Peugeot 5008 VS GWM Tank 300
Peugeot 5008
Likes
- Striking looks
- Great to drive
- Awesome interior
Dislikes
- No reverse-cross traffic alert
- Curtain airbags don't reach third row
- Pricey
GWM Tank 300
Likes
- Price-tag
- Packed with features
- Very capable off-road
Dislikes
- Payload
- A few driver-assist tech issues
- Needs better all-terrain tyres
Summary
Peugeot 5008
Previously on carsguide.com.au: Peter Anderson drove the Peugeot 5008 and quite liked it.Â
I don't think it's going to be a huge shock to learn that the recent update to the 5008 seven-seater has improved the car and, therefore, my opinion of the car.Â
Except, it's more than an update. Prices are much higher than when I drove the Crossway edition 5008 in 2019 (remember those happy times?) and the difference between the petrol and diesel engines is especially wide now in 2021.
The updated 5008 shares a great deal with its 3008 sibling and the two share a very important attribute - they are distinctively French, in a good way.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.6L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Premium Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 7L/100km |
| Seating | 7 seats |
GWM Tank 300
A new petrol-powered 4WD seems an anomaly in a world seemingly hell-bent on rapidly embracing EVs.
However, there’s still room for a traditional off-road vehicle or two – especially those with front and rear diff locks – for the time being, anyway.
I tested the Chinese-made GWM (Great Wall Motors) Tank 300 petrol in late 2023 and noted there was a lot to like about it, although I also highlighted a few negatives.Â
Read more about
After recently revisiting it for another hard-core off-road test, have I changed my mind?
Read on.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Regular Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 9.5L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
Peugeot 50087.3/10
The answer is, I think, two-fold - price and badge. Peugeot Australia has a job on its hands to turn things around as 2020 was a tough year and 2021 is shaping up to be almost as hard. There aren't any significant changes to the 5008 to make it suddenly stand out from the crowd because it already did. So the badge's cachet isn't matching the premium pricing.
Peugeot's SUVs are very popular in Europe but barely make a dent here. Because there isn't a bait-and-switch cheaper model to lure buyers off the street, it's a harder sell. Peugeot's glory days of the late 1990s and the late 1970s before mean the people who have fond memories of the badge are older and probably don't have any attachment at all to the French lion. Perhaps the re-energised 2008 will start that conversation, except it's not cheap either.
Having said all that, it's hard to see why folks with over fifty grand to spend on a seven-seater - and there are plenty of those - aren't paying more attention to the 5008. It's a striking presence, is practical but isn't overbearingly large or even slightly clumsy. It may not have AWD but hardly anyone ever uses that. It'll handle the city and the motorway and, as I discovered, biblical rain all in its stride. Like its 3008 sibling, it's a mystery there aren't more out there.
GWM Tank 3006.6/10
The GWM Tank 300 is an impressive 4WD wagon. Build quality, ride and handling and off-road capability all deserve praise.
So, is the petrol Tank 300 4WD worth spending your hard-earned cash on? After two off-road tests in it, and spending a bit of time in it on-road as well, I reckon, yes.
It’s packed with standard features, purpose-built for 4WDing and it’s well priced, especially when anything that can match it for features, comfort and capability costs about $20,000 more.
Design
Peugeot 50088/10
The 5008 was always the slightly awkward big brother to the 3008. That's not to say it was (or is) ugly, but the bigger box fitted to the back is far less racy than the 3008's fast back.Â
There's not much change at that end, so the cool claw lights carry the can for style.Â
In profile, again, it's a little awkward (compared to the 3008) but some nice work with various materials and shapes help to reduce its bulk.
The front is where the facelift action has happened. I was never completely convinced by the front end of the 5008 but the reworking of the lights to look less like they were squeezed out of a tube of toothpaste is a marked improvement.Â
The updated lights work beautifully with the new frameless grille. The fang-style daytime running lights, that debuted on the gorgeous 508, look fantastic here on the 5008. It's a superb job.
