2023 GWM Tank 300 Review | Chinese Jeep Wrangler rival is cheaper and safer, but how about off-road?
2023 GWM Tank 300 Review | Chinese Jeep Wrangler rival is cheaper and safer, but how about off-road?
Can ultra-sharp drive-away pricing, genuine off-road capability and a huge equipment list shake up the 4x4 adventure segment? 👉 Full Review: https://www.carsales.com.au/editorial…
The 2023 GWM Tank 300 is China’s answer to the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco, and it borrows a little bit of both off-roaders in its design.
It also marks the Australian launch of the GWM Tank brand, which will exclusively sell adventure-ready 4x4s, begging the question: is the GWM Tank 300 a proper off-roader?
Based on a rugged ladder frame and incorporating a proper 4x4 system with front and rear locking diffs, plus low-range gear ratios and reasonable ground clearance, the GWM Tank 300 is powered by a torquey 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine matched to an eight-speed auto.
It’s also much cheaper – as well as safer and higher-tech – than the Wrangler, but a snappy spec sheet doesn’t always translate to a cohesive car in the real world, so when the going gets tough can the Tank get going?
We put the blocky new Chinese 4x4 wagon to the test – both on- and off-road – to see whether it’s the real deal, or just a raw deal. Hit play on the video to see what Feann Torr thought of the new off-roader.
Fast Forward
00:00 Intro
01:06 Pricing and specs
04:02 Interior review
07:32 Passenger space
08:02 Luggage space
08:55 On the road
11:25 Fuel Economy
11:42 Off road
13:52 Verdict
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Content
0 -> The all new GWM
5.7 -> Tank 300 has finally arrived in Australia. While
it might look like the love child of a bizarre
13.08 -> three-way between a Suzuki Jimny, a Jeep Wrangler,
and maybe a Ford Bronco, this Chinese mud slinger
19.92 -> backs up its chunky design with a proper ladder
frame, low range and front and rear-locking diffs.
26.64 -> Plus, it's got a starting price of less than
$50,000, drive away. We've had a brief taste
33.78 -> of this car previously in controlled conditions,
but now we're free to roam and we're keen to see
39.84 -> how it fares on our favourite stomping ground
and to check out the value equation, now we
44.46 -> know the price. And what's your take? Would you
consider a budget Chinese off-roader like this?
50.64 -> Have your say in the comments below and don't
forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel.
55.08 -> The GWM Tank 300 starts at $46,990, drive
away, making it one of the most affordable
73.98 -> four-by-fours in Australia. In fact, the only
large off-road SUV that's cheaper is the new
80.34 -> six-seat Mahindra Scorpio. And although the tank
300 only has five seats, it's a bigger vehicle.
86.28 -> We're testing the non-hybrid top spec ultra model
here, fitted with loads of premium equipment.
93.48 -> It's a brazen move using the tank name because
well, if it ain't built like one, it's going
98.76 -> to turn into a public relations disaster. And
it's impossible to know what it will be like
104.22 -> in the long-term in regards to reliability,
but it does come with a seven-year unlimited
109.2 -> kilometer warranty and five years roadside assist,
which should add a little bit of reassurance.
115.62 -> This vehicle's closest rival is probably the
Jeep Wrangler, which starts at $81,450. And
123.06 -> before you jump to conclusions, bear in mind the
Tank 300 is not just an empty shell, pretending
128.34 -> to be a four-by-four Wrangler lookalike. It's got
plenty of off-road governs, including front and
134.16 -> rear diff locks, a dual range transfer case,
decent ground clearance and generous approach
139.38 -> and departure angles. Here we have a fairly
conventional turbo petrol combustion engine,
145.2 -> which pumps out pretty decent power and torque
for its size. There is a turbo diesel engine
150.78 -> available in China but not Australia. And it's
also going to be interesting to see if Aussie
156.96 -> after-market companies get behind a vehicle like
this with a whole bunch of accessories. There
161.88 -> is a stack load already available in China
from China's biggest four-by-four supplier,
170.58 -> Yunliang. So there's no reason why I
couldn't see a whole bunch of accessories
175.44 -> being developed for a vehicle like this.
I don't know about you, but when I look at
181.14 -> this tank, I'm seeing a lot of Jeep Wrangler DNA
in that boxy shape, those flared wheel arches, and
187.26 -> there's a bit of Suzuki Jimny around the grill,
and the headlights, they are dead ringers for the
192.72 -> Ford Broncos. But the almost 4.8 meter long four
by four is still a striking vehicle, especially
199.26 -> in this dusk orange colour. And it has plenty of
practical extras like underbody protection, front,
205.74 -> middle and rear recovery hooks for and aft, 224
millimeters of ground clearance and approach and
213.18 -> departure angles of 33 degrees and 34 degrees.
