GWM Tank 300 News

Buyers still love 4WDs in Australia. It remains a big-selling segment, but some of its biggest hitters are suffering losses.China is starting to get a foothold in the market with budget offerings posing a serious threat to established regulars.Emissions-heavy vehicles such as 4WDs are also coming under fire from increasingly stringent rules in Australia.Here is the rundown of the best-selling 4WDs up to June 2026. The Ford Everest large SUV is up front with more than 11,000 sales in 2026 so far, despite a near 10 per cent year-on-year drop. It is based on the Ford Ranger, which is the best-selling ute in Australia.The Toyota Prado takes second place with more than 9000 sales so far this year, but it has experienced an even sharper drop of nearly 42 per cent year-on-year.The Prado is a scaled down version of the LandCruiser 300 Series, using a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, as opposed to the more powerful V6. Isuzu’s MU-X is third, making 7564 sales up to June, but it too experienced a more minor slump of 3.2 per cent. The LandCruiser 300 Series is currently fourth on the standings, and is the only car in the top five to have experienced a substantial growth in sales. Its 6451 sales constitutes a 26.3 per cent rise compared to first six months of 2025.Toyota also released a performance petrol hybrid V6 variant earlier this year.The Suzuki Jimny rounds out the top five as a much smaller and cheaper competitor to those above it. Priced from $31,990, before on-road costs, the Jimny is down 11.1 per cent compared to this time last year, while still amassing 3882 sales. The Nissan Patrol is down nearly 25 per cent compared to its sales result up to June 2025, with 2843 sales so far in 2026. The current Y62 petrol V8 Patrol will cease production next month, and order books for a new twin-turbo V6 will open later. GWM’s Tank 300 mid-size SUV off-roader has continued to surge up the sales charts in 2026, with 2759 sales so far.The Tank 300 is available in petrol, diesel, plug-less hybrid and plug-in hybrid set-ups - more varied than any of its competitors. BYD’s Denza sub-brand is another Chinese rival experiencing a solid sales return in Australia.Its B5 plug-in hybrid SUV has already accumulated 1445 sales this year, having only gone on sale in December 2025.Its bigger sibling the B8 is also approaching the 1000-unit mark midway through this year. The ultra-luxury GMC Yukon Denali from the United States is starting to pick up momentum in Australia. The V8-powered eight-seater Yukon Denali went on sale in the middle of last year, but 2026 has seen sales explode by nearly 190 per cent. It remains a low-volume model with only 202 sales, as it carries a $174,990 price tag. The 4WD segment is about undergo some serious changes in the next few months, including an influx of new models.The Mitsubishi Pajero will return to Australia, along with several new Chinese competitors likely to join it over the next 18 months.The anticipated Geely Galaxy Cruiser is slated for a UK launch, meaning Australia could its next step, while the GAC Yue 7 also seems to be on the way. 

China’s GWM has revealed more details and imagery of its updated Tank 300 for the domestic market.As reported by Car News China, a highlight of this update is a longer wheelbase that was previewed by the Tank 300 Hooke Edition prototype that was revealed at the 2025 Shanghai motor show.The location of the front axle has been moved forwards, plus the front overhang has been trimmed, improving the approach angle.According to Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) filings, this updated Tank 300 measures in at 4886mm long, 1984mm wide and 1927mm tall, with a 3010mm wheelbase.This makes it 126mm longer, 54mm wider and 24mm taller than the current model.Unlike the Hooke Edition prototype, which had a solid front axle, it’s understood the production version of this updated Tank 300 retains a front double wishbone and a rear multi-link suspension set-up.Another major change is the powertrain options. In addition to the Hi-4T plug-in hybrid (PHEV) option that retains a mechanical four-wheel drive system, a new Hi-4Z PHEV option, which is more electric-centric, is being introduced with this update.Full details haven’t been confirmed yet, but GWM claims it has a 60kWh battery allowing up to 200km electric range, according to an undisclosed testing cycle.For reference, the current Tank 300 Hi4-T PHEV has a 37.1kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which offers up to 115km of electric range, according to NEDC testing.It’s understood this new Tank 300 Hi4-Z PHEV will share a lot of its componentry with the Tank 400 Hi-4Z PHEV.It has a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and dual electric motors with a total system output of 635kW and 1195Nm, along with a 60kWh battery pack offering up to 200km of electric range.It’s expected the rest of the current powertrains will carry over. These include a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol, a 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, as well as a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 petrol.In Australia only the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol and 2.4-litre turbo-diesel engines are offered, in addition to the Hi4-T PHEV powertrain.A change the imagery reveals is an altered front fascia. There’s a new grille with Tank lettering, as well as more pronounced recovery points, though it’s unclear if they’re functional.A LiDAR pod can be seen on the roof, indicating that semi-autonomous driving technology may be coming.We're yet to see any imagery of the interior, so it's unclear if there have been any changes.It’s understood this updated Tank 300 will be going on sale in China on July 6 and it’s unclear if or when it will be available to export markets, including Australia.

The Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and RAV4 are typically Australia’s most popular cars in any given month. But what other cars are having a great 2026?We’ve scoured the latest new car sales data to reveal the cars that are off to a storming start in the first five months of this year. For our list we’ve tried to focus on cars that have shown at least double-digit sales growth and have sold at least four-digit volume, so we avoid niche models that are coming off a very low base.We also deliberately avoided focusing on electric vehicles, as we have previously written about the EVs that are enjoying a sales boom in 2026.This is by no means a comprehensive list, and there are several models that are enjoying huge growth from brands such as BYD and Chery, but we’ve limited it to one entry to highlight more brands.Chery Tiggo 7 Pro - up 200.2%Choosing a Chery to put on this list wasn’t an easy task, as the brand is enjoying a bumper year with total sales up more than 84 per cent. The compact Tiggo 4 Pro remains the brand’s sales leader, with more than 11k sold already, but the Tiggo 7 is the clear star performer in terms of growth.With sales tracking more than 200 per cent up, the Tiggo 7 Pro has moved from also-ran to serious contender in the intensely competitive mid-size SUV market. It’s still well-short of the class-leading Toyota RAV4, but only the related Jaecoo J7 (up 427%) and BYD Sealion 7 (up 297%) have experienced more growth so far this year.Kia K4 - up 103.5%Reports of the demise of the hatchback appear to be exaggerated. While small SUVs remain incredibly popular, Kia has demonstrated that the right small car (as the K4 is both a hatch and sedan now) still has plenty of appeal.The South Korean brand has sold 3850 examples of its Cerato-replacement so far in 2026, more than double what it managed this time last year, when the hatch was not available.BYD Seal - up 92%The Atto 3 and Sealion 7 EVs are also enjoying good years, and the new Sealion 5 and 8 plug-in hybrids are both off to a good start, but for this list we’re highlighting the under-rated Seal EV. Under-rated because, like the hatchback, sedans are supposed to be in terminal decline.And yet, BYD has managed to almost double the sales of its mid-size sedan in 2026, with 1885 sold year-to-date. This actually makes it one of the brand’s worst-performing models, only further highlighting just what a successful year BYD is having.For the record, sales of the Sealion 7 are up 297%, the Dolphin is up 115% and the Atto 3 is up 85% (despite being the brand’s longest tenured model). Everything is looking rosy for BYD so far in 2026.Toyota Camry - up 48.3%It’s not exactly the glory days for the Camry, 5221 sales in five months is small fry compared to its past, but it remains an under-rated sales performer for not just the brand. Combined with the Seal, these two very different sedans have almost single-handedly kept the family car segment afloat in recent years.Every other existing model in the mid-size sedan segment is down in 2026, but the Camry remains the automotive equivalent of a cockroach - impossible to ever count out.Hyundai Palisade - up 37.1%This was a borderline inclusion on the list, as Hyundai introduced a new generation Palisade in late 2025 so the comparison to last year’s sales is against the out-going model. But given the huge price jump from the old model, plus a small range, it suggests Hyundai’s biggest SUV is finding an audience.Aside from the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro and GWM Tank 300 (see below) the Palisade is the only other large SUV to meet our criteria, further underlining its strong sales performance so far this year.The addition of a more-affordable Elite trim grade, to go along with the initial flagship Calligraphy, plus the introduction of the more-rugged XRT Pro variant later this year may help the Palisade to continue its momentum.GWM Tank 300 - up 26.9%As mentioned above, the Tank 300 is another standout performer in the large SUV segment. The Chinese brand’s off-road capable offering has grown in recent times to include a diesel and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) alternative for buyers, which has clearly helped to expand its appeal.The relative struggles of the bigger Tank 500, which has only sold 529 units this year compared to 2228 Tank 300, is a clear demonstration that not all Chinese models sell in big numbers simply because they are cheaper than their rivals.The Tank 300 has therefore done enough to convince buyers to give it a chance and if this growth continues in the second half of the year it could become a key model for GWM.

