GWM Tank 500 2024: Australian pricing and specifications

When GWM launched the Tank 500 locally in early 2024, the body-on-frame large SUV was a breath of fresh air in a segment where innovation is rare to find. Diesel power finally arrives for GWM’s Toyota Prado rival that brings impressive numbers and improved handling that shows the brand is catching up

The real purpose of GWM’s decision to lob a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of its cut-price Prado-rivalling Tank 500 four-wheel drive into the Australian The Chinese manufacturer is making a big bet that plug-in hybrid power represents the future of the large 4WD segment — and first impressions are fairly positive

Kicking of at under $50K driveaway, GWM’s latest Cannon has become Australia’s cheapest PHEV 4x4 ute. So, what are the catches

A month and a half on since we first drove GWM’s well-worn Cannon Alpha ute and Tank 500 4x4 SUV prototypes showcasing the new 3.0-litre turbo-diesel Extraordinary figures from GWM suggests buyers won’t have to compromise on performance to achieve remarkable fuel economy, but are either realised in reality?

After spending the last year focusing on meeting ute customers where the industry is heading with plug-in hybrid tech, GWM is now meeting them where they Chinese marque’s big ute finally has a big engine with numbers designed to catch your attention, yet it's the updated Alpha’s finer details which emerge as the real win.

Haven’t we seen this car before? Don’t let your eyes deceive you, this is not the GWM ‘Ora’ hatch, from GWM’s sub-brand of the same name, this is an After winning hearts in 4x4 world with a series of tough trucks, GWM looks to dominate the EV space with a nature-inspired small SUV with a great price.

GWM’s Australian Tank assault may soon be reinforced with the landing of its Tank 400 large 4x4 SUV. While in China for the Beijing Auto Show this year, We take a spin in GWM's bonkers 635kW and 1195Nm plug-in hybrid large 4x4 SUV that could make its way Down Under.

When it arrived in Australia, us motoring writers were quick to poke fun at the GWM Tank 300, which lifted styling cues, seemingly, from every other 4WD GWM’s boxy off-roader picks up well-calibrated plug-in hybrid power for what could be the perfect one-car solution.

Five years ago, Chinese brand GWM entered Australia’s hot ute market with the Cannon, its challenger for the popular Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux. Does a flash interior and solid value for money make the 2025 GWM Cannon a serious contender in the hotly contested dual-cab 4x4 space?

It isn’t so much that Chinese manufacturer GWM has decided to get serious. That decision was made more than a year ago. However, the consequences of a Convincing Australian shock absorber and steering tune combine with slick new plug-in hybrid powertrain to make top-end H6 the best GWM effort yet

If one imagines a motoring dystopia where the landscape is overwhelmed by anonymous, indistinguishable similarly priced SUVs with indistinguishable China’s ‘Big Dog’ is now sniffing around Aussie roads and trails. But is it merely a poodle in rottweiler clothing?

While the mantra of “moving fast and breaking things” appears to have been the unspoken strategy of many of its Chinese carmaking peers, GWM — the With a plugless hybrid system and improved looks, GWM’s Haval H6 Ultra HEV seems to make sense – but is now the right time to buy?

The recent release of the BYD Shark 6 clearly uncovered a healthy appetite in Australia for plug-in hybrid four-wheel-drive utes. It feels like this style PHEV 4x4s are coming in quick, but can GWM’s plug-in newcomer take the challenge to the dominant BYD Shark 6?

The GWM Haval H6 GT PHEV is part of a new breed of Chinese plug-in hybrid SUVs that promise the world. With 180km of NEDC-rated electric driving range, a Part of a fresh breed of plug-in hybrid family cars, the Haval H6 GT PHEV has its eyes on Outlander and Sealion 6, but does it succeed?

