By Otsile Kadiege

GWM has expanded the powertrain lineup of its seven-seater Tank 500 SUV with the introduction of a new diesel engine. This move aims to offer more variety to SUV lovers who prefer the torque-rich, fuel-efficient nature of diesel powerplants, particularly in markets where diesel remains popular for large, heavy-duty vehicles.

Familiar diesel power
Under the hood of the new diesel-powered Tank 500 is a 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, familiar to South Africans from the GWM P-Series bakkies, the P300 and P500. The engine produces 135kW and 480Nm, which is considerably less powerful than the 255kW and 648Nm total system output of the hybridised 2.0-litre petrol engine found in the HEV variant of the Tank 500.

Despite being down on power, the diesel engine is still expected to deliver solid performance for everyday use, especially when combined with a 9-speed automatic transmission and available in both 2WD and 4WD configurations.

Fuel efficiency and range

Although official fuel consumption figures for the diesel Tank 500 haven’t been released, we can expect it to be similar to the P500 bakkie which boasts a claimed 8.6l/100km and a range of over 900km. The SUV is fitted with a 78-litre fuel tank, which is slightly smaller than the petrol HEV’s 80-litre tank but should still offer a generous driving range between refuels.

Is it coming to South Africa?

At the time of writing, GWM South Africa has not confirmed whether the diesel-powered Tank 500 will be making its way to local showrooms. However, if it does come to Mzansi, we believe GWM might need to reconsider its power and torque outputs, especially since the SUV weighs around 2.5 tonnes. A bit more grunt could make it more suitable for both towing and off-roading in local conditions.