GWM Tank 500 vs Skoda Elroq

What's the difference?

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.

The Skoda Elroq is a niche option in a boiling hot small SUV segment, but it makes sense as the next plank in Skoda’s multi-model EV strategy. It has the value, quality and performance to cut through. We think it’s a worthy newcomer.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer with accommodation and meals provided.

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.

Skoda’s aim with the Elroq is a contemporary, ‘solid’ design approach and while of course a car’s looks are always a subjective call I think it’s sleek and clean. 

In this case, perception is reality with the car recording a slippery 0.26 drag coefficient and a 2025 Red Dot Award in the automotive category is an impressive design feather in its cap. 

First thing you’ll notice is ‘SKODA’ type on the leading edge of the bonnet in place of the more typical winged arrow brand logo, which is a cool detail.

Functional pieces include active shutters to help balance aero efficiency and battery cooling as well as front wheel arch air curtain inlets on the outer edges of the nose.

The underbody has been smoothed and at the back 'separation edges’ help to manage exiting airflow, as does a roof spoiler with subtle mini aero pieces underneath it on either side.

The interior is understated and manages to combine visual interest with easy functionality.

A 13-inch media screen sits in the centre but happily there’s a row of physical shortcut buttons underneath for often-used functions. The ‘SKODA’ lettering replaces the logo on the steering wheel, too.

A two-tone treatment across the console, seats, doors and multi-level dash looks deluxe, as do bold orange seatbelts in the 130 Years Edition.

There’s also a heavy emphasis on the use of what Skoda says are “sustainable, practical and durable materials” in the cabin.

The ‘Loft Design’ interior in the 85 Select uses fabric comprising 78 per cent recycled PET plastic, while the ‘Lodge Design’ in the 130 Years Edition features synthetic leather and a fabric made from Nylon waste. The floor trim and mats also contain a high percentage of recycled polyester.

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.

In terms of practicality up front there are big bins in the doors able to easily cope with larger bottles as well as a pair of cupholders in the centre console with a removable divider. They’re best for cups rather than bottles. 

There’s a decent glove box, a useful oddments tray behind the cupholders, a console box in the centre with a lift-out tray and a ‘false floor’ style door at the bottom to hide things, which is typically Skoda.

Wireless device charging is onboard and under the ‘flying buttress’ style centre console there’s a large storage bay with two USB-C sockets, plus there’s another pair of USB-Cs in the back. And don’t forget the obligatory Skoda umbrella housed in the driver’s door. Very nice.

The Elroq rides on the VW Group ‘MEB’ platform and although shorter overall it has the same wheelbase as its larger Enyaq sibling, so rear space is surprisingly generous.

For the record, the Elroq is just under 4.5m long, close to 1.9m wide and a little over 1.6m tall with a 2765mm wheelbase. 

In the back, sitting behind the driver’s seat set for my 183cm position I have ample legroom, plenty of space for my feet and lots of headroom.

It would be a little tight for three full-size adults across the back; two is probably better. But a trio of up to mid-teenage kids will be swimming in it.

In terms of storage, again, there are pockets in the doors big enough for large bottles. There is a pair of pop-out cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest combined with a small tray for devices or other bits and pieces.

A removable tray, including a couple of bottle-sized holders sits on the floor in front of the centre rear position, which is terrific. Then you’ve got your map pockets on the front seatbacks. Nothing unusual there, but a thoughtful touch is a device-sized pocket on the back of them.

Both grades have adjustable ventilation for back-seaters with third-zone temperature control and drop-down side shades in the 130 Years Edition.

Boot capacity is a class competitive 470 litres with all seats up, nudging up to a generous 1580 litres with the 60/40 split-fold rear seat backrest lowered.

In typical Skoda fashion there’s a range of useful additions including a through-port door for lengthy items, side storage compartments, an intermediate position for the parcel shelf, multiple cargo fasteners, net pockets and a 12-volt socket.

There’s even a windscreen ice scraper housed in the tailgate and a charging cable tidy in the 130 Years Edition.

Bad news is there’s no spare wheel of any description, just a repair/inflator kit. But it’s worth noting the Elroq can tow a 1200kg braked trailer which is handy.

A two-grade Elroq line-up starts with the entry-grade 85 Select at $54,990, before on-road costs, which pitches it into a swirling vortex of small SUVs comprising a mix of pure combustion, hybrid and other EVs kicking off in the around 50 to 60 grand bracket.

How’s this for a table of well-credentialed competitors? 

At the same time it substantially undercuts primo compact EV SUV options like the BMW iX2 (from $77,300), Mercedes-Benz EQA (from $84,900) and Mini Countryman E (from $64,990), all before on-road costs. Which brings the flagship Elroq 130 Years Edition into the picture at $64,990, BOC. 

Once you’ve crested the $50K barrier expectations in terms of included features are understandably high and Skoda has obviously done some heavy lifting to load up the Elroq value proposition. 

Aside from the performance and safety tech we’ll get to shortly, 85 Select highlights are 19-inch alloy rims, a 13-inch central multimedia touchscreen, a 5.0-inch digital instrument display, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, dual-zone climate control and heated front seats.

There’s also an eight-speaker audio (with digital radio), wireless device charging, a heated leather-trimmed steering wheel as well as LED headlights, auto rain-sensing wipers and heated auto-folding exterior mirrors.

