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Car reviews - GWM - Tank - 500

Overview

We like
Strong value, lavish spec, torquey hybrid system, retention of real 4WD, suitably soft ride, useful vehicle-to-load functionality, reasonable ‘dead battery’ economy, long warranty
Room for improvement
Woeful EV-mode efficiency, misses GWM’s slick new infotainment, hypersensitive lane and fatigue monitors, slow steering not yet retuned for Australia, vast mass

GWM’s plug-in Prado rival under the microscope

14 Oct 2025

Overview

 

SITTING at the centre of GWM’s three-part strategy to improve the appeal of its models and retaining its price advantage by avoiding emissions fines under the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) is the Tank 500 four-wheel drive.

 

GWM’s Prado rival, the Tank 500 has arguably been underappreciated in the Australian market despite appealingly low pricing (from $64,490 d/a), high specification, seven-year warranty and genuine off-road capability.

 

Some combination of its slightly obscure brand image, unproven (local) reputation, ‘90s styling or perhaps its unconventional turbo-petrol hybrid drivetrain has ensured that the 250-series Toyota LandCruiser Prado continues to outsell the Tank 500 by a ratio of 20:1 in Australia.

 

However, GWM executives aren’t looking at today’s scoreboard. They anticipate NVES fines will drive up pricing of non-hybrid, diesel-fuelled rivals like the Prado, Ford Everest and Isuzu MU-X if their makers can’t drive down their fleet-average CO2 by upping hybrid and EV sales share.

 

In a context where no low-CO2 hybrid is in sight for those more popular 4WDs, GWM is seizing on the opportunity to up the ante on the Tank 500’s NVES compliance by introducing a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model with 300kW of power, 3000kg towing capacity, and a $79,990 d/a price tag.

 

Crucially, because NVES doesn’t consider whether PHEVs are charged up, the 2.0-litre turbo petrol plug-in engine officially produces just 47kg/km CO2, well under next year’s limit of 180g/km for 4WD wagons. A diesel Prado produces 200g/km, which means it’s in the red as of 1 January 2026…

 

In other words, GWM is playing the long game here. It is placing a long-term bet on PHEV tech for 4WDs and utes (the same powertrain is already available in the Cannon Alpha pick-up), and it plans a comprehensive marketing strategy to convince Aussie buyers to give plugging in a go.

 

Unfortunately, while the Tank 500 PHEV—for now offered only in Ultra trim—arrives imminently, it will land without GWM’s Australian suspension and steering retune and infotainment upgrade, both recently proven to be extremely worthwhile changes to the roadgoing Haval H6 SUV.

 

The PHEV also lands without much in the way of visual adornment, retaining its boxy exterior appearance (available in four colours), though the plug-in does score a lightly differentiated set of 18-inch alloys.

 

It also wears a Hi-4 T badge on its rear, indicating GWM Australia’s savvy selection of a PHEV system that places a 120kW/400Nm electric motor between the 180kW/380Nm 2.0T and nine-speed auto to retain mechanical, dual-range 4WD plus front and rear lockers.

 

In China, the Tank 500 platform is also available with GWM’s alternative Hi4-Z PHEV powertrain which scraps 4WD in favour of dual-motor AWD. It has double the power and doubles the electric range, but GWM Australia says Hi4-T delivers more consistent off-road and towing performance.

 

Expect Hi4-Z to come to Australia in a different GWM product. For now, Hi4-T means a 37.1kWh NMC battery promising 102km (WLTP) range and 70-litre tank promising around 850km (WLTP) combined range with circa-10.0L/100km unladen consumption on a nominally exhausted battery.

 

91-octane petrol is accepted, while the traction battery can be fully recharged on AC power (7kW estimated) in 6.5 hours, or topped up from 30 to 80 per cent on DC power (50kW peak) in under 30 minutes.

 

Over and above the $8000-cheaper Tank 500 Hybrid in Ultra trim, the PHEV adds not just EV driving capability and more power (300kW vs 255kW) but also an executive rear seating package with heated, cooled and massaging rear pews—but the third row is deleted.

 

Standard kit includes nappa leather seating, 12-way driver’s seat, 14.6-inch touchscreen and 12-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless charging, 64-colour ambient lighting, acoustic windshield, keyless entry and start, LED headlights, 12-speaker Infinity stereo, head-up display and sunroof.

