Kia EV6 vs GWM Tank 300
What's the difference?

Kia EV6

$72,590 - $99,865

2026 price

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GWM Tank 300

$46,190 - $59,990

2026 price

View pricing & specs

Land Rover Discovery Sport

Mercedes-Benz EQ-Class

Mercedes-Benz EQS

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Mercedes-Benz G63

Mercedes-Benz GLA250

Mercedes-Benz GLB

Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi Pajero

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

Toyota Landcruiser 70 Series

Summary

2026 Kia EV6

2026 GWM Tank 300

By Tim Nicholson

By David Morley

Safety Rating

Electric motor type

Permanent Magnet

Turbo 4, 2.0L

Vehicle type

Battery Electric

Unleaded Petrol/Electric

Fuel Efficiency

—

1.9L/100km (combined)

Energy consumption

17.2 kWh/100km

27.2 kWh/100km

Electric range

560 km

115 km

Battery capacity

84.00 kWh

37.10 kWh

Seating

Likes

Successful facelift
Grippy performance
Improved driving range

Lots of hardware, tech and equipment for the money
Genuinely off-road capable
Promise of lower-cost running

Dislikes

Cramped headroom in front seats
Still pricier than many rivals
Annoying driver aids

Throttle calibration is awful
Menu-driven cabin
Some driver aids require polishing

2026 Kia EV6 Summary

Four years is a long time in the Australian automotive sector. Back in 2022, the Kia EV6 made a big splash as a cool, edgy EV with a focus on driver engagement.

It won a bunch of awards and was praised for its dynamism and design. Kia’s first dedicated EV was a winner! But in the years since it’s been overshadowed by a gaggle of newer and cheaper electric cars, largely from China.

More than a year after it made its global debut, Kia Australia has finally launched the facelifted EV6 in Australia. It brings with it a number of changes, most notably a new front end design, as well as a multimedia and software upgrade, chassis refinements, local ride and handling tuning tweaks and bigger batteries for more driving range.

But is it too little, too late for the Kia EV6? Have buyers moved on from this once ground-breaking EV to more affordable Chinese options? Read on to find out why this EV shouldn’t be so easily forgotten.

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2026 GWM Tank 300 Summary

Sometimes it really is all a matter of timing.

GWM was always going to offer up the plug-in hybrid version of its Tank 300 4X4, but for it to arrive in showrooms right now must be being looked on as some kind of blessing at GWM HQ.

Consider the circumstances: The Tank 300 Hi4-T PHEV (to give it its full name) not only saves fuel by making use of plug-in hybrid tech, but the fossil stuff it does use is petrol, not diesel with that fuel’s buck-a-litre cost penalty right now.

And with the planet on a knife’s edge waiting for the next increase in brinkmanship from those referred to as our world leaders, overseas travel has never seemed sketchier to the average Aussie. Which is when keeping it local and hitting the outback in a four-wheel drive suddenly looks really, really good. Except for the cost of fuel, that is, which is where we circle back to square one.

All of which means the GWM Tank 300 Plug-in hybrid concept could not really have come at a better time. But does the reality match the promise?

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Deep dive comparison

2026 Kia EV6 2026 GWM Tank 300

Verdict

It’s fair to say the Kia EV6 is not the most affordable mid-to-large electric SUV money can buy. Especially in the era of cheaper Chinese models.

It also lacks some of the practicalities of a few rivals. If that’s your focus and you’re dead set on buying a Kia, then the EV5 is the clear choice.

But that’s not the sole purpose of this car.

It doubles as family transport and a car for driving enthusiasts. It’s the sort of EV that can convert EV non-believers.

After a week with the EV6, it’s not a car I’ll forget easily. And I urge buyers looking in the EV space not to overlook this pioneering model. It’s a brilliant car to drive and the GT-Line RWD is the value pick of the whole line-up.

Verdict

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.

Kia EV6 vs GWM Tank 300 What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Kia EV6 vs GWM Tank 300
What's the difference?