The flagship 130 Years Edition, celebrating the brand’s time in business, ups the ante with 21-inch rims, an augmented reality head-up display, power front seats (with memory and massage), heated rear seats, three-zone climate, 675W 12-speaker Canton audio, a hands-free power tailgate and matrix LED headlights.

Then you can add in a 360-degree overhead camera view, adaptive cruise control, ‘Intelligent Park Assist’ and more.

Both Elroq grades’ standard equipment is on the pace for the price.

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.

The Elroq is powered by a single, rear-mounted AC permanent magnet synchronous motor sending 210kW/545Nm to the rear wheels only. 

Strong numbers for a single-motor EV; way higher outputs than the Elroq’s internal combustion and hybrid rivals and right up there with pricier Euro EV options in the category.

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.

Both Elroq grades are fitted with a CATL-sourced 82kWh (77kWh net) lithium-ion battery for a claimed 529km (WLTP) range.

DC fast-charging up to 175kW is possible which equates to a 10-80 per cent charge in 28 minutes. AC charging at 11kW means eight hours for a 100 per cent charge. Mode2 and Mode3 Type 2 charging cables are included.

Claimed energy consumption on the combined cycle is 16.6kWh/100km and on the launch drive which took in city, suburban and freeway running we saw an average of 15.2kWh/100km, which is impressive given the mix of conditions covered.  

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.

Skoda claims the Elroq will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 6.6 seconds which is usefully rapid. There’s plenty of power and nearly 550Nm of torque available. But the car weighs almost 2.2 tonnes, so you’re talking strong rather than ‘extreme’ performance.

There’s plenty of acceleration on tap for the nip and tuck of the city and suburbs as well as easy cruising and overtaking on the freeway.

There are multiple drive modes including ‘Eco’, ‘Comfort’, ‘Normal’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Individual’ to manage energy use and performance.

The Elroq sits on the same ‘MEB' battery-electric platform as any number of EVs in the VW Group portfolio and it has a strut front, multi-link rear suspension set-up. And it feels the bumps.

Even on reasonably smooth surfaces little bumps and thumps make their presence felt. The worse the surface gets, the more pronounced it is. Once you get out onto the smooth highway and freeway, of course it’s not an issue. And you may get used to it over time but it certainly is present.

Noise suppression tech along with low wind and tyre intrusion combine to deliver a calm interior environment, even by EV standards.

The Elroq steers nicely. It points accurately and the steering weight is quite light, although it’s not the last word in terms of road feel - the connection between your hands on the wheel and the tyres on the tarmac.

Speaking of which, tyres on the 85 Select’s 19-inch rims are Kumho Ecsta PS71 (235/55 fr - 255/50 rr) and the 130 Years Edition’s 21s are shod with Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 (235/45 fr - 255/40 rr), both EV-specific tyres designed to reduce rolling resistance for improved energy efficiency. They grip firmly and the car feels stable and nicely balanced in twisting corners.

All around vision is good. The A-pillars in particular aren’t as chunky as they can be in some modern cars, which opens up the view in front. Over the shoulder vision is good and the large rear window makes the internal rear view clear, as well.

As mentioned, the Elroq is reasonably hefty for its size and you want sturdy brakes to wash off speed, which come in the form of ventilated front discs clamped by twin-piston calipers.

Having said that, there are drums at the rear. Not unheard of on an EV where regenerative braking takes a fair amount of the load, harvesting energy in the process.

Nothing wrong with a well engineered drum and the brakes work perfectly well, even when tested constantly on downhill twisting sections. No hint of fade.

On the active safety front, this car is loaded with ADAS-style crash prevention tech but we didn’t feel any of it being overly intrusive. No lane-keeping wrenching at the wheel or reminders telling you to pay attention; it’s all fairly low-key.

Miscellaneous observations include the compact 9.3m turning circle, great front seats in both Elroq grades and the effectiveness of the augmented reality head-up display in the 130 Years Edition. As well, a 5.0-inch instrument display might sound crazy small but it works beautifully. The view to it and the graphics on the screen are crystal clear with three switchable layouts available.

No ANCAP or Euro NCAP assessment for the Elroq at this point but crash avoidance tech is extensive, including auto emergency braking (AEB) with car, pedestrian and cyclist detection, ‘Lane Assist’ (with ‘Adaptive Lane Guidance'), rear cross-traffic alert, ‘Traffic Jam Assist’ and adaptive cruise control.

There’s also ‘Turn Assist’, ‘Side Assist’, an exit warning system, driver fatigue detection, front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera. The 130 Years Edition ads a 360-degree overhead camera view, adaptive cruise control, ‘Intelligent Park Assist’ and more.

If a crash is unavoidable there are seven airbags in the 85 Select (front, front side, front centre and side curtain) and nine in the 130 Years Edition, which picks up rear side airbags.

There are three top tethers for child restraints across the third row, with ISOFIX anchors on the two outer positions. 

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.

The Elroq is covered by Skoda’s seven-year, unlimited km warranty which is ahead of most mainstream players sitting at five years, unlimited km, with 24 months roadside assist included and renewed for a further year after each authorised dealer service. The battery carries an eight-year, 160,000km warranty which is the industry norm.

The option of guaranteed future value pricing is a plus with loan terms from 12 to 60 months as well as novated lease packages to take advantage of FBT reductions for efficient vehicles.

Service is recommended every 30,000km or two years, with each workshop visit costing $502, which isn’t bad given the maintenance interval. Six, eight and 10-year service packs are also available.