. First, we spent several kilometres on the daily commute with heavy traffic between Pretoria and Johannesburg. But to test its reliability, we went to the Northern Cape, where the climate is hot, the roads are rough, and many OEMs take pre-production models to test.
We planned to travel over a few days to the quiet coastal towns of Hondeklip Bay, Kleinsee, and Port Nolloth, and as far away from the nearest dealer as possible. Along this route, we would drive over challenging rocky trails, soft sandy dunes, heavily corrugated dirt roads, and smooth ribbons of tar along the coastline, all in very hot and sometimes icy conditions. After nearly 62 hours behind the steering wheel and just over 4 300 km, here is what we found.
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Styling
To say that the GWM P-Series P500 is quite intimidating is an understatement. The large, gaping horizontal grille with the little vent up top makes the P500 appear to be larger and wider than it is. In fact, alongside our long-term Ford Ranger Tremor, the GWM P-Series P500 is quite similar in size; the P500 measures 5 445mm long, 1 991mm wide and 1 924mm tall.
But what stands out is that, with the more rectangular headlamp design and enormous chrome grille, the GWM P500 takes on a very Westernised design, which looks like something that might have come from America rather than China. By no means is this a bad thing. Many people complimented the design when approaching it at the fuel pumps or parking lot.
But while it certainly conveys a "powerful" theme in its design, the P500 also regularly hints towards luxury with the chrome grille and satin silver surfaces such as the front lower facia and the window surrounds. What also drew attention was the tailgate, which splits and can open horizontally. While many might call this a gimmick, this writer found it very practical for reaching items positioned deep within the load bay or even utilising the rear step to get onto the load bay.
Then, in all four corners filling the flared wheel arches, there are 18-inch wheels with 265/60 road-oriented tyres. We quite enjoyed the wheel design and the side steps. However, if there were a styling area that this writer thinks could be improved, it would be the large badges. I believe slightly smaller badges might look better. And perhaps if a more off-road-themed model were on the books, the chrome grille finished in matte black, similar to that of the GWM P-Series LTD, could make the front even more intimidating.
Interior & Space
Drivetrain
Under the bonnet of the GWM P500 is a 2.4-litre, turbocharged, 4-cylinder diesel motor producing 135kW and 480Nm of torque. This powertrain is paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission that sends the power to all four wheels. As mentioned, this drivetrain has high-range and low-range gears, and the differentials can be locked individually. This is ample to pull along the 2 550 kg kerb weight and a 760 kg payload, a 750 kg unbraked or a 3 500 kg braked towing capacity.
Related: GWM P500 double cab (2024) First Drive Review - Big, Bold, Bourgeois
Driving impression
Preface
In the next few paragraphs, you might encounter the terms "primary ride" and "secondary ride." When referring to the primary ride, this refers to how compliant the suspension is over road surface variations like large bumps such as speed bumps. These are typically characterised by high amplitude and low frequency. However, speaking about the secondary ride refers to how the suspension reacts to small road imperfections but at a higher frequency. This can relate to brick and corrugated dirt roads, where imperfections are small but happen more often.
City and highway driving
Before our trip, we drove the GWM P500 from Pretoria to Johannesburg every weekday for two weeks. This allowed us to feel how the vehicle reacts in traffic and how easily the model is used in smaller suburban streets. Not surprisingly, the combination of the road-biased tyres, comfortable seats, and autonomous driver assist functionality such as lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control makes commutes effortless and comfortable.
Despite its large dimensions, the P500 was easy to position on national routes and narrower roads, such as in the suburbs. However, compared to one of our long-term vehicles, the Ford Ranger Tremor, the turning circle is wider and will take some getting used to in parking lots. But do not despair, as the 360-degree cameras and front and rear park distance control sensors will help you avoid any obstacles and even give an estimated distance in centimetres from the object.
Another characteristic of driving in the suburbs was the lag between applying the throttle, the turbo spooling, and the vehicle starting to move. While this doesn't much detract from the overall driving experience, it is noticeable, especially if you come from a vehicle with faster throttle response. However, note that once the vehicle is at speed and you want to overtake, the transmission is very responsive, and the P500 gains speed effortlessly.
Gravel and sand driving
Most of the gravel roads between Kleinsee and Port Nolloth and/or Kleinsee and Hondeklip Bay had long stretches of smooth but undulated sections and plenty of corrugated pieces. This is where I could really feel how the suspension reacted to these situations. Over the smooth but undulated pieces, the primary ride was very good, absorbing the undulations while giving the driver confidence, as even with the road-biased tyres, the P500 felt planted.
The secondary ride was quite harsh over the corrugated sections, and I had to slow down more than other vehicles in the same segment travelling on the same road. Admittedly, I kept the tyre pressures standard and could have deflated them slightly for a more compliant ride. Instead, I decided to slow down while travelling over the corrugated roads, which is always a good idea and gives you more control over the vehicle.
The road-biased tyres weren't ideal on the sandy dunes at the coast. Still, even after I got stuck due to driver error, with a quick turn of the ride mode dial to 4x4 mode, selecting neutral on the transmission, and pressing the button to engage low-range, the P500 effortlessly exited the sand once I engaged the drive and with little throttle input, even with the tyres fully inflated.
Mud and 4x4 driving
Upon returning to a rainy and muddy Gauteng, the GWM P500 faced its final challenge—a muddy 4x4 route with some very steep climbs. With 4x4 high-range gears engaged, the P500 easily traversed some muddy routes and provided a lot of smiles with slides through the bends. When it came to very steep climbs in these muddy conditions, the GWM had to utilise all that was available, meaning that low-range and front and rear diff locks had to be engaged.
