GWM Haval Jolion Max Reviews

What does it say about us humans that the most popular car colours globally are black, white, grey and silver? Where are all the properly colourful car colours at?Well, we found them.This started out seeming like an easy task, but ended up with me visiting the website of every car brand selling their wares in Australia and checking the colour options for their models.There brands offer vibrant colours, the rest will offer the usual white, black and silver. Most of these brands will also offer red and blue, while others offer more modern hues such as dark green and light brown, or even lilac. Yep, lilac appears to be trending.I’ve excluded the exotic car brands such as Porsche, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and so on, from this little project. All of them offer bespoke colours or will even match the colour of your car to that of your sofa, but it’ll cost you. Which is out of reach for most people.Here are the top 5 brands that aren’t afraid of loud or vibrant colours.Ford offers a surprisingly good range of vibrant colours thanks to models such as the Mustang, which comes in Orange Fury, Molten Magenta and Adriatic Blue; and the Ranger Raptor that gets Code Orange and Blue Lightning.The upcoming Bronco Basecamp SUV is expected to come in Flare Orange and other adventurous hues, too.Lepas is another of the many brands owned by Chinese auto giant Chery. It'll launch its first vehicle, the L6 EV, in October.What separates Lepas’ from Chery’s other sub-brands such as Omoda and Jaecoo is the bold colours of the models in its overseas ranges, which will follow the L6 over the coming 12 months.Right now, the  L6 offered in a very striking purple and orange.Mini knows exactly what it’s doing, and it’s doing premium quirkiness. Yes Renault and Peugeot can do quirky and premium, but Mini has really mastered the statement car thing, and of course a big part of that is colour.The Mini Cooper comes in 11 colours and while Sunny Side Yellow makes me want to own a car, which looks like a rubber duckie, the Ocean Wave Green is so sublime, I want a tin of it to paint my front door.GWM is currently doing a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to outrageous colours and I’m completely here for it.The Ora 5 small electric SUV launched in July and arrived in colours that would make most car company executives very uncomfortable. Flamingo Pink? Yes please. Cute Cyan? Absolutely. Emerald Green? Don’t mind if I do.Jeep’s the undisputed champion of colour offerings… and of vehicles with removable doors. Just knowing the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon ute comes in bright purple, and the hue is called Reign, somehow makes me sleep better at night. There’s also Mojito, which is a luminous monster green, a bright orange named Joose and a Gold named Goldilocks.Ah, thank you Jeep for keeping it irreverent and colourful.  

Australia is about to receive a wave of new EVs before the end of 2026.EV sales are surging in Australia as brands beef-up their line-ups to provide further choice.Here is a look at some of the best models still to arrive this year.GAC will launch an ultra-affordable variant of its Aion UT electric hatchback before the end of 2026.This Standard Range variant is priced similar to the popular Geely EX2 that starts from $26,490 (before on-road costs).It should start at less than $30,000 drive-away when it gets here, given the current variant on sale starts from $31,990 (drive-away).It’s equipped with a 44kWh battery instead of a 60kWh unit, offering a driving range of 320km, compared to 430km, according to WLTP standards.GAC hasn’t confirmed performance output yet, but in China its front-mounted electric motor produces 100kW and 145Nm, which is less than the 150kW/210Nm available now.Kia will introduce its first fully-electric people mover, the PV5 Passenger, to the Australian market in 2026.The PV5 Passenger is the people mover variant of the PV5 Cargo already on sale Down Under. Its performance matches the PV5 Cargo, with a single electric motor making 120kW/250Nm and its 71.2kWh battery expected to offer around 416km of range (WLTP).Kia hasn’t provided a more specific launch date than Q4 2026, but it’s likely to be closer to December.The Korean brand hasn’t revealed pricing yet either, but Cargo starts from $55,990 (before on-road costs), so buyers can expect the more expensive Passenger variant to sit between $60,000 to $70,000.The much-anticipated Zeekr 7GT wagon is due to land in Australian showrooms in Q4 2026.The fully-electric Euro-styled wagon will target a similar reception to its 7X mid-size SUV sibling that has taken the Aussie market by storm so far. The 7GT is available in a rear-wheel drive configuration, making 310kW/440Nm, as well as an all-wheel drive variant, with 475kW/710Nm. We still don’t know how much it will cost, but it could sit around the $55,000 mark, coming in cheaper than