GWM has revealed its upcoming Tank 800 full-sized SUV flagship has been given the green light for Australia – and it’s going to be here sooner than anybody expected.To be released before the end of June next year, the body-on-frame 4WD wagon will arrive with electrified V8 petrol power options in the higher-end versions, to match considerable off-road capability, giving the Chinese brand flagship a point of difference against the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series and Nissan Y63 Patrol.It should have a considerable price advantage over its V6 turbo petrol-powered Japanese opponents, starting from around $100,000 if the speculation is to be believed, while equipment and luxury specifications suggest that the 800 will be more-closely aligned with their Lexus LX and not-for-Australia Infiniti QX80 offshoots.“The Tank 800 has just been approved for Australia for the second quarter of next year,” according to GWM Australia Public Relations Manager, Justin Stefani. “(GWM Australia Chief Operating Officer, John Kett) and I were just told this morning.”Previewed all the way back in 2021 as a concept vehicle, the production 800 will debut in China soon. The “cheaper” versions are likely to have seven seats, while the more-opulent models will have a 2+2+2 arrangement boasting ‘captain’s chairs’ with ottomans, massaging seats and other trinkets, as per the brand’s (unrelated) Wey V9X full-sized luxury SUV.In keeping with the Tank’s branding, the 800 will deploy GWM’s new separate-chassis platform architecture, that is also expected to eventually underpin a full-sized ute (think Ford F-150). That was mooted for release in the North American market (where the Chinese brands are yet to conquer), though that has been indefinitely delayed (but not cancelled, we understand) due to the current US administration’s tariffs.As revealed back in January, the Tank’s engine in question will be a 403kW 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol unit that, when mated to at least two electric motors and driving all four wheels via a dedicated hybrid transmission, bumps that power output up to 735kW.GWM Chief Technology Officer Nicole Wu, told the Australian media at the recent China Auto Show in Beijing that it will be made available in series-parallel hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle configurations, giving consumers unprecedented power as well as fuel economy.Less-expensive versions are expected to use variations of GWM’s 3.0-litre turbo petrol Hi4-T PHEV engines, which – in the smaller Tank 700 – delivers a handy 385kW and 800Nm.More information about the upcoming 800 will be divulged shortly.

