In March 2007 we saw a GWM bakkie on South African soil for the first time in the form of the Steed 5. It wasn’t a very spectacular or awe inspiring bakkie, it was plain and extremely basic.
However, when GWM launched the P-Series here in December 2020, it was a completely different kettle of fish. It looked light years ahead of the Steed 5, and pretty soon the P-Series was all over South African roads. The bakkie looked good and was loaded with all the comforts that other brands offered in their top spec models, but the P-Series was priced about 20% lower than those models. This was the bargain bakkie South Africa was looking for. But it had its niggles. With only a 2.0-litre turbodiesel under the bonnet, it felt slightly underpowered compared to other brands out there. The 4×4 system was good but it also needed a bit more ground clearance.
Then, in August this year GWM unveiled the P500. It’s not only a bigger bakkie than the P-Series, but it also has more features, including a split tailgate or barn door tailgate that could open sideways or fold down. So, when we headed to the Garden Route to drive the new P500 for the first, there was a hint of excitement. Not only is the P500 the biggest bakkie in SA it would also be the first real Hybrid available in the double cab market.
Under the bonnet of the hybrid model is a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol hybrid engine paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission pushing out 255kW and 648Nm of torque, although it didn’t always feel like that. There is also a new diesel 2.4-litre diesel powertrain with VGT or variable Geometry Turbocharger, also couple to a nine-speed automatic gearbox, pushing out 135kW and 480Nm.
Fuel consumption is claimed at 9.8 litres/100km for the hybrid and 8.6 litres/100km for the 2.4 diesel. We didn’t get the opportunity to drive the diesel but, in the Hybrid, we struggled to get the fuel consumption below 13 litres/100km. Which is a bit concerning as this is supposed to be a hybrid and hybrids are supposed to give great fuel consumption.
The interior of the P500 is definitely in a class of its own. It feels luxurious inside, from the wood grain finish on the dash, to the large 14.6-inch infotainment system. GWM calls it their ultra interior that includes a list of things from ambient lightning to a heated steering wheel, door pressure sensors and the welcome function of the seats. There are also multiple charging pints for phones as well as front and rear wireless charging points. And don’t forget the huge panoramic sunroof!
The P500 was built with safety in mind and has a multi reinforced body construction with a non-loadbearing frame. There is a list as long as my arm when it comes to safety features, from front collision warning to intelligent turning and even front fog lamps with directional activation to name but a few. It also boasts seven airbags and the guys at GWM recon it is ANCAP 5 Star ready.
What is the GWM P500 like to drive on road?
On the route that we took, which comprised both motorway and gravel driving, the quality of the ride was most notable. It was remarkably comfortable, with the well-sprung suspension soaking up the roads bumps and handling the gravel roads with ease. The steering is centred perfectly although it felt at times a bit to light, but with a couple settings available it can be adjusted for those that require more feedback. The seats are comfy, and I wasn’t tired even with the almost 4 hours that we spent in the car driving.
Our 4×4 guru, Tony Yeo, drove the P500 at the Festival of Motoring as one of the instructors for GWM and here is what he has to say.
Having just spent four days and literally nine hours a day behind the steering wheel of the P500, with the exception to a cold burger and three quick comfort breaks, gave us enough time to get familiar with the vehicle.
Our short route took us via a 32-degree gradient, some thick sand, a section of crossover articulation holes, a 42-degree steep decline, and a soft rough rutted gradient.
I was informed by GWM’s technical aftersales manager that this new full hybrid is built in Baoding, China. There they have a state-of-the-art testing bay which can be set up with various wind speed and temperature tests. There is also a massive 240 km/h circuit built around the facility, with a dynamic square, a test mountain, a road for fatigue durability testing, a road for braking tests and a road for ISO noise tests.
The man from GWM also spoke sweet soothing words, like Borg Warner, Bosch, german engineers, designers and many more, which all screams reliability and quality.
It can clearly be seen in the build quality of this vehicle; the chassis is rigid and has absolutely no twist when negotiating the axle twisters. Closing a door makes you look twice as the body metal is substantially thicker than most other vehicle.
The interior offers a high standard of luxury. Even if some of the styling is not to your taste, the number of features and some clever thinking must leave you impressed.
All the safety features, such as lane assist, blind spot monitor, seven airbags, traffic recognition, intelligent park, cameras with all the views and many more combined with a five-star ANCAP rating, are there to keep you and your family safe.
Off-road driving is formidable, with traction control being an integral part of the system, it is faultless, quick and simply works well. The P500 has a rear, as well as a front differential lock, coupled to the TC, ABS, is the HDC (Hill decent control). I personally prefer to do the manual method of descending a slope, however modern vehicles are all equipped with this feature, so it is necessary to experience and utilise it. There are not many other vehicles with a system that works as well as this P500 HEV HDC does. It is incredibly slow, however, added to that is a stalk which allows you to slow it down or pick up a bit of speed if need be.
