Aston Martin Vanquish vs GWM Tank 500

What's the difference?

The definition of luxury is having something you want, rather than something you need. And the Vanquish is definitely something you don’t need, but will desperately want once you’ve experienced it. It’s opulence on wheels, the kind of car you buy mostly because you can. Because owning a V8-powered Aston Martin wouldn’t cut it in your circle of friends. Or because you just want the very best things in life, cost be damned.

The Tank 500 is an impressive seven-seat 4WD wagon. It’s reasonably nice to drive, comfortable and it’s a capable 4WD.

There are glaring issues with some of its driver-assist tech and its hybrid set-up doesn’t offer the fuel economy you’d hope for. But it is packed with features and represents decent value-for-money when cross-shopped against the likes of Prado and Everest.

While the engine is the unique heart of the Vanquish, the design is the first element that grabs your attention. Even for a brand renowned for its GT cars with imposingly long bonnets, the Vanquish stands out.

That’s because the designers deliberately added 80mm of space between the front axle and the A-pillar (the front windscreen pillar) to elongate the bonnet even more for what it calls a “rakish and indulgent” profile. 

The lines flow across the length of the Vanquish, from its trademark grille to its Kamm Tail, giving it a look that is somehow simultaneously classically Aston Martin - with elements of its multiple generations of GT cars - while also being contemporary. 

Some of the modern touches are derived from Formula One, as the brand looks to leverage its racing team, with bonnet louvres to help cool the engine without unsettling the air-flow too much.

Aston Martin’s Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman calls the Vanquish “an iconic halo model” and explained the design was deliberately pushing “beyond the expected, rational, and thoughtful.” Which sums up this dramatic piece of automotive art quite nicely.

In terms of dimensions, it’s 5078mm long (with a 2850mm wheelbase), 1934mm wide and 1905mm high.

The Tank 500 has a kind of throwback retro style. Not quite as much as its smaller stablemate, the Tank 300, but obvious nonetheless.

There are plenty of old-school 4WD design cues. It’s more than a bit blocky and straight up and down in places, yet it still manages a somewhat contemporary look. Although, there’s a lot of chrome everywhere if that's your cup of tea. 

It's clear to see where the GWM Tank 500 takes its cues from – most of the current crop of popular 4WD wagons, such as the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series.

The Tank 500 is a large vehicle and it straddles that line between large and extra-large 4WD wagons. It is longer than any 300 Series, but it’s narrower and shorter.

It has a sunroof, roof rails and big side steps, befitting a 4WD wagon, and 18-inch alloy wheels.

The interior is well laid-out and functional. Depending on the variant, the interior will either have synthetic leather seating (Lux), or genuine Nappa leather seating (Ultra) and beyond ample soft-touch surfaces there's much to like about the GWM Tank 500's practical and comfortable interior.

Despite measuring nearly five metres long, the Vanquish is a surprisingly small car from a practicality perspective. Because the added wheelbase is ahead of the cabin, it remains strictly a two-seater, with no room for rear passengers.

There’s limited small item storage, too, aside from a couple of cupholders and a lidded console box. Although, on the plus side, the lack of rear seats creates room for some small shelves in case you need to store some loose items.  

It also has a surprisingly small 248-litre boot, which means limited storage for anything, including luggage, for a road trip in what would otherwise be a great road trip car.

As for the multimedia system, while not at the cutting edge (although Aston Martin will debut Apple CarPlay Ultra in its DBX model) the system works well for this type of car.

It’s unlikely too many under 25s will be grabbing this $700K luxury GT, so the fact the media system has a touchscreen and an array of physical buttons is a welcome detail.

As for the 1170-watt, 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system, it performs incredibly well, as you would probably expect. Like the car it has loads of power but excellent attention-to-detail with fantastic clarity, too.

The GWM Tank 500 Lux has seven seats. Bucket-style seats up front for the driver and front passenger (fine in terms of support and comfort), a three-seat second row in a 60/40 split configuration and a third row in a 50/50 split. 

The seats in the Lux are synthetic leather, the Ultra gets Nappa leather and the Lux driver gets an eight-way power-adjustable seat plus four-way adjustable lumbar support; the front passenger gets four-way electric adjustment.

Trading up to the Ultra gets driver and front passenger seats that offer a variety of massage modes. Hmmmm, massage…

In the grand tradition of 4WD wagon second-row seats everywhere, they are fine but not fantastic – reasonably comfortable and supportive. The second and third rows fold flat to expand the rear storage capacity. 

Cargo space is a listed 98 litres when all seats are in use, 795 litres when the third row is stowed away, and 1459L when the second and third rows are lowered.

In the rear cargo area there are tie-down points and a cargo slide cover to conceal whatever you have in the back from prying eyes.

Up front, the 14.6-inch touchscreen multimedia system, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, dominates the dash and is easy enough to use, although the cabin set-up is a bit confusing and counter-intuitive in its operation.

