Overview
THERE actually isn’t a rival to the Toyota LandCruiser Prado – a minimum of not one that may present the identical stage of steadiness of on-road manners and off-road nouse.
Till now, a minimum of…
And whereas the GWM Tank 500 should earn lots of belief earlier than it’s thought-about a bona fide bush-bashing equal to certainly one of Toyota’s strongest-ever promoting ‘fourbies’, the Chinese language mannequin’s arrival is one which Toyota and its ilk ought to certainly take note of – the phase is now not a monopoly.
However earlier than we get into the nitty gritty of what it’s prefer to pilot the Tank 500 throughout a few of the gnarliest hearth tracks and rock gardens Victoria has to supply, let’s take a minute to see what it’s this $66,490 providing has to supply the adventurous Aussie household.
Obtainable in Lux and Extremely grades – the latter from $73,990 – the seven-seat Tank 500 is dimensionally bigger than its chief competitor, and as much as $13,500 cheaper.
There isn’t any diesel choice, the vary powered solely by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with hybrid help producing 255kW and 648Nm and driving all 4 wheels by way of a nine-speed automated. GWM says the providing is sweet for 8.5 litres per 100km on the ADR Mixed cycle.
By the use of a fast comparability, these numbers are 105kW and 148Nm greater than these produced by the two.8-litre turbo-diesel LandCruiser Prado whose gasoline economic system yard stick is a aggressive 7.9 litres per 100km.
The Tank 500’s two-speed switch case is managed by as many as 11 drive modes for traction over a big selection of surfaces. It provides the identical braked towing capability because the Prado, too, at 3000kg.
GWM’s claimed wading depth of 800mm is 100mm greater than Toyota permits for the Prado. Off-road geometry just isn’t far off that of the Prado at 30.0 levels method, 22.5 levels ramp over, and 24.0 levels departure. Bash plates and a rear diff lock are included as customary.
As customary, the Lux model of the GWM Tank 500 arrives with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, a sunroof, energy seat adjustment (driver), heated entrance seats, leatherette upholstery, a 360-degree digital camera system with see-through chassis view, tri-zone local weather management, and twin 14.6- and 12.3-inch infotainment and instrumentation shows.
Wi-fi Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto connectivity is fitted as customary.
The Tank 500 will probably be supplied in 4 paint colors – Crystal Black, Dune Gold, Marble White and Onyx Silver – with black upholstery on Lux grades. The high-spec Extremely will function a dual-tone blue and cream choice. Metallic paint is a $595 choice.
On the protection entrance, the Tank 500 is fitted with auto parking help, seven airbags, entrance and rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, lane hold help, lane centring management, emergency lane hold, ahead collision help and AEB (with pedestrian and bike owner detection), site visitors signal recognition, and adaptive cruise management.
GWM additionally provides a smartphone utility on the Tank 500 which permits house owners the power to open and shut the car’s home windows and sunroof remotely, and to verify the standing of and/or function the car’s locking system, local weather management, heated and air flow seats, lights, horn, and gasoline stage.
Homeowners will even have the ability to observe the car’s place by way of a built-in E-Fence mode.
Additional, and in providing what GWM Australia says is a “technique to assist new, higher-priced fashions”, the Chinese language model will embody its Care 777 package deal on the mannequin, combining a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre guarantee with seven years’ roadside help and seven-year capped-price servicing scheme.
Driving Impressions
Physique-on-frame SUVs are plentiful Down Below, although with the bulk being primarily based on dual-cab underpinnings, the extent of tech and tools is usually sorely missing.
As you might have observed above, that’s not the case with the GWM Tank 500. There may be loads of know-how and customary tools – although not all of it’s as helpful or as user-friendly because it could be.
As we’ve reported with various Chinese language-sourced automobiles in latest occasions, the calibration of assorted ADAS programs is at odds with Aussie driving circumstances.
Within the Tank 500, the lane protecting assistants and driver fatigue monitoring is especially intrusive, the latter to the purpose that it’s almost consistently warning of an absence of consideration – even when the motive force’s focus is immediately on the highway forward.
Mix this with a user-machine interface that’s not as slick as some and also you’ll admire our frustration. Positive, the programs may be switched off, however that type of defeats the aim. In our view, GWM (and others) must take a severe take a look at how the competitors operates and modify their very own programs accordingly.
Shifting previous that contentious concern and we’re happy to say the Tank 500 is an in any other case strong providing. Positive, it would really feel a bit heavy, however that ruggedness supplies spectacular stability on- and off highway, delivering a way of confidence that’s let down solely by the Giti-sourced freeway tyre’s lack of chew on unsealed surfaces.
We discovered the powertrain as much as the duty of hauling the Tank 500 together with relative ease and located gasoline consumption over our course to be not dissimilar to diesel-powered rivals. It delivers accessible torque for off-road work, too, and with broad gearing is rarely left brief when tackling steep grades or troublesome obstacles.
If we had been choosy, we’d need for a bit extra ‘punch’ when overtaking, the engine seemingly favouring city-speed efficiency than that of the open highway.
GWM wasn’t holding again in throwing its Tank 500 at some severe terrain, although. The paths chosen for the Australian media launch had been what I’d price as average to troublesome, the car tackling all with little fuss thanks partially to its smart clearance and geometry, and partially to its succesful low-range gearing and entrance and rear differential locks.
There are additionally respectable underbody bash plates, hill help features, and a number of other driving modes to help in off-road driving.
Trip high quality is about the place you’d count on a ladder-frame car to land, although we’d say the Tank 500 is barely extra supple than most. The double wishbone entrance and multi-link rear is properly composed and arduous to fault, the tuning barely firmer than the Toyota LandCruiser Prado, however softer than the Ford Everest, to make one such comparability.
We did, nonetheless, discover the wind rustle off the wing mirrors to disturb what was an in any other case quiet experience – the Tank 500 a naturally hushed car with few mechanical or highway noise interruptions.
The Tank 500 steers properly sufficient however could also be a bit gentle on really feel for some tastes. The electrically assisted rack does, nonetheless, make twirling the wheel a cinch in off-road terrain, the system backed by GWM’s Tank Flip perform (as demonstrated earlier on the Tank 300) for even sharper conditions off the overwhelmed path.
It’s a pity the brake pedal of the Tank 500 is mushy and poorly modulated, maybe providing an excessive amount of help too early for many conditions. It’s a difficulty we’re sure GWM will amend, the power of the corporate to tackle suggestions and ship enhancements one we’ve famous beforehand as excellent.
Tie this with an enviable stage of match and end all through – together with spectacular panel fitment and paint end – and the Tank 500 is a car we predict will elevate quite a lot of eyebrows Down Below.
Then, add that to GWM’s unequalled aftersales and guarantee assist and there are few causes to not give the Tank 500 a good shake.
Match a bull bar, a set of roof racks and a pair of sliders – and a set of respectable tyres – and we reckon the GWM Tank 500 will go nearly wherever the LandCruiser Prado can. Let’s see who’s up for the problem.