the 7X SUV.XPeng is looking to make the most of its new factory-backed operation Down Under.The brand will launch its L03 electric mid-size SUV in December 2026, priced from $41,900 (before on-road costs). This means it’s cheaper than the Tesla Model Y ($58,900) and the Zeekr 7X ($57,900), while matching the Geely EX5’s starting price ($41,900). The L03 comes as standard with a single electric motor, producing 163kW/280Nm, and a 445km driving range from its 58kWh battery. There will also be a hybrid range-extender variant of the car that uses a 1.5-litre petrol engine to charge the battery and a single electric motor, making 178kW/280Nm.An updated Chery E5 small SUV will hit Aussie showrooms in late 2026.The E5’s budget-friendly status pits it against the BYD Atto 3 ($41,990) and Jaecoo J5 ($36,990, drive-away). It offers the same performance as its outgoing model, with 155kW and 288Nm, while its 59kWh battery offers 430km of WLTP driving range. It now has a larger 15.6-inch central touchscreen display and an auto-dimming mirror.The EX60 is the fully-electric counterpart to the XC60 - Volvo’s best-selling car of all time.The mid-size SUV will start from $86,900, and will tackle the BMW iX3 ($89,990) in the increasingly competitive electric SUV segments. The RWD variant produces 275kW/480Nm, while the AWD makes 375kW/710Nm. Performance increases up to 500kW and 680Nm on the more expensive P12 variant due in 2027. Its initial variants will be equipped with either an 83kWh battery offering 610km or a 95kWh unit offering 660km of range, according to WLTP standards.GWM is about to launch a new hatchback variant of its Ora 5 EV in Australia. The Ora 5 hatch will rival the BYD Dolphin and MG4 Urban in the affordable EV space. It’s expected to have the same single motor found in the SUV variant, making 150kW/260Nm. GWM has confirmed it has a 58kWh battery with a 435km driving range (WLTP). 

The GWM Tank 500 might look like a big and bruising off-road-ready SUV, but it’s actually a time machine.How else to describe it? In a world in which the uptake of electrification is booming (so far this year, some 207,000 vehicles with a diesel engine have been sold, compared to 334,000 with some sort of electrification), GWM has fitted its Tank with an all-new and newly developed diesel engine, swimming strongly against the tide in the process.But GWM makes the very solid point that 207,000 is still a very big number, and in the segments this new 3.0-litre four-cylinder engine will compete (it is also fitted to the Cannon Alpha ute), the numbers are even stronger. In fact, the brand’s data shows that, in 2025, some 92 per cent of the large body-on-frame SUV segment was diesel, along with 86 per cent of the ute market. And yes, those numbers have been falling in 2026. But it’s still a big prize."I know it'll drop, but in that core space there's still an incredible amount of diesel customer base out there. Based on either geography, or how they use it, or their budget, they still want to do it, they still want to drive diesel. And we believe we'll have a technical advantage over many of those brands that have owned that segment for a long time,” says GWM Australia’s Chief Operating Officer, John Kett."We know that there are still customers there, and even though it's almost a sin to talk about, they're still buying.”All of which is why we find ourselves behind the wheel of this new and diesel-powered Tank.The new engine arrives in two Tank 500 variants, the Lux, currently $65,990 drive-away across the country, and the top-spec Vanta, which costs $71,990, also on the road. GWM says that, given the relatively small jump between the two, most people will end up springing for the flagship.The obvious big rival here is the Ford Everest, in which you can have the entry-level Active with the smaller engine on the road for around $60k at the moment. Everything else though – from Sport all the way to Platinum – will cost you from $70k to more than $90k on the road.It’s hard to accuse GWM of skimping on the features, either. Check our detailed price and features story for the details, but you get a heap of stuff across both grades, and especially in the Vanta.The biggest part of this story, though, is the engine, with the 3.0-litre, four-cylinder unit producing 170kW and an impressive 620Nm. That’s a lot of torque for a four-cylinder engine, too, and while the on-the-road performance doesn’t quite live up to the spec sheet promise, it never feels underpowered, either.To further extol the virtues of diesel donks in this segment, this new powertrain has had exactly the impact on the other critical capability benchmarks you might expect; towing is now 3.5-tonne braked for the first time, and the driving range (helped by the choice of one or two massive fuel tanks) is between 1098km and 1845kms. And with proper low range and twin diff locks, it will go about as far off road as you want to take it, too.Another