Case in point: while the aircon’s fan-speed can be controlled using physical buttons or on-screen buttons, the temperature controls can only be adjusted via the screen which poses a problem if the screen itself freezes on the start-up graphics and you’re unable to adjust the temp via the screen – as it did on this test.

There's also wireless charging, front and rear USB ports, as well as 12V and 220V power outlets.

The audio system has eight speakers in the Lux and 12 in the Ultra’s Infinity system.

The Lux has ‘follow me home’ lights but it doesn’t get the Ultra's 64-colour ambient lighting system.

There are two Tank 500 petrol-hybrid variants available at the moment: the Lux – our test vehicle – and it has drive-away pricing of $66,490, and the Ultra which has drive-away pricing of $73,990.

Standard features in the Lux include a 14.6-inch touchscreen multimedia system (with wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), three-zone climate control, a 360-degree view monitor and 'clear chassis view', 'Auto Parking Assist', 'Auto Reversing Assistance', lane departure warning, lane keep assist, all-terrain driving modes and an electronic rear diff lock.

'Marble White' paint is standard. Metallic paint, including 'Crystal Black', 'Dune Gold' and 'Onyx Silver', costs an extra $595.

The engine is undoubtedly the star attraction of the Vanquish, with the twin-turbo 5.2-litre V12 being the last of its kind in the British brand’s line-up now that the DB12 has switched to an AMG-sourced twin-turbo V8. 

While that engine is arguably better with its excellent performance, smaller dimensions and lighter weight, the fact remains that for many of Aston Martin’s long-time buyers, it’s V12 or nothing.

It also helps that the V12 produces an extremely potent 614kW and 1000Nm, which is way ahead of the 611kW/678Nm the Ferrari 12Cilindri makes. So you get bragging rights at the golf club with your Ferrari mates.

The engine features a unique titanium exhaust and is paired with an eight-speed automatic transaxle that drives the rear wheels.

That is enough to propel the Vanquish to a top speed of 345km/h, making it the fastest production car the brand has ever produced, with a 3.3 second 0-100km/h time.

Every Tank 500 Hybrid has a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, a 1.76kWh battery and an electric motor. That combination produces 255kW and 648Nm.

The Tank 500 has a nine-speed automatic transmission, low- and high-range 4WD gearing, as well as a rear diff lock.

To say the Vanquish isn’t the most fuel frugal vehicle on the market is an obvious statement, but even its claimed 13.7L/100km is best described as optimistic.

That’s not surprising given its size and performance, but with an 82-litre fuel tank that’s a driving range of less than 600km, at best.

In the real world, during our time in the Vanquish, the car’s trip computer was indicating that we stayed in the high teens; although that featured limited freeway/extra-urban driving.

Official fuel consumption is 8.5L/100km on a combined cycle on regular unleaded fuel. On this test I recorded 12.8L/100km. 

The Tank 500 has a 80-litre fuel tank, so, going by those fuel figures, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 625km from a full tank.

Note: Drop 30-50km off any driving-range figure for a better idea of your vehicle’s safe touring range.

Also, remember that numerous other factors affect your fuel consumption and so impact your touring range, including how much extra weight you have onboard (passengers, camping gear, etc), whether your vehicle is fitted with any aftermarket equipment (bullbar, spare-wheel carrier, etc), whether you are towing (a camper-trailer, caravan, or boat, etc), your vehicle's tyre pressures and the conditions.

As cars go, few can match what the Vanquish offers. Even in my 20+ years of driving every type of car imaginable, the Vanquish stands out as being something distinct, bold and special.

Sitting behind the wheel, the bonnet looks like it stretches out to the horizon and you feel like you’re sitting on the back axle of the car. And yet, when you start driving, the Vanquish feels like it shrinks around you.

At normal speeds it feels like a classic grand tourer, relaxed, refined and easy to drive. Obviously it's a firmer ride than your average luxury car, but that’s a small price to pay for the breadth of capability this car offers. 

Because once you get out of the urban environment, the Vanquish becomes something else entirely. On a winding road this British beast is surprisingly agile for such a big car.

The steering feels direct and the front end responds with much more precision and poise than you should reasonably expect from a car with such an exaggerated bonnet.

No, it doesn’t have the dynamic aggression the more compact Vantage offers, but it manages to take elements of that car and combine it with the GT nature of the DB12 to give you the best of both Aston Martin’s coupes.

Of course, the catch is it’s much too fast for Australian roads and isn’t really designed to be a track day car, so in Australia - without autobahns or more liberal views on speeding - the Vanquish in many respects doesn’t make sense.

But that is arguably its driving essence, you buy it because you know what it’s capable of, even if you’ll rarely use it, and that is an absolute luxury.

The Tank 500 has a fancy-schmancy start-up screen replete with Tron-style graphics and an accompanying soundtrack that are rather impressive, if you’re into that sort of thing. But I’ll let you know a few paragraphs deeper into this yarn why I think GWM should do away with that whole sequence.

