GWM Tank 300 vs MG Hs Super Hybrid

What's the difference?

There’s a lot to like here. The GWM Tank 300 in any of its forms is a competent vehicle from the helm and backs up its off-road claims with real ability. The ride quality, in particular, is a highlight, and it’s a good size for couples or young families. Its value for money is also quite brilliant.

Add this plug-in hybrid driveline to the mix and the performance is quite astounding, while the petrol engine and EV potential have arrived at a critical point in history where such things carry more weight than ever before. It remains to be seen what happens globally and what effect that has on fuel prices, specifically the price gap between petrol and diesel. There’s also the question of what happens electronically when you dunk the Tank into Nolan’s Brook on the track to Cape York. But for now, this is a car whose time appears to have come.

But while the overall concept deserves praise, there’s still some work required in terms of the way the car drives and in its attempts at keeping its occupants safe. The calibration of both the throttle response and some of the driver aids is, frankly, in need of some final polish. And though it sounds odd, the Tank 300 would be a better thing to live with if GWM ditched the contentious driver aids and took the points hit on its ANCAP rating. Even better would be to stick with the tech but refine it to the point where it works in the background and not as an irritant.

The MG HS Super Hybrid Essence gets a lot right. It’s well sized for families, comfortable on the road and easy to live with day to day.

However, it misses a few features you might expect for a flagship grade. More notably, the calibration of some of its technology and safety systems could do with further refinement.

Derivative is a strong word, but from most angles there’s a little bit of something else in the Tank 300’s exterior. We can easily see a bit of Suzuki Jimny in profile, and a dash of new Ford Bronco in the lights and grille. And if you squint there’s a blob of Jeep Wrangler in the wheel-arch extensions.

Which should mean it’s just a mash-up. Yet somehow, it isn’t, and the Tank has its own vibe.

Inside, that vibe suddenly becomes a bit overdone, and the plastic garnish above the glove box, in particular, looks like it will date pretty quickly (if it hasn't already). There's also a lot going on in here; this is a busy place and even the gear selector looks like a prop form the Star Wars franchise.

On the outside, the HS leans confidently into an athletic look, with strong body lines, side steps and a swooping front end. The black accents add a nice edge, while the 19-inch alloy wheels and full suite of LED lighting give it a sportier presence. It looks particularly good in the Diamond Red Metallic paintwork of our test car.

Step inside and the cabin carries through that sharp design, with a mix of soft-touch and well-finished materials. The standout is the optional tan synthetic leather upholstery. At $700, it’s not essential, but it does a lot of the heavy lifting in giving the interior a more premium feel.

A panoramic sunroof and dual 12.3-inch displays help round things out, creating a space that feels well put together.

While GWM is by no means the worst offender, we still reckon the Tank’s interior would be better without such a degree of reliance of touchscreens and menu-driven functionality. While it’s obvious that there’s a lot going on in the cabin, it still seems odd that important functions such as shifting from conventional hybrid mode to EV mode would require a dive through the on-screen menus when a simple switch would be faster, easier and simpler.

And even when GWM has provided switches, the end result is muddy. Take the volume controls for an example. There’s no central volume knob accessible by both front seat occupants, so you rely on the steering wheel mounted up and down buttons to change the volume. Except they’re not marked as volume controls in any specific way. Okay, if you know, you know. But if you don’t know, you’ve just missed the news headlines.

Overall, it's disappointing. And I resent the fact that GWM (or anybody else) thinks it’s okay for me to have to learn to operate a car all over again. The dashboard is also full of tiny symbols and lettering making things difficult to decipher if you normally wear glasses to read, but not to drive.

We’ll take issue with the indicator stalk, too, which has an indistinct feel when trying to discern whether you turned the indicators on for an intersection, or just tipped them on for three flashes for a lane change. And if you have accidentally gone too far and they’re still flashing away merrily after the lane change, turning them off manually is a lottery that might see you succeed, or mistakenly turn on the other side flashers.

The rest is better with proper buttons for the various off-road drive modes, diff locks and hill holder. There’s even an analogue clock for some real nostalgia. You’ll also find a single USB-A and USB-C charge port in the dash, and a pair of cupholders buried deep in the centre console which also has a lid and sliding drawer.