unexpected perk is GWM’s ability to dodge AdBlue, with the additive simply not required here. Fuel use is a promised 7.1L/100km, which is impressive for a car this size, too.Behind the wheel, the first thing you notice is the level of refinement. I’m sure there’s an office block’s worth of sound deadening on board here, but it works, with this diesel feeling smoother and often quieter than some petrol and even hybrid powertrains I’ve driven recently.Yes, it makes its presence known when you really plant your foot, but if you’re used to diesels being loud, clattering, clanging things, you’ll be pleasantly surprised here.The Tank 500 has been fettled by GWM’s Aussie ride and handling ace, and there is definitely a refreshing sense of cohesion to the drive experience. It feels heavy in places, sure. And the steering can be soft in that way that makes you want to telegraph your inputs a bit, but the body control is strong, and the ride good at smoothing out country bumps and imperfections. In fact, on those sort of flowing, not-too-tight corners, you can pretty easily forget your steering a big bruiser at all.Sharp inputs are never your friend in a car like this, and if you get too aggressive with the steering wheel you can certainly feel yourself swaying, but it's an overall impressive effort, with car matching engine and vice versa.Off the tarmac, the Tank 500 proved ready and willing, too. I’m no Marcus Craft, but with low range engaged and one or both diff locks activated, the GWM walked up every muddy, slippery, rutted climb we threw it at, even wearing its road tyres.The only question mark that remains is towing. A published towing limit is one thing, but how a vehicle feels pulling big weight is another thing entirely. But for that, we’ll have to wait and see.The other boon in the 500 is space, with the three-tow Tank delivering one of the better third-row experiences I’ve had lately. I’m 175cm, and I found that by shifting the second row forward, I had enough room in both rows to get genuinely comfy. I know the third row is mostly reserved for kids, but this is one SUV in which you could definitely get adults back there in an emergency.There’s a piddly 98 litres of cargo space with all three rows in place, but that grows to 795 litres with the second row folded. Drop both rows, and you get a massive 1489 litres.I won’t bore you with the details here, but safe to say all those acronyms you expect to see are present and accounted for, and after covering a heap of kays, none of them felt overly annoying. Its five-star ANCAP rating, earned in 2024, only currently applies to the electrified versions, but GWM is confident it will apply here, too.It’s also covered by a seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, with seven years of roadside assistance and seven years of capped-price servicing. Speaking of which, service intervals are pegged at 12 months of 15,000kms, and the first seven years of ownership will cost $3760, or $540 per service.

GWM has confirmed Chinese pricing for the ultra-hardcore version of its Tank 300 Hooke Edition after recently confirming pre-orders in its home market.Starting from the equivalent of A$52,500 in China, the overhauled Tank 300 sits atop the SUV’s combustion range, and between the two hybrid Hi4-Z and Hi4-T variants, the latter of which we get in Australia.The top combustion-powered version, a 2.4-litre turbo-diesel variant, costs $47,990 drive-away Down Under, while the top-spec plug-in hybrid Ultra Hi4-T costs $61,990, suggesting a retail price of mid-to-high $50,000 if it's offered in Australia.The Hooke Edition, which was originally teased over a year ago in China, is more than just off-road tyres and a snorkel, with the vehicle's underbody re-worked to replace the independent front axle with a more hardcore solid front axle set-up.Like 'Trail Rated' versions of Jeep's range which are tested on the hardcore trails of Moab in Utah, GWM's Hooke Edition is named after a notorious off-road park to the west of Beijing.The suspension has also been re-worked to help the 4WD accommodate 40-inch tyres, and it is more robust, with stronger control arms and trailing arms, as well as a reinforced front axle housing.As a result, its approach angle has been improved to 41 degrees and its suspension travel has been increased to 130mm for “confidently handling complex cross-axle situations,” and its low-range crawl ratio is 63.5:1 (which is not quite as extreme as the Wrangler’s 77:1 ratio).Ground clearance is 245mm while wading depth has increased to 850mm thanks to the addition of a factory snorkel. GWM says the maximum gradability of the Hooke Edition is 70 per cent. The car ships in China with Cooper Discoverer all-terrain tyres.The Hooke edition gets special front and rear bumpers to optimise its off-road angles, while the stock wheel package is downsized to 18 inches from other high-grade Tank 300s.Inside it scores larger screens as per