New GWM Tank 300 arrives with 2500kg towing

GWM Haval Australia has announced full Australian pricing for the 2023 GWM Tank 300, a cut-price competitor for the Jeep Wrangler and Land Rover Defender from the Chinese brand.

The all-new mid-size off-road SUV will be available here in two hybrid variants, making the Tank 300 the first affordable ladder-frame hybrid SUV, although a cheaper non-hybrid version could join the range later on.

Available to order now before first customer deliveries take place by the end of this year, the GWM Tank 300 is priced from $55,990 drive-away for the entry-level Lux Hybrid, with the Ultra Hybrid flagship priced $5000 higher at $60,990 drive-away.

Those prices are higher than the expected sub-$50K starting point, but make the Tank 300 significantly cheaper than its only logical rivals like the Wrangler and Defender, which are now priced from $83,950 and $81,950 plus on-road costs respectively.

Launched in China with huge success in late 2020 and based on GWM’s global off-road platform, the five-door/five-seat Tank 300 wagon is a proper off-roader offering ground clearance of 224mm, a 33-degree approach angle, 34-degree departure angle and 700mm wading depth.

There’s also the same switchable Torque On Demand 4WD system as the GWM Ute, including low-range and a rear diff lock as standard for the base Lux, with an additional front diff lock for the premium Ultra.

There’s also a Tank Turn function that locks the rear diff to reduce the turning circle by about one metre, but hard-core accessories produced by China’s largest aftermarket supplier Tunliang won’t be officially offered in Australia.

The Tank 300, which is expected to be joined in Australian showrooms by the larger, Toyota Prado-sized Tank 500 in the second half of 2023, measures 4760mm long, 1930mm wide and 1903mm, and rides on a 2750mm wheelbase.

That makes it one of the largest models in the mid-size SUV class, but 120mm shorter overall and 250mm shorter in wheelbase than the Wrangler, although it’s 40mm wider and 75mm taller.

The Tank 300 also offers a towing capacity of 2500kg, again putting it at the top of the medium SUV class (and also bettering the petrol V6-only Wrangler’s 2495kg), but falling short of large off-road SUVs like the Prado.

From launch, instead of the diesel engine available in China, both Tank 300 variants will come as standard with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol-electric powertrain and a nine-speed ‘Hybrid Automatic Transmission’.

The petrol engine produces 180kW of power over 5500-6000rpm and 380Nm of torque from 1700-4000rpm, while an electric motor serves up an additional 78kW/268Nm.

In China, total outputs of 224kW/640Nm and combined fuel consumption of about 10.L/100km are listed for the HEV.

The Tank 300 brings the number of NEV (New Energy Vehicle) models available from GWM Haval Australia to three, including the GWM Haval Jolion Hybrid and the GWM Haval H6 Hybrid, which won’t be joined here by the conceptually similar Haval Big Dog medium SUV any time soon.

The GWM Tank 300 is available in five exterior colours (Lunar Red, Hamilton White, Dusk Orange, Fossil Grey and Crystal Black) and like all GWM vehicles is backed by a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and five-year roadside assistance and capped-price service programs.

First media drives of the all-new Tank 300 will take place in late January.

Standard Lux equipment:

Standard Ultra equipment (in addition to Lux):