Overview

It's not every day a new engine comes along, especially in a car world fast rushing towards electric motors and batteries.

But there’s logic to GWM’s move to upsize and shun batteries altogether with its new 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel for the Tank 500 and Cannon Alpha.

For this first test we sampled it in the Tank 500, GWM’s large SUV that is trying to muscle in on the rough road turf dominated by the likes of the Toyota LandCruiser and Nissan Patrol.

To some extent the Tank 500 has gained the engine plenty of Australian buyers were waiting for: a larger capacity turbo diesel, known internally as the GW4F30.

GWM points out that while the off-road and towing market is increasingly open to plug-in hybrids - something it also offers in the Tank 500 - diesel still dominates.

The new 3.0-litre makes 170kW and 620Nm, the latter sustained from 1400rpm to 2400rpm, and drives through a nine-speed automatic.

GWM claims 7.1L/100km, a figure that’s low enough to mean no requirement for AdBlue to lower the exhaust emissions.

The diesel replaces the hybrid Tank 500 sold locally, while the Tank 500 Ultra plug-in hybrid continues at $79,990 drive-away.

Two diesel variants are offered. The Lux is $65,990 drive-away and the Vanta tested here is $71,990

Premium paint is a $595 option across Onyx Silver, Crystal Black and Dune Gold, with Marble White the no-cost choice.

While GWM is clearly happy to steal sales from any big name rival - Toyota, Isuzu, Mazda and others are all in the mix - it’s clear the Ford Everest is front and centre on the hit list.

The Everest’s V6 diesel makes 184kW and 600Nm.

GWM also wouldn’t mind convincing people to consider then Tank over a LandCruiser, although its 3.3-litre V6 diesel outmuscles the Chinese contender with 227kW and 700Nm.

Price wise, though, the Tank 500 has the upper hand.

The most affordable Everest V6 is $66,990 plus on-road costs and the Platinum that is closest to the Tank 500 Vanta on equipment is $83,417 plus on-roads.

In the LandCruiser world prices range from $99,270 to $147,840.

Crucially, the 3.0 Tank 500 is a seven-seater (the PHEV has only five seats).

Braked towing capacity is 3500kg, a first for the Tank 500, and there's a factory-fitted trailer brake controller, a towing drive mode and a dynamic trailer rear-view system exclusive to the 3.0TD.

Underneath is part-time 4x4 with a low-range transfer case and front and rear differential locks, plus Tank Turn Assist and crawl control. Wading depth is 800mm, ground clearance 220mm, and the approach, break over and departure angles are 28.5, 22 and 25 degrees.

Suspension is double wishbone coil-sprung up front with a multi-link live rear axle.

The Vanta's headline feature is fuel capacity.

It pairs a 78-litre main tank with a 53-litre auxiliary tank for 131 litres all up, where the Lux makes do with 78 litres.

GWM says that's enough to drive from Sydney to Melbourne and back without refuelling; the bigger benefit is arguably for those towing or travelling in remote areas.

The trade-off is weight and payload. Kerb weight climbs to 2705kg and payload drops to 690kg, against 2635kg and 760kg for the Lux.

Standard Vanta equipment is generous and also incorporates black highlights, including the grille, roof rails and retractable side steps, plus there are red brake callipers, 19-inch wheels wearing Continental tyres and a panoramic sunroof.

Inside there's Nappa leather-accented seating, a heated steering wheel, heated and cooled front seats with massaging and memory functions, ventilated second-row seats, electric folding third-row seats, second-row window shades, active noise cancelling, 64-colour ambient lighting, a head-up display and a 12-speaker audio system.

Both grades get a 14.6-inch touchscreen, a 12.3-inch driver display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, paddle shifters and a comprehensive safety suite including seven airbags, auto braking, blind spot monitoring, traffic jam assist and a reversing camera with trailer view (that camera functionality, along with some of the safety systems, has been tuned locally for Australian conditions and usage).

Drive impressions

The engine is the story here, and on paper it's a solid one.

There's more torque than a Ford Ranger or Everest V6 and, by diesel standards, it's a relatively smooth thing.

It’s not far off on power, although torque is where it’s at for heavy four-wheel drives (and the Tank is heavy).

It feels stout in the real world, too. There's plenty of shove from around 1500rpm to 2000rpm, which is exactly where you spend most of your time in something this size.

The nine-speed auto slices between ratios quickly, giving the Tank 500 a more urgent feel than the outputs alone suggest.

That said, it’s not quick, especially when lined up against PHEVs

Instead, it's a good solid engine that does a decent job of delivering on exactly the attributes those looking for a workhorse turbo diesel are chasing.

What you can't escape is the Tank 500's heft. At more than 2.7 tonnes in Vanta guise it feels heavy, and the ladder-frame architecture brings the body movement and some lean through corners that come with the territory.

The local AT-1 tuning work has clearly paid off, though. The suspension feels settled, and there's a composure to the way it deals with bumps that you don't always get in this class.

It's no magic carpet ride, and there's some ladder-frame shudder over bumps, but it's respectable for a body-on-frame seven-seater.

Driver assistance systems are relatively well tuned, although the lane centring is occasional too eager to take over.

Off-road hardware is comprehensive. Low range is joined by locking front and rear differentials where most rivals in this class make do with a rear locker alone.

With four-wheel drive engaged - essentially locking the centre diff as well - it makes for supreme traction that’s only limited by tyre grip (as with most off-roaders, the standard tyres are very much on-road focused).

There's also a tight-turn function, a 360-degree camera and off-road cruise control that maintains a set speed up and down hills, with speed adjustable across via the cruise control toggle on the steering wheel.

The 3.0TD runs a part-time 4x4 system, so there's no on-road four-wheel driving, as you can in the Everest or LandCruiser.

Inside, GWM has put in serious effort for a genuinely upmarket look and feel.

Less convincing is the audio. GWM talks up a premium sound system and the speaker grilles certainly look the part, but the sound itself is only OK.

There's also no volume dial, so adjustments come via the toggle on the right-hand side of the steering wheel or by pressing the speaker icon at the bottom left of the screen and scrolling.

Storage is well thought out. The centre console has a pair of deep cup-holders that don't get in the way, plus a sliding tray beneath the armrest lid.

The one genuine quirk is that fuel setup. Rather than a single big tank, it's two separate tanks with two gauges on the dash, and you switch between them manually. It's a throwback to older Prados and LandCruisers.

Still, for anyone covering big distances it's a small price for that sort of range.

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