GWM is preparing to add more grunt to its tough Tank 300 4WD, with the Ford Everest now in its sights.A new V6-powered Tank 300 variant has just appeared in Chinese sale approval documents ahead of its full launch before the end of 2026.Its 3.0-litre turbo-petrol engine produces 265kW, which is a decent step up on the 2.0-litre unit's 162kW available in Australia. It has not been confirmed for Australia, and without hybrid power, it will have a tough time slipping under our emissions regulations.It is also expected to only be available in left-hand drive due to engineering restrictions. The V6 Tank 300 sports a different honeycomb front grille design to other variants, but it otherwise bears a similar resemblance to its siblings. It would continue to rival the diesel-powered Ford Everest and Toyota Prado, along with BYD sub-brand Denza’s new B5 plug-in hybrid SUV. GWM’s Australian approach could be more likely to include the diesel hybrid and plug-in hybrid set-ups planned for next year.The Tank 300 should receive these new engines, but it is unclear whether they will come Down Under.GWM has regularly tinkered with its Tank 300 lineup in Australia, which at one stage had petrol, diesel, hybrid and PHEV options.Having now cut the hybrid model, there could be room for the more powerful V6 in the range to accompany the soon-approaching 3.0-litre diesel.GWM also filed details of an updated 2.0-litre turbo-petrol version, boosting power from 162kW to 175kW.

GWM says it is bowing to public pressure by putting the Tank 400 back on the table for consideration in Australia.The larger, chunkier and more aggressive version of the popular Tank 300 had been sidelined for Australia since making its debut at the 2021 Shanghai Auto before hitting global markets as a 2023 model, but consistent requests have led to the rethink.We understand that a $60,000-to-$70,000 price tag is the target, thanks to premium positioning, and it's likely to include GWM’s new efficiency-focused Hi4-Z plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) system.That powertrain in 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol guise paired with a rear-mounted electric motor and 59kWh battery can offer a claimed EV-only range of 200km and more than 1000km combined in some related GWM models.There is also the more 4x4-orientated Hi4-T PHEV, with extra driven differentials and other off-road-biased tech, giving the 400 a wide breadth of capability.The brand’s vaunted new 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel hybrid system is also expected to feature at some point, as the Hi4 hybrid grades, though nothing has been announced.However, the Tank 400 you see in these pictures will not be the version Australians might be able to buy, given a major makeover is in the pipeline for sometime next year, meaning that we won’t likely see the SUV before 2028 at the earliest.“We’re definitely considering the 400 now,” according to a GWM spokesperson, speaking to CarsGuide at the China Auto Show in Beijing last week, adding that the company will gauge Australian consumer reaction to the media coverage from the event.“We’ll see how our dealers and customers react to it.”To that end, journalists were invited to sample the current model under extremely heavy and very limited supervision at GWM’s new proving ground in Hebei near the company’s headquarters in Baoding.So, what is the 400 and how does it fit into the Tank hierarchy? Based on the body-on-frame platform as found underneath the Tank 300 and 500, as well as their respective Cannon and Cannon Alpha ute counterparts, the 400 is most closely aligned with the 300.However, it is more than 100mm longer in body and wheelbase, as well as 30mm wider overall. Consequently, the five-seater body is considerably larger in those dimensions as well, bringing a big increase in passenger space as well as cargo capacity compared to the donor 4WD.If given the green light, GWM hopes to pitch the 400 against other premium 4WDs with some off-road capability, like the Denza B5 and Land Rover Defender.

Specifications for the GWM Tank 300 plug-in hybrid off-roader have just been released, with the SUV joining as a new rugged rival. 

