Great Wall Motor (GWM) recently made a splash in the Philippines following its relaunch even a few weeks back. The Chinese automaker is fielding a couple of crossovers and a pickup for its local comeback, catering to the most in-demand segments in the country. But it’s not just in the Philippines where it’s trying to make some waves.
GWM was also present in what is perhaps the region’s most important auto show, the Bangkok International Motor Show. With that, GWM is dead serious about leaving a strong impression on the rest of Southeast Asia. On display were the Haval Jolion and the Haval H6, both of which will soon be available here. The Ora electric vehicles were also on its stand, but it’s the massive Tank 500 that caught our attention.
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The Tank 500 is GWM’s flagship SUV, and it even looks like a good match against a certain luxury SUV from Toyota. So, how does GWM’s largest (and plushest) SUV fare against the Toyota Land Cruiser? Let’s see the numbers side by side.
In terms of size, the two are pretty close, but the Toyota still edges the GWM by a few millimeters. The Tank 500 measures 5,070mm long, while the Land Cruiser is at 5,130mm. On to width, the Tank 500 is 1,934mm, and the Land Cruiser is 1,980mm. As for height, the Tank 500 is 1,905mm and the Land Cruiser is 1,945mm.
So, the Great Wall is still a bit smaller, but what’s interesting here is the wheelbase. Both these full-sized SUVs measure 2,850mm from hub to hub.
It also looks like the two aren’t too far off in horsepower and torque numbers. That said, these giants deliver power in completely different ways. The Toyota sticks to good ol’ diesel power with its 3.3-liter V6 twin-turbo mill. Meanwhile, the GWM takes the downsized hybrid turbo route with a 2.0-liter turbopetrol paired with an electric motor.
The Land Cruiser’s six-cylinder diesel packs 304hp and 700Nm of torque, while the Tank 500’s total system output is rated at 349hp and 500Nm of torque. So the GWM takes the lead on power, but the Toyota has the crown for torque.
All in all, the two appear closely matched, and not just in numbers, either. Both interiors appear well appointed with the lastest tech and features, and both even have the hardware to tackle trails. More interestingly, the Tank 500 even has a front locking differential, so it might just match the Land Cruiser on the trail.
So, do you want to see if Great Wall Motor Philippines bring the Tank 500 here? And if so, will you consider it over a Land Cruiser? Of course, only time will tell when Great Wall Motor Philippines will bring the flagship SUV here.
