2024 GWM Tank 700 v Toyota LandCruiser 300 v Nissan Patrol: SPEC BATTLE!

Patrol vs LandCruiser: it’s one of the fiercest rivalries in Aussie motoring and also one that has huge, loyal followings around the country.

But while this battle of large 4X4 wagons stretches back 70 years — both Japanese brands starting making their own ‘Jeeps’ in the second half of the 1950s — there could soon be a new player in the segment that promises to blow both out of the water, at least when it comes to performance.

Chinese brand GWM is in the midst of securing a foothold in Australia and details of its largest, most-powerful model to date are slowly beginning the emerge. GWM’s new off-roader is called the Tank 700 and like the LandCruiser and Patrol, it’s a large body-on-frame 4X4 SUV that is just over five metres long.

UPDATE: Now we know even more about the Tank 700

We already knew the wild-looking GWM Tank 700 was hugely powerful but now the brand has confirmed it actually has more torque than we first thought.

STORY CONTINUES

Unlike the V6 turbo-diesel Toyota and petrol V8 Patrol, however, the Tank 700 is powered by a plug-in hybrid powertrain that produces a whopping 386kW/750Nm — figures that easily trump what’s on offer from its more established rivals.

So could the Tank 700 be a genuine contender in the large off-road segment? Will it even come to Australia? And how much will it cost? Here’s how it stacks up for spec against two of Australia’s off-road heavyweights.

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JUMP AHEAD

• Dimensions & seating
• Powertrain & performance
• Off-road ability
• On-road ride & handling
• Pricing, availability and servicing
• Specifications

Dimensions & seating

The Tank 700 Launch Edition was officially shown at the Guangzhou motor show earlier this week, with that reveal also confirming details around its size.

Measuring 5113mm long, 2061mm wide and 1952mm tall, the Tank 700 sits smack bang in the middle of the LandCruiser and Patrol for dimensions.

Length wise it’s 98mm longer than a LandCruiser but 62mm shorter than a Patrol. The Tank’s two metre width trumps both, however, and is 81mm wider than the Toyota and 66mm broader than the Patrol, although it’s unclear if the GWM’s measurement includes the wings mirrors or not. If it does, then all three should be line-ball for sheer breadth and the sense of space/shoulder room that comes with it.

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All three off-roaders are within a few mm of each other for height, but one measurement that differs is wheelbase.

The distance between the LandCruiser’s axles is the shortest at 2850mm, while the Tank has a 3000mm wheelbase. The Patrol’s wheelbase is the largest at 3075mm.

GWM is yet to provide an official figure for the Tank 700’s ground clearance, but the Nissan offers 273mm which is superior to the Toyota’s 235mm.

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Seating capacity is one area where the Tank 700 falls short of its established rivals. While we’re yet to see an official spec sheet from GWM, details out of China suggest it will be a five-seater only.

Nissan offers buyers the choice of either seven or eight seats in the Patrol, while the LandCruiser range has a mix of five and seven-seat options depending on the model grade.

The high-spec Sahara we’ve chosen for this comparison is a seven seater, for example, but five seats are available in the entry-level GX and higher-spec Sahara ZX and GR Sport.

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Powertrain & performance

If it’s outright performance you’re chasing, then the Tank 700 will undoubtedly pique your interest.

GWM is investing heavily in plug-in hybrid powertrains — it calls them Hi4 for Hybrid Intelligent 4WD — and the Tank 700 is the first to combine a six-cylinder petrol engine with a battery and e-motor.

The 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol engine makes 268kW and 500Nm on its own but those outputs jump to 386kW and 750Nm when paired with a single electric motor. Drive is reportedly sent through a nine-speed automatic to an on-demand four-wheel-drive system.

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Details around battery size for the Tank’s plug-in hybrid system are yet to be confirmed, although GWM’s other Hi4 powertrains are available with either a 19.94kWh or 27.5kWh battery pack.

The Tank 700 should offer 100km+ of EV range and it should also trump both the LandCruiser and Patrol when it comes to 0-100km/h acceleration.

The Tank 700’s plug-in powertrain will also offer better efficiency. An official fuel consumption figure is yet to be released, though it’s almost guaranteed that the GWM’s on-paper fuel figure will be less than the LandCruiser’s 8.9L and well down on the V8 Patrol’s 14.4L.

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Of course, all three 4X4s will return higher readings in real-world driving. Our previous testing of the Toyota and Nissan has returned 12.1L and 17.0L/100km respectively.

A quick word on cruising range: the fuel tanks in the 300 Series LadCruiser have dropped to 110L, which is less than the 140L capacity you get in the thirstier Patrol.

