The Tank 300 Lux Hybrid is a five-seat, four-wheel drive from GWM. Its boxy design with big wheel arch extensions has all the cues of a serious off-roader wagon and it comes very highly spec’d with driver safety tech and off-road modes – and all for a very competitive price.
It is marketed as “combining a luxurious, modern interior with an exterior ready for anywhere”. How well does it live up to this?
What We Like and Dislike About The 2024 GWM Tank 300 Lux Hybrid
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Price/range Equipment levels Competence – on and off-road Rear legroom Build quality Visibility in general Infotainment | Driver alert monitoring Indicators Lane keep assist |
What’s In The 2024 GWM Tank 300 Range?
There are four versions in the Tank 300 range available in New Zealand
- Tank 300 Petrol Lux – $49,990
- Tank 300 Petrol Ultra – $56,990
- Tank 300 Hybrid Lux – $56,990
- Tank 300 Hybrid Ultra – $61,990
The Tank 300 range comes in four models comprising two motor options, petrol-only and petrol-hybrid, and two trim/specification levels, Lux and Ultra.
The petrol engines are all 2.0-litre turbo-petrol. Those in the petrol-only develop 162kW/380Nm while in the hybrid models, the petrol develops 180kW/380Nm and when combined with the electric motor it has a healthy 255kW/648Nm. The transmission in the petrol-only models is an 8-speed automatic, while in the hybrids there is a 9-speed Hybrid-automatic transmission (HAT).
The Tank is built on a separate ladder chassis, the classic hallmark of traditional and serious off-roaders, adding credibility to its “ready for anywhere” claims.
The lower-level Lux specification still includes a comprehensive list of features. The Ultra has more luxury/comfort items like heated and cooled seats, and adds further safety systems and convenience features.
2024 GWM Tank 300 Colour Range
The colour range is available across all versions of the Tank 300:
- Chrystal Black
- Fossil Grey
- Pearl White
- Lunar Red
- Dusk Orange
The seats in the Lux level models are finished in faux leather, while those in the Ultra models are faux Nappa Leather with accents.
For a full list of specs and options available for the GWM Tank 300 range, head on over to GWM New Zealand’s website.
How Does 2024 GWM Tank 300 Lux Hybrid Compare To Its Competition?
The GWM Tank 300 does not have a great deal of direct competition if you are looking for an SUV that is capable off-road (has a ladder chassis) and hybrid. In this segment, it’s only the Toyota Prado, the Tank 300 and its big brother the Tank 500 to consider.
To spread the net a little wider in this comparison, we have included hybrid and non-hybrid ladder chassis SUV’s. The hybrid Tanks certainly score easy wins in the power/torque stakes.
| Make/ Model | Engine | Power/ Torque kW/Nm | Seats | Fuel L/100km | Towing Capacity kg | Boot Space, litres | Price |
| Toyota Prado GXL Hybrid | 2.8L 4-cylinder Turbo Diesel Hybrid | 150/500 | 7 | 8.7 | 750/3,500 | 408/NA | $83,990 |
| Isuzu MU-X | 3.0L 4-cylinder Turbo Diesel | 140/450 | 7 | 9.5 | 750/3,500 | 311/1,119/2,138 | $83,490 |
| GWM Tank 500 Ultra Hybrid | 2.0L 4-cylinder Turbo Petrol Hybrid | 255 / 648 | 7 | 8.5 | 750/3,000 | 98 / 795 / 1,459 | $82,990 |
| GWM Tank 500 Lux Hybrid | 2.0L 4-cylinder Turbo Petrol Hybrid | 255 / 648 | 7 | 8.5 | 750/3,000 | 98 / 795 / 1,459 | $74,990 |
| Ford Everest Trend | 2.0L 4-cylinder Bi-turbo Diesel | 154/500 | 7 | 8.3 | 750/3,500 | 259/898/1,823 | $74,990 |
| Mitsubishi Pajero Sport 2.4D VRX | 2.4 L 4-cylinder Turbo Diesel | 135/437 | 7 | 9.2 | 750/3,100 | 131/502/1,488 | $59.990 |
| GWM Tank 300 Lux Hybrid | 2.0L 4-cylinder Turbo Petrol Hybrid | 255/648 | 5 | 8.4 | 750/2,500 | 400/1,635 | $56,990 |
