At the media launch of the new P500 luxury bakkie range in August, only the petrol-electric hybrid model was available to drive, as GWM wished to draw attention to it being SA’s second most powerful pickup after the Ford Ranger Raptor V6.
The P500 self-charging hybrid model produces a mighty 255kW of power and 648Nm of torque by pairing a 2.0l turbo petrol engine with an electric motor. While the P500 hybrid had plenty of voema, it disappointed in fuel economy, with the test vehicle quaffing a thirsty 12l/100km.
When it came to spending more time with GWM’s new premium bakkie range for an extended road test over December, we opted for the diesel version of the P500 instead, hoping to save on fuel bills. The bakkie didn’t disappoint, averaging 9.6l/100km in a mix of urban and freeway driving as well as long-distance trips between provinces. That is not terribly far off the 8.6l figure claimed by GWM, and good for a leviathan that weighs 2.5 tonnes.
With outputs of 135kW and 480Nm, the diesel P500 has less muscle than rivals like the 2.8 GD-6 Toyota Hilux (150kW/500Nm) and 2.0 BiTurbo Ford Ranger (154kW/500Nm).
Most notably, the GWM has significant turbo lag. It is particularly evident at Gauteng’s high altitude, where the big bakkie takes a couple of seconds to get going from a standing start, and though it feels better at sea level the symptom doesn’t disappear.
Once on the go the diesel bakkie feels punchy and has plenty of cruising and overtaking pace, particularly in Sport mode. All P500 models lay down their power by means of a nine-speed automatic transmission and selectable four-wheel drive.
It’s a refined bakkie, with little agricultural clatter from the diesel engine, and nor is there any significant wind noise as it goes about its way. This polished feel extends into the look and feel of the cabin, which has an impressively high-end feel.
The P500’s interior is large and luxurious, and the bakkie is equipped like an executive SUV with items such as Nappa leather upholstery, and electrically adjusted front seats with heating and cooling as well as massage functions. Unusually high-end features for a bakkie include a hatch in the rear window that slides open electrically, and a panoramic sunroof. There is ample stowage space in the cabin, including behind the folding backrests of the rear seats.
The generous spec sheet also includes a steering column that is adjustable for rake and reach, a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital instrument cluster, six-speaker sound system, keyless entry and dual-zone climate control.
The safety roundup in the diesel P500 includes seven airbags, ABS brakes and active driver aids such as trailer sway mitigation, keeping aid, traffic jam assist, adaptive cruise control, front collision warning and rear cross traffic alert.
Driver aids can sometimes become obtrusive but they can be disabled using the P500’s infotainment system, including the lane keeping aid which stays off when you restart the car. The tyre pressure monitor was glitchy, however, and sometimes displayed a warning that the tyres were underinflated when they weren’t.
The P500 is one of the largest double cabs in the market and at 5,440mm, it is longer than rivals like the Ranger and Hilux. Along with its hefty width, this bakkie is no pleasure to park, although the task is made easier with the assistance of a 3D parking camera, which provides a top-down digital view of the vehicle and its surroundings.
The P500’s unique party trick is a split tailgate, but it garners a mixed review. Being able to open the tailgate sideways like barn doors makes it easier to load bulky objects as you can stand closer to the load area. But opening the electric tailgate proved frustrating as it sometimes required several presses of the button, instead of the advertised two jabs. Also, the small rubber button doesn’t feel as durable as the traditional handles found on rival bakkies.
In terms of lugging capability there are no complaints. The P500 has a 750kg payload with 24 cargo anchor points, and a 3.5 tonne towing capacity.
The P500’s best feature is its comfortable ride quality, which is one of the plushest in the double cab segment. The Chinese pickup rides on the typical bakkie set-up of coil spring suspension up front with leaf springs at the rear. Our journeys included long, eight-hour trips and drives on broken and gravel roads, and the Chinese bakkie sailed over it all with a cushy ride and solid feel.
The P500 diesel 4x4 is built for adventure trails with a generous 224mm ground clearance plus all the hardware to tackle hard-core off-roading, including selectable all-wheel drive, low range, rear diff lock and, unusually, a front diff lock as well.
Is the GWM P500 good enough to steal sales from the likes of Hilux, Ranger and Amarok? As with all modern Chinese vehicles the jury is out on long-term reliability and resale values, but on first sight the P500 has the goods to take on the establishment in a tough market sector where brand loyalty reigns supreme.
Modern Chinese bakkies have come a long way from their crude origins and the GWM P500 has a refined demeanour and one of the most luxurious cabins in the game, even though the turbo lag and finicky split tailgate are flies in the soup. Chinese bakkies have inevitably become more expensive and are no longer the bargains they once were, but the P500 still offers more gadgets per rand than traditional rivals.
GWM P500 vs the competition:
GWM P500 2.4T double cab Super Luxury 4x4, 135kW/480Nm — R889,900
JAC T9 2.0CTI double cab 4WD Super Lux, 125kW/410Nm — R659,900
LDV T60 2.0D Bi-Turbo double cab Max Luxe 4x4 auto, 160kW/500Nm — R790,000
Nissan Navara 2.5 DDTi double cab Pro4X 4x4, 140kW/250Nm — R844,000
Mitsubishi Triton 2.DI-D double cab Athlete 4x4, 135kW/430Nm — R859,990
Toyota Hilux 2.8 GD-6 double cab 4x4 Legend, 150kW/500Nm — R909,400
Isuzu D-Max 3.0TD double cab V-Cross 4x4, 140kW/450Nm — R916,400
Ford Ranger 2.0 BiTurbo double cab Wildtrak 4x4 — 154kW/500Nm — R953,800
VW Amarok 2.0BiTDI double cab Style 4Motion, 154kW/500Nm — R963,600
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.