PODCAST: Ambitious Tank 500 sets sights on Fortuner and Everest

Great Wall Motors (GWM) this month rolled out the larger-than-life Tank 500 SUV alongside the equally beefy P500 bakkie.

At R1 222 900, the GWM Tank 500 becomes the first model of the longest standing Chinese manufacturer in South Africa to breach the seven-figure mark.

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In this week’s episode of the Pitstop podcast, we look at what the Tank 500 brings to the local market. And how tough it will be against the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Everest in a country where Chinese tech doesn’t guarantee a win over ride quality and feel in the eyes of a loyal competitor customer base.

The Citizen Motoring has the chance to sample the GWM Tank 500 alongside the P500 during a launch drive in the Southern Cape recently.

Even though the 500 shares the Tank badge with the Tank 300, the two siblings don’t share the same styling language. Where the Tank 300 has a rugged off-road design, the Tank 500’s exterior styling is much more sophisticated. Besides offering lots of chrome in the exterior styling, the GWM Tank 500 also offers a comprehensive list of specifications, lots of space and a powerful drivetrain.

ALSO READ: PODCAST: Ma se Poer! GWM P500 is one nice looking bakkie

GWM Tank 500 packs a punch

It runs the same hybrid system its P500 sibling which sees a 180kW/380Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine being seamlessly integrated with a 325-volt electric motor that brings another 78kW of power and 268Nm of torque. The total system output of 255kW/648Nm goes to all four wheels via nine-speed auto gearbox.

With 11 All-Terrain driving modes, including Sports, Snow, Sand, Rock, and Expert, you pretty much know that it will go almost anywhere you would want to go off-road with ease.

As is the norm is offering from China these days, safety is of the essence. The GWM Tank 500 boasts a 5-Star ANCAP rating and features loads of active and passive safety features. These include Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control, Emergency Lane Keep Assist, Rear Collision Warning, Cross Traffic Alert and Auto Intelligent Parking.