| Ssangyong Rexton Sport Diesel 4WD | 2.2L 4-cylinder Turbo Diesel | 148.5/441 | 7 | 8.9 | 750/3,500 | 641/NA/1,806 | $56,990 |
| GWM Tank 300 Lux | 2.0L 4-cylinder Turbo Petrol | 162/380 | 5 | 9.5 | 750/2,500 | 400/1,635 | $49,990 |
| LDV D90 | 2.0L 4-cylinder Turbo Petrol | 165/350 | 7 | 10.9 | 750/2,800 | 343/1,350/2,382 | $49,990 |
| LDV D90 | 2.0L 4-cylinder Turbo Diesel | 160/480 | 7 | 9.1 | 750/3,000 | 343/1,350/2,382 | $49,990 |
| Mahindra Scorpio Z8 | 2.2L 4-cylinder Turbo Diesel | 129/400 | 7 | 7.2 | 750/2,500 | 460/756/1,065 | $47,990 |
| Suzuki Jimny 5-door | 1.5L 4-cylinder Petrol | 75/130 | 4 | 7.1 | 500/1,300 | 211/332 | $40,990 |
Please note that DriveLife does its best to ensure the information above is correct at the time of publication, however, prices, specifications and models can change over time. Please bear that in mind when comparing models in the comparison table.
First Impressions Of The 2024 GWM Tank 300 Lux Hybrid
Initially, the Tank 300 appears simply a mid-sized SUV, and the design somewhat disguises its height so it is a surprise to have to “climb” into the driver’s seatbut the full-length running board helps here. The overall dimensions feel comfortable for life in the city or beyond, with decent accommodation for 5 and with a good-sized boot.
Our review car was painted Dusk Orange; at first glance it’s a somewhat ordinary colour, but in sunlight, it would come alive, the metallic finish glowing a golden-orange colour.
What’s The Interior Like In The 2024 GWM Tank 300 Lux Hybrid?
The interior is visually interesting, with chrome and silver details used to set features off against the predominantly black finishes. The pillars and headlining are finished in an ivory-coloured plastic or fabric, and combined with a regular-sized sunroof, lift and lighten the interior, enhancing the feeling of space.
Many of the common touchpoints are finished in soft materials, including the dash capping, door cards and the centre console armrest. A lot of these features are finished with tastefully applied real stitching details in a contrasting white. Attention to detail continues with polished metal fasteners used to secure door pull handles and the passenger’s dashboard-mounted grab handle. The passenger has an additional grab handle mounted to the A-pillar.
The steering wheel is wrapped in faux leather secured in place with an elegant line of contrasting stitching. Behind the wheel are two paddles for gear changing, and three stalks; indicators and lights on the right and wipers on the left (a-la Japanese and Australian cars) with the third stalk for cruise control. Curiously, the lights and wiper stalks are in the opposite location of two other GWM cars we have reviewed, the Ora and the Haval Jolion, and many other Chinese-made vehicles which in my experience follow the European car preferences.
The GWM brochure points out the “aviation” gear shifter, but to be fair to what seems a rather random inspiration, the theme continues in the centre dash air vents and clock details. And it’s an analogue clock with real hands – it’s a long time since I have seen one of these in a regular car.
The action of the air vents is beautifully engineered, precise, light to the touch, and with a fluid movement. To lift and provide a contrast feature, a geometric patterned silver/grey panel crosses the passenger’s side of the dash, housing a passenger-side air vent adjacent to the door, and runs above the grab handle and generous glove box. The same detailed panel is reflected on the driver’s side as the mount for a matched air vent on the right.
Beneath the central air vents is a selection of primary air conditioning functions, these act like a quick-key into the finer controls within the infotainment system.