Inside is largely unchanged, which is to say it's still brilliant. It's really one of the more inventive interiors in any car, anywhere and is a joy to sit in.Â
The seats look brilliant, even more so in the diesel with their fine stitching and racy shapes. The wacky 'i-Cockpit' driving position works much better in more upright cars like SUVs and is present and correct while the new 10.0-inch screen also looks good.Â
Even if you're not interested in buying one of these, if you're passing a Peugeot showroom, get in and have a look, feel the materials and wonder why more interiors aren't this cool.
GWM Tank 300
The Tank 300 looks like a mash-up of a Ford Bronco and a five-door Suzuki Jimny; it’s a boxy 4WD with prominent wheel arches and just as pronounced side steps.
Inside and out, it’s a striking blend of old and new, cool retro style with a modern touch.Â
Our test vehicle was an eye-catching Dusk Orange colour. You’ll like it or loathe it.
Inside, there is a lot of hard plastic everywhere, more than merely a nod to its engineered purpose as a rugged 4WD adventure machine, and that ties in with its all-around ready-for-real-life character.
But leather and soft-touch surfaces throughout provide a low-key sense of classy balance to those durable plasticky aspects.
The 12.3-inch touchscreen is clear and bright and the centre console is a mix of traditional and on-screen buttons – but more about the multi-media system below.
Worth noting is the fact that while the directional air vents look fine they feel rather flimsy once you start moving them around to open/close/direct them.
Practicality
Peugeot 50088/10
Legroom is good in the middle row, with plenty of knee space as well as a that long flat roof stopping you from giving yourself a haircut.Â
Each of the front seats has a fold down airline-style tray table, which kids go absolutely wild for.
The third row is really an occasional use only proposition, but it does the job and is reasonably easy to access. The middle row also slides forward (60/40 split) to allow a bit more space for the third row, which is nice.
The 5008 has a trick up its sleeve - removable third-row seats. If you fold the middle row down and remove the back row, you have a massive 2150 litres (VDA) of cargo volume.Â
If you just fold the third row away you still have a formidable 2042 litres. Whip the back row out again but leave the centre row in place and you have a 1060-litre boot, reattach them and it's a still impressive 952 litres. So, it's a massive boot.
The 5008 is rated to tow 1350kg (petrol) or 1800kg (diesel) with a braked trailer, or 600kg (petrol) and 750kg (diesel) without brakes.
GWM Tank 300
The interior is either 'Comfort-Tek' synthetic leather seating (Lux), or Nappa leather seating (Ultra) and beyond those soft-touch surfaces the Tank 300 has a practical and comfortable interior.
The Ultra has five seats, bucket-style up front for the driver and front passenger (both okay, but not ideal in terms of support and comfort), and a three-seat bench-style second row in a 60/40 split configuration.Â
In the grand tradition of second-row seats it's okay, not great. The second row folds flat to expand the rear cargo space.
Cargo space is a listed 400 litres when the second row seats are in use, and 1635 litres when that second row is stowed away.
The 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system is easy enough to use even if the English-as-a-second-language wording on some of the driving-mode explanations is off-target every now and again.
The audio system is nine-speaker in the Lux and Ultra, but the Ultra's is described as 'Premium'.
There's wireless charging, front and rear USB ports, as well as 12V and 220V power outlets.
The seats are Nappa leather accented, heated and cooled (up front), and the driver gets an eight-way power-adjustable perch (with lumbar adjustment and massage function).Â
The 64-colour ambient lighting is a discotheque touch at night.
Price and features
Peugeot 50087/10
Peugeot's local arm is pitching the 5008 at an interesting point. While nowhere near the largest of seven-seaters, it is also not the cheapest, that honour going to Peugeot's former technical partner for SUVs, Mitsubishi.Â
There is now just one specification level (although it isn't really), the GT and you can have it in petrol form for (deep breath) $51,990, or diesel form (keep drawing that long breath) $59,990. That's a lot of cash.
But as I say, the spec is not the same between the two. And there is a lot of stuff.
