The Tank 300 could be the best thing the Malaysian car market will see this year.
When I heard the news that GWM would be bringing in the Tank 300 yesterday, I genuinely felt a jolt of excitement. This isn’t the company’s first SUV launch in Malaysia – they had the Haval H2 and M4 before and these weren’t great but offered value-for-money before the national carmakers had introduced crossover options. So what makes the launch of the Tank 300 so special? Let me explain.
Why I’m Excited For The Tank 300
Firstly, it’s the product itself. This isn’t just another unibody SUV that’s designed for tarmac use – this is a proper ladder frame product that effectively bridges the gap between the G-Wagon from Mercedes-Benz and Suzuki Jimny. Like the G-Wagon, it’s a tough, fairly large off-roader with modern powertrain but like the Suzuki Jimny, it’s not too large and it’s priced to tickle the typical upper middle class buyer who wants an eye-catching vehicle that won’t break the bank and that isn’t too harsh.
Secondly, this is GWM Malaysia’s first REAL chance at proving themselves. They had a little bit of a rough start with the ORA Good Cat. At the time they were still working closely with former Haval distributors Go Auto, but from what we’ve heard this relationship has changed. The Ora Good Cat was the first Chinese EV to be launched in Malaysia and was the most affordable, but there was a certain stigma attached to it and the unfamiliarity of the brand and feline theme may not have appealed to a very broad audience. With the Tank 300, GWM Malaysia has a larger dealer network, more control over the direction of their brand, plus the right product to appeal to a larger demographic.
Why Should YOU Get Excited About The Tank 300?
Well, think about this – Malaysia doesn’t really get access to these types of vehicles. Sure, the ultra rich can afford a Land Rover Defender, Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon, Lexus LX or Toyota Land Cruiser, but only the Suzuki Jimny is attainable to the general middle income buyer. The Jimny is very appealing and will become even more so with the incoming 5-door model. However, it’s still a very small vehicle with very basic tech for the asking price.
The Tank 300 is equipped like a premium vehicle, has turbo and hybrid powertrain options, plus it’s larger and thus more practical than the Suzuki Jimny. It’s also designed for passengers from the ground up, so it isn’t going to be as intimidating do drive as a Ranger Raptor with its widened track.
Many buyers say they buy SUVs to take advantage of their off-road capabilities, which admittedly can be useful in a flood. However, most modern day SUVs aren’t off-road capable at all and most don’t even have enough ground clearance to wade through any amount of water. The Tank 300 does. 224mm of ground clearance with an approach angle of 33 degrees and a departure angle of 34 degrees. It also has the bones of a pick-up truck, with optional locking differentials, low-range gearing, and an off-road creep mode.
It’s going to be one of the few actually capable SUVs in its class, but it also comes with double wishbone front suspension and multi-link coilover rear suspension. This should translate to good passenger comfort but you’ll have to wait for a test driver review to see how it fares on Malaysia’s amazing roads.
