2025 GWM Tank 500 PHEV review: Quick drive

The 2025 GWM Tank 500 PHEV we’re driving at our first (albeit brief) local experience would add plug-in hybrid tech to the manufacturer’s large SUV offering. The already available closed-loop hybrid Tank 500 has impressed on test, and this PHEV variant kicks the capability notch up even further.

A more powerful electric motor and larger battery (which is par for the course when stepping up to a PHEV) mean the performance numbers are significantly different to the Tank 500 Hybrid. Its 300kW and 750Nm outputs are a 45kW and 102Nm lift over the Hybrid, increases of 17 per cent and 16 per cent respectively.

The reason those numbers are significant is that the Tank 500 PHEV blows most of the established options out of the water. Those large SUVs powered by a diesel engine are left in its dust, and only the Lexus LX outpunches it (by 5kW), meaning the Tank 500 PHEV would be a formidable power and torque entrant in the segment.

Wading depth – ensuring it is still useful off-road – is 800mm, while there's a 70-litre fuel tank, and the Tank 500 PHEV weighs in at 2830kg. Quick details for the cabin include cargo space of 646L with the second row in use and 1400L with the second row folded down. Given the addition of the electric motor and battery pack, the Tank 500 PHEV is a five-seater.

This is an early evaluation opportunity, as much for Australian press to have a closer look at the capability and inclusions, as it is for GWM to gauge whether the vehicle would work in Australia. That’s why the Tank we’re driving is LHD and not out on local roads. With a commitment to expanding its product offering in Australia, expect GWM to assess multiple new vehicles over the next 12 to 24 months in a bid to work out which models would be a sales success in our local market. 

The Tank 500 is an impressive performer off-road, despite its road-focused cabin comfort and inclusions, and the PHEV variant is no different. It retains a 29.5-degree approach angle, 22-degree rampover angle, and 24-degree departure angle. Standard equipment includes a front diff lock, centre diff lock, and rear diff lock, as well as low-range gearing for proper four-wheel-drive capability. 

A party trick offered by the Tank 500 PHEV is V2L (vehicle-to-load) capability, meaning you could power equipment up to 3.3kW at the campsite for example. Unlike an EV, though, where you would need to leave enough charge to get back to a charge point, the Tank 500 PHEV retains the capability of the petrol engine, meaning you can easily leave the campsite even if you’ve depleted the battery.

Tech for the sake of it? Maybe. But it’s tech that would work for some of you in the right scenario.

Price is a tough one to speculate, because while we know GWM would undoubtedly like this vehicle in its Aussie line-up, we don’t have any indication as to how it would be priced locally. If you look at other plug-in hybrid vehicles on sale here, you could factor in a price rise anywhere between $12,000 and $20,000 depending on the standard specification list and inclusions.

That means a potential $86K-$94K window, comfortably undercutting the only other off-road focussed PHEV right now, the Land Rover Defender, which starts closer to $126,000 before options and on-road costs. Jeep's Grand Cherokee 4xe lacks the 'Trail Rated' commendation the brand applies for its true off-roaders, so aligns itself more as a road-going plug-in hybrid SUV.

GWM quotes the petrol engine as generating 180kW at 5500–6000rpm and 380Nm at 1700–4000rpm, so there’s a significant boost added by the electric motor. With the battery depleted, the fuel use on the combined cycle is claimed to be 8.8 litres per 100 kilometres. If a figure below 10L/100km is achievable in the real world, that’s more than acceptable for a large SUV. 

On a 50kW charger, you’ll get the 37.1kWh battery from 30 per cent to 80 per cent in just 15 minutes. Interestingly, and perhaps most significant for buyers, is the claimed EV range – a useful 110km. If you factored in a real-world return of 90–100km, that is more than enough for the average Aussie to do all their daily running during the week, fuel-free. 

The engine is mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission, which worked smoothly for us on sealed roads, or in low-range at crawling speed off-road. A full-size spare and braked tow rating of 3000kg will be useful for family buyers wanting to do some touring. 

The Tank 500 PHEV we drove felt premium and high quality inside the cabin. Insulation was impressive, and even at higher speeds on-track, wind and tyre noise were kept to a minimum. The driving position was comfortable with good visibility and the cameras worked well off-road. We liked the transition from electric to petrol power, and the smooth way the automatic worked during the short test we conducted. 

A short drive of a LHD vehicle in controlled conditions isn’t the regular test-drive scenario that Drive puts a review vehicle through by any means, so we’ll reserve our final judgement until we spend more time with the Tank 500 PHEV on and off-road. However, if the drive experience we sampled translates to a more thorough test, the latest iteration of the Tank 500 is a good one. 

The love that Australians have for large SUVs shows no signs of tailing off anytime soon. As they get more efficient, that love becomes a little easier to justify – especially if you use them as they were intended to be used. 

If GWM can nail the pricing for the Tank 500 PHEV, there’s no reason Aussie buyers won’t look seriously at it. Plug-in hybrids still get a bad wrap despite their obvious strong points for the type of driving the average Aussie does, but with a real-world range up near 100km, they make more sense than ever.