The petrol GT opens with 18-inch wheels, a 12.3-inch digital dashboard (upgraded, apparently), a new 10.0-inch touchscreen (ditto), front and rear parking sensors, around-view cameras, leather and Alcantara seats, keyless entry and start, auto parking, adaptive cruise control, powered tailgate, rear window blinds, auto LED headlights, auto wipers and a space-saver spare.
The more expensive diesel picks up the diesel engine (obviously), a banging Focal-branded 10-speaker stereo, acoustic laminated front side windows and 19-inch alloys.Â
The diesel GT's front seats are also upgraded, with extra adjustability, a massage function, heating, memory function and electrical operation of just about everything on them.
Both versions have the new 10.0-inch multimedia touchscreen. The older screen was slow and really needed a good stab to work, which is a bit of a problem when so many functions are packed into the system.Â
The new one is better, but still a touch laggy. Weirdly, the climate control shortcuts permanently frame the screen, so the extra real estate goes on those controls.
The diesel GT's seats are available as an option on the petrol as part of a $3590 option pack. The pack also adds the Nappa leather, which itself is a separate option for $2590 on that upper-spec model. Neither pack is cheap (but the Nappa leather is lovely) and the massage seats are more than a novelty.
Other option costs are $1990 for a sunroof and $2590 for Nappa leather (diesel only).
Just one paint colour, 'Sunset Copper', is free. The rest are extra. For $690 you can choose 'Celebes Blue', 'Nera Black', 'Artense Grey', or 'Platinum Grey.' 'Ultimate Red' and 'Pearl White' cost $1050.
GWM Tank 300
The Tank 300 petrol line-up has two variants: the Lux ($46,990 drive-away) and Ultra ($50,990 drive-away).
Standard features include a 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), wireless charging, 12V and 220V power outlets, Nappa leather accented seats, heated and cooled (front) seats, eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar adjustment and massage, nine-speaker premium audio, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, front and rear diff locks, 18-inch alloy wheels, 64-colour ambient lighting and more.
It has LED headlights and tail-lights, front and rear USB ports, a sunroof, side steps, roof rails, seven airbags (including front centre), and a stack of driver-assist tech including AEB and forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, lane centre keep, emergency lane keep, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, rear cross traffic alert with brake, tyre pressure monitoring, front parking sensors and rear parking sensors, 360-degree around-view camera, transparent chassis function and more.
The GWM Tank 300 is available with five different paint jobs: 'Fossil Grey' is no-extra-cost standard, but 'Lunar Red', 'Pearl White', 'Crystal Black' or 'Dusk Orange' each cost $595, at time of writing.
Under the bonnet
Peugeot 50087/10
As the names of the cars suggest, there is a petrol and diesel engine. Both drive the front wheels only through automatic transmissions.
The petrol is a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo, with 121kW at 6000rpm and 240Nm from 1400rpm. The petrol scores a six-speed automatic and will cover the 0-100km/h run in 10.5 seconds.
For torque monsters, the diesel is the go, with 131kW at 3750rpm and 400Nm from 2000rpm. This engine scores two more gears for a total of eight and will run from 0-100km/h in 10.2 seconds.Â
So neither of them are drag racers, which is to be expected when you've got a fair chunk of weight to pull (1473kg for the petrol, 1575kg for the diesel).
GWM Tank 300
The Tank 300 petrol has a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine, producing 162kW at 5500rpm and 380Nm from 1800 to 3600rpm.
It has an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission (the hybrid has a nine-speed auto) and a part-time four-wheel drive system with 4WD high-range and 4WD low-range for off-roading.
Efficiency
Peugeot 50087/10
Peugeot says the combined cycle figure for the petrol is 7.0L/100km and 5.0L/100km for the diesel. The petrol figure seems sort of likely, the diesel, not so sure.
I ran the lighter 3008 for six months with the same engine (but with two fewer gears, granted) and it averaged closer to 8.0L/100km. The last time I had the 5008 I got 9.3L/100km.
As I drove these cars on the launch event (mostly highway running), the dash-indicated 7.5L/100km figure I saw is not a reliable indicator of real-world consumption.Â
Both tanks hold 56 litres, so based on the official figures, you'll cover around 800km in the petrol and over 1000km in the diesel. Bank on a day-to-day range about 150km lower than that.
