Recently, GWM has become the official vehicle sponsor for the four-day Tankwa Trek cycle race, so it just made sense to traverse the Karoo in the Chinese manufacturer’s brand new Tank 300 Turbodiesel to test the SUV’s capabilities over tough and demanding terrain.
As official vehicle sponsor of the Tankwa Trek, a four-day MTB cycle stage race in the Karoo, as well as other Dryland Event Management races, including the Cape Pioneer, Waterberg Traverse, Storms River Traverse and Dryland Traverse, GWM South Africa wants to highlight the capabilities of its vehicles in challenging terrain, and align the brand with adventure and outdoor activities.
So, with this in mind, and following the recent introduction of GWM’s new Tank 300 2.4L Diesel, it only made sense to use this new Tank derivative to cross the extreme landscapes of the Tankwa Karoo to ascertain whether it was up to the task and offers, as GWM puts it, versatility without compromise.
Although GWM uses this sponsorship to particularly highlight the capabilities of the P-Series, it aligns well with the new Tank model as the diesel variant is powered by the same 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine used in the P500 and P300, delivering 135 kw and 480 Nm of torque.
Having thoroughly sampled the Tank 300 HEV and the GWM P500 and P300 diesel bakkies, we had a good idea of what to expect from the oil-burning derivative, but it still delivered some welcome surprises. For starters, we did not anticipate it to be as lively as the P300, but in reality, the Tank felt more spirited and eager than its bakkie counterpart in all conceivable conditions.
INTO THE TANKWA
Our journey started in Cape Town, and from here we travelled towards Paarl and Worcester on the smooth tarmac of the N1. Although not as quiet as the HEV version, the engine noise in the diesel derivative was unobtrusive, but slight wind noise from the big side mirrors in the otherwise serene cabin was nettlesome.
More annoying, though, was the Tank’s propensity to suddenly and unexpectedly jump forward when pulling away, due to oversensitive accelerator software. To counter this, one needs to carefully modulate accelerator input, but, interestingly, we found this tendency was less when all-wheel drive is selected.
From Worcester, we made our way towards De Doorns and Touws River before turning off on the R46 towards Ceres and then on to the notorious R355, the longest dirt road in the country that cuts through the heart of the Tankwa. Shod with sensible 17″ all-terrain tyres, the Tank’s ride quality on the undulated road surface was highly impressive, smoothing out bumps and ruts with aplomb.
As in the HEV with Ultra Luxury trim, the cabin features all conceivable amenities, including a 12.3″ Multi-Media Display supporting CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth phone connectivity and wireless charging, and a nine-speaker Harman International Infinity sound system.
Even in the Karoo heat, the Nappa leather seats, with heating, cooling and massage functions in front, proved comfortable and supportive, and the dual-zone climate control and cabin insulation measures ensured a quiet, refined drive on the rough roads, with the 64-colour ambient lighting setting the tone for our journey.
GOING OFF-ROAD
The arid region was greener than I have ever seen it before, and the Mars Red adventure SUV stood out against the harsh landscape. Close to the Tankwa Karoo National Park entrance, we took the Tank off-road, selecting 4WD High and Rocky terrain from the seven All-Terrain Driving Modes.
Even without the electronically controlled differential locks selected, the Intelligent Four-Wheel Drive Torque On Demand system easily powered the Tank up a steep slope, and with a 33-degree approach angle, 34-degree departure angle and a climbing capability of up to 70%, the diesel-powered beast effortlessly coasted up the incline.
With systems such as Off-Road Cruise Control and Tank Turn, a reinforced chassis with impressive torsional stiffness, so-called See-Through Chassis functionality via the camera system (providing a clear view of obstacles beneath the vehicle), and Off-Road Thermal Management (to prevent overheating in extreme conditions), the Tank easily handled the demanding terrain – its only challenge being its somewhat limited ground clearance (224 mm).
In the harsh terrain the slightly lighter diesel-powered model (with a kerb weight of 2,280 kg versus 2,313 kg) proved even more impressive than its HEV sibling, and it also has a higher payload (600 kg versus 420 kg) and towing capacity (3,000 kg versus 2,500 kg) than the petrol hybrid version.
On our way back, we took the back route towards Kaleo Guest Farm, used as the headquarters of the Tankwa Trek MTB race and also negotiated part of the single track route used for the event before turning off on the R303 towards Prince Alfred Hamlet and Ceres.
Perhaps best of all was the difference in fuel consumption between the Tank diesel and its hybrid counterpart, as over the more than 500 km driven on our Tankwa trek, we averaged around 10 litres/100 km (GWM claims 7.7 litres/100 km) against over 13 litres/100 km for the HEV as tested (GWM claims 8.4 litres/100 km).
LAST WORD
Offering everything its HEV stablemate can, and more, the Tank 300 Diesel is a formidable new contender in the medium SUV segment, not only in regards to on and off-road capability, ride quality and fuel consumption but also in terms of price.
Clearly positioned against the Toyota Fortuner 2.4 GD-6 4×4 6AT (R739,100) the Tank Ultra Luxury Diesel now retails for R739,900, compared to R950,900 for the similarly specced Toyota Fortuner 2.8 GD-6 VX 4×4 6AT, while the Ford Everest XLT 2.0L Bi-Turbo Diesel 10AT 4×4 comes in at over a million Rand (R1,017,500) and the Everest Sport 2.0L Bi-Turbo Diesel 10AT 4×4 at R1,109,500.
Also, the Tank, with its Hummer H3 and Jeep-like lines, represents good value for money compared to the Isuzu MU-X 3.0 Onyx (R988,000), the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport 2.4L DI-DC 8-speed A/T 4×4 Exceed (R904,990), and the lower-priced Mahindra Scorpio-N Z8L Diesel 4×4 (R622,999).
On our trip, the rugged looking but refined Tank Diesel showed it has what it takes to tame the Tankwa, and confirmed our impressions that this model is the ultimate in the range for adventure enthusiasts and lifestyle customers seeking a versatile vehicle capable of tackling extreme landscapes, or gearing up for long-distance travel, without compromise.
Report by FERDI DE VOS | Images © RYAN ABBOTT/GWM SOUTH AFRICA