China’s GWM has detailed pricing for the new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) versions of its Tank 300 body-on-frame SUV ahead of it arriving at local dealers from March 2026.The 2026 GWM Tank 300 Hi4-T line-up starts at $55,990 drive-away for the entry-level Lux trim and extends to $59,990 drive-away for the top-spec Ultra trim.GWM claims this is a “limited-time special launch offer” and after February 28 pricing will rise $2000 if the offer isn’t extended.For now however the Lux PHEV is priced the exact same as the Ultra Hybrid, and the Ultra PHEV is the new flagship trim in the entire Tank 300 line-up.Powering the Tank 300 Hi4-T PHEV is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with an 120kW electric motor integrated into the nine-speed automatic transmission, bringing total system outputs to 300kW and 750Nm. This is 45kW and 102Nm more than the existing Tank 300 Hybrid.For context, the Nissan Patrol with its 5.6-litre V8 engine produces 2kW and 190Nm less than the Tank 300 Hi4-T PHEV.A key part of the electric motor being integrated into the automatic transmission is it allows for the Tank 300 Hi4-T PHEV to retain a mechanical four-wheel drive system with a low-range transfer case. There’s also both front and rear locking differentials, as well as a number of off-road terrain settings.Like the rest of the Tank 300 line-up, the PHEV versions have a 3000kg braked towing capacity. It’s unclear what the payload capacity is just yet.Additionally GWM claims the Tank 300 Hi4-T PHEV can do up to 115km of electric range, according to lenient NEDC testing, thanks to its 37.1kWh battery pack.It’s capable of being fast-charged at rates up to 50kW, allowing for a 30 to 80 per cent charge in 24 minutes.There’s also vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability at rates up to 6kW, allowing you to power external devices and appliances.Full specifications are set to be detailed close to the Tank 300 Hi4-T PHEV’s local launch.The addition of this new PHEV powertrain brings the number of engines the Tank 300 is now offered in to a total of four: a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol, 2.4-litre turbo-diesel, 2.0-litre hybrid and a 2.0-litre PHEV.It’s unclear how long GWM will continue to offer all four of these powertrains in the Tank 300. When it launched the PHEV option in the Cannon Alpha dual-cab ute it discontinued the hybrid powertrain.Historically the 2.4-litre turbo-diesel engine has been the best-selling powertrain in the Tank 300. It’s unclear how this will change with the introduction of the PHEV.“With the Tank 300 Hi4-T PHEV, we’re continuing to expand our cutting-edge plug-in hybrid technology providing genuine off-road strength, all at a highly competitive price point,” said GWM Australia and New Zealand COO John Kett. “As demonstrated across our other PHEV variants, we remain committed to delivering vehicles where customers can benefit from strong EV-only range, fast charging, V2L and true mechanical 4×4 capability.“As the New Vehicle Efficiency Standards (NVES) are likely to change the Australian automotive landscape like never before, GWM stands ready to deliver more technology for less.”

A recall has been put out for some of GWM’s leading hybrid models as per a Federal Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts notice. The GWM Cannon Alpha plug-in hybrid ute, Tank 300 hybrid and Tank 500 hybrid and plug-in hybrid SUVs have been caught up in an electrical issue which could affect performance. There are a total of 1445 vehicle affected by the issue, all from cars sold in 2025.“Due to a manufacturing defect, the shielding ring in the high voltage wiring harness may not be properly grounded,” the notice reads.“This can reduce the effectiveness of electromagnetic shielding, which may cause abnormal communication with the engine and transmission control systems.“As a result, warning lights may illuminate, vehicle torque may be reduced, and cooling performance of the hybrid system may be affected.”According to the notice, reduced vehicle performance and cooling operation could increase the risk of an accident causing serious injury or death to vehicle occupants and other road users. GWM will contact owners of the affected vehicles to request an appointment with an authorised dealership and have the work to rectify the issue carried out for free. The rugged-branded Tank 300 and 500 have been among GWM’s best-selling vehicles in Australia, approaching 6000 sales between them for 2025.Only the Haval H6 and Jolion SUVs have sold more units for the brand this year. The Tank 300 currently comes as a petrol, diesel and hybrid in Australia, but it has been announced that GWM will bring across a plug-in hybrid version next year. The Tank 500 is now exclusively sold as a hybrid and plug-in hybrid, however it's understood a new diesel engine could come in 2026.The Cannon Alpha has also been a competitive seller for the brand, with more than 2000 sales in 2025. Offered with diesel power, it also comes with a plug-in hybrid powertrain which is an alternative to BYD's popular Shark 6.This isn’t the first wiring issue to be found on the Cannon Alpha, with the ute suffering from another similar issue earlier this year.  An electric power steering wiring harness may come into contact with the driveshaft when driving and become damaged. This could lead to a loss of power steering and engine shutdown. 

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