GWM Tank 300 Ultra 4WD 2023 Review

we road test the Tank 300 Ultra 4WD

Tank 300 4WD – Occasionally a vehicle comes along that just has something about it that crosses appeal boundaries. The GWM Tank 300 4WD is such a car.  GWM Tank 300 Ultra 4WD front quarter 3

I drove one a few weeks ago and both loved it and was frustrated by it at the same time.

First up it looks cool. It’s a chunky style and in the bright orange colour it certainly stood out.

Inside its comfortable, relatively spacious, and well laid out. The heated and ventilated front seats are supportive and allow enough room for my tall frame.

Where the frustration comes in is the clunky user interface and simply bad voice recognition. Little things like turning off the lane keep assist which I do every time is four layers in the central screen menu and sometimes the touch sensitivity isn’t the best.

Where I loved it is driving. Its not bad on road, with enough performance to keep you happy. However off road it excels. Front and rear diff locks, Multi 4WD choices and responsive feel in both steering and accelerator, places it right up there with the best 4WD’s around.

And the best part is that it is priced from a stunning $46,990 driveaway for the entry model. That’s value.

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I’m Rob Fraser

Readers can find a full review of the Tank 300 4WD Here

GWM Tank 300 Ultra 4WD front grill and bonnet 3

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More GWM Tank 300 Ultra 4WD details

GWM Tank 300 sits in a competitive and crowded segment. It competes against mainly seven seat 4WDs as a five seat version only. It has a few features that the others don’t and with the Hybrid version can compete against the diesels.

However its stunning value proposition warrants a close look at the ‘Tank”

GWM Tank 300 Ultra 4WD front grill and bonnet 4

GWM Tank 300 Model walk Features

Full feature list, Tank 300 Lux petrol

  • 17-inch alloy wheels
  • LED headlights and taillights
  • Comfort-Tek leather seating
  • Power adjustable drivers (6-way) and front passenger (4-way) seats
  • 12.3-inch colour instrument cluster
  • 12.3-inch LCD infotainment touchscreen
  • Apple CarPlay & Android Auto
  • 9-speaker sound system
  • 12v power outlet
  • Front and rear USB ports
  • Sunroof
  • Side steps
  • Roof rails
  • 7 SRS airbags (including centre)
  • Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) & Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
  • Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
  • Lane Keep Assist (LKA)
  • Lane Centre Keep (LCK)
  • Emergency Lane Keep (ELK)
  • Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
  • Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR)
  • Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) with brake
  • Tyre Pressure Monitoring (TPMS)
  • Front parking sensors (4) & Rear parking sensors (4)
  • 360 degree around view camera
  • Rear differential lock
  • All-Terrain mode selection
  • Turning Assist
  • Transparent chassis function

GWM Tank 300 Ultra 4WD central screen 4

Tank 300 Ultra petrol adds:

  • 18-inch alloy wheels
  • Nappa leather accented seats
  • Heated and cooled (front) seats
  • Power adjustable driver’s seat (8-way) with lumbar adjustment and massage
  • 9-speaker premium audio
  • 64-colour ambient lighting
  • Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
  • Wireless charging
  • 220V power outlet
  • Front differential lock

GWM Tank 300 Ultra 4WD central screen 3

Tank 300 little Daily things that frustrate.

The Tank can be frustrating as mentioned. Little things like

  • Overly intrusive safety features,
  • Menu driven controls that require up to 4 pushes of the screen to simply turn off the lane keep assist,
  • touch sensitivity on the central screen that is haphazard.
  • Digital drivers dash central MFD that won’t show anything else except the lane keep unless you turn it off.
  • Cruise control that thinks for itself when it shouldn’t
  • Stop start calibration seems just a bit off.
  • One touch indicator for lane swapping is finicky, often switching on and not turning off, and when you go to turn it off you end up indicating the other way.
  • On a couple of occasions, the push door opening refused to work, and I had to use the fob.

These are all little things that I’m sure GWM will work out and recalibrate where necessary. But they exist now.

GWM Tank 300 Ultra 4WD wheel articluation 2

Pricing:

The Tank 300 petrol is offered in two trim levels, Lux and Ultra, and is available from:

  • Tank 300 Lux petrol: $46,990 Driveaway
  • Tank 300 Ultra petrol: $50,990 Driveaway

ABN pricing is also available. Metallic paint is an additional $595.

GWM Tank 300 Ultra 4WD transparent chassis camera 2

What is good?

  • Looks cool.
  • 4WD Capability.
  • Comfortable to sit in and drive

What is not so good?

