GWM Tank 700 2024 Review – International

The 2024 GWM Tank 700 follows in the footsteps of the Tank 300 and Tank 500 off-road SUVs and is the Chinese brand’s apex 4x4 off-road SUV.

As such, the Tank 700 won’t come cheap if it gets the nod for Australia, with pricing in its home market starting at close to 428,000 yuan ($A91,375) – and heading north from there with higher-spec model grades.

With that in mind, the 700 is likely to command a hefty price tag if it comes to Australia – potentially mirroring Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series money, which is priced between $98,076 and $146,876 plus on-road costs.

However, given the premium levels of equipment on offer, it’s arguably more of a match for a Lexus LX or even a Range Rover, with power-adjustable, heated, cooled and massaging seats for front and rear occupants instantly raising eyebrows.

We tested Chinese-market production models and the quality of materials throughout is impressive, from the supple Nappa leather that covers the seats, doors and dashboard to the suede headlining and double-glazed 5mm-thick window glass.

All the controls and finishes have a premium feel, and smaller touches like the diamond-patterned leather sections on the front and rear seats, a digital clock on the dashboard (which is actually a tiny touch-screen!) and a crystal-topped gear lever show an impressive attention to detail.

A large 16.2-inch central touch-screen up front looks great, as does the 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and head-up display. Dual 50W wireless phone charging pads deliver faster-than-usual mobile device charging, while elevating the interior ambience further is a 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system and a regular-sized powered sunroof.

There’s plenty of razzle dazzle outside too, the big Tank brandishing a multifaceted polygon-inspired exterior design, rolling on 22-inch alloy wheels and featuring power-extending side steps, an electric winch and a full-size spare wheel mounted to the tailgate.

The hefty 700 is motivated by a 3.0-litre turbo-petrol V6 that forms the crux of a plug-in hybrid powertrain dubbed Hi4-T. Combined output from the Hi4-T petrol-electric system is 385kW and 800Nm, pumping through a nine-speed automatic transmission and mechanical four-wheel drive system.

The latter features a low-range transfer case for 4H and 4L mode plus three locking differentials – front, rear and centre.

The 700 has an 85-litre fuel tank, 12 drive/terrain modes and adjustable ride height, toggled from the driver’s seat thanks to the fitment of air suspension. Adaptive dampers are part of the package and our test vehicle also had the optional tow pack, which adds a European-style retractable trailer hook with a 2500kg towing capacity and an electric front winch with a 5600kg limit.

For the Australian market, a heavier-duty towing package should produce a higher capacity.

A 37kWh battery pack eats up boot space but enables a claimed 90km all-electric range (WLTC).

Given that Australia is GWM’s biggest export market (only Russia sells more vehicles due to a GWM car plant located there), and the fact that company executives are presently working on a business model to bring the Tank 700 Down Under, the flagship SUV could usher in a new era of luxury for Chinese imports.

If it gets the green light…

After driving the 2024 GWM Tank 700 briefly in Baoding, China, and spending several hours poring over the herculean vehicle, there’s several positives to talk about – first and foremost its physical presence.

Not unlike the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, this Chinese challenger is a big, boofy, blocky-looking machine and it matters not whether you love it, hate it or feel indifferent about the design, because it oozes authority and confidence.

Exaggerated wheel-arches, laser headlights modelled on Indonesia’s Mount Bromo and a jacked-up 250mm ride height add to its air of visual superiority. It has a 970mm wading depth (compared to the LandCruiser 300 Series’ 700mm) and reasonably sensible front and rear bumpers ensure 32-degree approach and departure angles, which bode well for rock-climbing.

Although we didn’t get to drive it off-road, wheel articulation and torque vectoring via the 4x4 system across staggered metal ramps was solid.

Perhaps most impressive element was the softness of the air suspension and shock absorbers, which deliver epic ride comfort and, in tough off-road conditions, should keep the wheels in contact with surfaces on tricky, uneven terrain.

GWM has also added a Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport-inspired electronically detachable stabiliser bar to top-spec model grades, which is the first time the Chinese brand has employed this tech and adds 60mm of extra wheel travel at the touch of the button, according to the car-maker.

