Whatshot
Road Report: GWM Tank 300
Road Report: GWM Tank 300
Date: 2025-09-25
Every so often, a test drive feels less like work and more like a small adventure. That was certainly the case when I pointed the nose of the new GWM Tank 300 toward the soft white sands of KwaZulu-Natal's coastal dunes. A setting that has humbled more than a few pretenders quickly revealed what this square-jawed newcomer is truly made of.
The dunes, shifting and powdery beneath the wheels, are the perfect proving ground. With a flick through the drive mode selector, the Tank 300 transformed from civilised cruiser into a sand-surfing specialist. Power delivery was smooth yet forceful, the turbocharged petrol engine breathing easily, never strained, always ready to dig in and push forward.
There's a certain reassurance in the way it tackles terrain-effortlessly cresting ridges, holding steady on descents, and refusing to wallow even when I deliberately provoked it. The 4x4 system and clever electronics work in seamless harmony, letting you concentrate on the view while the Tank does the thinking beneath you.
On the road back to Durban, it was equally composed. The cabin's refinement-plush seating, commanding visibility, tech at your fingertips-means it doubles as a family SUV just as well as it plays dune-conqueror.
The Tank 300, then, is more than a newcomer. It's a declaration from GWM: bold, capable, and unashamedly confident. For me, it was a drive that blended exploration with ease-proof that toughness need not come at the expense of comfort.
In the sands of KZN, the Tank 300 didn't just survive. It thrived. And that's the sort of performance worth writing home about.