Wading depth is rated at 700 millimetres and you
220.02 -> also get black roof rails, wheel arch protection,
side steps with steel spines and a full size spare
227.76 -> tire slung on the rear tailgate, but one of
the most important elements, all terrain tires,
232.86 -> are missing. Instead, you get these road-based
Michelin Primacy SUV rubbers. We'll soon see if
239.1 -> they're a weak link when we take it off-road.
While the
246.78 -> exterior has a distinctly rugged American look,
the interior couldn't be more different. It's more
257.52 -> luxurious, it's more highbrow and it's quite
European. In fact, I'd go as far to say it is
264.12 -> very, very similar to the Mercedes G Wagon. Look
at the Jesus handle here, the air vents, the black
272.94 -> and white motif and stitching on the seats, the
patterning on the door cars, it all gives off a
279.42 -> very pungent swabby and musk. Material quality
in the cabin ranges from lavish to low cost.
285.42 -> The Napa leather accented seat upholstery door
inserts and dashboard toppers are highlights.
291.66 -> While some of the plastics around the air
vent and on the middle dash are pretty crummy,
296.82 -> but the power operated front seats are comfy and
supportive. They're quite wide and welcoming and
303.72 -> the leather quality is surprisingly good as
well. Plus they're heated and cooled, a nice
309.96 -> luxury feature and is even a massage function.
But to call it a massage function is probably
317.04 -> being economical with the truth because basically
it's the lumbar adjuster, moves it up and down
321.6 -> in and out. It's more like being massaged by
a bag of rice or a sea breeze or something.
327.06 -> There's a rather nice nine-speaker infinity
audio system and the twin 12.3 inch screens
333.06 -> look awesome, adding a nice dollop of technology.
They offer way more functions and options than
338.88 -> you'll ever need. There's no head-up display and
the driver's display is pretty busy. The numerical
344.58 -> rev counter will take some getting used to
and a simple mode with less data swirling
349.02 -> around would have been nice. Before I go any
further, I have to show you the key fob. It is
354.54 -> absolutely beautiful. It's like something out
of a star ship. It feels good, it looks good,
359.34 -> but I also just realized there's no hook to
hook your keys onto and so I'm torn. I love it,
367.26 -> but I don't like the fact you can't...
Anyway, let's check out the storage solutions.
371.52 -> Under here you've got a large central bin with
a little port here that allows you to pump the
377.1 -> air conditioning through and it acts like a
chilly bin so you can cool down your drinks
380.1 -> or whatever. There's a sliding section here
revealing two cup holders. You've got a large
385.32 -> wireless phone charger, which I love. It's great.
Two USB ports, USB-A and -C, a 12-port socket,
392.34 -> and you've got a USB-A up here for dash cams,
which is cool. But you can see where they've cut
398.34 -> corners a little bit. You've got all this exposed
area along here that might fill up with dust,
402.66 -> and this section here is a factory fitted
Huntsman spider hidey hole, no doubt about it.
408.66 -> You get a cool top gun style aviation gear
shifter and check out all the off-road tech.
415.08 -> You've got dual range, four wheel drive settings,
high and low, plus two wheel drive low for regular
419.94 -> driving, five terrain settings, hill descent
control plus, locking front and rear diffs.
425.76 -> Not to mention several external camera
views and general drive mode settings.
430.8 -> I really like what GWM has done with the
climate controls here and here. They're
435.3 -> all hard buttons. You don't have to drill
through the menus to do anything and it's
438.9 -> all simple and straightforward. And little
touches, you've got an analog clock here and
444.36 -> the whole cabin, it's got plenty of room,
it's nicely finished, it's well-equipped.
449.58 -> I quite like what they've done here.
I really like this, grab handle, side steps.
455.34 -> Getting into this high riding car is super easy
and guess what? It's really good back here too.
460.74 -> Loads of legroom, heaps of headroom, and this
leather again is really quite nice. All the usual
468.24 -> stuff's there. Fold out armrest with cup holders,
air vents, twin USB-A ports, extra grab handles,
475.68 -> reading lights and all the provisions for your
child's seat anchorages too. Yeah, pretty good.
482.58 -> The side opening tailgate reveals a little bit of
amenity. You've got a plastic pocket here, some
487.92 -> bag holders, but check this out. This little step
allows good access to loading stuff on the roof
493.98 -> rails, but the boot, not as big as I expected.
Amenity is good though with an LED light, a 12
500.82 -> volt socket and a 220 volt power point, not to
mention six tie-down hooks with two high mounts.
507.12 -> Folding down the rear seats, liberates more
room as well, and I like the fact they fold
511.74 -> fully flat. There's also a lock on the tailgate's
gas strut to keep it jammed open, which is good if
517.32 -> it's windy or you're on a slope. The interior
has some real highlights, but it lacks polish
522.48 -> in a lot of areas as well. Will the same be
true on and off-road? Cue the driving music.