One downside to a plug-in hybrid powertrain in GWM, however, is additional weight and it’d be fair to assume the Tank 700’s kerb mass will be higher than the Toyota (2610kg) and Nissan (2861kg). Another PHEV downside is powertrain complexity, which can be a crucial factor for owners looking to travel big distances in remote locations.

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Proven reliability is one area the Nissan has a clear advantage. While its 5.6L V8 might be older than the V6TT diesel in the LandCruiser, it’s a well-known powertrain.

And a fine one at that. Pumping out 298kW and 560Nm, Nissan’s naturally aspirated V8 is a cracker and lends the Patrol a sporty feel. It pairs well with a seven-speed auto, with our only complaint being the gearbox’s reluctance to manually shift down when off road.

There’s no denying that diesel dominates the off-road market in Australia, though, and the LandCruiser’s 3.3L unit is smooth, powerful and offers greater efficiency than the Patrol. It’s a torquey unit and despite losing two cylinders compared with the 200 Series’ old V8 diesel, it trumps it for performance thanks to outputs of 227kW and 700Nm.

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Off-road ability

While we’re yet to drive the Tank 700, its on-paper off-road credentials stack up well.

The Launch Edition spec shown at the Guangzhou motor show offers air suspension, disconnecting stabiliser bars and electromagnetic shock absorbers. It also has a full-size spare mounted to the side-hinged tailgate. Wheel sizes are 22-inch rims wrapped in road-biased 275/50 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tyres.

It’s the LandCruiser that’s our pick for off-road ability, however. In previous testing, the Toyota’s impressive wheel travel and expertly calibrated traction control system and useful Crawl Control feature saw it hold an advantage over the Patrol.

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The Toyota smoothly and effortlessly tackles heavy ruts and steep inclines, although its lower ground clearance compared to the Nissan can see its front end scrape occasionally.

The Nissan is impressively capable off-road, too, thanks to a lockable rear limited-slip differential and superior ground clearance. But it can’t match the rear wheel travel of the Cruiser and its older electronics aren’t as sophisticated.

The top-spec Patrol Ti-L rolls on 18-inch alloys shod with 265/70 rubber. The LandCruiser Sahara also has 18-inch wheels with similar-sized tyres at 265/65, although larger 20-inch alloys are available on higher model grades.

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On-road ride & handling

The advantage swings back in favour of the Nissan when it comes to on-road dynamics.

The Patrol has independent suspension front and rear and while that may deter some off-road buyers (the Toyota has an independent front/live rear axle set-up), it means it’s a superior wagon to drive on tarmac.

The Toyota feels more softly spring during on-road driving than the Nissan and it delivers a smooth and comfortable ride. However it can’t match the Nissan’s impressive body control and can feel big and wallowy on tight roads or tracks.

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An assessment on how the Tank 700 performs on-road will have to wait, although we can make some educated assumptions. Its plug-in powertrain, for example, should provide impressive low-down response.

It will also be smooth and quiet in EV mode and its wide, road-biased Michelin tyres should offer plenty of grip on twisty tarmac roads.

No word yet on how much the Tank 700 can tow but both the LandCruiser and Patrol have 3500kg braked towing capacities.

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Pricing, availability and servicing

GWM Australia is yet to provide any official word on whether the Tank 700 is coming to Australia, although we’d wager it’s likely.

The brand trademarked the Tank 700 name in Australia in 2021 and it’s quickly expanding Down Under with plans to expand its model range beyond its current offering in the smaller Tank 300.

As it’s yet to be officially confirmed, speculation about an Australian price is just that — speculation. Chinese reports state the Tank 700 Hi4-T is available to order for 700,000 yuan, which is around USD 96,000. Those amounts translate roughly to AUD $152,300.

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That pricing is for the aggressive-looking Limited Launch Edition pictured in this story, which includes carbon fibre body panels, light bars and large 22-inch alloys.

Only 70 examples of the Launch Edition will be produced so you can expect lower-spec models to cost considerably less.

As for how that measures up against LandCruiser and Patrol, well both are six figure machines. The top-spec Patrol Ti-L currently carries a drive-away price of $108,473 which is significantly less than our similarly specified LandCruiser Sahara which is $145,256 drive-away.

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The Nissan is an older vehicle, of course, and its cabin is simpler than the Toyota’s (you can see that as a positive or a negative) and it lacks some useful tech features like Apple CarPlay.

The Patrol’s tri-zone climate control is also inferior to the LandCruiser’s four-zone.

As for servicing costs, the LandCruiser requires a trip to the dealer every six months or 10,000km and is $400 per visit. The Patrol has longer time intervals at every 12 months, but still needs a service every 10,000km with pricing ranging from $452 to $916.

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