the latest Chinese version of the SUV, with real Nappa leather interior trim and tweaked centre console switchgear compared to Australian-delivered versions.Powering the Hooke Edition is a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 170kW/400Nm. It is mated to a nine-speed torque converter transmission with a low-range capable transfer case.The 300 Hooke Edition was originally teased alongside GWM’s upcoming 4.0-litre V8 engine, causing speculation that this extreme overhaul would also score this powertrain, however it appears the larger engine will be reserved for only flagship products in GWM’s wider line-up of brands.However, while the special model might seem like a perfect fit for off-road obsessed Australia, its future is under a cloud with GWM executives telling CarsGuide it might not be required given the capability the brand’s line-up already offers.“If we were to put our hand up for every car we see in the field, especially over in China, our showrooms would be overflowing,” said the brand’s local Executive General Manager of Marketing and Communications, Steve Maciver.“It’s a fantastic looking car and it would be a good choice there , but we’ve just got volume going with the existing Tank 300 powertrains, so really got to pick carefully when considering complexity in the showroom, parts stocking for us, and marketing costs.”Maciver was quick to stress that it wasn’t a global capability issue holding the hardcore model back for the time being, earmarking the factory’s capability to do “in most cases, anything".Chief Operating Officer of GWM Australia John Kett said there may potentially be a space for such a model in the future.“The complexity of these three brands [Haval, Tank, Cannon] is going to cause us a problem unless we resolve what to do with Tank in terms of its growing portfolio,” Kett said.“I think as we grow it will allow us to be a little bit more distinctive in where we take the Tank brand.“We’ve got full access to the whole line-up, they keep developing new versions of it, so I think that’s definitely a consideration on top of what we’ve already got coming in the next year.”Stay tuned for more on GWM’s roll-out plans, which are set to include the new boxy Haval H7 in both plug-in and plugless hybrid forms, and the new plug-in hybrid Cannon ute.The company is also set to expand on its range of Ora electric cars, as well as introduce its luxury Wey arm before the end of 2026.

GWM says diesel has a huge role to play in Australia’s future, citing the 'incredible amount' of its customers demanding diesel in the ute and SUV space.The comments came at the launch of the brand’s new 3.0-litre turbodiesel engine, which made its Australian — and global — debut in the Tank 500 and Cannon Alpha this week.The engine in question is the brand's new 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, producing 170kW and an impressive 620Nm. The brand also says that it is one of the few diesel offerings in the market that doesn't require AdBlue.It marks a rare launch of an all-new diesel engine in a market in which EV and PHEV uptake is only increasing.GWM offers a range of electrified options, but says diesel still has a key role to play for many of its customers.“While the industry is celebrating the equal split between petrol, diesel, ICE and EV, in the ute segment, and in the body-on-frame segment where Tank plays, 75 per cent is still diesel," says John Kett, GWM Australia and New Zealand Chief Operating Officer."Now I know it'll drop, but in that core space there's still an incredible amount of diesel customer base out there. Based on either geography, or how they use it, or their budget, they still want to do it, they still want to drive diesel. And we believe we'll have a technical advantage over many of those brands that have owned that segment for a long time."We know that there's still customers there, even though it's almost a sin to talk about, they're still buying."GWM will soon have one of the most powerful large SUVs in Australia, with the brand at last confirming its newly developed V8 engine will launch in our market next year.The brand stopped short of confirming which model the engine would be fitted to, but it is almost certain to be the Tank 700, which has already been earmarked for V8 power globally.GWM hasn't confirmed full technical details, yet, but it will be a 4.0-litre V8, which is a popular size and used by high-performance brands such as Mercedes-AMG, Aston Martin and more.GWM's GM of Marketing and Communications Steve Maciver said GWM is offering a wide variety of choice to Australians and it is paying dividends, so a V8-powered hero car makes sense."Now, are we going to sell V8s in volume in this country? No. Would we love to have it as a halo car? Absolutely. There's a high- and a low-performance potentially coming, so yes, the V8 could go into a Tank, but it could also potentially go into a hypercar as well," said Maciver.