542.04 -> Compared to the Wrangler, there is way less tire
noise and that's because it's not riding on all
547.44 -> terrains, but it's generally a pretty quiet
vehicle. There is a little bit of wind noise
552.78 -> around those upright windows and the mirrors, but
overall it's not too bad. I think what they've
559.26 -> done here is they've decided to make an easygoing,
easy-to-drive vehicle and I could commute in this
566.34 -> every day of the week, no drama. And I also
really like that commanding view of the road.
571.98 -> It's a bit good. The powertrain is best described
as in inoffensive. The two-liter turbo engine is
579.6 -> responsive, but it lacks low end grunt and the
car's 2,155 kilogram curb weight, means standing
586.8 -> starts are fairly tame. It generates sufficient
mid-range thrust to provide decent acceleration
593.16 -> on country roads, which is pretty good considering
its chubby mass. The engine is smooth and refined
599.58 -> and it revs cleanly to higher speeds. And while
the acoustics don't really match its tough image,
607.68 -> I reckon I've heard toys that sound better
than this. It is a pretty solid all-rounder.
613.32 -> It feels like a pretty flexible engine.
Ride comfort is good and the big rig with
619.08 -> its agricultural ute underpinnings absorbs
potholes easily and takes corrugations in
624.78 -> its stride. The steering is quite light, which is
great in the burbs, but on open roads like this,
632.4 -> it's almost too sensitive. I find myself
having to make a few micro adjustments to
638.88 -> keep it in the center of the lane. Not a huge
fan of that. And the handling dynamics too,
644.82 -> pretty much what you'd expect, average. This
vehicle is designed for off-roading, not
650.82 -> slamming through hairpins at full speed. There's
a fair bit of body roll. It lists and leans when
657.96 -> you're going through the corners and it's the
sort of car you want to approach tight corners
665.34 -> fairly gingerly. You don't want to hack in
with full speed. And like other GWM products
672.54 -> we've sampled recently, the calibration
of driver assistance systems needs work.
677.58 -> The auto steering systems pinball the car from
side to side sometimes, but the adaptive cruise
683.16 -> control is pretty smooth. Fuel efficiency is
claimed at 9.5 liters per hundred kilometers,
688.74 -> but the best we could manage was
12.9 liters per hundred kilometers.
694.08 -> It's not terrible for a car of this size,
shape, and weight, but it's not great either.
709.98 -> Now it's time to take it off-road and this
ain't too bad. It's not too shabby that 224
720.36 -> mils of ground clearance is not class-leading.
And there have been a couple of really minor
727.74 -> kisses and scrapes, but overall it feels
fairly capable. I'm not getting a sense of,
736.56 -> "Oh, maybe I should back off. Maybe
I shouldn't approach this section."
741.06 -> It feels pretty good. Oh, shit. All right,
now I've stumped it. This ain't moving. I'll
749.64 -> chuck it in four low, still no dice. Must have
a wheel half cocked in the air. Let's lock the
755.34 -> front and rear diffs and see if that helps. Okay,
almost blasted myself into orbit. That's better.
762.84 -> The four-by-four system works rather well
generating plenty of purchase and splitting torque
767.7 -> wisely between the axles. The coil sprung double
wishbone front and live rear axle suspension
773.16 -> also delivered decent wheel articulation,
which does help on the challenging terrain.
778.86 -> All right, get through this water crossing
and let's see how it goes up this hill climb.
790.68 -> Well, it is fairly dry. I thought this
clay surface would be a little bit damper
796.5 -> and it absolutely walked up there, so no problem
with the tires thus far. And we're still in four
804.6 -> high and we haven't locked any diffs yet. That's
impressive. That's a good full wheel drive system
810.36 -> and the suspension too, it's doing a great job
rolling over the various undulations. The engine
817.68 -> torque does a pretty good job propelling it uphill
and in four low, throttle modulation is smooth and
823.8 -> steady. Sure there's a limit to what these tires
can do, but the tank's platform architecture and
829.56 -> four-by-four system deliver solid results right
out of the box. A pair of proper hiking boots
835.5 -> would make this vehicle so much more effective,
but as it stands, it's a capable and confident
842.7 -> bush basher. In fact, it's performed way better
than expected on-road and especially off-road.
851.28 -> As the opening salvo in GWM tanks, Aussie
Assault, the 300 hits its target. Mostly.
858.6 -> It might look like a wrangler and knockoff,
but it's actually a very presentable,
862.14 -> capable and versatile four-by-four. Simply
put, it represents very good value for money.
868.92 -> Granted, it's far from perfect and has
rough edges in several different areas,
873.24 -> but overall, I'm pleasantly surprised
with what the GWM Tank 300 delivers.
879.3 -> Now stay tuned to our YouTube channel for more
in-depth tank reviews, and we're going to do some
884.4 -> comparisons against its key rivals, which should
be very, very interesting. Thanks for watching.
890.52 -> Don't forget to subscribe to our channel. Send
us a comment, and like and stay beautiful.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSM5O17lXiU