Overview

IT WOULD be easy to dismiss the GWM Tank 300 Diesel as another variant and leave it at that.

And while on the surface that may appear true – the model offering identical styling, technology and accommodation as its hybrid sibling – the diesel-powered model is thoroughly reworked beneath the skin, offering towing and four-wheel drive buyers a substantial upgrade.

In fact, more than 20 changes have been made to the Tank 300 to ensure the model is fit for purpose.

These include beefier front suspension knuckles, a toughened rear differential casing, meatier wheel bearings, larger front brake rotors and callipers, reinforced tailshaft welding, and the inclusion of a dual-range part-time four-wheel drive system.

Those changes boost payload to 600kg (+200kg) and braked towing capacity to 3000kg (+500kg) over existing variants. The kerb weight of the vehicle is listed at 2280kg, GVM 2880kg, and GCM 5580kg. The vehicle offers a 12.0m turning circle and 75-litre fuel tank.

Up front, GWM’s 4D24-series turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder diesel (sourced from the Cannon and Cannon Alpha ute ranges) provides 135kW of power at 3600rpm and 480Nm of torque between 1500-2500rpm. GWM quotes a fuel consumption average of 7.8 litres per 100km and CO2 emissions of 221g per kilometre. Cruising range is listed at 950km.

The driveline still features a nine-speed automatic transmission, but with changes to driver-selectable modes to include variable traction and stability control, and throttle response, as part of the newly introduced Expert Mode. Water wading is a competitive 700mm and ground clearance 224mm. Approach and departure angles are listed at 33.0 and 34.0 degrees respectively with a break-over angle of 23.0 degrees.

Front and rear differential locks (grade dependent), crawl control, and Tank Turn mode add further features GWM says will help the diesel model to account for 50 per cent of Tank 300 sales moving forward.

Priced from $47,990 the model is only $2000 dearer than the petrol model in entry Lux format and $1000 dearer in flagship Ultra guise, while undercutting its hybrid counterparts by $3000 and $5000 respectively. The pricing is clearly competitive, resulting in the brand recording more than 100 orders of the diesel-powered Tank 300 in the first two weeks of availability.

A strong equipment list sees the Tank 300 Diesel Lux arrive as standard with faux leather upholstery, power adjustable front seats, 60:40 split-fold rear seats with adjustable recline, dual-zone climate control, LED ambient cabin lighting, front and cargo area 12-volt outlet, 17-inch alloy wheels (with full-size spare), a sunroof, privacy glass, auto LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, side steps, roof rails, keyless entry and ignition, and underbody impact protection.

Infotainment and connectivity features include a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation cluster, 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, native sat nav, DAB+ digital radio, voice control, front and rear seat USB outlets, and on-board telematics.

A connected app allows control over vehicle locking, climate control and heated/ventilated seats (where fitted), flashing the lights or sounding the horn, geo-fencing functions, open and closing the windows and sunroof, and fuel level and range monitoring. It also allows over-the-air software updates, with GWM saying it will add additional features down the track.

Safety equipment extends to seven airbags, front and rear parking sensors, 360-degree camera, tyre pressure monitoring, rear seat occupant reminder, hill start and hill descent assist, ISOXFIX (2) and top-tether (3) child seat anchorages, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition, driver fatigue monitoring, and more.

Stepping up to the Tank 300 Diesel Ultra we find a front differential lock (joining the rear differential lock offered on the Lux variant), Nappa leather accented upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, driver seat memory function, driver massage function, wireless device charging pad, a reading lamp, exterior mirror memory, addition chassis protection, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, and upgraded nine-speaker audio system.

Cargo space remains unchanged at 400 litres in five-seat mode, expanding to 1635 litres with the second row folded.

Colour choices are again familiar to those of the Tank 300 Hybrid, with Fossil Grey the only no-cost option. Lunar Red, Pearl White, Dusk Orange, and Crystal Black all attract a $595 surcharge.

As found elsewhere in the GWM portfolio, the Tank 300 Diesel is backed by a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre factory warranty with included 24/7 roadside assistance, and capped-price servicing. Service intervals and pricing were not available at the time of writing.

Driving Impressions

The slab-sided retro styling of the Tank 300 might suggest its rather primitive underneath – but nothing could be further from the truth. This is a thoroughly modern and well-finished vehicle that shames some of the big names of its class and is one that with a little fine tuning could become an unsung favourite of four-wheel drive enthusiasts.

For starters, it is an impressively capable vehicle with a spacious interior, loads of technology, and finally a diesel engine with the payload and towing capacity the vehicle deserved from the get-go.

The new engine is the obvious highlight of this update and is one we found offered accessible torque and generous pulling power. Sure, it might be little over-eager in its lower reaches, but the throttle may be tuned to address the issue, while the nine ratios and low-range gearing provide a cog for just about any situation.

Both on- and off-road the suspension is as compliant as one should expect from a four-wheel drive, the pitch and dive characteristics reminding us that this is a vehicle intended for articulation and travel away from the beaten path, and not a city-centric SUV. If you’re interested in exploring all the Tank 300 can offer, this is a trade-off you’re bound to appreciate.

Though you may wish to fit a better tyre… while the Michelin rubber fitted is indeed quiet and grippy on the black-top, it is a road-biased design. GWM would do well to offer a smaller wheel / larger A/T tyre combination as a no-cost option to give the Tank 300 the rubber it deserves.

We enjoyed the weighty steering and thick steering wheel rim and found the turning circle acceptable in most scenarios. Of course, the Tank 300 does offer its party-trick Tank Turn function for close-quarter manoeuvres, but with too many steps required to activate, we found you could make an Austin Powers of the situation and get on with your drive well before engaging the sequence.

GWM has done a ripper job of improving on the Tank 300’s ADAS nervousness, though the Tank 300 is still far from perfect in this regard. We found the lane keeping assist and driver attention monitoring rather uptight, and hope these issues will be seen to when the importer’s planned localisation program begins.

Of course, the all-wheel disc brakes are a welcomed inclusion with plenty of stopping power on steeper descents. Add to this superb low-range gearing, strong diesel engine braking, and smart hill-descent control and it’s obvious the Tank 300 has serious off-roading at its heart – and for far less than the price of its competition.

As a serious and similarly equipped alternative to the likes of the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited (from $89,450 plus on-road costs) and Toyota LandCruiser Prado Altitude (from $92,700 +ORC), or ute-based competitors like the Ford Everest Tremor (from $76,590 +ORC), Isuzu MU-X X-Terrain (from $67,990 +ORC), Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GSR (from $68,840 +ORC), and Toyota Fortuner Crusade (from $66,755 +ORC), the GWM Tank 300 Diesel is a four-wheel drive alternative you’d be silly to not take seriously.

Considering it is $20K cheaper than the least of the rivals listed above, the Tank 300 Diesel is an off-road bargain. Well-built, generously equipped, sufficiently warranted, comfortable, and impressively capable, there is very little not to like – and what we don’t we could certainly live with.