First impressions: GWM Tank 500 HEV – A hybrid luxury brawler worth considering?

KUALA LUMPUR: There’s something oddly satisfying about saying, “I’m driving a Tank to Penang.” And no, that’s not some metaphor for a slow, indestructible beast of a vehicle. I mean the GWM Tank 500 HEV — a hybrid-powered, seven-seater, body-on-frame luxury SUV that looks like it could flatten traffic, but instead glides down the highway like a very polite rhinoceros.

At RM328,800, it’s not cheap, nor is it subtle. But after spending a day behind the wheel on a road trip from Elmina to Penang, it’s clear this big boy isn’t just for flexing. There’s real depth beneath the chrome and leather.

Also Read: GWM Tank 500 HEV secures 150 bookings in Malaysia, gift set offer extended

EXTERIOR - Dressed to impress

Let’s get the obvious out of the way: this thing is huge.

At over five metres long and nearly two metres wide, the Tank 500 makes a Toyota Fortuner look like it’s playing in a lower weight class. It’s taller, longer, and sits on serious rubber — 20-inch wheels to be exact. But what’s interesting is that it doesn’t go full boxy like the smaller Tank 300.

Instead, the 500 takes a smoother, more upscale approach. The fender flares are rounded, not squared. The chrome window trim thickens elegantly towards the D-pillar, giving it a high-end luxury vibe.

And around back? A side-hinged tailgate with a soft-close function and a full-size spare wheel mounted proudly — because despite the plush interior, the Tank hasn’t forgotten it’s still a 4x4 - and a proper 4x4 always has a swinging open tailgate and spare tyre protruding out of the back.

Even the vertical LED taillights serve up old-school toughness with a modern twist. It’s the kind of SUV that makes people turn their heads at the petrol station — some in admiration, some in curiosity, and a few probably wondering if they should salute.

INTERIOR & CABIN EXPERIENCE - What a nice place to be in

If the outside is all presence and polish, the interior is pure theatre.

Climb in — aided by the power-deployable side steps that slide out automatically — and you're greeted by a cabin that looks like it belongs in something wearing a German badge and a much bigger price tag.

We're talking quilted Nappa leather, wood-effect trim, soft ambient lighting, and an analogue clock mounted between the air vents like it’s 2008 in the best possible way.

The 14.6-inch infotainment screen dominates the centre stack, supported by Apple CarPlay and Android Auto — yes,integrated at launch, not like some who promise it’ll arrive in an update later on.

Sound is handled by a 12-speaker Infinity system, and climate duties are blessedly assigned to physical buttons, not buried under touchscreen menus. GWM deserves a slow clap for that one.

The front seats get ventilation, memory function, massage, and power adjustment (8-way for the driver, 6-way for the passenger). Even the second row enjoys ventilated seats. There’s triple-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, and enough USB ports to charge an eSports team.

The third row is better suited for kids or short trips, but it folds away at the press of a button — no wrestling with straps or levers. It’s not just luxurious for a body-on-frame SUV, but it feels more luxurious than some RM400k European 7-seaters.

PERFORMANCE & DRIVING - Some surprises

This is where the Tank 500 HEV gets really interesting.

Under that sculpted bonnet lies a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, paired with a hybrid system and a 1.78 kWh battery. Total system output? 346 PS and 648 Nm of torque. To put that into perspective, that’s more torque than a Mazda CX-90 and dangerously close to the numbers you’d get from a Volvo XC90 Recharge — both of which cost significantly more.

The engine is paired to a 9-speed automatic hybrid transmission, which we completely forgot about on the trip. It just works and provided no drama to write home about. It’s smooth and dropped and upped a gear when needed without us even noticing.

On the highway heading north, the Tank surprised me. It’s smooth, quiet, and has good amounts of pulling power. Overtakes are handled with ease, and the hybrid system helps with the torque that masks the size of the vehicle well. GWM claims 0–100 km/h in 8.3 seconds, and honestly, it feels accurate. For something this big, it moves quite well, especially when you consider its road tax costs just around the RM400 mark.

But it’s not just about power. Through the twisty sections near Ipoh, the Tank 500 felt surprisingly composed. Surprisingly, the suspension setup is a standard coil and spring arrangement, but it holds the body steady. No excessive leaning, no floaty antics. Sure, the steering is vague —but you don’t buy a Tank expecting sports car precision — but body control is better than expected.

There’s a slight jitteriness at lower speeds over uneven roads whic is to be expected from a ladder frame chassis and a typical trait of body-on-frame SUVs, but it smooths out once you’re cruising. For long-distance travel? It’s a very solid companion in our opinion. 

Any bad points? Well, there are a few instances where the SUV kind of releases big amounts of torque at higher speeds,and  we’re not quite sure why it does that, but we would have loved it if it gave that torque boost at lower rpms, lets say during take-offs.

