GWM Tank 500 Earns 5-star ANCAP Crash-Test Score

The GWM Tank 500 three-row hybrid 4x4 SUV recently aced the ANCAP crash-testing program, earning a full 5-star rating.

Chinese automaker GWM saw its large SUV offering, the Tank 500, earn a coveted 5-star rating form the ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program) crash-testing organisation recently. Said SUV was subjected to the body’s latest 2023-2025 test protocols, in fact.

According to ANCAP, the GWM Tank 500 aced each and of its stringent and through assessment phases with high scores. The organisation even notes that maximum points were awarded for the level of protection it offered adults and children occupants in the side-impact test.

According to ANCAP, the GWM Tank 500 scored maximum points in the side-impact tests.

ANCAP elaborates that the GWM Tank 500 charted a 93% score in the Child Occupant Protection category. Here, the score is based on the presence of function of a direct child presence detection system (CPD), which is a feature ANCAP encourages, but isn’t mandatory, since 2023.

Said system primed in the Tank 500, GWM’s leading three-row large-sized SUV offering, employs a slew of sensors within the vehicle to detent physical and respiratory movements to ascertain the presence of a child that’s possibly left inside the vehicle once it is locked.

When triggered upon detection the motions detailed, the CPD will alert its driver by sounding the horn and issue notifications via both mobile phone and email. “This is one of the most advanced systems assessed by ANCAP so far,” noted the body further.

Presently marketed in Indonesia, Thailand, and Australia, the GWM Tank 500 also scored well in ANCAP's collision-avoidance tests.

Elsewhere, the GWM Tank 500 fared well in the collision avoidance tests, this largely thanks to its full range of active driver assistance (ADAS) features primed. Highlights include autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and lane support system, both of which garnering high scores from ANCAP too.

Of course, no picture or package is perfect, and the ANCAP body did highlights several jarring omissions. One of which was the absence of top tether anchors in the third-row seats which, in turn, prevents its use by children that require car seats.

No package is perfect though as ANCAP did note the GWM Tank 500's ineffective AEB in lane-change scenarios, and abense of top tethers in its third-row seats.

Another weak point noted by ANCAP in the GWM Tank 500 is its AEB system’s ineffectiveness in a lane-change scenario – when an oncoming vehicle moves into the path of the subject vehicle. Said AEB does however function well in mitigating collisions in a head-on, straight travel scenario.

First revealed in 2021 before entering production in 2022, the Tank 500 stands as one of GWM’s top-tier offerings from its line-up.  Presently, GWM markets the Tank 500 in Thailand, Indonesia and Australia with a 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo petrol hybrid powertrain setup.

The smaller GWM Tank 300 was previewed publicly at MAS 2024 recently where it was also opened for bookings with a tentative price tag of RM250,000.

Though not offered locally in Malaysia yet, the Tank 500 could enter Malaysia in the near future, but this heavily depends on the reception of its smaller sibling the Tank 300. Said model was recently previewed at the Malaysia Autoshow 2024 (MAS 2024) where GWM Malaysia opened early bookings too.

Even with a tentative price tag of RM250,000, the model still garnered 150 bookings during its public debut at MAS 2024. The Tank 300 is expected to be officially launched by GWM Malaysia later this year circa the third quarter (Q3).