These days, Haval is a familiar name in the Australian automotive world. The Chinese company has been doing business Down Under for a while, and its portfolio currently consists of SUVs and pickups. It now wants to expand its offer with the addition of the rugged but luxurious 2022 Haval Tank 300.
The Haval Tank 300 has been on sale for more than a year now. It debuted in the domestic Chinese market in a rugged, off-road-ready design. Of course, you can find a lot of similarities with the legendary Jeep Wrangler, as well as from the new Ford Bronco.
Still, the Chinese manufacturer is doing things independently, with a more luxurious interior that takes inspiration directly from the Mercedes-Benz SUV line-up.
The First Generation of Haval Tank 300 (2020-present)
While we wait for the Haval Tank 300 Australia to debut, this off-roader is already making good sales numbers in China. It's been around since 2020, and considering its fresh design, it's easy to predict that the version for our market won't be significantly different.
Of course, tweaks in terms of grades and equipment groups are always possible, but some experts also speculate about the addition of a diesel powertrain, as the Chinese-market version comes with a petrol engine only.
Design
Just one look at the Haval Tank 300, and you can easily see that there are many similarities with American off-roaders like Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco. This refers to the styling, as well as to the overall exterior design. The boxy shape clearly shows its rugged nature, suggesting that we can expect a lot of passenger and cargo space on the inside.
What’s more important than a generally attractive look is under the skin. There, things are pretty rugged. We’re talking about a genuine SUV design, with the fully-framed chassis and lots of classic off-road hardware.
Speaking of the off-road hardware, this SUV comes with a part-time 4WD system and locking rear and front differentials. Also, there are five selectable drive modes, so you can perfectly adjust traction setting, throttle response, torque delivery and other parameters, depending on the surface and other driving conditions.
Finally, add to all these 224 millimetres of ground clearance, as well as 33° of approach and 34° of departure angles, and you get a significantly capable off-roader. Hill-descent and hill-hold controls are also part of the standard equipment.
Despite this evident off-road DNA, the Haval Tank 300 is designed to be versatile and well-mannered on the road as well. It features a refined suspension setup that should ensure a smooth and comfortable ride.
Unlike American SUVs that feature solid axles, this one comes with an independent double-wishbone setup at the front and a multi-Link independent rear suspension, with ventilated discs on all four wheels.
Dimensions
Size-wise, the Tank 300 seems like a typical mid-size SUV. It features a 2,750-mm wheelbase, while the total length goes around 4,760 mm. It is 1,930 mm wide and 1,903 mm high.
As already mentioned, the Haval Tank 300 features 224mm in wheelbase, while approach and departure angles are 33° and 34°, respectively. The SUV weighs between 2,075kg or 2,150kg, depending on the version you pick.
Haval Tank 300 Dimensions
- Wheelbase: 2750mm
- Length: 4760mm
- Width: 1930mm
- Height: 1903mm
- Ground Clearance: 224mm
- Weight: 2075-2150kg
- Tyres: 265/65 R17
Powertrain and Performance
The Chinese version is available in a petrol version that uses a 2.0-litre turbo-four (167 kW, 387 Nm). This is enough power to allow the Haval SUV to sprint from 0-100 km/h in 9.5 seconds.
What we like about the drivetrain is that the Tank 300 uses a well-known and refined 8-speed ZF, an automatic transmission that is so popular among carmakers these days. It sends power to all wheels and, as it was already mentioned, this SUV uses a part-time 4WD system.
The max towing capacity is 3500 kg, which is pretty good for an SUV of this size.
Haval Tank 300 Engine Specs
- Engine Displacement: 1967cc
- Number of Cylinders: 4
- Fuel Type: Petrol
- Forced Induction: Turbocharger
- Max Power: 167 kW
- Max Torque: 387 Nm
- Acceleration (0-100km/h): 9.5s
- Fuel Consumption (combined): 9.3 l/100km
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 80L
- Towing Capacity: 3500kg
We presume that Chinese manufacturers could offer a diesel version for the Australian market as well. Either of two engines could find a place under the hood of the Tank 300.
The first is a 2.0-litre turbodiesel (120kW, 400Nm), and the second engine is bigger and more capable, featuring 2.4 litres in displacement (135kW, 480Nm). The latter seems more appropriate for the Australian market, but Haval is still quiet on this matter.
Interior
While the exterior design takes a lot of inspiration from models like Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco, the Haval Tank 300 interior is an entirely different story. Instead of a rugged, truck-like cabin design, it looks refined and luxurious. You’ll notice fancy details at the dashboard, such as simulated wood, chrome details, and Mercedes-Benz-inspired round air vents.
The instrument cluster is completely digital and comes integrated with the infotainment screen. The centre console comes with a futuristic gear selector and a couple more physical selectors for traction modes and 4WD setup.
The Chinese version comes with two rows of seats, and we expect the same thing in Australia. Some sources speculate about the optional third row, but that doesn't sound likely. The exact numbers for the cargo area are still unavailable.
Haval Tank 300 Price
The new SUV is expected to debut in our country sometime next year. At this point, it’s hard to predict the exact Haval Tank 300 price in Australia.
The Chinese version starts at around US$27,500, but we do not doubt that the price will be much higher for markets abroad. We estimate that the Australian model would feature starting price between $45,000 and $50,000.
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By Nebojsa Grmusa