The Tank brand, a subsidiary of Great Wall Motors (GWM) known for its robust off-road vehicles, has made its debut in Australia. The GWM Tank 300 is now available for purchase, with a starting price of $46,990 drive-away.

The Tank 300, the first vehicle to be sold under the Tank brand in China, is a compact, body-on-frame SUV that is smaller than ute-based models like the Ford Everest and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport. Unlike these models, the Tank 300 does not offer a third-row seating option.

Early this year, the only powertrain available introduced by GWM is a turbocharged hybrid four-cylinder, a feature not offered by any other body-on-frame SUV in Australia. Toyota, the hybrid leader, offers an electrified Tundra-based Sequoia overseas, but has yet to introduce hybrid versions of its Fortuner, LandCruiser Prado, or LandCruiser 300 Series in Australia.

The GWM Tank 500, a larger model with an available plug-in hybrid powertrain, is expected to join the lineup soon. This could be one of the six or seven electrified models that GWM is reportedly planning to introduce in Australia by the end of 2023.

The Tank 300 was initially revealed as a product of GWM’s upscale Wey brand, before the company decided to spin Tank off into its own brand. However, in Australia, GWM is consolidating around its namesake brand. Haval products are now badged as GWM Havals, and vehicles from the Ora electric vehicle brand will likewise be sold as GWM Oras.

GWM has recently launched a petrol-only version, powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine delivering 162kW and 380Nm. This variant is priced between $9,000 to $10,000 less than the hybrid version, with the Lux petrol model priced at $46,990 drive-away and the Ultra petrol model at $50,990 drive-away.

Another powerdrain which the new Tank 300 has is the turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 180kW of power at 5500-6000rpm and 380Nm of torque at 1700-4000rpm, paired with a 78kW/268Nm electric motor. GWM's global site claims total system outputs of 224kW and 640Nm and a 0-100km/h time of 7.9 seconds.

The GWM Tank 300 uses 10.7L/100km on the combined cycle in petrol guise and 10.3L/100km as a hybrid. All models run on 91RON regular unleaded fuel.

The 2023 GWM Tank 300 will be backed by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty and five years of roadside assistance. There will also be five years of capped-price servicing, though prices have yet to be announced.

The GWM Tank 300 has yet to be assessed by ANCAP. Standard safety equipment includes autonomous emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, rear cross-traffic alert with brake, adaptive cruise control, seven airbags (front, side, curtain and centre), and a surround-view camera with ‘Transparent Chassis Function’.

The 2023 GWM Tank 300 is due in Australian showrooms early next year. Further details – including prices – will be confirmed closer to launch.

2023 GWM Tank 300 Australian pricing

GWM Tank 300 Lux petrol – $46,990 (new)

GWM Tank 300 Ultra petrol – $50,990 (new)

GWM Tank 300 Lux Hybrid – $55,990

GWM Tank 300 Ultra Hybrid – $60,990

Note: All prices above are drive-away.

2023 GWM Tank 300 Lux standard features:

17-inch alloy wheels

LED headlights, daytime-running lights and tail-lights

12.3-inch digital instrument cluster

12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, digital radio

'Comfort-Tek' synthetic leather seats

Microfibre and leather steering wheel

Six-way power-adjustable driver's seat

Sunroof

Nine-speaker sound system (unbranded)

Two 12-volt outlets and front/rear USB ports

Seven-colour ambient interior lighting

Auto-folding heated power exterior mirrors

Seven airbags (including centre airbag)

Autonomous emergency braking with forward collision warning

Lane-keep assist

Lane departure warning

Adaptive cruise control

Rear cross-traffic alert with braking

Traffic sign recognition

Tyre pressure monitoring

Front and rear parking sensors

360-degree camera

Rear differential lock

Crawl Control and Tank Turn features

Transparent Chassis Function

Two-piece underbody protection

2023 GWM Tank 300 Ultra adds (over Lux):

18-inch alloy wheels

Nappa leather seat upholstery

Eight-way power driver's seat with massaging, four-way power lumbar

Heated and cooled front seats

Heated leather steering wheel

Nine-speaker Infinity sound system

Wireless smartphone charging

64-colour ambient interior lighting

Three-piece underbody protection

Front differential lock

220-volt home power outlet (in the boot)

Automatic parking

Auto reverse tracking function