GWM Reviews

Chinese-made vehicles continue to arrive here, packed with features and offering impressive value-for-money opportunities for anyone looking for a sharply-priced 4WD that's comfortable and capable.The GWM Tank 300 impressed us and now the Tank 500 hits our shores. It represents a first for Australia because the Tank 500 is a petrol-hybrid 4WD. So, what's it like? Wouldn't you like to know...

We get behind the wheel of the top-spec GWM Ora to see if it's worth a $12,000 jump over the base version.

GWM is going for the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux jugular with the Cannon Alpha, a larger, roomier and highly specified mid-sized dual-cab ute with an ace up its sleeve besides sharp pricing: a petrol-electric hybrid option. This is a proper hybrid choice, in lieu of the standard 2.4-litre turbo-diesel. But while equipment and safety boxes have all been ticked, problems do arise on the move.

From towing and off-road crawling to carrying heavy loads and day-to-day family duty Mark Oastler has put the GWM Ute Cannon XSR dual cab 4WD ute through its paces over three months. Now it's time for his final verdict.

The GWM Haval H6 Ultra Hybrid offers the convenience of a hybrid engine and the space of much larger SUVs, despite only being mid-sized but that's not what should worry rivals like the ever-popular Toyota RAV4 hybrid - it's its price tag.

The Tank 500 Ultra is the flagship model in the entire GWM range for now.

GWM has launched the Tank 500 in two similar grades. Both are powered by the same, segment-disrupting hybrid powertrain.A 180kW/380Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine is mated to a 78kW/268Nm electric motor and battery pack, sending drive via a nine-speed automatic transmission to the rear or all four wheels, as required.The driver can select 2WD, 4WD high and 4WD low ranges, while up to nine driving modes are also fitted.GWM says the hybrid system is designed primarily to enhance performance, rather than provide outright total fuel efficiency. As such, the combined power and torque outputs are impressive – 255kW and 648Nm, respectively – while the official combined fuel consumption is 8.5L/100km.  The base Lux starts from $66,490 drive-away, ushering in auto-levelling LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, a sunroof, side steps, powered and heated front seats, a 360-degree view camera set-up, electric rear diff lock, rear privacy glass, synthetic leather upholstery, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation cluster, auto parking with reverse assist, and front and rear parking sensors.A long list of safety items includes autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitoring, lane-support systems and front/rear cross-traffic alert.For off-road driving, the Tank 500 brings 30 degrees of approach angle, a 22.5-degree breakover angle and 24-degree of departure angle, aided by 224mm of ground clearance and 800mm of wading depth.The GWM uses body-on-frame construction, with a double-wishbone independent coil sprung set-up up front and multi-link live axle coil sprung suspension out back. Towing capacity is 3000kg braked and 750kg unbraked.

In this second long-term update Mark Oastler loads in a heavy payload to test the GWM Ute Cannon XSR's hard-working credentials.

Australia's first-ever hybrid seven-seat off-road wagon, GWM's Tank 500 Hybrid is something genuinely different against more expensive and conventionally powered rivals like the Toyota Prado. And it isn't just good for going bush, with decent on-road manners, a nicely presented interior, heaps of space and loads of standard kit. Sure, the GWM has some issues, but it is an impressive effort, too.

It seems Aussies can't get enough of dual cab utes and GWM aims to cut through the intense competition with a value-for-money focus in its full-size, dual-cab Cannon. Mark Oastler and his family have started a three-month stint with the XRS grade and so far, in this first instalment the experience has been revealing.