GWM Tank 300 2021 Review

As we reported last week, GWM Australia is developing a business case to offer the GWM Tank 300 Down Under, and has high hopes that the rugged go-anywhere 4x4 off-roader will be available in dealerships next year.

There’s no definitive word on pricing at this stage, but the Tank 300 is all but certain to undercut its most obvious rival, the Jeep Wrangler, which starts from $52,750 plus on-road costs as a two-door, or $61,750 plus ORCs as a four-door.

GWM Australia has already made it clear the Tank would sit upstream of the new Haval H6 mid-size SUV, as well as the H6-based Haval Big Dog that’s also under consideration for our market, which therefore puts the bigger, off-road-equipped 300 at about $45,000 to $50,000 as a starting point.

The left-hand drive evaluation vehicle was packed to the gills with high-end features, including quality power-adjustable leather seats, a sunroof, large wireless phone charging pad, USB-A and C ports and a big central touch-screen joined to a digital instrument cluster.

There’s a definite Mercedes-Benz G-Class vibe inside, thanks to the familiar circular air vents and various rugged design cues including big grab handles front and rear.

After poking and prodding, flipping all the storage cubbies, pressing buttons and swivelling air vents, the Tank 300 doesn’t feel like a cheaper knock-off – even if it looks like it from the driver’s seat (and from the outside, of course).

Despite being around 120mm shorter than the circa-4880mm go-anywhere Jeep Wrangler, interior space is generous and the view from behind the wheel is impressive thanks to its raised 224mm ride height. However, that means it’s slightly lower than the Wrangler’s 232mm ground clearance.

Measuring 4760mm long, 1930mm wide and 1903mm tall, the 2021 Tank 300 has a 2750mm wheelbase, which is also shorter than the Wrangler’s 3008mm wheelbase.

It has a side-opening tailgate with decent boot space and an 80-litre fuel tank.

As per other GWM and Haval models sold in Australia, a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre factory warranty would be offered, along with roadside assistance.

Adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, front and rear parking sensors, LED headlights, a 360-degree parking camera and tyre pressure monitoring are all available on the 2021 GWM Tank 300.

The 360-degree surround parking cameras double as live off-road video feeds, which makes placing the vehicle and wheels where you want them a lot easier, and is particularly useful when cresting blind hills.

Off-road telemetry and data is also extensive, although the driver’s attention will naturally be trained on the path ahead in tricky situations. At least the passengers will appreciate it.

Australian versions would likely be kitted out with every conceivable option as standard and given a full complement of airbags, including head-protecting side curtain airbags.

Other safety systems available overseas include autonomous emergency braking (AEB), traffic sign recognition, traffic jam assist, and plenty more.

At this stage, the GWM Tank 300 would be offered at launch with the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine we tested here.

It generates 167kW at 5500rpm and 387Nm from 1800-3600rpm, and can accelerate the 2.1-tonne SUV from 0-100km/h in about 9.5 seconds. Official economy figures are hard to ascertain, but we’ve seen consumption rated at 9.3L/100km in China.

The Tank 300 has a 3000kg towing capacity that could be lifted to 3500kg if a diesel engine is offered, which GWM Australia has confirmed is a potential option for our market.

It’s understood the GWM Ute’s 2.0-litre turbo-diesel (120kW/400Nm) is unlikely for the Tank 300, with a higher-output 2.4-litre oil-burner (135kW/480Nm) more likely.

The petrol engine pumps through an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission and part-time four-wheel drive system.

We only drove the vehicle at slow speeds mostly in 4H across off-road obstacles, but the engine was up to the task of hauling the blocky Tank along boggy trails.

The Tank 300 is based on a shortened version of the steel ladder-frame chassis used in the GWM Ute and Haval H9, and picks up the same dual-range 4x4 system from Borg Warner, complete with 2H, 4H and 4L modes.

It features locking front and rear diffs, toggled via push buttons located next to the futuristic gear shifter, plus there’s hill descent and hill hold controls.

A drive mode selector dial with five settings is part of the package, too.

Employing a double-wishbone front and multi-link independent rear suspension, the 2021 GWM Tank 300 offers good wheel travel and articulation.

It easily accounted for a number of obstacles on our prepared off-road course, and there was never a moment when I thought: “I’ve cooked this.”

Aided by 224mm of ground clearance, and approach and departure angles of 33 and 34 degrees respectively, you can be fairly confident of getting into and out of some pretty tough terrain.

The Tank 300 has a predictable feel on a wide range of surfaces, including mud, and when one wheel loses contact with the ground it has no trouble working with few contact points to extricate itself.

A big part of this is due to the Cooper Discovery ATT tyres (265/65R17), which have a deeper tread pattern and are therefore better suited to off-roading than the road-biased tyres fitted to most SUVs today.

The Tank 300 is not going to put the Jeep Wrangler to shame, but it’s definitely a capable off-road 4x4 and not just a soft-roader with a butch body shell.

The GWM Tank 300 won’t win any awards for its original design, inside or out, but the blocky looks could still have broad appeal and as a 4x4 off-roader the model has merit.

Indeed, early impressions suggest the Tank can get pretty muddy, right out of the box.

While this short drive is far from comprehensive, it provides an interesting insight into how seriously GWM is taking the Australian new-vehicle marketplace.

As a hero model for the range, the Tank 300 makes a lot of sense and could deliver much-needed brand equity and visibility boosts for the Chinese auto giant in this country.

How much does the 2022 GWM Tank 300 cost?
Price: $48,990 estimated (drive-away)
Available: Late 2022 estimated
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 167kW/387Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: TBA
CO2: TBA
Safety rating: Not tested