2025 GWM Tank 500 Review – hybrid 4WD gets tested

A full-size four-wheel-drive SUV with 7 seats, 3-tonne towing capacity, a hybrid powertrain, lots of standard equipment and a 7-year factory warranty for $66,490 drive-away is a very attractive proposition. It’s one that Chinese manufacturer GWM is hoping could help the new Tank 500 penetrate the Australian large 4X4 market which is heavily fortified by the likes of Ford Everest, Toyota LandCruiser Prado, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Isuzu MU-X.

You won’t mistake the Tank 500 for any of its rivals, as it looks the part. That massive chrome grille up front is enough to make a bold statement on the road or in the bush. The grille wears a large ’T’ badge as its emblem and is flanked by big squarish projector headlamps. The rest of the car is a lot more conventionally styled. A well trained pair of eyes might pick up a hint of Prado in certain angles but the Tank 500 is as purposeful and menacing as its more established rivals.

Styling wise, there’s little differentiating the base Tank 500 Lux model and the more expensive $73,990 (drive-away) Ultra variant. They both roll on the same design 18-inch wheels and have the same exterior garnishes and trims. The only difference being the Ultra’s retractable side steps which we aren’t quite sure if they’re all that necessary as the fixed side steps work just fine and actually look better on the vehicle.

It’s a big surprise on the inside. At this price point we wouldn’t be expecting an interior that is plush and upmarket. But that’s what you get in the Tank 500. In terms of pure ambiance, we dare say the Tank 500’s cabin feels the most luxurious and business-like in the segment. It looks and feels way more expensive than it actually is. Most touch points are soft and padded, the stitchings are neat, the clock is classy and the bright polished silver trim inserts do wonders in lifting cabin vibe. Granted, the woodgrain-look laminates feel and look low rent and we wish their application has been more restrained. Otherwise, this is a truly welcoming and cocooning cabin to be spending plenty of time in.

Fit and finish generally is rather good throughout, even the air vents, compartment lids and switchgear all operate like how they do in more establish marques, if not better. The doors close with a solid thunk as well. The build doesn’t feel like a first attempt at a full size SUV at all.

Comfort level is decent depending on where you’re seated, with the front seats contouring well to the body and providing good support while the second row feeling a bit flat across. There’s plenty of space to really stretch out and get comfy in the first two rows, with the third row feeling much more confined as expected and is best left for kids or if you must, adults for short trips only. Access to the third row is tight with the bulky trim cover for the rear wheel well mostly getting in the way.

We don’t often find issues with driver ingress but in the case of the Tank 500, the lack of any fixed grab handle on the driver side makes getting up and into the tall SUV just a tad more challenging. A fixed grab handle would also be handy for the driver when navigating rocky and steep terrains.

As mentioned, generous standard equipment is a strong selling point of the Tank 500. The Lux variant is already very well equipped with 3-zone climate control including second row climate control and third row air vents, faux leather seats with heating and power adjustment for the front seats, sunroof and luggage tie down points. The Ultra grade further adds Nappa leather upholstery, ambient lighting, panoramic sunroof, memory, ventilated and massaging front seats, ventilated second row seats and power folding third row seats.

In terms of tech, the range gets a 12.3-inch fully digital instrumentation cluster and a massive 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system that supports digital radio DAB+, Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto. There’s an 8-speaker sound system in the Lux grade while the Ultra steps up to a 12-speaker Infinity surround sound system.

The dashboard’s two high-res displays certainly look modern and advanced. Their ease of use isn’t too shabby, either, with straight forward customisability for the instrumentation display and large on screen buttons for the centre touchscreen. The on-screen graphics and animations look the part as well.

However, the software than runs the screen is in a need of a bit of polish. We found some confusing setups and at times some erroneous behaviour. For instance the seat heating defaults to maximum every time it’s turned on, we don’t believe Australia’s climate is cold enough to warrant that. The ‘Hey GWM’ voice prompt is too sensitive, activating at the wrong prompts. Temperature controls and seat massaging functions are nestled within the touchscreen which is a bit inconvenient compared to physical knobs and buttons. Even the cabin lighting has a mind of its own and wouldn’t turn on when the doors are open on a few occasions.

But nothing compares to the driver attention monitoring system which is so strictly calibrated that it continues to warn even if you’re looking ahead and absolutely focused on driving a hundred percent. Now imagine if you just turn your head briefly to operate the touchscreen or talk to your passenger! It can be turned off but unfortunately it turns back on the next time the car is started.

Being the only hybrid offering in the segment at the time of writing, the Tank 500’s technical spec sheet looks pretty promising, on paper at least. The combination of a 180kW/380Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a single 78kW/268Nm electric motor produces what GWM claims is a total output of 255kW and 648Nm. Those are some potent figures but there’s also quite a bit of weigh to move, 2.6-tonne to be exact. Sending power to the road is a 9-speed auto driving all four wheels.

While certain rivals can get vocal from the big oil burner lurking up front, the Tank 500 is quieter in comparison. It moves about quietly at low speeds on electric power, with the low humming engine cutting in when more power is called for. Granted, it doesn’t spend a lot of time in EV mode, with engine usage a lot of higher than what we’re used to in hybrid systems from Toyota.

The electric to engine transition isn’t quite as seamless either, not in terms of mechanical smoothness but the linearity and continuation of power delivery. While it isn’t that noticeable under normal driving, any attempt to overtake or accelerate away from low speeds will see a big power void hindering the process. That’s because the engine is slow to kick in. And when it does kick in the sudden surge of power makes the whole transition feel rather unpleasant.

The good news is the hybrid drivetrain has more than enough power on tap to haul the big SUV around, with a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of a relatively effortless 8.3 seconds. The ride is pretty well sorted as well, with road imperfections rounded off nicely. Adding to the comfort is the good insulation from road noise at highway speeds.

The steering is light and easy which makes the Tank 500 drive like a much smaller vehicle than its name would suggest. However, the brakes are too touchy, the accelerator isn’t that progressive and the driving assist systems like lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control feel nervous at times and are in need of a bit more finesse and fine tuning.

Where the Tank 500 impresses is off-road. The four-wheel drive system with switchable high and low range gearing, terrain selector and front and rear diff lock came across as surprisingly good in the dirt. While it’s durability in the long run remained to be seen, it’s highly effective in maintaining good traction across a variety of surfaces and terrains. There’s good wheel articulation as well thanks to a live rear axle. It seems the only thing holding it back are those Giti Xross tyres. Replacing them with some beefier rubber from more established brand names will lift its off-road prowess further.

Perhaps potential buyers are more keen to know just how economical is the Tank 500’s hybrid powertrain. On paper it’s listed as 8.5L/100km on the combined average. That’s optimistic, as in the real world we only managed 11.7L/100km in the Lux and 13.5L/100km in the Ultra with more city driving. That’s thirstier than most diesel 4X4s but thriftier than something like a V8 Nissan Patrol or V6 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Verdict

2025 GWM Tank 500 pricing and specification