We also like GWM’s seven-year warranty and it goes without saying that the lavish interior is another considerable positive, with excellent material quality throughout and relatively solid build quality from what we can tell.

Loaded up with five tall Aussies, all occupants felt comfortable and relaxed and the fitment of power reclining, heated, cooled AND massaging seats in the rear – as well as the front – is the icing the cake.

The updated infotainment system and touch-screen responds promptly to input and feels more advanced than early-model GWM Tank 300 and GWM Haval models, thanks to more powerful ECU processors and an updated ‘Coffee’ 2.0 operating system.

There are three – nay, four – elements that left us concerned after spending an afternoon with the 2024 GWM Tank 700, and the first is the powertrain.

Granted, the PHEV is smooth and refined but struggles to motivate the vehicle with any venom.

There’s no doubt the vehicle’s 3.1-tonne kerb weight is obscene, but 800Nm of torque should make it reasonably responsive. Yet it doesn’t feel that way. The claimed 5.6sec 0-100km/h acceleration time is optimistic, to put it bluntly.

Secondly, the air suspension is so soft that under heavy acceleration, braking and especially cornering the Tank 700’s body control was alarmingly loose. Fair dinkum, it rolls around like a dog with an itchy back.

We couldn’t decipher the drive mode settings on our Chinese-market vehicle, so it’s possible that the driver could make some adjustments to improve the Tank’s dynamic performance. If not, GWM Australia might have a fair amount of chassis recalibration to perform before the 700 launches here, presuming it’s given the green light.

The head of marketing and communications at GWM Australia and New Zealand, Steve Maciver, assured carsales that local testing was a key part of tailoring vehicles to different markets.

“We already do a lot of testing in Australia for new models,” he said.

“The launch of the two newest models that we’re seeing, Tank 500 and Cannon Alpha, is a perfect example of that; we've had camouflaged versions of those vehicles running about Australia for the last 12 months, with engineers looking at road conditions, chassis and suspension and steering.”

That’s good news given how floppy the Tank 700 feels, along with vague steering and lacklustre braking performance too.

The third major criticism is the boot. It’s rather small for such a large SUV and that’s chiefly because there’s a big lithium-ion battery tucked underneath. This elevates the boot floor considerably, in turn reducing cargo space.

The last thing to consider is the price. Granted, there’s no confirmation at this stage but $100,000-plus could be a bridge too far for the fledgling Chinese off-road Tank brand in Australia.

Further to that, the GWM Tank 700 isn’t a slam dunk conclusion for our market, and there are question marks around how it would be positioned alongside the Tank 500, which is a similar size, generously specified and considerably cheaper (starting from $73,990 drive-away).

The question of whether you should buy the 2024 GWM Tank 700 – or even put a deposit down for one – is still a moot point given official confirmation is still in limbo.

That said, our invitation to drive the Tank 700 at GWM’s gargantuan Baoding proving ground, where company executives made it clear they’re working on a profit-making business case for the Australian market, suggests the flagship SUV is a strong chance.

The Tank 700 delivers the sort of excessive luxury you’d expect on a private jet, build quality seems sound and if making an entrance and attracting attention is high on your shopping list, there aren’t many large luxury SUVs – this side of $200,000, at least – with such a compelling presence.

We’ll need to spend a lot more time with the Tank 700, both on-road and in off-road conditions, to make a conclusive assessment.

But even ignoring the chassis concerns, we’re sceptical whether there’s room in GWM Tank’s Aussie portfolio for another deluxe bush-basher.

2024 GWM Tank 700 at a glance:
Price: $100,000 est (drive-away)
Available: To be confirmed
Powertrain: 3.0-litre V6 turbo petrol-electric
Output: 265kW/560Nm (electric motor: 120kW/400Nm)
Combined output: 380kW/800Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Battery: 37kWh lithium-ion
Range: 90km (WLTC)
Energy consumption: To be confirmed
Fuel: 2.9L/100km (WLTC)
CO2: To be confirmed
Safety rating: Not tested