This wagon has a kerb weight of 2605kg and a turning circle of 11.2m, so it’s not insubstantial, but it rarely feels too clumsy or cumbersome to drive anywhere.

It’s reasonably nice on-road during general driving duties but there are a few things to watch out for. 

Ride and handling is a bit firm and jittery on irregular surfaces such as rough country roads, but it's okay otherwise. It's reasonably quiet, somewhat refined and it's comfortable without being too plush. 

The engine, electric motor and auto transmission generally work together pretty smoothly, but there were times on this test, mostly on road, where there was a jarring change when the electric motor switches to the petrol engine. Not atrocious, but certainly noticeable.

Acceleration is sometimes unpredictable with a sequence of events thus: I put my right foot down to get enough speed for a quick merge from standstill into oncoming traffic, no reaction from vehicle at all… then, with a flaring throttle, it will suddenly lurched into motion. Inconvenient at best, dangerous at worst.

The brakes are also very spongy and often slow to bite until really stomped.

The Tank 500’s driver-assist tech is too clunky and intrusive. I drive a lot of country roads and because those surfaces sometimes don’t have road markings at the side or a centreline, the Tank 500 was constantly sounding alerts or jerking the steering wheel to get me back into what it thought was the correct driving line on those country roads.

The adaptive cruise control is inconsistent. You’ll cruise along nicely until the system applies immediate heavy braking due to a speed sign that’s not applicable, or a car that’s not that close (to the side or in front).

Also, the driver monitor is annoying. It was forever telling me to have a break, or to keep my eyes on the road, or to focus on the road, or – and this is a direct quote from the system itself – “Beware of the road”.

I reckon GWM should ditch the Tank 500’s fancy start-up screen graphics and soundtrack and spend that money on sorting out the driver-assist tech so it operates more seamlessly and effectively.

However, the good news is the Tank 500 feels right at home when four-wheel driving.

On paper, it seems like it should be capable off-road. It has a Borg Warner dual-range transfer case, off-road driving modes and a rear lock. 

It checks out in terms of off-road measurements with approach, departure and rampover angles of 30, 24 and 22.5 degrees, respectively, 224mm ground clearance and a wading depth of 800mm.

And it mostly is rather capable, but there are a few issues here and there. 

The Tank 500 is built on a traditional platform, a body on ladder-frame chassis, and that's pretty much 4WD wagon personified right there.

It has all the mechanicals to go with that, as well as the added bonus of an electric motor which punches a bit more power and torque into this vehicle. 

There is plenty of torque across a decent spread of revs and, when off-roading, that transition between the electric motor and the petrol engine is generally pretty smooth. 

Driving modes and other off-road driver-assist tech on board the Tank 500 work pretty well, but the off-road traction control system could do with a bit of a recalibration as it’s not quite as precise as it is in some of the Tank 500’s natural rivals. 

Low-range gearing is good, engine braking is solid and the drive modes – adjusting engine outputs, transmission settings and more – all seem to work seamlessly well. 

There is plenty of other tech on-board, including a 360-degree camera, and an off-road set-up on the screen that shows you the vehicle’s pitch and roll, tyre pressures and other information.

In the past I have written off features such as the Tank 500’s transparent chassis function. I'd rather stick my head out the window and have a look, or stop the vehicle, get out and have a good look at the track ahead.

But the transparent chassis function is of some value, although you shouldn’t rely on it or any of the other tech. You still want to have a real-time, real-world view of the track heading to the sides. And the Tank 500 offers plenty of visibility.

There are a few other trade-offs in this 4WD’s make-up, though. The side steps look like they could easily be susceptible to damage while off-roading, although I managed to avoid grinding them on any rocks, and the standard tyres are on-road SUV tyres (made for reduced noise) and are less than satisfactory for 4WDing.

If you're planning to use the Tank 500 as your tow vehicle of choice, then it's handy to know that unbraked towing capacity is 750kg and braked towing capacity is 3000kg, which is under the 3500kg norm for this market segment.

The Tank 500 has been awarded the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating as this story is being finalised.

As standard, it has seven airbags and a comprehensive suite of driver-assist tech including AEB, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, tyre pressure monitoring, front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree around-view function.

Despite the extraordinary price tag the Vanquish is covered by a very standard three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. It’s a surprising, and some might argue disappointing, short period of coverage for a car that is not only expensive but should have a long life.

However, it does redeem itself in some way by including the first five years of servicing into the cost of the car. Ferrari offers seven for its models, so Aston Martin is still behind the market, but included servicing feels right for a car costing nearly $1 million once you put it in traffic.

The Tank 500 is covered by a seven-year/unlimited km warranty, and seven years capped price servicing. 

The Tank 500’s 1.76kWh battery has an eight year/unlimited km warranty.

Service intervals are scheduled for every 12 months/15,000km. Prices were not available at time of writing.