Big Dog and Tank 300: Haval and Great Wall consider Jeep rivals for Australia
Great Wall Motors (now rebranded as GWM) – and its subsidiary Haval – are considering two new rugged-looking mid-sized SUVs for the Australian market.
An email sent to potential Australian car buyers – a copy of which has been obtained by Drive – shows two new models in particular that the manufacturer is actively considering.
The Haval Big Dog – pictured above at the 2020 Guangzhou Auto Show – is a retro-styled medium-sized SUV measuring in at 4620mm long and 1890mm high. It sits on a unibody platform with room for five on-board.
The other model, the Haval Tank 300, is bigger at 4670mm long and 1930mm high, and has a full-frame ladder chassis.
The Big Dog has only petrol powertrain options listed, with 1.5-litre turbo (124kW/285Nm) and 2.0-litre turbo (155kW/325Nm) engines running through seven speed dual-clutch automatic transmissions. These have two-and-four wheel drive capability.
On the other hand, the Tank 300 has the choice of a 167kW/387Nm 2.0-litre turbo petrol and a 135kW/480Nm 2.4-litre turbo diesel. These have eight-speed and nine-speed automatic gearboxes, running through to all four wheels.
The Big Dog appears to be more of a soft-roader SUV, with 200mm of ground clearance and independent suspension all-round. There’s also wireless charging inside, along with a 12.3-inch infotainment display.
The Tank 300 looks to be a more serious off-roader, with 224mm of ground clearance, front winch compatibility and an off-road cruise control function. Suspension is a multi-link live rear axle, with an independent front end.
Haval currently offers the LandCruiser Prado sized H9 four-wheel drive in Australia, along with H6 and H2 medium and small SUVs. The new GWM Cannon four-wheel drive ute will also land soon in Australia.