It’s obvious that this is a smaller vehicle than some, and the four-door layout dictates shorter doors. But that doesn’t alter the fact that the driver’s seat slides back a few centimetres every time you shut the car down. The trouble with that if you’re tall, is that the seat is now tucked back in behind the B-pillar, meaning you have to climb out and around it to exit the car. Perhaps you can switch off this slide-back function, but I didn’t have the spare hour to troll through the menus to do so. Oh, and there should be a driver’s grab handle on the A-pillar, too. There isn’t.

The rear seat is better with an adjustable backrest that provides proper comfort, and leg and knee room that hides the 300’s smaller dimensions well. There’s lots of glass and light and a pair of USB charge points. You also get a pair of rear reading lights and central vents, but no climate controls.

Even the cargo area is a decent size with the five seats in place (360 litres, up to 1520L with 60/40 rear seats lowered) but the under-floor storage space has been consumed by the hybrid battery, meaning the jack and tools and charging cable live in the cargo area and the spare tyre is bolted to the tailgate.

The single-piece tailgate is hinged at the side, and needs a fair bit of real estate to be swung open fully.

The Tank features vehicle-to-load capability, too, which means you can operate your power tools using the vehicle as the power source, and there’s a 220-volt socket in the luggage area to do just that. But when camping, too, this feature can also power induction cookers, microwaves, and all the other stuff you probably should have left at home. And if the hybrid battery runs out of charge, the Tank can run its petrol engine to act as a generator (your camping neighbours are going to love that).

The real gadget freaks out there can also download the Tank app which allows you to operate functions such as power windows, climate control, seat heaters, central locking and check your charging status all from the comfort of your smartphone. You can also use this functionality to flash the hazard lights to help spot your Tank from everybody else’s in the carpark.

The HS covers the basics well when it comes to comfort and space, but its day-to-day usability is let down somewhat by its technology.

Up front, the cabin is a comfortable place to spend time. The seats are supportive with plenty of padding, making longer drives easy. The heated seat function is controlled through the multimedia screen, though, which means it’s easy to forget about and the heating cycle switches off fairly quickly.

Storage is decent for the segment. You get a pair of cupholders, sunglasses holder, large door bins and a phone tray, although the middle console is on the smaller side.

Where things fall down slightly is in the technology. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included, but CarPlay didn’t consistently reconnect on its own during our time with the car, requiring daily set-up. The Bluetooth connection was stable, although it didn’t pull through contacts or call history.

The 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia display can be laggy and because most functions, including climate control and some seat settings, are buried within it, it can become frustrating to use day-to-day.

That said, there are some positives. The built-in satellite navigation works well and can be mirrored in the driver’s display, which is a nice touch. Charging options are also good, with two USB-C ports per row, a 12-volt socket and a wireless charging pad up front.

In the back, there’s plenty of space for legs and headroom and the seats are impressively plush. Access is generally easy, although the side steps feel a unnecessary. There’s a fold-down armrest with cupholders, but the window line is quite high, which may not suit younger passengers.

Rear amenities include map pockets and directional air vents. However, given the price jump over the petrol equivalent, it feels like a few extra premium touches could have been included. It’s comfortable, just not especially feature-rich.

Around the back, the boot offers a solid 507 litres of capacity. The flat loading floor makes it easy to slide items in and out, and there are handy netted side pockets for smaller bits. A powered tailgate adds convenience, though the absence of a spare wheel in favour of a tyre repair kit may be a drawback for some buyers.

There are seven variants in the MG HS line-up, spanning three powertrains: turbo-petrol, hybrid and plug-in hybrid. For this review, we’re in the flagship Essence plug-in hybrid, priced from $46,990, MSRP. That puts it around $6000 to $10,000 above its petrol and regular hybrid siblings.

At this end of the range, it starts to edge into the territory of key Chinese rivals like the Jaecoo J7 SHS Summit and BYD Sealion 6 Premium, which are priced from $47,990 drive-away and $52,990 MSRP, respectively. Against those, the HS doesn’t feel quite as generously equipped.

There’s still a solid list of premium features on offer. You get synthetic leather upholstery, a panoramic sunroof and heated, electrically adjustable front seats. However, it misses a few niceties that are becoming more common with its flagship rivals, like ventilated front seats and heated rear outboard seats.

On the tech front, it’s well covered with dual 12.3-inch displays, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, four USB-C ports, digital radio, Bluetooth, satellite navigation and a wireless charging pad.

Our test car is fitted with the optional tan interior, which adds $700. It’s a worthwhile upgrade, lifting the overall look and feel of the cabin and giving it a more premium edge.