GWM will soon have one of the most powerful large SUVs in Australia, with the brand at last confirming its newly developed V8 engine will launch in our market next year.The brand stopped short of confirming which model the engine would be fitted to, but it is almost certain to be the Tank 700, which has already been earmarked for V8 power globally.In fact, the brand has two versions of the V8 engine in development. The first is a high-performance version that will live in GWM's first supercar. The other is being described as a "normal V8", which will find a home in the Tank 700."This is completely opposite to the current environment or trend in China; it does not fit the Chinese market. We developed this V8 to meet the needs of more global users, in markets such as Australia and New Zealand," said company chairman Jack Wei earlier this year.And now we know the V8 engine has been locked in for a 2027 launch in Australia. Asked 'is it coming', John Kett, Chief Operating Officer GWM Australia & New Zealand, replied "Yes. Next year"."(We) will tell you after Christmas which car it is, because we can't announce them all now," he continued.Both models that will feature the V8 appear on the cards for Australia, with the brand's GM of marketing and communications, Steve Maciver, saying the company had its hand up for halo products."We're very lucky, we've got a chairman who's a massive motoring enthusiast, who loves rallying, who loves motorsport. There's an ambition for GWM to be a truly global company, and that's been this ambition from the get-go," he says."What we're seeing, and what is paying dividends for Australia now, is that ultimately we're not just petrol, we're not diesel, we're not hybrid, we're not just EV. So why not a V8? Why not a V8 supercar?"Now, are we going to sell V8s in volume in this country? No. Would we love to have it as a halo car? Absolutely. There's a high- and a low-performance potentially coming, so yes, the V8 could go into a Tank, but it could also potentially go into a hypercar as well."The brand is yet to confirm power outputs, but the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 in development is a popular size and configuration elsewhere, with models from Mercedes-AMG, Audi, Aston Martin and more all using a similar setup. It's not clear if the twin-turbocharging would make its way to the lower-output version.

GWM Australia has confirmed the pricing and specifications of its new Cannon Hi4-T plug-in hybrid (PHEV) dual-cab ute.Thanks to a limited-time offer that allows $2000 off that runs out on October 31, 2026, the 2026 GWM Cannon Hi4-T line-up starts at $47,990 drive-away for ABN holders or $48,990 drive-away for private buyers.This undercuts the likes of the JAC Hunter PHEV and BYD Shark 6, making it Australia's cheapest PHEV ute.The 2026 GWM Cannon Hi4-T PHEV has differing pricing for ABN holders and private buyers.The line-up is priced as follows:All prices are drive-awayIn lieu of the $2000 promotional drive-away bonus, customers can instead choose to receive a $2000 fuel card.The 2026 GWM Cannon Hi4-T PHEV has a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that’s paired with an electric motor for total system outputs of 310kW and 750Nm.The electric motor is fed by a 33.1kWh battery that allows for up to 115km of NEDC-claimed electric range. Adding the 75-litre fuel tank, the overall claimed range is 1037km.This battery pack allows for DC fast-charging at rates up to 110kW, meaning a 30 to 80 per cent charge can take as little as 18 minutes.There is a nine-speed hybrid transmission with drive sent through a torque-on-demand four-wheel drive system. There’s also an electronic rear differential lock as standard.Despite the big battery, the Cannon Hi4-T PHEV still offers a 3500kg braked towing capacity. Payload is 835kg, gross vehicle mass (GVM) is 3420kg and the gross combined mass (GCM) is 6400kg.The 2026 GWM Cannon Hi4-T PHEV comes in two trim levels, Lux and Ultra.The Lux come standard with the