FIRST DRIVE: GWM takes on the big boys with luxurious Tank 500

GWM is taking on the big boys with its new Tank 500, which it has launched in SA as a competitor to large executive 4x4 SUVs with long-running reputations.

The Chinese seven-seater goes up against the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and Ford Everest in the family adventure vehicle segment, in a single high-specification hybrid model for R1,222,900. It includes a seven-year/200,000km warranty, five-year/75,000km service plan and eight-year/150,000km battery pack warranty. 

The Tank 500 is SA’s most expensive Chinese passenger vehicle and has its work cut out to poach buyers from legacy brands. But the GWM group is no newcomer and earned renown for its Haval SUVs over the past few years, while the Tank is the company’s new luxury sub-brand.

The Tank 500, larger than the Tank 300 five-seater SUV launched in SA earlier this year, offers something different to buyers in that it is a hybrid vehicle in a diesel-dominated segment, though that isn’t necessarily an advantage — a point we’ll explore in a moment.

The Tank 500’s main selling point is that it offers more features than similarly priced rivals from Ford and Toyota.

Under a bold and boxy facade extravagantly adorned with decorative chrome, the vehicle is bursting with luxuries such as a fully digital instrument cluster, customisable ambient lighting, 12-speaker Infinity sound system, head-up display, 360º view camera, panoramic sunroof, automatic side steps, wireless charging pad and a steering column electronically adjustable for height and reach.

All three rows of Nappa leather accented seats are electrically adjustable with heating and ventilation for the first two rows, while the driver and front passenger seats have massaging functions. Second-row passengers are able to adjust the recline of the seat backs and increase legroom by sliding the seats backwards if there are no third-row passengers. The third-row seats, which are ideally sized for children, but can take adults at a push, can be folded or raised electronically. All three rows have climate control and charging points.

Boot space is a generous 795l with the third row of seats folded and 1,459l with both back rows of seats folded flat.

With a five-star Australasian NCAP safety rating, the Tank 500 has active driver aids including auto emergency braking, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, rear collision warning, lane keep assist and automatic intelligent parking.

In addition to all the bells and whistles the Tank 500 brings new levels of interior opulence to the GWM family. The spacious cabin is lavishly decked out in soft-touch surfaces, metallic garnishes and wooden panels for a premium ambience. A star theme lit dashboard panel is ahead of the front passenger and the ambient lighting can be set to the rhythm of music from the sound system.

The high resolution 14.6-inch infotainment screen is enormous and offers wireless connection to Android and Apple phones. To help minimise driver distraction, not everything is in the digital menu and there are quick-access physical buttons on the dashboard and steering wheel.

The luxuriant cabin perches on a rugged ladder-frame chassis, and the SUV has robust off-road capabilities enhanced by all-wheel drive with front and rear diff locks, a low-range transfer case and terrain driving modes including snow, sand and rock.

We didn’t do any hardcore off-roading at the Tank 500’s launch in the Western Cape last week, but the generous 224mm ground clearance and all-wheel drive traction proved their worth in a traverse of the Swartberg Pass, a steep and scenic gravel road between Oudtshoorn and Prince Albert.

The burly SUV felt solid over bumpy turf with a relatively comfortable ride on 20-inch alloy wheels, and for its size the 5,078mm-long vehicle didn’t feel intimidating to drive thanks to light steering and good visibility. In off-road driving and parking the latter is assisted by a “see through” chassis displayed on the infotainment screen.

The tall-riding vehicle displayed some typical body roll characteristics of a large SUV through fast corners without feeling clumsy.

Power-wise there is no cause for complaint. The Tank 500 whisked through the Karoo at an effortless lope, powered by a 2.0l turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine mated to an electric motor for total outputs of 255kW and 648Nm. Gearshifts in the nine-speed auto are swift and smooth, and it is a refined vehicle that cocoons occupants in a well-muted setting.

The weak point was the test car’s fuel consumption, which averaged 13l /100km — considerably more than the factory-claimed 8.5l. However, the route did not include much urban driving, where the Tank 500 may have proven more frugal with its ability to crawl along at low speeds on electric power.

The high thirst could be a sticking point for buyers, and so too the lavish exterior chrome, which may be a bit gaudy for local tastes. Those issues aside, the Tank 500 may be worth a test drive for families seeking a luxurious adventure SUV that spares no spec.