While it conquered the inclines, it struggled slightly more than a competitor in the same conditions and on the same hill. The GWM P500 offers a 19.0-degree break-over angle, which is good for a 4x4, but when compared to the Ford Ranger 4x4 in XLT guise, which offers 22.0-degrees and the Isuzu D-Max 4x4 in LSE guise which offers 22.5-degrees, you will need to be more attentive of the 4x4 route you embark on. Another consideration for owners is the exhaust silencer box, which is positioned below the chassis frame in the case of the P500. Thus, should you misjudge the crest of an incline, there is a chance of damaging it.
Related: GWM poised to attack - new models for SA revealed at Auto China 2024
Fuel economy
According to GWM, the P500 2.4T in Super Luxury 4x4 guise should give you an average fuel consumption figure of 8.6 L/100 km. Unfortunately, we weren't able to achieve that figure; however, during our two weeks of commuting to the office, we managed to get the average fuel consumption figure down to as low as 9.5 L/100 km; however, that meant that we didn't travel much more than 100 km/h at any stage and to be hyper-aware of our throttle inputs.
But after exactly 4 322.8 km of city driving, open road driving, sand and gravel driving, and 4x4-ing, the GWM P500 averaged 10.3 L/100 km, which is very respectable compared to some competitors in the same segment.
Safety
When it comes to safety, the GWM P500 is more than well-equipped. Below is a list of safety features and driver assistance systems you can expect in the GWM P500 2.4T Super Luxury 4x4:
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- Intelligent Cruise Assist
- Traffic Jam Assist and Intelligent Turning
- Parking Distance Control (PDC)
- Rear Cross-Traffic Warning System
- Rear Cross-Traffic Braking System
- Lane Departure Warning
- Lane Keeping Assist
- Lane Center Keeping Assist
- Emergency Lane Keeping Assist and Smart Dodge
- Lane Change Assist
- Rear Collision Warning
- Front Collision Warning
- Automatic Emergency Brake Assist (AEB)
- Pedestrian Safety Assistance and Bicycle Safety Assistance
- 360° Panoramic View Monitor
- Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)
- Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD)
- Traction Control System (TCS)
- Roll Movement Intervention (RMI)
- Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
- Brake Assistant System (BAS)
- Electric Parking Brake (EPB)
- Uphill and Downhill Assist
- Automatic Vehicle Hold (AVH)
- Dynamic Steering Torque
- Trailer Sway Mitigation (TSM)
- Brake Override System (BOS)
- Traffic Sign Recognition with Overspeed Alarm Function
- Intelligent Speed Assist
- Front Radar Auto Turn-On
- 4 Front Parking Sensors and 4 Rear Parking Sensors
- 7 Airbags
- ISOFIX anchors on outer rear seats
Pricing*
At the time of writing this article, the GWM P500 has three variants: the 2.4T Luxury 4x4, 2.4T Super Luxury 4x4, and the 2.0T HEV Ultra Luxury 4x4. All three variants come with a 7-year / 200 000 km vehicle warranty, and the 2.0T HEV benefits from an 8-year / 150 000 hybrid battery warranty.
While the 2.4T Luxury and Super Luxury variants get 5-year / 50 000 km service plans, the 2.0T HEV get a 5-year / 75 000 km service plan included in the price. The pricing is as follows:
| GWM P500 2.4T double cab Luxury 4x4 | from R 799 900 |
| GWM P500 2.4T double cab Super Luxury 4x4 | from R 889 900 |
| GWM P500 2.0T HEV double cab Ultra Luxury 4x4 | from R 999 900 |
*Note that the pricing indicated in this article was correct at the time of writing; however, it can change at any time and without notice.
Verdict
South Africa is a diverse country encompassing big businesses in big cities, small holdings around small towns, port towns, and industrial towns in areas that are deserts, forests, or plains of the Highveld or Lowveld. Thus, for the discerning buyer, it is important to know that either their car will be good enough for the region they stay in or perform well anywhere they might find themselves in South Africa, a solution most bakkies solve.
The above is why reliability and capability are at the top of the list for those considering a bakkie. The vehicle this writer took to the coast was, in fact, the second unit we received, as the first went into limp mode. This writer contacted the nearest dealer, and without any knowledge that I am a journalist, they gave very impressive aftersales service and promptly addressed the issue. Sadly, the issue returned, and it turned out to be a faulty pedal position sensor.
Although the part was available and the team from GWM Menlyn was ready to replace the part under warranty, GWM thought it would be best to send a different vehicle for me to test over the December holidays. Once again, I want to state that the aftersales service was impeccable. After scouring local and global ownership forums and owners' pages on social media sites, it quickly became apparent that this was an isolated event. I couldn't find any similar reports or issues on those sites and pages.
When the second test vehicle arrived, it handled all types of road surfaces and temperatures ranging from 8 degrees to more than 45 degrees Celsius without issue. It performed admirably throughout this writer's stint in it.
But where the GWM P500 shone out was as a lifestyle bakkie. While, indeed, it has the capability to take on gruelling terrain and offer a rugged load bay to transport cargo, it doesn't lend itself to being a traditional workhorse, nor does this writer see it being used as a 4x4 trailblazer. Instead, it works well as a commuter with the ability to tackle a dune confidently or transport larger items occasionally.
If you are looking for a workhorse or a dedicated adventure vehicle, perhaps the P-Series P300 might suit your needs better. But if you are in the market for a luxury lifestyle vehicle, we recommend you test-drive the GWM P500.