  • Frustrating intrusive safety technology.
  • Central screen touch sensitivity poor at times.
  • Some functions buried in screen menu but should be button

GWM Tank 300 Ultra 4WD central screen smart phone mirroring 1

Also look at.

Smaller 4WDs are a bit of a sparse offering. However, the Tank 300 will cross boundaries.

Buyers could look at Jeep Wrangler, which is a lot more expensive or the Jeep Compass Trailhawk.

Larger 4WDs include Isuzu MU-X, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, SsangYong Rexton, Toyota Fortuner.

GWM Tank 300 Ultra 4WD profile 2

GWM Tank 300 Ultra 4WD final thoughts

This is a 4WD that leaves you with mixed feelings.

It seems well built, is comfortable inside. There is a large, clear central screen. However, user interface is frustrating. As is the intrusive safety features, especially the cruise control.

Off road it fights in a weight class well above its price range.

On sand it’s excellent, on dirt roads its smooth and compliant. The rough stuff it handles with ease. This is one a few vehicles that has front and rear diff locks and the least expensive by far.

I would be interested to drive the hybrid version, which would improve one issue of being thirsty along with extra power and torque.

The overall feel is practical, functional, spacious but has some issues that will be developed out as time passes.

There is nothing that even comes close to the capability, comfort and size for the price and that is a winning formula.

It should be on your list for a test drive.

GWM Tank 300 Ultra 4WD engine

GWM Tank 300

Model

Tank 300 Ultra

Model Price $50,990 RDAP*
Engine 2.0L 4 Cyl Turbo petrol Euro 5
Drivetrain 8 Sp AT 4WD dual range
Battery Capacity / type N/A
Power 162kW @ 5,500rpm
Torque 380Nm @ 1,800 – 3,600 rpm
Fuel ADR 9.5L/100km
Fuel on Test TBA L/100km
Fuel capacity 75L
Range (WLTP) / efficiency 926 km Max
Fast Charge / Home (240V) N/A
Safety Five-star ANCAP (Dec 2022)
CO2 Emissions 218g/km
0-100kmh/Top Speed TBA
Servicing 12 MTh / 15,000km – 5 yrs. Capped Price
Warranty 7yr/ Unlimited km with
Roadside Assist 7Yr. conditional roadside assist

*MLP Includes GST and LCT but excluding statutory charges, dealer costs and dealer delivery. See your dealer for RDAP. Does not include price of options. Some features mentioned in the article are options. RDAP means Recommended Drive Away Price (without options but including all other charges)

GWM Tank 300 Ultra 4WD front seats 3

Overall Rating    

80/100

Behind the Wheel 8
Comfort 8
Equipment 7
Performance 7
Ride and Handling 8
Practicality 8
Fit for Purpose 9
4WD / Towing 9 (4WD 5 / Towing 4)
Technology/connectivity 7
Value for Money 9

*Towing and AWD capability is measured against similar vehicles in the same class.

GWM Tank 300 Ultra 4WD interior space collage

Dimensions

 
Overall Length 4760mm
Wheelbase 2750mm
Width 1930mm
Height 1903mm
Wheels 18×8.0 Alloy
Tyres 265/60 R18
Max ground clearance 224mm
Wading Depth TBC
Approach 33 degrees
Rampover TBC
Departure angle 34 degrees
Turning Circle KTK 12.06m
Boot Capacity Min TBC
Boot capacity Max TBC
Battery Weight N/A
Kerb Weight 2155kg
Payload (kg) 397kg
GVM (kg) 2552kg
GCM 5052kg
Towing Capacity 2500kg
Tow Ball rating TBC

GWM Tank 300 Ultra 4WD rear quarter 2

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About Rob Fraser 2506 Articles
Rob Fraser – General dogsbody & Director Rob is the founder of the business. He constantly mutters something about way too many red wines one evening being to blame. Often known for taking the 4WD in the driveway over the sports car, he has travelled pretty much everywhere in Australia and when he is bored goes for a drive. He first learned to drive on the farm in a left hand drive WW11 Jeep when he was 11, and was hooked on 4WDriving way back then. In addition to 4WD he is an avid motoring enthusiast and has maintained a strong interest in the industry ever since his teens. He has owned way too many cars in his time as well. Having previously lived at the top of corporate life he retired in 2000 and hasn’t put a suit and tie on since. Cars are his passion so why not have a business doing what you love he figures. He has towed either a caravan or camper trailer to most parts of Australia, has run guided tours for camper trailers’ and instructed drivers in off road towing.