FAMILY COMFORT & UTILITY - Wife and kids will be so happy

Where the Tank 500 really shines is in everyday usability and passenger comfort. It’s one thing to throw in a massaging driver’s seat, but GWM clearly thought about the whole family.

The triple-zone climate keeps everyone happy, the rear ventilated seats keeps rear passengers cool, and there’s ample room to stretch out in the first and second rows. Even the third-row access is well thought out — no awkward climbing over seats required. And again, everything is powered: seat folding, steps, soft close tailgate. This thing practically babysits you.

It’s also very practical. The boot space behind the third row isn’t massive, but fold it flat and you’ve got a cavernous space that rivals a van. Perfect for road trips, strollers, IKEA hauls, or all three at once.

One of the most surprising things about the Tank 500 HEV is how quite it is, even when barreling down the highway in higher speeds. For such a big vehicle with boxy-ish kind of design, passengers are well insulated, not much wind noise, not much tyre noise, you can enjoy music while having a conversation comfortably.

Every seats too with the exception of the third row is really comfortable, soft, plush, giving you the impression that you’re sitting on your favourite couch.  

SAFETY & DRIVER ASSIST TECH - Well kitted

GWM didn’t hold back on safety kit either. The Tank 500 HEV comes loaded with:

• Autonomous emergency braking
  
  
• Lane centring and curve speed assist
  
  
• Blind spot monitoring
  
  
• Rear cross-traffic alert with automatic braking
  
  
• Door open warning
  
  
• Adaptive cruise control
  
  
• And best of all: 360-degree camera with transparent bonnet view
  That last one? Genuinely helpful. Whether you’re off-roading or trying to navigate a tight parking spot at a mall, the ability to “see through” the bonnet is borderline sci-fi.

It’s even got this feature called Wisdom Dodge feature which feels like it was built for the Malaysian roads as a lot of lorry drivers in the country do not like to stay in their lane.

When you’re cruising down the highway with adaptive cruise control on, the Wisdom Dodge System has your back — literally. It keeps an eye out for big vehicles sneaking up beside you, helps you maintain a safe buffer, and even guides you back into your lane smoothly after overtaking. It’s like having a second set of eyes that only kicks in when you’ve got cruise control engaged — perfect for avoiding surprises on Malaysia’s often unpredictable highways. 

One gripe that we have is the front collision monitoring system. It’s hyperactive, constantly giving you a Bing. It feels like the Tank 500 has trust issues, and even when we lowered the guard setting for this, it’s still binging away. 

SERVICE, COST & COMPETITORS - Premium price

Let’s talk numbers. RM328,800 isn’t exactly impulse-buy territory, but what you get for the money is impressive.

Running costs? GWM offers seven years of warranty, lifetime powertrain warranty and five years of free servicing,so for five years, you’re pretty much sorted!

And yes, it’s a hybrid, which means you’re saving fuel (a bit), as we managed to clock around 10L/100km for our whole journey. Not bad for a 2,7 tonne SUV.  Usually big SUVs like these with big burly engines nearly double that. 

What are the rivals? Obviously there’s the recon market Land Cruiser, the Toyota Fortuner 2.8 VRZ, and Ford Everest Titanium come to mind. If you stretch the comparison, you might even cross-shop this against the Volvo XC90, but at nearly RM100k more, the Swedish SUV starts to look like a luxury tax.

Worth to consider?

300-plus kilometres later, we arrived in Penang. And you know what? I didn’t feel tired. The seats are so comfortable, the hybrid system mostly helped provide power at the right time, to provide a nice easy going journey.

The Tank 500 HEV is not just another Chinese SUV trying to be flashy. It’s confident, capable, and honestly, surprisingly kind of brilliant.

Is it perfect? No. The steering is light and lifeless. The ride can feel jittery on bad roads, and the collision warning system needs to chill. But if you’re the kind of buyer who wants presence, space, comfort, and tech without paying German prices, this might just be the wildcard you didn’t know you needed.

Would I buy one?

If I needed a big, plush 4x4 that doesn’t cost half a million ringgit, with a simple suspension setup that’s brilliant and won’t keep me awake at night thinking of its replacement cost, I’d seriously consider it. I thought I knew what Chinese cars had on offer —but this one feels like it’s ready to roll with the big boys.

And we haven’t even tried it off-road just yet, GWM Malaysia is planning to show us its off-road capabilities in the near future, and if the SUV comes unhinged during that show of off-road capabilities, then perhaps it’s one of the most well rounded SUVs to come out of China.  

Also Read: MAS 2025: GWM Tank 500 HEV launched in Malaysia – Hybrid 7-seater SUV RM 328,800