If you want the HS in anything but white, premium paintwork will add a further $700.

The Tank’s plug-in driveline, starts with a petrol engine measuring 2.0-litres and contributing 180kW to the overall picture. But then there’s a single electric motor, sandwiched between the petrol engine and the nine-speed transmission. That means the Tank is still a mechanical four-wheel-drive platform, and when both powerplants are singing together, there’s an eye-opening 300kW and 750Nm of torque on tap.

The four-wheel-drive system operates as a rear-wheel drive on dry bitumen, and there’s the usual 4WD high range and 4WD low range. What there isn’t, is a 4WD-auto setting that allows you to use four-wheel drive in the dry on a paved road. That sounds minor, but for towing in particular, having all four wheels doing the driving is a major safety bonus.

All Tank 300s get a rear differential lock, but this version, the Ultra, also gets a locking front diff as well. Typically, the Tank also features a range of driving modes (no less than nine of them!) for the four-wheel-drive function, tailoring throttle, transmission and differential response according to the type of terrain being covered.

The Tank 300 is built the old fashioned way with a ladder-chassis upon which the body is bolted, and it still uses a live rear axle, too. But the front suspension is independent and the GWM uses coil springs rather than old-school leaf springs for much better ride quality.

The MG HS Super Hybrid is front-wheel drive and combines a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with an electric motor, delivering combined outputs of 220kW and 350Nm.

The system integrates the electric motor smoothly, providing immediate response off the line. Even when the battery charge is low, performance remains largely consistent, with the hybrid system continuing to support the drivetrain rather than dropping off noticeably.

The headline number here is GWM’s official fuel consumption number of just 1.9 litres per 100km. Or it would be if it had anything to do with the real world. As it is, nobody is going to achieve that, and our mix of urban running netted an average of about 11.0 litres per 100km, with that dropping to 8.5 litres per 100km in country conditions.

The truth is, your consumption in this vehicle can go from zero to, say, 12 litres per 100km depending on how and where you drive and how much battery charge you have available.

Speaking of charging, the Tank 300 can use a commercial fast charger to absorb voltage at a rate of 50kW. At that rate, it can go from 30 to 80 per cent charged in about 24 minutes. A wall box (GWM offers one as a factory option) can take the 37.1kWh battery from 15 per cent to fully charged in 6.5 hours. And, of course, you can also charge the Tank from a domestic wall socket in a claimed 14.4 hours. We managed to add about 6km worth of charge per hour on such an outlet during our time with the car.

As far as range goes, GWM reckons there’s 115km (NEDC) of EV-only range, while starting a journey with a fully charged battery and a full 70-litre fuel tank should see you covering somewhere between 900 and 950km between top ups.

The HS Super Hybrid is equipped with a 24.7kWh lithium iron phosphate battery, with a claimed WLTP electric-only range of up to 120km.

The combined (urban/extra-urban) fuel cycle figure is 0.7L/100km. In the real world, under normal driving conditions, you won’t see that but you’ll be able to comfortably travel over 1000km before you have to fill up - which is impressive for a 55L fuel tank.

Over a week of driving close to 1800km, mostly on the highway with some urban use mixed in, I recorded an average of 4.6L/100km. Hybrids typically aren’t at their most efficient on longer highway runs, so this is a solid real-world result.

Charging is handled via a Type 2 port, supporting AC charging up to 6.0kW. On that set-up, a full charge takes around four hours, while a standard domestic socket will see it stretch out to an overnight job.

Unlike some rivals, there’s no DC fast charging capability here. That’s something you may notice on longer trips, where quicker top-ups would make a difference.

GWM claims a 0-100km/h acceleration time of just 6.3 seconds for the Tank 300 PHEV, and that’s impressive. There are two caveats here. The first is that you need at least 40 per cent battery charge on board to extract maximum thrust. And, secondly, even in those circumstances, the Tank never feels that brisk. It’s more effortless than genuinely rapid, although the torque up hills is genuinely impressive.

There’s no getting around the refinement inherent in using volts for some of the time. And when the petrol engine does chime in, it’s all but imperceptible. You’ll eventually hear the engine if you wring it right out, but even then, vibrations are minimal.

All in all, the Tank’s relatively compact dimensions work in its favour in an urban setting, and the range of camera views (including an off-road one showing you the obstacles you’re about to encounter) make parking a lot easier than it might have been. Only a high degree of distortion in the birds-eye-view camera mode takes a bit of getting used to.