GWM Tank 300
The GWM Tank 300 Ultra petrol has a listed combined cycle fuel consumption figure of 9.5L/100km. It uses regular unleaded fuel.
On test I recorded 10.4L/100km from pump to pump.
The Tank 300 has a 75-litre fuel tank so, going by the fuel figures above, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 720km from a full tank.Â
Note: Drop 30-50km off any driving-range figure for a better idea of your vehicle’s safe touring range. Also, remember that numerous other factors affect your fuel consumption and so impact your touring range, including how much extra weight you have onboard (passengers, camping gear etc), whether your vehicle is fitted with any aftermarket equipment (bullbar, spare-wheel carrier, etc), whether you are towing (a camper-trailer, caravan, or boat etc), your vehicle's tyre pressures and the conditions.
Driving
Peugeot 50087/10
Once you're comfortable with the i-Cockpit, which features a high dashboard and a tiny, squared-off steering wheel, you'll feel like you're driving a much smaller car.Â
I have theorised over the years that the light steering coupled with the small steering wheel makes it feel more dynamic than it is, but I think that's wrong - it's genuinely well set-up and is a car in which you can have some fun.
I was only able to drive the 1.6-litre petrol with six-speed auto on launch and that was on a horrifically wet day during Sydney's recent deluge.Â
The M5 motorway was covered in standing water and the spray from the big rigs made driving conditions rather more difficult than usual.Â
The 5008 sailed through it all (pun intended). That engine is hardly the last word in power and torque, but it does the job and the auto is well-calibrated to the numbers.Â
The big Michelin tyres bite the tarmac pretty well and while you always feel the weight of a seven-seater SUV, it drives much more like a raised wagon than a doughy SUV.Â
Fewer of its rivals are doughy these days, but there's a little bit of spark in the 5008, matching the promise of its looks.Â
It's not quick, and it's not a hot SUV, but every time I get in this or its smaller 3008 sibling I ask myself why more people don't buy them.
It's irritating that the diesel costs so much more if you want that extra in-gear performance and another two gears.
GWM Tank 300
I covered about 400km in total, on sealed surfaces in between off-road testing and overall the Tank 300 was rather impressive.
It’s quiet and refined on-road but has few alarming characteristics, which I’ll get to soon.
The petrol engine is lively and punches this 2106kg wagon along at a nice clip.
Steering has a sporty weight to it and is precise enough for easy driving in the city, suburbs and on the highway.
Ride and handling is nicely composed – mostly. It feels a bit floaty at times, some body-roll creeps in during livelier turns and there is a spongy feel to the coil-spring suspension.
But, other than that, this 4WD consistently feels stable and planted.
NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) levels are kept to a minimum, though there’s some wind rush around the chunky wing mirrors.
Visibility is reasonable but a bit pinched in places. The big bonnet can impact the driver’s forward vision, and that’s why, when you’re 4WDing, the Tank 300’s transparent chassis function comes in handy.
As for those 'alarming characteristics' I mentioned earlier…
Under heavy braking the Tank 300 pitches forward severely, with seemingly all momentum forcing the vehicle into a disconcerting nose-dive. Not good.
Driver-assist tech is generally seamless, but lane keep assist is too harsh and too pre-emptive in its application – wrenching you into line whenever it ‘thinks' you have drifted too far off-centre.
Auto stop-start engages abruptly and there is a disconcerting amount of lag before the vehicle starts again from standstill.
Not good at all when you need quick off-the-mark pace to safely merge with traffic from a stop light or after a lengthy pause at a roundabout.
The Tank 300 did however prove to be an effective off-roader. It handled the gravel track to our 4WD test site with ease.
This route is peppered with light corrugations, as well as, deeper into the bush, severe ruts and potholes, so it’s not an easy drive for any standard 4WD.
