This great 4x4 is tarnished by bad tech (GWM Tank 300 Hybrid 2024 Review)

With a stonking 255kW and 648Nm of hybrid output, the long-awaited GWM Tank 300 Hybrid all-terrain 4x4 wagon has hit Australian showrooms.

Here we test the flagship Ultra variant that clocks in a $60,990 driveaway.

Styled like the love child between a Jeep Wrangler and Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen, the Tank 300 brings a champagne features list on a relatively beer-like budget.

But is the hybrid version a better and more desirable than the more affordable and well-rated petrol versions? And what is the Tank 300 Hybrid Ultra’s one big problem?

Time codes:
0:00 - Intro
0:40 - Hybrid v petrol
1:20 - Full Tank 300 lineup
1:28 - Exterior and size
1:45 - Clearances
2:26 - Interior
2:52 - Front seats
3:40 - Cool cameras
3:57 - Cabin space
4:20 - Row two
5:14 - Boot space
5:51 - Ownership
6:12 - On road
6:41 - Hybrid power
7:50 - Ride and comfort
8:40 - Braked towing
8:48 - Safety
10:38 - Verdict

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[Car-crazy]

Another reviewer that doesnt understand towing weights. A lot of people make this same mistake actually. The can be two identical cars, one has for example a 300hp engine putting out 500nm torque and the other identical car for example 500hp putting out 800nm of torque, but still has the same or virtually the same tow weight. The reason is not to do with the engines ability to pull more weight, but the vehicles weigbt, size and breaking, etc. Sure the more powerful engine can pull a lot more and would last longer doing so, but having a heavy caravan or trailer or whatever that is beyond the manufacturers recommend towing capacity will effect the handling and stopping ability of the car, too much weight and the trailer is likely to cause the car to get into a serious wobble or even through it off the road. Generally you shouldn't tow something that is much heavier than the car. Thats why quite often the same car with a more powerful engine has the same or almost same towing weight, its for safety nothing to do with the power of the engine. Most cars can tow more than the stated weight, but they would then be unsafe to drivr.

[AdventureYachtSeaMonkey]

Bought the T300 Hybrid. Love it. Hate the random warning generator and LKA, both of which I switch off for long drives. Merge and speed warnings are silenced if you’re in the nav screen. Braking (including heavy braking) is better than my old Wrangler Rubicon. Operating Manual is not comprehensive - seems generic for Tanks and markets.
Summary for me after 10K - very happy and way better than my old wrangler and my wife’s CRV. But I really really really hope there is a software update to fix the useless random warning generator (eg telling me to take a break every 15secs).

[andyh]

I bought a Tank300 petrol in the last few months, Melb. They want exactly 10k more for the hybrid per variant. Didn't stack up for me. Petrol version has been great so far - but I switch off the ELK on each drive if I remember to. Apparently thre's a dealer provided update available for this (rather than OTA). Yet to check that out. And yes, I saw your previous review and really enjoyed it. I recall you said - and I quote ""It's almost downright swift". 😆

[johnbambo]

Have an Orange Tank 300 for 2 months and 1, 500km now. Other than Emergency Lane Assist (which is useless) and has to be manually turned off each time you start the car, it's a 10/10 for me. Had the dealer fit Pirelli Scorpion A/T + tyres in place of the standard Michelins. Previous car was a 2019 Cherokee Trailhawk and compared to the Trailhawk the drivetrain is much smoother. Yet to take off road but should be at least an equal to the Trailhawk

[jeffreypaulharper]

None of these reviews takes a look at actual city, start and stop driving with the hybrid - where it should offer an advantage. It seems that it would deliver much lower operating costs. You don't want a hybrid just for highway or off-road driving.

[alanfitz]

Test drove the hybrid ultra in Thailand as a comparison to the new hybrid CRV - they are very similar prices here in Thailand. There was a lot I liked about the smooth powerful drive; lovely interior; nice retro design and Info and entertainment systems that put the new CRV to shame. But here I am still driving my 10 year old Honda. The safety 'assistance' drove me nuts. As the reviewer stated it is incessant and a lot of it can not be turned off - and in Thailand that is without the addition facial attention software. So I cancelled my order. But a real shame as there was I liked.

[endoftheroadjack]

So I got a tank 300 hybrid 4 weeks ago. After test driving the petrol back in July. The drive home with the hybrid was horrible the lane keeping and driver monitoring was horrible. Was jerky as hell. And the air-con wouldn’t come up when apple car play was on if you hit a temperature button. But that was not the icing on the cake I got home and went to get back in to take the car around to my fathers and an error light come up and the air-con stopped working. Took it to the dealer and well it’s still there. Something wrong with it talking to battery when it gets flat won’t charge or something they need to write a patch. They say they are working on it 2 others have same issues now. And I’m without a car. I only got the hybrid for wireless car play sad I know. Recommend avoiding till they fix the issues

[gordonclark]

I enjoyed this review and the vehicle has some attraction in design and apparent quality. I am not sure how manufacturers set up their safety systems but this seems to be something that needs more attention.

[grahammarshall]

Do the back wheels still leave the ground under heavy braking?

[BrokeAndOffensive]

Like colouring in, stay between the lines and its not an issue. The lane keep on the tank is not an issue for people who can actually drive properly. 100% guarantee yourne not in the middle of the lines, you probably think you are

[Cptshad]

Will you guys review tank 500 anytime soon? I think they use the same hev engine as this one

[auslei]

I am wondering how you can park the car blocking 1.5 lanes without issues. 😅

[alexisan]

I was close to ordering this car but I went for the Mazda cx5 g35 Akera instead .I thought the tech wasn’t up to scratch and after watching this I’m glad I didn’t buy it .If they iron these issues out this car would sell in big volumes.

[wwfgumby]

Do you always park across double lines in the middle of a winding road to do your summaries ?

[lancey]

Factory recall on the rear braking i believe.

[lextaylor]

In the two different demo's I drove both had a massive problem with them when accelerating away from a stop while turning (for example turning right at an intersection) and they took off under electric power but halfway through the turn they engaged the petrol engine with a huge shunt that violently surged through the vehicle. It's as though the electric engine was spinning the drivetrain at the equivalent petrol engine speed of about 3000 rpm and then suddenly decided it didn't have enough grunt to continue and tried to engage the petrol engine from 0 to 3000 rpm instantly. Certainly not smooth and could reproduce it on both cars, multiple times.

[ms_enj]

I really like these, and one would be perfect for me, but I had a Jolion as a rental car for a week, and the exact same nagging electronic nannies drove me absolutely bonkers. Their implementation of the safety systems has come full circle to the point where they are a detriment instead of an improvement.

Until they fix them, I'll keep my money.

[trevorirwin]

I just bought an Ultra Hybrid. Yep the safety tech is rubbish (you get pretty good at turning it all off after about a week of ownership)🥱
Got it for $57k d/away. I have to say that I really enjoy it so far. No, it is unlikely to hold value (I’ve got an Audi E-Tron S that has lost $100k in less than 2 yrs of ownership so at least it can’t hurt that much). I bought the Hybrid simply for the extra shove. Drove both back to back and the hybrid was a much better experience (for me).

[KiaTaatje]

These should have a proper Diesel engine

[Coastmac]

GWM need to step up & improve this a bit more .