On the move the ride quality is quite exceptional, and those coil springs really do make a difference. Even the usual council speed bumps don’t bother the Tank and the short wheelbase pitching we’ve seen in some similar vehicles just never emerges. Well chosen damper rates help, too, and there has been some Australian input into the way the Tank handles. It shows.

Steering, too, feels light and natural, although the almost constant fidgeting at the helm by the lane-keeping assistance program is annoying. And switching it off is not only a multi-button job, it needs to be done every time you start the vehicle.

Far and away the biggest hurdle in living with the Tank, however, is a throttle calibration that is way off the mark. Pressing the accelerator pedal initially doesn’t seem to do much at all, and then suddenly, the power comes in and you discover you’ve input too much throttle as the Tank surges away down the road, threatening to actually spin its tyres if there’s any gravel about. But not until that initial hesitation has caused the driver behind you to wonder aloud (I can lip-read) if you’re ever going to move at all. This needs to be fixed as a running change.

The all-important off-road driving experience is pretty sharp and the Tank 300 is a genuine competitor in this discipline. It’s extremely stable and capable on unsealed roads and tracks and the front and rear diff locks make it a proper adventurer’s rig.

It’s relatively demure dimensions also mean that it fits down the tracks and trails that have been created by decades of vehicles of a similar size, unlike some of the bigger new off-roaders we’re seeing that simply don’t fit in to the terrain so neatly.

Ultimately, the Tank’s stock tyres will be the limiting factor, but there are plenty of alternatives out there for a bit more off-road bite.

The HS Super Hybrid is an easy car to get along with on the road. Power delivery is smooth and immediate and the transition between the petrol engine and electric motor is largely seamless.

Through corners, it feels composed with minimal body roll, and there’s enough control to make a winding road enjoyable without pushing into anything overly sporty. The suspension strikes a nice balance, remaining forgiving over bumps without feeling floaty, while the steering is responsive enough for everyday driving.

The regenerative braking system offers two levels of adjustment, although it can feel a abrupt on steeper descents, occasionally resulting in a lurchy sensation.

The cabin stays impressively quiet, with minimal road and wind noise even at higher speeds, making it a comfortable companion for longer trips.

Visibility is generally good out the front, though the A- and B-pillars, along with the side mirrors, are on the thicker side, so you do need to be mindful when checking around them.

Around town, it’s an easy car to park. The 360-degree camera system is clear, and the overall size of the HS means it doesn’t feel intimidating in tighter car parks.

The MG HS holds a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating based on 2024 testing and comes equipped with seven airbags.

The safety suite is comprehensive, including front and rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, lane keeping aid, emergency lane keeping aid, lane departure warning, front and rear collision warning, and tyre pressure monitoring. However, it does miss a couple of features seen elsewhere, such as emergency call capability and side exit assist.

In practice, some of these systems can feel overly intrusive. The driver monitoring system, traffic sign recognition and lane keeping alerts are particularly sensitive, with frequent audible warnings that can become tiresome over time.

For families, there are useful inclusions like two ISOFIX child seat mounts, three top-tether anchor points and seatbelt reminders across the cabin.

Autonomous emergency braking is included with car, pedestrian and cyclist detection, operating from 8.0km/h to 85km/h, or up to 150km/h for car detection. However, it is common to see this system operate from as low as 4.0km/h.

GWM offers a seven year/unlimited kilometre warranty on the Tank 300, as well as eight years of cover for the hybrid battery (also with no kilometre limit). There’s also seven years of roadside assistance thrown in, too.

Capped-price servicing is available for the first seven years, with the first service due at 12 months or 10,000km and subsequent services every 12 months of 15,000km after that. Prices for each service (in order) are: $320, $460, $460, $685, $685, $1075, and $370.

GWM has a network of 123 new-car dealerships able to handle servicing, and the company tells us that regional centres have not been forgotten.

The HS is backed by MG’s seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is competitive for the class. There’s also the option to extend this to 10 years or 250,000km, provided servicing conditions are met.

Servicing is covered by either a three- or five-year capped price program, with the five-year plan costing $2166. That’s a reasonable figure for the segment, and service intervals are set at every 12 months or 15,000km.

The HS Super Hybrid requires 95 RON premium unleaded fuel or higher, so while it’s efficient, it doesn’t quite sip the cheapest fuel on offer.

There are 110 MG dealers across the country (plus three service-only sites) covering all states and territories as well as key rural and regional centres.