GWM Tank 300 vs GWM Tank 500

They share a brand, a look and most of their off-road hardware, but they are different sizes. The Tank 300 is a 4,760mm, five-seat compact 4x4 from $47,990 driveaway. The Tank 500 is a 5,078mm flagship from $74,990 driveaway, offered with seven seats in the Vanta Hybrid or five in the plug-in Ultra. That is about a $27,000 step and 318mm of extra length. What you do not gain by stepping up is outright power: both ranges top out with the identical 300kW/750Nm Hi4-T plug-in hybrid. The 500 buys size, seats, a 795-litre boot and more carrying capacity, not a quicker car.

They do. The range-topping Tank 300 Ultra PHEV and the Tank 500 Ultra PHEV both run GWM's Hi4-T plug-in hybrid system, making 300kW and 750Nm from a 37.11kWh battery, with a claimed combined figure near 2L/100km once the electric running is counted. The Tank 300 quotes 1.9L/100km, the heavier Tank 500 2.1. So if the plug-in drivetrain is the goal, the mechanical heart is the same in both. The decision comes down to body size, seat count and price rather than the powertrain: the Tank 300 PHEV opens at $56,990 driveaway, the Tank 500 PHEV at $78,990.

If seven seats are on your list, the Tank 300 is out, because every grade is a five-seater. The Tank 500 gives you a third row, but only in the Vanta Hybrid; the plug-in Ultra PHEV deletes the back row for its battery and seats five. So the seven-seat GWM Tank is specifically the Tank 500 Vanta Hybrid, from $74,990 driveaway, running the 255kW/648Nm non-plug-in hybrid. It also brings a 795-litre boot behind the second row against the Tank 300's 360 to 500 litres. For a growing family needing the extra pews, that fork settles the choice on its own.

This is where the two are hardest to separate. Both use part-time four-wheel drive with a low-range transfer case and locking differentials, and their geometry is near-identical: the Tank 300 claims a 29-degree approach, 25-degree departure and 224mm of clearance; the Tank 500 counters with 30, 24 and 220mm. Both wade to 800mm. The Tank 300's advantage is size, since it is 318mm shorter and lighter on a tight track, while the Tank 500's is the extra carrying capacity for a loaded touring rig. On pure capability, call it even and let the size difference decide it.

The Tank 500's cheapest grade, the Vanta Hybrid, opens at $74,990 driveaway, while the Tank 300 starts at $47,990 for the Lux diesel. That is roughly a $27,000 step just to get into the bigger car, and the two ranges do not overlap: the dearest Tank 300, the Ultra PHEV at $60,990, still undercuts the entry Tank 500 by $14,000. These are GWM driveaway prices as of July 2026 and move with the brand's rolling offers, so confirm the day's figure. The point stands either way. The Tank 500 is a clear price step, and it buys size, seats and equipment rather than more capability.

Both carry a five-star ANCAP rating, so neither is a compromise. They were tested in different years to different criteria: the Tank 300 in 2022, with seven airbags and strong scores for adult occupant protection (88 per cent) and safety assist (85); the Tank 500 in 2024, with six airbags but a higher child-occupant score (93 per cent). The bigger difference is standard active-safety kit. The Tank 500 fits blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a 360-degree camera and a head-up display across the board; the Tank 300 matches blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and the 360-degree camera on every grade. Both include autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control as standard.

Running costs split by how far you drive. The Tank 500 is marginally cheaper to service, at around $400 a visit against the Tank 300's $500, roughly $2,000 versus $2,500 across five years. On fuel it flips: the Tank 300's 2.4-litre diesel claims 7.8L/100km, useful for long touring legs, while the Tank 500 Vanta Hybrid claims 8.5 and weighs 540kg more. Both carry a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, seven years of roadside assistance, and service every 12 months or 15,000km, and both plug-in versions can charge cheaply at home. For high-kilometre touring the lighter diesel tends to win; around town the gap is small.

For most buyers the Tank 300 is the smarter pick. It delivers the same core Tank experience, ladder-frame chassis, low-range four-wheel drive, locking diffs and even the 300kW plug-in hybrid option, in a more manageable size for around $27,000 less. Step up to the Tank 500 when you have a specific reason: you need the seven seats of the Vanta Hybrid, you want the 795-litre boot and the extra payload for touring, or you simply want the larger, more richly equipped cabin with its bigger screens and standard head-up display. Both tow 3,000kg braked and both wear a five-star rating, so the choice is about how much car you need, not how much capability.