Lower is the centre console. It has both a USB-A and a USB-C socket, and a 12-volt power outlet. Adjacent to these power supplies, there is a convenient phone-sized tray. Next is the auto transmission gear selector (described above) with integrated buttons to “unlock” the lever and for the Park function. In front of this are two rotary knobs; the left knob selects drive modes relating to ground conditions, and the right knob switches between All-Wheel Drive (normal drive mode) and 4L (low-range mode). A further set of buttons on the left offer further 4WD options.
The rear of this centre console has a padded armrest which hinges up to a decent-sized storage box. In the back wall of this storage there is an opening vent that will supply cold air-conditioned air, anytime that the aircon system is set to cold air. Towards the top of this storage is a small sliding storage tray, that when slid back reveals two cupholders. The very back of the centre console has two air vents for the rear seat and two USB-A sockets.
The integrated dashboard/infotainment screens are pretty much the standard GWM offerings, once familiar they are easy to navigate through and select your favourites from. Both screens are partly covered by the dash capping, so resistant to most reflections. They are clear and configurable. Ambient LED highlighting is used throughout the cabin illuminating elements of the doors, dash and the round air vents.
The main dash has three screen configurations; Guide mode (which has a map at its centre), Classic mode (displaying standard driving info including the real-time modelling of traffic around you), and Off-Road mode (displaying vehicle settings relating to the drive-setting configuration, steering, pitch, and roll angles). The infotainment screen has a vast selection of menus to make adjustments to everything from safety features, regeneration modes, air conditioning, navigation, phone connections etc. One of those safety features relates to a driver alert monitor camera that is mounted on the driver’s A-pillar to observe and alert the driver. It can be an all too-busy device, more on that below.
There is an overhead console with door-open lighting and a hinged glasses pocket. The rearview mirror in the Lux spec is fitted with a manual lever for night driving and in the mounting base there is a super-convenient USB A power socket, so useful for powering the likes of a dash-cam. Why doesn’t everyone do this?
All of the seats are finished in faux leather with the same contrasting stitching details as used on the door cards. The front seats have electric adjustment, 6-way on the driver’s, and 4-way on the passenger’s. The back seat has a folding centre armrest and offers the standard 60/40 split arrangement. When dropping the back seats, the seat base is lifted first, providing space for the backrests and resulting in a completely flat boot floor.
The boot is very square, following the lines of the car. It is accessed via the right-hand side hinged back door. The spare wheel is mounted to the back door, and a gas strut with locking action assists in opening and keeping the door open. Under the boot floor are the tyre-changing tools. The boot has a set of tie down points and usefully, a further 12-volt power outlet.
The rear door is a bit on the heavy side due to the spare wheel being mounted on it. That said, a sizable gas strut helps and has a convenient locking function to hold the door open, against for example a slope or the wind.
What’s The 2024 GWM Tank 300 Lux Hybrid Like To Drive?
Getting into the Tank, you do have to step up to the seat. I found myself using a couple of methods, left or right foot first, but with both grabbing the steering wheel to climb in. The full-length running board is solid and a useful step. Getting out was easier as gravity helps, generally standing on the step to ensure you didn’t wipe the back of your leg on the edge of the step worked best. It doesn’t take long before it becomes second nature. That said, I do think access could benefit from having an A-pillar mounted grab handle, like that fitted for the front passenger (in some overseas markets, they do have dual grab handles).
Once in, the seats are very comfortable and supportive, and the driving position is easily tailored to suit with an adjustable steering wheel and fine electric adjustment for the seats. Initially (on a cold morning) I was surprised not to find any seat or steering wheel heaters. This is the base model, and such features come in the Ultra spec models.
Interior space is good for five adults with the rear seats having plenty of legroom. The boot is a good size, the square shape helping there. With a side-hung rear door, you do need to ensure you leave enough space behind you when parking. For such a vehicle, having the spare wheel mounted on the back door it doesn’t take up boot space, or reduce ground clearance.