But this GWM wagon in 4WD high-range, did well, and was only ever rattled (a bit) when we hit a section of much deeper wheel ruts and potholes where modified 4WDs had damaged the track.Â
My patented ‘Watch out for that 'roo!' emergency-braking test again revealed the Tank 300’s tendency to pitch forward dramatically under heavy braking and it took some work to keep the vehicle on track.Â
The Tank 300 is well suited to low-range 4WDing. It may not have a ton of torque on tap (380Nm), but that pulling power is available across a decent rev range and this 4WD makes efficient use of what it does have.
Its off-road driving modes, including 'Mud/Sand', 'Rock', 'Mountain' and 'Pothole', seem calibrated appropriately for the demands of different terrain, although I wouldn’t rely on them, too much.
In the middle of an Aussie summer I didn’t get to test the ‘Snow’ setting, but when you engage some of the modes it will lock diffs where appropriate.
Low-range gearing is sound, without being Jeep Wrangler Rubicon great, and with its front and rear diffs locked, the Tank 300 tackled every 4WD challenge with ease.
Visibility is restricted in places due to the cabin build style, but that’s not such an issue when you’re 4WDing at very low speeds – you can always stop and get out of the vehicle to check the track ahead.
However, the Tank 300’s 'Transparent Chassis' function goes some of the way to improving driver visibility.
This system is similar to the 'Transparent Bonnet' view in the Land Rover Defender in that its aim is to extend the range of the around-view camera to include a view under the Tank 300 (represented on-screen as a ‘ghost vehicle’ outline when Transparent Chassis is selected).
Wheel travel is decent enough – the Tank 300 has a live rear axle – but the standard Michelin Primacy SUV tyres (265/60 R18) are not well suited to 4WDing. Fit a decent set of aggressive all-terrains to make this 4WD wagon even better off-road.
The Tank 300 loses a few off-road efficacy points, though, because…
It feels low. Ground clearance is listed as 224mm, and it has official approach and departure angles of 33 and 34 degrees, respectively (no ramp-over angle is listed), but it feels vulnerable to scraping its undercarriage on the earth.
Its pronounced side steps also seem to nudge the ground when you’re traversing rough terrain. Not among the Tank 300’s best features.
Listed payload is 446kg, which will quickly be used up once you add aftermarket equipment, passengers, camping gear and your dogs to the mix.
Unbraked towing capacity is listed as 750kg, while braked capacity is 2500kg.Â
Safety
Peugeot 50087/10
The 5008 lands with six airbags, ABS, various stability, traction and braking systems, speed limit sign recognition, driver attention detection, distance warning, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, road edge detection, auto high beam, reversing camera and around-view cameras.
The diesel picks up lane positioning assist while none of them have reverse cross-traffic alert. Equally annoying is the fact that the curtain airbags don't reach to the back row.
The forward AEB includes low light cyclist and pedestrian detection between 5.0km/h and 140km/h, which is impressive.Â
There are three ISOFIX and three top-tether mounts in the middle row and two top-tether restraints in the removable third row.
The 5008 scored a maximum five ANCAP stars in 2017.
GWM Tank 300
The Tank 300 has the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing in 2022.
As standard, it has seven airbags and a comprehensive suite of driver-assist tech including AEB, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, lane centre keep, emergency lane keep, adaptive cruise control (it worked for me on this test), traffic sign recognition, rear cross traffic alert with brake, tyre pressure monitoring, front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree around-view camera.
Ownership
Peugeot 50087/10
Peugeot's five year/unlimited kilometre warranty is now pretty standard but always welcome. You also five years of roadside assist and five years/100,000km of fixed price servicing.
Interestingly, the service prices aren't much different between the petrol and diesel, with the former costing $2803 over five years ($560 per year on average) and $2841 for the latter ($568.20 per year on average).Â
You have to visit your Peugeot dealer once every 12 months/20,000km, which isn't too bad. Some turbo-engined cars in this segment demand more visits or won't cover as many kilometres between services.
GWM Tank 300
The Tank 300 has a seven-year/unlimited kilometre factory warranty, five years of roadside assistance and five-year capped price servicing.Â
Servicing intervals are set for every 12 months or 10,000km.Â
Capped price servicing puts the costs at $300 each for the first, second and fifth service, and $550 each for the third and fourth service. That's an annual average of $400.