 

Warranty is seven years/unlimited kilometres for the vehicle and eight years/unlimited kilometres for the high-voltage battery.

 

Driving impressions

 

Our first taste of the Tank 500 PHEV took in the Lang Lang Proving Ground’s off-road track, plus a solid simulation of Australian country roads, complete with expansion joints, off-camber corners, potholes, surface changes…and some train tracks thrown in for good measure.

 

Later, we will be able to sample the other two contexts this PHEV needs to thrive in: commuting, which is a big reason why a homeowner might consider spending up on the PHEV to reduce everyday fuel costs; and towing, which GWM says the 3000kg-rated plug-in is good for.

 

For country-road and off-road trails, the Tank 500 PHEV is reasonably accomplished. In the latter context, ground clearance is reduced by 11mm compared to the hybrid (now 213mm), while approach / breakover / departure angles remain at 30, 22.5 and 24 degrees respectively.

 

Other than touching its rear garnish driving off one of Lang Lang’s steeper descents, the Hi4-T PHEV system ate up the gravel test. In either hybrid or silently in EV mode, the Tank 500 covers moderate terrain without fuss; the ‘see-through chassis’ camera makes detecting obstacles easier.

 

On the road, the Tank 500 PHEV improves one of the standard hybrid’s frustrating characteristics—power delivery. While both Tank 500 versions share their 180kW petrol engine and 4WD system, the hybrid has a weaker 78kW motor and a far smaller (sub-2kWh) battery.

 

That results in wild inconsistencies in the regular Tank 500 hybrid’s accelerative capacity. When its little battery is charged (from braking), it can deliver circa-8.0 sec 0-100km/h sprints, but when it is rapidly depleted, the same acceleration metric lags into the double-digits.

 

The PHEV has more electric power to give but more importantly, a bigger traction battery with a larger software buffer designed to stop that kind of unexpected performance degradation. This seems to work well, with the Tank 500 PHEV feeling muscular and torquey more of the time.

 

It doesn’t feel outright-fast—the PHEV’s tare mass is 2775kg, and despite having a peak of 300kW on tap, GWM claims a 6.9 sec 0-100km/h sprint.

 

The Tank 500 has not yet received a Rob Trubiani-led shock absorber and power steering upgrade that will slowly filter through the GWM range. The changes are less urgent for the 500, which has a relaxed, soft ride quality; body control could be better but ultimately, it’s a suitably comfortable rig.

 

Steering is more of a concern: it’s utterly feel-free, slow, and with a big dead spot in the centre. That is unlikely to be a dealbreaker for many, but keen drivers who see the value in the Tank 500 might like to wait for the next update.

 

That update might also bring a renewed interior technology concept. For now, the Tank 500 retains big screens (14- and 12-inches), but they run GWM’s older software with complex menus and slower processing power—chalk and cheese compared to the Haval H6’s new ‘Coffee OS 3’ system.

 

Hopefully future changes also include a reduction to the sensitivity of some of the Tank 500’s adaptive safety systems, with the lane-centring and driver fatigue detection technologies proving frustrating.

 

The rest of the interior works just fine. It isn’t out-and-out luxurious (it’s base Prado cash!), but the nappa leather seating is remarkably plush at this price, stereo quality is acceptable, and ergonomics are largely fine—though changing the temperature kicks you out of Apple CarPlay.

 

Families might choose to walk past the PHEV in favour of the cheaper hybrid if they need a third row, but those who are happy with five seats will find 640 litres of cargo room behind a (slightly inconvenient) side-hinged rear door to which a full-size spare—a PHEV rarity—is attached.

 

Of benefit to those who like camping is a 6kW vehicle-to-load supply, which can transfer energy from the traction battery to appliances.

 

It may take some time for GWM to convince Australians of the practical benefits of opting for a hybrid—and indeed a PHEV—in heavy duty 4WD segments. Diesels get the job done and the benefits of opting for a complex hybrid system might initially seem nebulous.

 

Their additional refinement, potentially lower running costs and standard conveniences like external power are nice to have, though, and the GWM system’s retention of ‘real’ 4WD might allay many concerns.

 

Longer-term, if the NVES policy regime works as intended, PHEVs may simply appeal because they are cheaper to buy than diesels in this segment which—if not offset with low-CO2 sales—will soon face stiff fines that could leave GWM’s hybrid range looking like better value.


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