Great Wall Motors has burst onto the scene in a big way in the Limestone Coast, bringing a massive selection of vehicles to the market.
The latest SUV in the GWM stable – the Tank 300 – has been labelled as the perfect combination of luxury vehicle equipped with impressive comfort and technology – and they’re not wrong!
Available in Lux and Ultra trim in both petrol, hybrid and diesel variants, there truly is a Tank for everyone.
OGR GWM recently handed over the keys to the top of the line Tank 300 Ultra Petrol for us to put it through its paces, but this little number had a handful of spicey additions which make the already stylish SUV stand out even more from the crowd, and it really does look the business!
On the outside the squared-off body work is framed by rugged flat-black fender flares, bumpers and side steps showing the Tank 300 is ready for the great outdoors, while LED headlights and tail lights help ensure other road users can get a glimpse of the SUV in all its glory no matter the conditions.
From factory the Tank 300 Ultra is equipped with 18-inch chrome alloy wheels, but OGR has showcased just what they can do to enhance the GWM even further with a trail-ready look through the addition of ROH Assault wheels, chunky Toyo Tyres, a tow bar and colour-coded Ironman bullbar with integrated light bar and yellow foglights – something owners can equip their own GWM Tank with and have it specced-up ready to go right off the showroom floor.
Colour wise the Tank 300 range is available in Fossil Grey, Crystal Black, Lunar Red and Dusk Orange, but there is no denying just how classy the Pearl White looks under the sunlight!
While some-what small in stature, this Tank 300’s 2.0-litre turbocharged engine punches out 162kW of power and 380Nm of torque and puts power to the ground through an 8-speed transmission and 4WD driveline and boasts a front and rear differential lock as well as all-terrain mode selection and crawl control.
It’s also no slouch in the towing department, with the petrol and hybrid variants equipped with a 2.5-tonne towing capacity, with diesel variants stepping this up even further to 3-tonne, which is extremely impressive.
While on the outside it looks fantastic, often off-road inspired SUVs have great looks and performance specifications, but leave owners wanting more in the interior department – but not the Tank 300!
Open the door and hop inside and you’ll find a panoramic display of dual 12.3-inch units to highlight your engine and vehicle vitals as well as infotainment settings, with audio played through a high-quality nine-speaker Infinity sound system.
The infotainment screen also doubles as a 360-degree camera display on Ultra models and by-crikey is this impressive! No matter the car park or trail your own the around view monitoring can be maneuvered to see just how far away – or close – you are to obstacles in high definition glory.
There’s also all the bells and whistles you could ask for including Android Auto and Apple Carplay, heated seats, tyre pressure monitoring, climate control, USB-C charging ports and a wireless charging pad that works with chunky protective cases, but what I found to be a lasting impression was the feel of the air-vents.
This may sound silly, but the way they feel in your hands leaves you knowing the designers have put through into every aspect of the car and they just feel solid in your hand with a high-quality finish.
The ambient lighting is also adjustable and looks fantastic scatted throughout the cabin from the door cards and dashboard right down to the air vent knobs.
This high-quality touch is also evident when closing the door.
Again, it may sound silly, but when you hear that solid thud behind you it makes you recognise the Tank 300 is built to a high-quality standard.
This continues through to the bonnet struts and the way the rear door feels when opening and closing.
It really is the little things that GWM has added to give owners that something extra which can often be forgotten by larger players.
On paper the Tank 300 is a great little number, and when putting it to the test in real-world conditions it also excels.
The drive is excellent, the throttle response is sharp, steering is light, yet firm at the same time.
The road noise is practically non-existent even with the aftermarket addition of the chunky Toyo tyres and its planted firmly on the road surface with it’s all-paw driveline.
There’s plenty more that could be said about the Tank 300, but the best way to learn more is to experience it for yourself and chat to the team at OGR GWM at 132-138 Jubilee Highway West, Mount Gambier or contact the dealership on 8724 1111.
