GWM Tank 500 SUV launching in Malaysia this year, likely as 2.0T hybrid – Haval H9 probable in future

Great Wall Motor (GWM) Malaysia officials have confirmed to paultan.org that the GWM Tank 500 SUV – previewed at the Kuala Lumpur International Mobility Show (KLIMS) 2024 – will launch in Malaysia this year. The seven-seater body-on-frame SUV is likely to come in HEV (non-plug-in) form, at least to start with.

This setup sees a 244 PS/380 Nm 2.0 litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine join forces with a 106 PS/268 Nm electric motor and a nine-speed hydraulic automatic transmission (HAT) for a combined 350 PS and 616 Nm of torque.

You also get selectable four-wheel drive, locking front and rear diffs, 4L, tank turn and a 360 camera including Body Transparent System, which allows you to ‘see underneath’ the vehicle when traversing challenging terrain. There’s also power-retractable side steps, a 12.3-inch digital instrument display and 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen.

Globally, besides this petrol-hybrid powertrain, the Tank 500 also comes in a non-hybrid petrol (355 PS/500 Nm 3.0 litre turbo V6) version, plus not one, but two plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains, called Hi4-T (above left) and Hi4-Z (above right).

Hi4-T is the older of the two, debuting on Tanks 400 and 500 in 2023 (the 700 got it in 2024). The battery is placed underneath the boot and there’s a prop shaft connecting the engine to the rear wheels. The electric motor, which is integrated into the gearbox, can assist the engine when required, driving all four wheels. This is the more ‘hardcore off-road’-focused of the two PHEV powertrains, as both battery and electric motor are protected from the elements.

Hi4-Z is very new, debuting on the Tank 500 earlier this month. It’s positioned as a ‘less-hardcore-off-road’ PHEV powertrain and as such, does not replace Hi4-T. Here, the battery is along the chassis floor (skateboard-style, like most EVs), allowing for a bigger battery, more EV range and more boot space. The Tank 500 Hi4-Z’s 59 kWh battery yields a 201 km electric-only WLTC range (compared to its Hi4-T sister’s 37 kWh and 110 km).

Because of where the battery is, there’s no more prop shaft – the engine and an electric motor drive the front wheels while the rear wheels are powered by a second electric motor, making it a decoupled four-wheel drive system. Sadly, our Tank 500 will neither be Hi4-T or Hi4-Z (at least initially), but if you could choose, which PHEV system do you think would be more suitable for Malaysia?

Tank 500 aside, the second-gen Haval H9 is a distant probability for Malaysia, its case helped by the fact that the original model was previewed here (and may have been sold in very small numbers). If it does come, it won’t be so soon, as it’s still undergoing right-hand drive (RHD) development.

First unveiled at Auto China 2024 in Beijing, the second gen is galaxies away from the first gen, taking on a very Defender-ish outlook. Buyers in China can choose between a 218 PS/380 Nm 2.0 litre turbo petrol with an eight-speed auto, or a 186 PS/480 Nm 2.4 litre turbodiesel with a nine-speed auto.

GWM Tank 500 HEV previewed at KLIMS 2024

Second-gen GWM Haval H9 at Auto China 2024 in Beijing

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