The Tank, despite its name and relative height, is very easy to drive. Being elevated you have excellent vision, forward and to each side. Rearward, you do need to use the mirrors and there is an excellent 360-degree camera to assist there. The door mirrors, although taller than wide, still provide a good range of view. The handling is very car-like and feels safe. Road undulations and potholes are very well-damped. They neither upset the car nor transmit noise to the interior. There is no denying this is a 4WD, but it’s a very comfortable one, equally at home being the family car.
The hybrid powertrain worked seamlessly. Often the car would start on the electric motor and bring in the petrol when the speed increased and more power was needed. Not being a plug-in hybrid, it just worked without intervention – brilliant.
The combined powertrain is smooth, and noise from the petrol motor is adequately subdued, almost imperceptible at 100km/h. Acceleration is very good, and the hybrid combination of turbo petrol and electric motor was flawless with no hint of turbo lag. The ride quality is good, and there is adequate feedback from steering to keep you informed.
It achieves a firm but compliant ride, one that is perfectly suited to use as a round-town family car, as well as for more serious off-road adventures.
The 9-speed Hybrid Automatic Transmission (HAT) did occasionally flare out like a CVT, but this is way better managed and less apparent than in the Haval Jolion Hybrid. For most of my driving, it performed as you would expect any regular auto.
It comes with auto headlights and auto high-beams, the latter worked well spotting oncoming and following vehicles, dipping in sufficient time to prevent blinding them. At night and when indicating to turn into our drive, the front fog light on the side you were turning come on, adding corner illumination – handy when there is no street lighting where you live.
The wipers too have an auto setting, and like the lights worked flawlessly. Set and forget, they would start intermittently, and increase speed as required. The rear window wiper sweep isn’t the biggest, but it helps. Another surprising feature at night, and again when selecting reverse, the ambient LED interior lighting would turn off to minimise any distractions from within the cabin. Simple but effective.
Connecting a phone was easy and Android Auto via Bluetooth operated without any dropouts. When using navigation through the phone, the route would show in plan-view on the infotainment screen, and in a projected 3D view on the dashboard. Integration and use of the phone for music and calls worked well.
The steering wheel-mounted control buttons are real buttons rather than haptic, easier to learn and feel for the right one, and have confidence in their operation. These provide access to numerous screen options for the overall display. There are a couple of programmable buttons as “quick links” to your own preferences, otherwise, these provide access to sound system/phone calls and on-screen information.
The adaptive cruise control system is operated by a third stalk hidden behind the steering wheel. Pulling it towards you turns the function on, down to reduce the speed setting and up to increase it, each movement changes the set speed by 5km increments. Pushing it away from you cancels it. The controls and the information displayed on the dashboard screen all worked predictively well. And like the Ora and Haval Jolion, there is a real-time animation of everything the car is monitoring relative to you.
There are, however, two features that do not work as well as I would like. On paper, they are both great features for safety, but in practice, they can be more irritating than useful. As a result, I’d suggest a lot of drivers will likely turn them off. I am referring to the driver alert monitoring and the lane keep assist functions.
On first collecting the Tank at the local dealer, the salesperson, with the slick efficiency of a well-practised routine, quickly disabled the driver alert monitoring camera function within the infotainment system. He volunteered that it can be a real nuisance, especially during my first drive of the car, when I would be looking around the dash/cabin to familiarise myself with it. Sure enough, as I drove away I was doing just that, looking around and no problem.
The “problem” came the very next time I drove it. The default setting is “on” requiring the driver to turn it off every journey. During the next drive, the driver alert monitor sure had a lot to say. On my regular route down a winding hill road, all 1 kilometre of it, the system told me to “Please concentrate while driving”, not once but 5 times. I can see why the dealer turned it off. The monitor also offers other “useful” advice like “Beware of the road, please focus on driving”, and while using the in-built navigation system, informed me of an upcoming “Railway crossing please drive carefully”. If you yawned, it would tell you, “Please take a break”. Entertaining initially when responding to a fake yawn, but this quickly wore off. I found that a simple Post-it-note was enough to stop the constant “monitoring” but in using this I also felt guilty, that my intolerance was potentially impacting the safety of me and other road users.