following:18-inch black alloy wheelsFull-size steel spare wheelExterior black packLED headlightsRear privacy glass10.25-inch digital instrument cluster15.6-inch touchscreen multimedia systemWireless Apple CarPlay and Android AutoSix-speaker sound systemElectric park brakeWireless phone chargerSynthetic leather upholsterySix-way manually adjustable driver’s seatFour-way manually adjustable front-passenger seatThe Ultra adds the following:Electronic sunroofInterior ambient lightingFootwell lampUSB for dashcamAuto-dimming rear-view mirrorHeated steering wheelLeather-accented upholsterySix-way power-adjustable driver’s seatFour-way power-adjustable front-passenger seatHeated and ventilated front seatsWhile the regular diesel-powered versions of the GWM Cannon have a five-star ANCAP safety rating, the Hi4-T PHEV versions haven’t been tested yet and remain unrated for now.The following safety equipment is standard:Seven airbags, including centre airbagAutonomous emergency braking (AEB)Blind-spot monitoringRear cross-traffic alertLane-keep assistAdaptive cruise controlDriver attention monitoringReversing cameraRear parking sensorsStepping up to the Ultra brings the following:Surround-view cameraFront parking sensors

The first model from GWM’s premium sub-brand, Wey, has been approved for sale in Australia ahead of its expected launch in the fourth quarter of 2026.This is the GWM Wey G9, which is a people mover that has been offered in China since 2023.At this stage GWM hasn’t officially announced that the Wey G9 will be launching in Australia, but if it does it will form as a rival to the likes of the BYD M9, GAC M8 and Kia Carnival, among others.According to government approval documents, the GWM Wey G9 has been approved for local sale in both hybrid and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) guises.The hybrid powertrain pairs a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with dual electric motors. Total system output is 263kW.The PHEV powertrain, on the other hand, pairs a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with dual electric motors. Despite having a smaller engine, it has a higher total system output of 325kW.Given the dual electric motors on each axle this means that both versions of the Wey G9 are all-wheel drive.The approval documents don’t list the battery pack the PHEV version will havem, but globally there is a 38kWh and 44.5kWh unit available. This offers up to 140km and 170km of electric range, respectively, according to lenient CLTC testing.There is little else new information about the GWM Wey G9 in the local approval documents beyond the weights and dimensions.The hybrid version has a tare mass of 2504kg and a gross vehicle mass of 3165kg, whereas the PHEV version has a tare mass of 2759kg and a gross vehicle mass of 3355kg.The hybrid version has a braked towing capacity of 1500kg, whereas the PHEV isn’t allowed to tow at all.The GWM Wey G9 measures in at 5055mm long, 1985mm wide and 1925mm tall, with a 3085mm wheelbase. This makes it slightly shorter but taller than the Kia Carnival.According to the local approval documents, all versions of the Wey G9 will come with 18-inch alloy wheels.GWM has confirmed it will launch the Wey sub-brand in Australia in the fourth quarter of 2026 and it’s expected the G9 people mover will be the first model given it has now been approved for local sale.It’s expected the G9 won’t be the only Wey model on offer Down Under. It has previously said that large SUVs and people movers will be the focus.The brand recently launched the V9X large SUV in China. It debuted a new architecture called the GWM ONE platform.It’s powered by a PHEV powertrain that in top-spec form offers total system outputs of up to 550kW and 930Nm, as well as a battery pack that’s up to 80kWh in capacity. This allows for up to 470km of CLTC-claimed electric range.If the GWM Wey V9X comes to Australia it will form as a rival to the Denza B8 and Zeekr 8X, as well as the Range Rover and Mercedes-Benz GLS.