I once again, personally, have not yet been attracted to the EV side of things, and still not totally convinced, maybe it is still just old school mentality. However, I fell in love with HEV. This has got to be the bee’s knees – it really is impressive, silent and added to all the benefits, is the amazing take of acceleration that it offers.
I really do like the P500. It is extremely comfortable and feels solid. However, it is close to 5 metres long, so parking in a garage could be an issue, and ramp over angle must be negotiate with a bit more care. I would possibly also like to see bigger wheels on it.
Will the HEV system handle 10 days of Savuti, heat, dust and corrugation? Time will tell.
The verdict
The biggest allure of the P-series was always the price, but this new P500 starts at R799 900, and that is for the 2.4 turbodiesel. The top-of-the-range P500 2.0T HEV 9HAT 4X4 Ultra Luxury will set you back R999 900. That’s right, that is pretty much a million bucks!
I think the P500 2.4T 9AT 4X4 Luxury would be the better option at R799 900, as it still has most of the luxuries in the cabin and you should be able to get better fuel consumption than what we got on the launch route.
There is nothing wrong with the looks and feel of the bakkie, it drives well and as Tony stated it is pretty decent on the rough stuff. So, if you are I the market for a new bakkie, I would definitely advice to test the GWM P500.
Model line-up and pricing:
- GWM P500 2.4T 9AT 4×4 Luxury: R799 900
- GWM P500 2.4T 9AT 4×4 Super Luxury: R889 900
- GWM P500 2.0T HEV 9HAT 4×4 Ultra Luxury: at R999 900
*Included with the purchase price is a 5-year/ 75 000km service plan, a 7-year/200 000km warranty, a 5-year/unlimited-kilometre body and paint warranty, am 8-year/150 000km high voltage warranty, and 7-year/unlimited-kilometre roadside assistance.
Detailed walkthrough of the new GWM P500 range
P500 2.4T 9AT 4×4 Luxury
- 18x8J alloy wheel rim & 265/60 R18 tyres
- Auto frameless wipers
- Manual tilt & telescopic steering (4-way) & steering wheel straighten reminder
- Rear door privacy glass & soundproof glass (rear door, front/rear windshield)
- Independent split rear seat folding
- 12.3” colour multi-touchscreen
- 360° panoramic view monitor
- 6 speakers & integrated amplifier
- Speed sensing volume adjustment & wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto
- Rear cabin lamp
- Trailer Sway Mitigation & Adaptive Cruise + Intelligent Cruise Assist + Traffic Jam Assist + Intelligent Turning
- Front and rear parking sensor x4
- Parking Distance Control & Rear Cross Traffic Alert & Rear Cross Brake System
- Lane Change Assist
- Front Collision Warning+ Auto Emergency Braking System + Pedestrian Safety Assist + Bicycle Safety Assist
- Dual front & front side & curtain & front centre airbags
- Engine immobiliser
- Indirect driver fatigue monitor system
- Keyless entry & auto door lock
- Auto collision unlocking
- Brake Assist & Uphill and Downhill Assist
P500 2.4T 9AT 4×4 Super Luxury
- Front and rear axle electronically controlled differential locks
- Soundproof glass (rear door, front windshield)
- Electric rear sliding window
- Sun visors with mirror & lamp
- Electronic anti-glare rearview mirror
- Faux suede roof trim panel
- Driver seat: Electric + memory + 8-way adjustment + welcome function + adjustable lumbar support
- Front fassenger seat: Electric + 6-way adjustment & side seat electric adjustment
- Front seats: Ventilation & 8-vibration setting massage + heating
- Nappa leather seats
- Driver seat welcome function
- 14.6” colour multi-touchscreen
- Side cabin lamp
- Glove box lamp
- Panoramic sunroof
- Front wireless charger
- 220V power outlet (120W)
- Side mirrors: Memory + auto fold + electric adjustment + turn signal
- Easy lift tailgate
- Multifunction 40:60 split tailgate
- Front fog lamps (steering auto directional)
P500 2.0T 9HAT 4×4 Ultra Luxury
- Electronic cooling fan
- Steering wheel heating
- Storage trays under rear seat x2 (1kg)
- Rear Seats: Ventilation + heating + electric 2-way adjustment + welcome function
- Multi-colour ambient lamp-rhythm
- Foot lamp
- Rear wireless charger
- Head-up display & central console retro classic clock
- 10 Harman Infinity speakers & independent Harman Infinity amplifier
- Fully automated parking assist
- Adjustable brake energy recovery
- Front & rear parking sensors x6
- Outside rearview mirrors including a demister