In day-to-day driving, the car can beep a lot, and a lot of the beeps are related to the overzealous lane-keep function. The most difficult part of this to live with was the constant need to be ready for the car to make a random steering correction. The physical correction could be disturbingly violent, suddenly and without warning turning the wheel as it had decided your line choice was sub-optimal. In all of these occurrences, the vehicle would be well within the painted lines and the correction it chose to make an overreaction.
Turning this function off is quick and simple, and with the driver alert monitor function also disabled, the car is a pleasure to drive, great on long or short trips. As both of these systems are software-based, I hope a future update can improve their responsiveness so you don’t feel the need to turn them off.
The inbuilt navigation works well and offers very comprehensive instruction. It is so full of instruction it can become tiresome at times. Despite that, I did like the reassurance of the last instruction just as you were at a road junction it would say “Now turn left” etc., ensuring you were taking the correct exit/turn. In delivering this, its timing was spot-on. For the most part, I chose to simply use the wireless Android Auto and its Google Maps service.
The car comes with a handy feature to lock/unlock the doors simply by touching the handle with the key fob close by. Pleased to say this function consistently worked for me, something the Ora and Haval Jolion did less well with. Another feature that impressed me, especially for summer motoring, is a setting in the infotainment screen to have all windows close on locking the vehicle. Turns out this function is offered on the Hybrid models only – more the shame.
Just as in the Ora and Haval, the Tank too has a tyre pressure monitoring system. With one tyre low, a quick trip to the nearest petrol station calmed the system and I had no further alarms during my time with the car. It’s reassuring to have such a feature since tyres are so much more reliable today, that it’s all too easy to forget to physically check.
One small niggly feature of the car was like the other GWM cars – how the indicators work. They don’t always self-cancel so in trying to cancel it you end up operating the opposite direction indicator. However, I did find that with more experience, I managed this better.
While the car has no self-parking mode, the all-round visibility and 360-degree camera system, parking was fine.
The review vehicle was supplied with a luxurious mat set which had some of the deepest and softest pile I have seen on a car mat set. My initial reaction was how impractical this would be given the vehicle’s off-road credentials and the likelihood of mud being trod into the carpets. But, from my first-hand experience of mud being walked in while I was taking the photos here, once dried, it simply and easily brushed out – thankfully!!
Over my week living with the Tank 300, I drove a mix of commuting and open-road day trips. The car recorded an average fuel consumption of 11.6l/100km over more than 450km. A little thirstier than I was expecting for a hybrid, but perhaps its focus is on delivering power and torque more than it is for outright efficiency. When comparing the engine performance specifications for the Tank 300 hybrid and Tank 500 hybrid with their competition in the above table, they are the stand-out achievers.
2024 GWM Tank 300 Lux Hybrid – Specifications
| Vehicle Type | 5 door, SUV |
| Starting Price | $56,990 |
| Price as Tested | $56,990 |
| Engine | 2.0-litre, in-line 4 cylinder turbo-petrol hybrid |
| Power, Torque kW/Nm | 255/648 |
| Transmission | 9-Speed Hybrid Automatic Transmission |
| Spare Wheel | Full sized on rear door |
| Kerb Weight, Kg | 2,305 |
| Length x Width x Height mm | 4,760 x 1,930 x 1,903 |
| Boot Space / Cargo Capacity, Litres (seats up/seats down) | 400/1,635 |
| Fuel tank capacity, litres | 75 |
| Fuel Economy, L/100km | Advertised Spec – Combined – 8.4 Real-World Test – Combined – 11.6 Low Usage: 0-6 / Medium Usage 6-12 / High Usage 12+ |
| Towing Capacity Kg, unbraked/braked | 750 / 2,500 |
| Turning circle metres | 12 Small: 6-10m / Medium 10-12m / Large 12m+ |
| Warranty | 8-years unlimited km battery warranty 7-years unlimited km vehicle warranty 5-years Roadside Assist |
| Safety information | ANCAP Rating – 5 stars – Link Rightcar.govt.nz – 5 Stars – QJG41 |
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