GWM has finally opened the order books for its Tank 300 Hooke Edition in China, as a massively overhauled version of the 4WD specialised for off-road performance.The brand has opened ‘blind orders’ taking a small deposit from interested buyers ahead of a full specification and pricing release for the Chinese market.The Hooke edition was originally teased a year ago at the Shanghai motor show, teasing significant upgrades for hardcore off-roading. The Hooke edition is named after the Hooke Trail off-road park in the Helan Mountains bordering Inner Mongolia to the west of Beijing. The park is notorious for its challenging trails, and is essentially China’s version of the famous Moab trail, which Jeep products are ‘trail rated’ for.While it was speculated at the time the Tank 300 Hooke Edition would be equipped with GWM’s new 4.0-litre V8, which it was teased alongside in Shanghai, the version just launched in China is equipped with the carryover 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine. Producing 170kW/400Nm, it is mated to a nine-speed torque converter automatic transmission with a low-range transfer case.The focus for this new variant is instead a significant underbody overhaul. The usual double wishbone independent front suspension has been replaced with a more rugged solid axle to match a similar set-up on the rear axle.The tweaked layout plus suspension changes mean the Tank 300 can now accommodate up to 40-inch tyres, and its off-road specifications have also been changed as a result. It has a reinforced front axle housing, with stronger control and trailing arms in the suspension. The overall suspension rigidity has been increased by 38 per cent.It also now has a significantly improved approach angle of 41 degrees, while the departure angle remains the same at 34 degrees. It has front and rear locking differentials similar to other high-end Tank 300 grades.The 300 Hooke Edition also comes equipped with downsized 18-inch wheels, redesigned front and rear bumpers, specific black trim for some exterior pieces, pre-wired towing, and a snorkel.The new version expands on an already broad Tank 300 range.In Australia, the 4WD is available in 2.4-litre diesel, 2.0-litre turbo petrol, and 2.0-litre ‘Hi4-T’ plug-in hybrid. The brand is even set to add a V6 version to the Chinese line-up in the near future.In China, the new Hooke edition is also added on top of the ‘Hi4-Z’ plug-in version, which trades away a rear solid axle linkage for dedicated electric motors and a longer EV driving range from a larger battery capacity.The Tank 300 is GWM’s third best-selling vehicle in Australia, ranking behind the Jolion small SUV, H6 mid-sizer, and Cannon ute range. While not one of the best-selling ladder frame off-roaders in Australia, it performs decently for its segment, and sells more than ten times the volume of the Jeep Wrangler from which it clearly takes inspiration.GWM is on a big new model push in Australia, introducing new 3.0-litre turbo diesel variants of some of its ute and 4WD range, as well as expanding on the portfolio of its EV-focused Ora sub-brand, which it needs to bring down its emissions liabilities under Australia’s new vehicle efficiency standards (NVES).It will also introduce an overhauled and tougher-looking version of the boxy Subaru Outback-rivalling Haval H7, as well as new plug-in versions of the regular Cannon ute.Stay tuned for more on GWM’s model range expansion in 2027 and beyond imminently.

GWM has revealed its new Land Rover Defender and Mitsubishi Pajero rival.GWM’s premium sub-brand Wey recently teased a new rugged-looking SUV called the Blue Mountain on social media.Wey is already on its way to Australia, with the V9X full-size SUV and 80 people mover expected to be the first models to launch here.A smaller V8X SUV could also be on its way, but the brand has not confirmed an arrival yet.Wey describes the Blue Mountain SUV as a “luxurious box-shaped” vehicle.It should provide competition for the Toyota Prado and the upcoming Mitsubishi Pajero.It is also likely to take on key Chinese rivals the Denza B5 and B8 that went on sale in Australia in late 2025, as well as Chery's Freelander sub-brand.Wey is GWM’s answer to Europe’s high-end luxury SUVs Mercedes-Benz GLS, Lexus LX and Range Range Rover.Wey has not revealed any technical specifications about the Blue Mountain.Its boxy design emphasises a sharp roofline that sits flush to a swing-open tailgate.It also has a spare tyre mounted to the tailgate, and large racks fitted to the roof to highlight its adventuring potential. The rear light design is split up into two separate square-like clusters on each side.Its side profile is similar to the plug-in hybrid Haval H10 that could be on the cards for Australia in the future.This means the Blue Mountain will ride on the next-generation GWM One platform, and will likely feature a powerful plug-in hybrid set-up. The design differs from Wey’s V8X and V9X SUVs that appear to be more targeted towards luxury-focused buyers. This model should provide luxury adventure-focused buyers with a potentially cheaper alternative to the Land River Defender, but expect more details before the end of 2026. GWM is still planning to launch the Wey sub-brand in Australia in the fourth quarter of 2026, with the V9X SUV and 80 people mover coming first.Those modesl will be followed by further expansion to the line-up in 2027.There is potential for the Blue Mountain to launch in Australia as part of Wey's expanded Australian line-up, but we should learn more when the brand officially launches here.