“If it had a diesel I’d have bought one.” That, according to GWM Australia, has been a recurring feedback from potential Aussie Tank 300 buyers the The budget-savvy Chinese all-terrain wagon upstart finally gets the oiler heartbeat Aussie 4x4 and touring fans have been asking for. Is it worth the wait?

The stagnant ute segment received quite the shake-up when the GWM Ute, as it was then known, entered the market in 2021. We’d seen cheap utes such as the The ute segment’s strongest value buy now has more grunt and it’s fixed some important issues, but why is Cannon still not a slam dunk?

Thanks for joining us this Tuesday April 2nd 2024. Notably in car news today: Chasing Cars checks out the new Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Hybrid in New Car news today: we check out the new Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Hybrid in New York, and Hyundai spins a racecar off the red-hot road-going Ioniq 5 N.

Chasing Cars has spied the new GWM Tank 500 on the roads of Sydney, likely undertaking evaluation assessment before a likely Australian launch by the end The Tank 500 is likely to rival cars such as the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and the Ford Everest in the Australian car market

At the announcement of GWM’s Tank 300 and Ora models, it was also suggested that much more is in the works over at GWM’s local HQ. Likely to be GWM could be bringing a Toyota Land Cruiser rival to Australia, and it could considerably cheaper and more powerful

GWM has armed its Tank 500 with a luxurious interior and enough off-road hardware to do battle with the segment-dominating Toyota Prado.

Update 8th October 2025 GWM has officially launched its hotly anticipated Tank 500 plug-in hybrid, with pricing confirmed to start at $79,990 drive-away. New Tank 500 plug-in drivetrain delivers more power and greater fuel efficiency at a $6000 premium over plugless equivalent

GWM has announced launch pricing of its new entry-level plug-in hybrid (PHEV) dual-cab ute – the Cannon Hi4-T – which will be offered in two trim levels

GWM has confirmed its Cannon ute will join a growing arsenal of plug-in hybrid options within its lineup by the middle of 2026, with a price that could The most affordable ute from GWM will soon be available with a plug-in hybrid option that could be cheaper, and perhaps more capable, than the BYD Shark 6

GWM has confirmed two plug-in hybrid variants of its Tank 300 medium off-road SUV, which will launch in Australia with a starting price of $55,990 Latest plug-in hybrid SUV from China’s GWM promises genuine off-road performance with ample electric driving range

Jaecoo Australia has confirmed its new J5 small SUV will launch locally in February next year. The Jaecoo J5 is effectively an upmarket version of the Glamorous sister to Chery’s Tiggo 4 revealed: Meet the Jaecoo J5

New-kid Chinese specialty ute brand JAC has confirmed it will expand the local range of its sole T9 dual-cab model with the introduction of a Two new crew cabs and flagship Osprey trim grade to join the JAC T9 dual-cab ute family imminently

Having launched seven new products this year, GWM is ready to do it all again — confirming that it will launch “at least” seven more new models in New Wey sub-brand to lead 2026 releases, but Haval, Ora, Tank and Cannon expected to receive attention next year

A larger-displacement four-cylinder turbo diesel engine in development by GWM will have its global debut in Australia “by mid-2026”, the conglomerate’s GWM set to ratchet up the fight with Toyota with big new diesel set to be added to Tank 500 alongside emissions-friendly plug-in power

The ruggedly styled GWM Haval H7 midsize SUV will be released in Australia in August 2025 in a single high-specification hybrid trim grade at launch, Reskinned hybrid H6 loses ‘Big Dog’ name from the Chinese market to become Haval H7 in Australia from next month

The GWM stand at the 2025 Shanghai motor show needed its own postcode. For a brand that barely made a dent in Australia a decade ago, it’s surreal to see

Thanks for joining us this Wednesday, February 12th 2025. Notably in car news today: GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV confirmed with pricing, BYD Sealion 7 pricing

In car news today: Mazda teases a rotary revival as a generator for future electric-driven powertrains, and Hyundai i30N facelift leaked prior to its official unveiling.