FROM afar one could mistaken it for a 4×4, due to its ‘aesthetic upgrade that sharpens the vehicle’s stance while staying true to the Tank 500’s luxury-meets-adventure DNA’ according to GWM.
The refreshed Tank 500 is equipped with HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) drivetrain, which consists of a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, an electric motor, and a lithium-ion battery, also giving South Africans a ‘handful of new black cosmetic touches’.
The exterior has been lifted with a new gloss black mesh grille, dark-chrome roof rails, blacked out side mirror caps, and 18-inch black alloy wheels. Its big but I managed to manoeuvre around it.
This seven-seater also comes with light-sensing LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, automatic side steps, and a panoramic sunroof.
As I took it for a ride en-route to Pretoria to cover Mamelodi Sundown’s game, I could establish output of 255kW and 648Nm, which is channeled to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic gearbox.
Well known photographer by the name of ‘Ajax’ who was my company, could not help but rave on the spacious leg room it boast, including its interior and black Nappa leather surfaces accentuated with dark-metal trim and subtle ambient lighting, that came in handy- since the game finished very late.
“Keeping pace with GWM’s design philosophy of “style with substance”, this latest styling update on the Tank 500 now exudes sophistication, amplifying its commanding presence with stealthy finishes,” says Floyd Ramabulana, Head of Marketing at GWM South Africa.
On the road, it averaged fuel consumption of 10.6l/100km, and can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 6.9 seconds despite the size. Looks can be very deceiving…so they say.
Tank 500 features keyless entry and start, a heated leather multifunction steering wheel with paddle shifters, ambient lighting, a wireless charger, a 12-speaker Infinity stereo, tri-zone climate control, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a heads-up display, and a 14.6-inch infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Including electric front seats with heating, ventilation, and memory settings; reclining second-row seats with ventilation, electronically folding third-row seats, and climate control vents with separate controls for each seat row.
On top of this, the Tank has a driver assistance suite with adaptive cruise control, rear-collision warning, cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, emergency lane-keep assist, tyre-pressure monitoring, driver fatigue monitoring, intelligent parking, a 360-degree camera with chassis view, and automatic emergency braking.
“It embodies confidence and sophistication. Every detail, from its blacked-out exterior accents to its luxurious interior, has been designed to make an impression – showing that power and refinement can coexist seamlessly in a flagship SUV,” continued Ramabulana.
It can further tow 2,500kg, and features a rear differential lock, underbody protection, Crawl Control (off-road cruise control), and Tank Turn, which locks the inside back wheel to allow for much tighter turns.
Interestingly, it boast ten- different driving and terrain modes including Standard, Economic, Sport, Expert, Snow, Mud, Sand, Irregular, Rock, and Mountain.
Its warranty includes a 7-year/200,000km warranty, a 7-year/75,000km service plan, a 7-year/unlimited-kilometre roadside assistance plan, and an 8-year/150,000km hybrid battery warranty.
The Black Edition retails for R1,228,950.
Verdict
Performance 1-10 (8)
Fuel 1-10 (7)
