2024 Tank 700 review: Quick drive

After a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen for astir a 3rd of the price? Say hullo to the Tank 700.

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That’s astir apt unfair connected the Tank, fixed that it has its ain unsocial style, characteristics and off-road ability, nevertheless there’s nary denying that this, well, tank, is going to deed a sweetspot with galore buyers erstwhile it comes to Australia.

The nonstop pricing for the Tank 700 is yet to beryllium revealed, but converting the Chinese terms to AUD for the implicit basal exemplary (not the Launch Edition seen here) has it coming successful for the equivalent of astir $91,000.

Add immoderate costs for shipping and taxation, and it’s precise imaginable this volition beryllium priced either conscionable northbound oregon conscionable southbound of $100,000 – which would marque it the astir costly GWM merchandise to ever spell connected merchantability successful Australia.

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Is it adjacent coming? All indications are precise affirmative and it conscionable depends connected whether GWM Australia tin marque a beardown concern lawsuit and amusement that determination is capable request for a conveyance similar the Tank 700.

Funnily enough, this isn’t adjacent the implicit apical of the Tank scope – that would beryllium the upcoming Tank 800, which looks a batch similar it was inspired by the Rolls-Royce Cullinan. For present though, we are focused connected the Tank 700.

We had the accidental to spell for a precise speedy thrust successful the top-spec Hi4-T successful China past period fixed the Tank 700’s likelihood for our market, and our archetypal impressions were of genuine astonishment and delight.

For those unaware of the planetary positioning of the GWM brands, the Chinese OEM has its GWM Ute, which successful China is called Poer but takes the Cannon sanction locally. You past person Ora (which wears cute names similar Funky Cat oregon Ballet Cat successful China) and Tank.

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There is besides the premium Wei marque which sits connected the much luxurious broadside of things, and is shaping up to beryllium a contender for the likes of Genesis and Lexus successful the future. But, it’s inactive immoderate clip distant from making its debut successful Australia.

For present the Tank marque is the apical of the nutrient concatenation for GWM locally, and the 700 volition beryllium the halo of the Australian range. It’s inactive unclear whether the Tank 800 is connected the cards for aboriginal instauration Down Under.

The boxy signifier of the Tank 700 is hard to seizure successful photos, but this is simply a beauteous tough-looking SUV which comes successful astatine 5090mm agelong by 2061mm wide, and 1952mm successful height.

Depending connected the people and suspension setting, you tin person crushed clearance ranging from 249mm to 282mm, with 32 grade departure and attack angles. GWM claims the Tank 700 volition person a 900-970mm wading depth. depending connected variant.

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For comparison’s sake, the Tank 700’s wading extent is up to 70mm amended than that of the Land Rover Defender (900mm), 200-270mm much than that of the modular G-Wagen, and adjacent 50-120mm much than that of the electrical G-Wagen. Not bad.

The 2 variants presently disposable successful China are some powered by the aforesaid plug-in hybrid strategy which teams a turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol motor with a 37.1kWh lithium-ion battery.

It offers strategy outputs of 385kW and 800Nm, which runs done each 4 wheels via a 9-speed automatic transmission. The motor itself makes 265kW and 560Nm, portion the electrical centrifugal puts retired 120kW and 400Nm.

GWM doesn’t supply show oregon value figures for the Tank 700, but for comparison’s involvement the AMG G 63 offers 430kW and 850Nm; and portion it’s not ever just to straight comparison a plug-in hybrid’s combined powerfulness fig against a combustion-only powertrain, the Tank 700 isn’t expected to beryllium slow.

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That was surely our acquisition down the wheel. The Tank 700 is simply a spot of a beast and gets going with important propulsion – acold much than we anticipated. Surprisingly it besides stops and turns with much grace and power than we expect, and adjacent the thrust implicit the trial people astatine GWM’s designated R&D centre was good sorted.

Perhaps our expectations were low, oregon possibly the Tank 700 is an fantabulous performer; we request to person much clip with the car connected section roads to accidental for sure, but we were impressed regardless.

According to its specification sheet, the Tank 700 PHEV has a combined substance system fig of conscionable 2.97L/100km with a afloat battery, but expect that fig to beryllium astir 10.9L/100km if you are moving connected an bare battery.

GWM claims the Tank 700 tin tally astir 100km successful EV mode (90km for the top-spec mentation with bigger wheels) which means that astir Australians could thrust the Tank 700 arsenic a zero-emissions conveyance each time and complaint overnight astatine home, portion inactive having the payment of an ICE motor and substance vessel for longer drives and weekends away.

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The interior is besides beauteous impressive, and feels similar a merchandise that could easy vie with acold much costly European brands.

Fit and finish, the prime of materials and displays – including a 12.3-inch integer clump matched to the 16.2-inch infotainment strategy – truly assistance the compartment ambience. There’s adjacent a 7.0-inch show for rear passengers.

The diagnostic database is extensive, here’s immoderate highlights from the basal grade:

• Leather seats
• 256-colour ambient interior lighting
• Massage seats
• Heated, ventilated seats
• 12.3-inch integer instrumentality clump
• 16.2-inch infotainment surface
• Head-up show
• 7.0-inch rear power show (2nd row)
• Front USB x2 (Type A + Type C)
• Rear USB x2 (Type A + Type C)
• 16-speaker Harman Kardon audio
• Active Noise Cancellation
• Over the aerial (OTA) strategy updates
• 4-zone dependable designation
• Vehicle hotspot (Wi-Fi)
• Facial designation
• 360-degree presumption cameras
• Driver show system
• Electric aerial vent extortion liner successful suede
• Electric sunroof
• Multifunction leather steering wheel
• 4-way electrical steering instrumentality adjust
• Wireless telephone chargers x2

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Some of the features disposable connected higher grades see laser headlights, GWM’s self-driving road system, and 22-inch alloy wheels shod successful 275/50 R22 tyres, amongst different things.

Overall, there’s a batch to digest here; but our clip sitting successful the GWM Tank 700 arsenic good arsenic our speedy thrust programme tells america that this Chinese off-roader surely has a batch of potential.

If GWM tin get the terms positioning right; a beardown equilibrium of design, performance, susceptible off-roading capability, arsenic good arsenic the brand’s agelong seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, GWM should surely beryllium capable to entice buyers into having a precise bully look astatine the Tank 700.

Share your thoughts with america successful the comments!