2023 GWM Tank 300 Ultra Petrol owner review

About the GWM Tank 300

Tywin purchased this GWM Tank 300 new with additional options for $51,500 (including all on-road costs). Tywin would buy this car again because: “I purchased Tank 300 Ultra Petrol (non-hybrid) brand new back in July 2023 from GWM Blacktown. I waited approximately 6 weeks from the day I put the deposit until I picked the car up end of August 2023. The car is June 2023 built and I paid $51,500 with the optional Orange colour. Being one of the first to purchase Tank 300, the only extra that the dealer could give me is free mats and white premium NSW plate.

The Tank 300 is completely different car than all my previous cars: WRX STI, BRZ, E92 BMW 3 Series, and F20 BMW 1 Series. I’ve been doing a lot of track days with my previous cars and this time I want to try something different i.e. off-road driving. Tank 300 is pretty well equipped for its price, so I thought this is the ideal car for me. Apart from the price, I really like the look of boxy 4×4 off-roaders, they are just look unique in my opinion. Other boxy 4×4s that I like are Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and Ineos Grenadier which both cost a lot more than Tank 300.

I was contemplating whether to spend $10k more for the hybrid version but in the end I chose the petrol variant for two main reasons. The first reason is the engine (E20CB) and gearbox (eight-speed German ZF transmission) have already been proven to be reliable in overseas market.

For those who are not aware, the hybrid version uses the new engine (E20NA) and GWM’s own nine-speed dual-clutch transmission. This drivetrain is very new and even in China they have not used this on their off-road version of the Tank 300. They only use the new drivetrain on their city version of Tank 300 (a version which the Australian market does not have). The second reason is I’ll be getting an EV this year (either Model 3 Highland or BYD Seal) so the Tank will be mainly for off-road and out of town trips.

How reliable has your car been? Tell us about any issues.

During the last nine months of the ownership, I have had zero issues whether mechanical or electrical. The Lane Keep Assist (LKA) and Emergency Lane Keep (ELK) were awful at first, I always turned it off every time I drive it. They were way too sensitive and aggressive when triggered.

But by September 2023, GWM released the software update which completely fixed the LKA. I never turned this off anymore since the software update. As with the ELK, while the software update made it less aggressive, it still can be quite intrusive when driving on poorly marked road or narrow lined road i.e. Sydney Harbour Bridge lanes. So, I still turn ELK off occasionally.

Due to ANCAP requirements the default setting for the ELK is always on when starting the car.

What do you think of the ownership experience with your car?

So far, I have been very happy with the car. On road driving is by far the most comfortable way to drive.

It is more comfortable and quieter than both my BMWs and my dad’s Mercedes E-Class (W212). As with off-road driving, there are a lot of online reviews that praise the Tank 300's off-road capability, so I don’t think I need to write this part in my ownership review.

How has the purchase and aftercare experience been with your car?

The good thing about national fixed pricing is I don’t need to visit multiple dealerships in town to get a couple of thousand dollars off to seal the deal. The price difference would be minimal, hence why I just went to the nearest dealership from my house which happens to be Blacktown GWM.

On the day I told the salesman that me and my wife are just going to check out the new Tank 300. He offered us a test drive which I accepted. We were both very impressed with how comfortable the car was and proceeded directly to put down the deposit!

The salesman was very helpful and not once asked us to put the deposit down right away after test drive. We just did it anyway because we were very impressed with the car.

Initially I was going to get the Lux version but considering they don’t have the display model, my wife worried since the seats are different and may not be as comfortable, especially the driver's seat adjustment. So, in the end we put down the deposit for the Ultra.

Are you happy with the price and features of your car?

Yes absolutely. For the price no other car comes close with the features and equipment of the Tank 300 Ultra: twin lockers, Nappa leather seats with ventilation and massage function, etc. The dashboard and infotainment screens are clear as well. I haven’t had any issue with glare when driving on the daytime.

All the cameras are very clear and high definition, they are miles ahead of Japanese and Korean cameras around this price bracket.

One feature that I wish is included in Tank 300 Ultra: Wireless Apple Car Play and Android Auto from factory. This is easy and cheap fix, I bought USB dongle online for $70 and it works perfectly.

Some people are disappointed with the payload and towing capacity of the Tank 300, but thankfully for us this is not an issue. We have no kids so plenty of payload for only two of us and also we are not planning to tow anything.

What do you think of the performance and economy of your car?

The 2L petrol engine with only 162kW and 380Nm sounds underdone for a 2.2-tonne ladder-frame chassis SUV, that’s what I thought prior to our test drive. But during the test drive I quickly found it is more than adequate. It is not a WRX STI but for an SUV it is more than adequate.

The eight-speed ZF transmission really makes a good use of engine torque/power band, it matches perfectly. I have tried it on a steep hill climb as well. Once you put it in 4L it climbs it with ease.

The fuel economy is far off from 9.5L/100km combined. The best I could get is when driving from Sydney to Canberra on the highway was 10.1L/100km.

For driving around Sydney, it averages around 12.8L to 13.0L/100km. I don’t mind this at all simply because I do not want diesel engines. I used to work in the construction industry for 10 years and during this time I had company-supplied dual-cab utes like HiLux, Ranger, Amarok and the last one was Triton.

I don’t like the way they drive because they all have slow response and very noticeable turbo lag. On top of that, my current workplace is seven minutes drive from home, so diesel engines will most likely give me DPF issues with this constant short distance trip.

What do you think of the technology in your car?

The technology in the Tank 300 is nothing new or ground breaking. Low range 4L, front and rear differential locks have been around for decades. It is just finally available in this price bracket without having to spend six figures for 4×4 off-roader.

What do you think of the ride comfort and handling of your car?

The ride is very comfortable and quiet. It is more comfortable and quieter than both my BMWs and my dad’s Mercedes E-Class (W212). The trade-off is there is a lot of body roll in corners if you drive it faster than normal and it nosedives if you brake harder than normal due to soft suspension.

In regards to braking, there are some people making such a big deal with the rear wheels lifting off the ground. In my opinion, yes the rear wheels lift off the ground for a fraction of a second, but out of all the tests that were done by Paul Maric from CarExpert and Brett Davis from Driving Enthusiast, the car still stopped within the same distance as other dual-cab utes on the market while maintaining a straight line.

Neither Paul nor Brett ends up spinning out, rolling over or losing control of the car. How about if you slammed the brakes on a high-speed corner? Obviously you do not slam the brakes on in corners even when you are driving a sports car, let alone a 4×4 SUV with a ladder-frame chassis.