By Otsile Kadiege

Earlier on this year, GWM South Africa launched the much-anticipated Tank 300 on local soil. The Tank 300 aims to catch the attention of South Africans who love off-road adventures and exploring less-travelled paths. We hit the open road in a bid to see if the newcomer will impress us both on the tarmac and off the beaten path.

Butch exterior design

The Tank 300 boasts an unmistakable road presence thanks to its box-shaped design and flared arches which gives the premium off-roader a muscular look. Some exterior highlights include round LED headlights and vertical LED taillights. It also gets pronounced fenders, 18-inch alloy wheels, functional roof rails, side steps, a choice of five exterior colours and swinging tailgate with an integrated full-size spare wheel.

Premium interior

Hopping aboard the Tank 300, one is greeted by a modern and premium interior littered with upmarket, soft touch materials and the latest gizmos. These include a 12.3-inch touch display with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, a digital instrument cluster, a wireless charging pad, a glitchy 9-speaker sound system which increases and decreases the volume on its own, ambient lighting and a sunroof to name a few.

The leather wrapped seats with contrasting stitching are not only good-looking, they’re also comfortable and feature a nifty massage feature which is welcomed when embarking on long drives. The rear bench is fairly spacious and it has a commendable luggage capacity.

Powertrain and driving impressions

Underneath the bonnet of the Tank 300 is 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine making 255kW/648Nm for the hybrid derivative with a 9-speed auto and 162kW/380Nm for the non-hybrid paired with an 8-speed torque converter auto box. It also comes with various drive modes including 4H and 4L.

After spending almost two days with the new Tank 300, we are very impressed with the new kid on the block. It drives as good as it looks. The hybrid derivative is very powerful, it also has a great ride quality both on and off-road. Taking the road less travelled is also effortless and a piece of cake for the Tank 300 thanks to various driving modes like Mud, Sand, AWD, 4H, 4L and diff lock to name a few. 

Pricing

Tank 300 2.0T 8AT 4×4 Super Luxury – R725,950 

Tank 300 2.0T 8AT 4×4 Ultra Luxury – R775,950 

Tank 300 2.0T 9HAT 4×4 Super Luxury – R851,950